Irresistible almond cookies that taste rich and buttery, despite being free of oil, eggs, butter and dairy. They are naturally grain-free, gluten-free, Paleo & vegan, plus, they can be made keto-friendly with 1 substitution.
These are the cookies I want, and I am pretty certain you will want them, too.
Because they are perfect.
And ridiculously easy. The dough takes roughly 1 minute to prepare (that’s averaging up) with the help of nothing more than a medium-size bowl and a spoon.
The texture? Tender and crisp-chewy, similar to a macaron, but more substantial. The sweetness? Spot on (not too much, nor too little). And buttery? Very buttery, in fact, despite having no butter, or added oil of any kind.
These cookies are not ersatz, health-food imposters. Anything but that. Serve them to gourmet friends, traditionalist cookie aficionados, children (big and small), significant others, friends, neighbors, health-conscious acquaintances, and co-workers.
They will love them.
All of that, and I have not mentioned several key features that makes these cookies all the more extraordinary. They are:
*Made with just 3 ingredients (not counting water & salt)
*Vegan (dairy -free & egg-free)
*Grain-free
*Gluten-free
*Oil-free
*Paleo-friendly
*Keto (with one simple substitution)
All you need is almond flour, baking powder, and a bit of coconut sugar (or the granulated sweetener of your choice), along with a pinch of salt and a splash of water. That’s it.
It’s very important to use blanched almond flour, not almond meal (which is more coarse, and is ground with the skins still on). The cookies will be greasy and heavy, plus they will not rise very high. I know, it is a little bit pricey, but it is 100% worth it for these cookies. In addition, 1 cup of flour yields 10 generous-sized cookies, which is pretty frugal in the long run.
Here’s another reason to love these cookies: versatility. With one basic recipe, you have a wealth of cookie options at the ready, depending on what flavorings (e.g., vanilla and other extracts, spices, citrus zest) and/or stir-ins (e.g., chocolate chips or chunks, dried fruit, nuts, seeds) you want to incorporate.
You can even make jam thumbprints or use the dough as the base (in an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan) for bar cookies. Pretty neat!
I specifically scaled this recipe small (10 cookies at a time) for anytime (now!) cookie baking, but the recipe can be doubled, tripled or quadrupled without a problem, in case you need to serve a crowd.
Happy baking, everyone!
3-Ingredient Almond Cookies {Vegan, Grain-Free, Paleo, Keto Option}
- Prep Time: 3 mins
- Cook Time: 16 mins
- Total Time: 19 mins
- Yield: 10 cookies 1x
Description
Irresistible almond cookies that taste rich and buttery, despite being free of oil, eggs, butter and dairy. They are naturally grain-free, gluten-free & vegan, plus, they can be made keto-friendly with 1 substitution.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (112 g) blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar (see notes for keto option)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the almond flour, coconut sugar, baking powder and salt (breaking up all lumps in the flour). Add the water and stir until blended.
- Drop by tablespoons (I used a small cookie scoop) on the prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 13 to 16 minutes until golden brown and set at the centers.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Notes
Storage: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days (in a cool room; if it is hot, store in the refrigerator), the refrigerator for 1 week or the freezer for up to months.
Tip: I strongly recommend weighing the almond flour for best results. If using cups to measure, be sure to very lightly spoon the almond flour when measuring (do not scoop up the flour or tamp into the cup).
Keto Variation: Replace the coconut sugar with an equal amount of keto-friendly brown sugar replacement (e.g., Sukrin Gold, Swerve). Keto Version Macros per Cookie: Calories: 64; Carbs: 2.5 g; Sugars: 0.4 g.
Variations:
Chocolate Chip Cookies: Add 1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips to dough.
Thumbprints: Maake an indentation int the top of each unbaked cookie mound and fill with 1/4 teaspoon of jam or preserves before baking.
Dried Fruit Cookies: Add 1/3 cup very finely chopped dried fruit to dough.
Sesame Almond Cookies: Add 1/8 teaspoon almond extract to dough.Sprinkle tops of cookie dough with sesame seeds before baking.
Toasted Almond Cookies: Add 1/4 teaspoon almond extract and 1/3 cup toasted sliced almond, coarsely crushed, to dough.
- Category: Dessert, Cookies
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 78
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 53.4 mg
- Fat: 5.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 6.1 g
- Fiber: 1.2 g
- Protein: 2.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Hello there! I am Going to try to make theses cookies today! I’m going to substitute the sugar with ground dates! I’ll let you know how it turns out!!!
Yum, date sugar sounds like a great idea! I think it will make the cookies a touch chewier, which sounds delish to me!
I had the same problem as others with the cookies not spreading. I spooned the almond flour into a dry measuring cup so it wasn’t too much of that. I also have a darker coconut sugar so the bottoms o my cookies got very dark. They’re still delicious even if not as nice looking as yours. I’ll try again with some cane sugar. Thanks for a super simple recipe!
Hi Patty,
Glad you liked the recipe! Regarding spreading: you could add a touch more water so that the batter is looser (about 1 to 2 teaspoons more, at most). If you have a kitchen scale, it helps tremendously to get the exact amount of flour since almond flour is lighter than all-purpose flour.
I can’t stop making these. Easiest dessert I have ever made and so yummy and versatile! MY FAV
YAY! 🙂
My kids and I had made these cookies for Santa we added lemon extract to them they turned out amazing thank you for the recipe
★★★★★
I am so happy to hear it, Brittany! Lucky Santa 😊
Hi!
Is almond flour interchangeable with almond meal? I really want to make them but I’ve got almond meal at home and I was wondering if they would still come out nicely?
Thank you!
Hi Carola,
Apologies, I have not tried this with almond meal. I think you will still end up with a tasty cookie, but different from this one (perhaps denser, and definitely darker). Almond flour is ground very fine and is made with blanched almonds (no skins), so it produces lighter baked goods. Almond meal is typically more coarsely grind, and it also has the skins on (nutritious and delicious, but heavier).
These were a perfect recipe for a rainy night when I wanted a treat, but didn’t want to go to the grocery store. I had everything on hand already. I made the sesame almond variation with brown sugar instead of coconut sugar. They were very good, but next time I definitely plan on adding vanilla extract. I think that will be delicious!
★★★★
I am so happy to hear that these hit the spot, Beth! 😊
Hi , tried for the first time cookies ever also for my 14 months old first cookies..this is so good in taste …but mine took extra 10 minutes but also not cooked properly..is adding little more water made it like that ??..can you figure it out .
Hi Prasanthi! Hmm, that does sound odd that these took so long to bake. Mine start to get far too dark if left in for 3 to 3 minutes too long. Adding more water definitely sounds like the reason. The dough should be pretty firm; it will seem dry when you first begin stirring, but it will come together with the small amount of water 😊
Yeah that shpuld be the reason..thank you for responding😍
Easy and great! You could make so many variations. Love it thanks!
So glad to hear it, Andrea!
After an early morning, very cold, dog walk, we both wanted freshly baked cookies. Your recipe fit the bill. Quick and easy and satisfying.
Thank you for this recipe and all that you do
Diane
★★★★★
Thank you so much,Diane! Stay warm 🙂
I just made these cookies. They did not rise beyond the size of the cookie scoop. I measured my flour on a scale…measured all the other ingredients as well. Any ideas about why they didn’t rise?
Hi Jimmie,
I am so sorry your cookies did not rise. It sounds like you did everything right, so the lack of rise sounds like it is from the baking powder. Perhaps a bad batch, or old? Just checking: did you bake soon after mixing? The only other explanation might be if the dough sat too long and lost it’s rising power.
Wow these cookies came out incredible! It’s crazy how delicious they are considering how simple the recipe is! I made some chia seed berry jam and created thumbprint cookies. Tasty! I also subbed the coconut sugar for maple syrup and omitted the salt. Awesome!
★★★★★
So happy to hear it, Lyra! Yum, the chia berry jam thumbprints sound pretty amazing 🙂
How would you suggest adding a butter to this recipe?
Hi Kaitlin,
I would suggest you make my -ingredient almond flour shortbread cookies and use melted butter in place of the melted coconut oil 🙂 Here is the link: https://powerhungry.com/2019/08/almond-flour-shortbread/
Thanks so much for this recipe! My poor husband had a rough day and had the worst late night craving. Luckily I had a fresh bag of almond flour and was able to whip this up so fast. I added a handful of chia seeds to the dough. He was very satisfied!
★★★★★
How wonderful!
So curious to try these. I just made the same recipe but less the baking powder and plus coconut oil. I had added some almond extract and they were delicious. Reminded me of Italian “macaroon” cookies. I thought they’d be good as thumbprints too, so I went out and bought some jam. Great minds! haha
Wonderful, Mary!!!
I’ve made these twice so far; I only used 2 instead of 3 tbsp of erythritol (I’d never used anything but sugar in baking and I was afraid of a hard-core stomach-ache, since I had no idea how the fake sugar would affect me.) Because of that ‘sugar’ adjustment they definitely stayed in a ball shape and were pretty dry and didn’t have a lot flavor. I wanted to keep the measurement to 2 tbsp, of the erythritol, so I added about 3/4 tsp of almond extract to boost the flavor on my next batch, and that solved the flavor issue 100%, but still with the ball shape, so I flattened them 3 or 4 minutes into cooking (not pretty since the edges were dry, but at least they weren’t balls anymore). I do LOVE these little cookies and will keep making them with the extract and the reduced amount of sugar substitute; these snacks help me feel like I’m not missing out if I want something tasty. My next batch will have less almond flour (probably should have adjusted that FIRST since I took away a full tbsp of the ‘sugar!”) to see if I can’t get these bad boys to flatten on their own. I definitely recommend the almond extract if you love almond-type things – it really enhances the flavor when I use less of the sugar substitute – so much! Thank you for posting this recipe – I’ll be trying the coconut flour snickerdoodles next!
★★★★★
Thanks so much for sharing your adaptations, KatGirl! The almond extract addition is great, love that flavor, too. I have not baked with straight erythritol, I typically use a blend designed for baking (current favorite–and I have no affiliation with the brand, just like it very much–is sukrin gold, a mix of erytritol, stevia, and malt extract; I order online). So glad that these work for you!
I made your cookies the plain ones to start with, instead of coconut sugar I put stevia, they turned out lovely, perfect to calm my sweet tooth on my diet, passed your recipe on to my brother 👍
Yay! So happy to hear it, Melissa!
Camilla,
My mother is allergic to almonds. Have you tried making these using other types of flour, coconut flour, maybe?
Hi Elizabeth,
I have a number of coconut flour, vegan recipes similar to these cookies that I think will fit the bill 🙂
Such as
Coconut Flour Snickerdoodles
Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
Banana Coconut Flour Cookies
Chocolate Coconut Flour Cookies
Enjoy!
1Thank you! Will pass on your Coconut Flour recipes to a friend!
Something went wrong. My daughter rolled up dough balls and placed them on the cookie sheet. The balls never softened into cookies. I baked for 15 min in 350 preheated conv oven. Help! I followed all instructions.
Hi Jas,
I am so sorry to hear that the cookies did not turn out for you and your daughter.
I am not sure what could have gone wrong. I am not quite sure what you mean when you say they did not soften into cookies–do you mean that they stayed in balls?
Just trouble-shooting a possible reason: it sounds like there may have been too much almond flour, which can happen if the almond flour is compacted into the measuring cup. The fact that they could be rolled into balls is another clue: the cookie dough is fairly moist and soft, and is easier to scoop than roll into balls. If the dough was firm enough to be rolled into balls, it is most likely the excess flour I mentioned.
If you want to try again (I hope you do!), I suggest lightly spooning the flour into a dry measuring cup (i.e., not a liquid measuring cup), and leveling off with a knife. Or weight the flour (112 grams, if you have a culinary scale). They should come out just right!
Have you ever tried adding essential oils for flavor s?
Hi Megan,
I haven’t, but if the oils are safe for culinary purposes, I am sure it would be a delicious option!
These are the easiest cookies I’ve ever made. They came out beautifully. I added some vanilla essence.
Hoorah! So glad they were a hit, Cindy
Made these today w/ a 1/4 t of vanilla and 1/3 C chopped dried apricots. Very tasty!
Do you think these would work using agave nectar instead of coconut sugar?
Thanks much!
Yum! Love dried apricots. Yes, agave will definitely work. Use the same amount of agave as coconut sugar, then add water (1/2 teaspoon or so at a time—probably 2-4 teaspoons) until it comes together into a dough.
An excellent recipe!
Used a microwave oven, Elba Grill+Microwave, output 800w, on High, 50 to 60 sec for a small batch.
In addition to all of the recommended add-on, once the dough balls are made, gently toss them around in almond flour and then bake.
And the cookies are great once cooled and at room temperature. And….refrigeration worked the best.
Fantastic to hear that they came out well in the microwave, Shoba! Thanks for sharing that for others (including me!) to try!
Made these for my kids so I didn’t want to use sugar. Doubled recipe and added a banana. Used my blender because I wanted to smooth my my almond meal (out of blanched). Big hit with them. They rarely have sugar, so these are great for them. Also made some packed with pecans and vanilla. Great, healthy treats! Thank you for sharing!
Wonderful Sarah! Your changes sound sooo good! Glad they were a hit with the kiddos, in particular 🙂
What would the ratio of white sugar, brown sugar or stevia be in place of the coconut sugar?
1:1 sub for any other granulated sugar (white or brown). I am not sure about stevia since there are different varieties (e.g., powdered packets, granulated stevia for baking, liquid). You may have to check the package.
Do you happen to know what how much erythritol would be equivalent to the 3 TBS of coconut sugar in this recipe? I’m not using coconut sugar because of plant paradox restrictions.
Hi Shari,
I have some granulated erythritol in my pantry that is a 1:1 sub for granulated sugars. I know that it comes in different varieties, but is often 1:1 sub. Does it say on the package you have?
I’m making your buckwheat groats bread today – thanks for providing recipe.
In these cookies, would sweet white sorghum flour work do you think? Being convinced of its nutritional benefits, I’m starting to use it wherever possible. Thanks again for all you do to encourage us to be healthier … without sacrificing taste.
Hi Tim,
No, I do not think the sorghum flour will work here as it has no fat whereas almond flour is high in natural fat. You would have more of a hard cracker than a cookie. It would take some experimentation to make it work, if at all. Sorry! I am sure there are some good sorghum flour recipes out there!
Soooooo good!! Thank you for sharing. My husband is dieting and had a sweet tooth. Glad I found your recipe cause I was scrounging in my pantry to whip up something healthy sweet. This was perfect. =)
So glad the recipe came to the rescue, Cindy!
Can monkfruit sweetner be substituted for the coconut sugar?
Thank you.
Hi Marie,
A monkfruit sweetener that is a 1:1 replacement for sugar (i.e., same measurement of monkfruit sweetener as coconut sugar or other sugar) should work well. I have not tested it with monkfruit, but the cookies will most likely not brown as much (absence of sugar) and may end up a bit more crisp (not a bad thing!) since sugar adds moisture to baking. I would love to know how it turns out if you try it!
I made these and they are great. I just want to say, when you use coconut sugar in the recipe it turns your product brown in color and that is because coconut sugar is dark in color, so my cookies came out dark before baking and after baking. These cookies are absolutely wonderful, but I need to know about the ones you show in the picture with the recipe, because they are white in color. Did you use regular sugar for the food photos?
Hi Steve! So glad you like the cookies. The cookies are made with coconut sugar. There is some variation in the coconut sugar, but the brand I order in bulk is light brown in color, not dark brown. I have seen some coconut sugar that is very dark.
Thank you for your answer. The one I buy is from a health food store here in Hawaii called Down to Earth and the one they carry is very dark. I was a Chef for over 25 years and because of some health issues that my wife has, we are changing the type of foods we eat. We are both happy that we found you and looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
Thanks so much, Steve.
Hi I just made your cookies. They are so easy and delicious. Mine stayed in round mounds shaped like my little cookie scoop. Did you flatten yours before baking? I measured all the ingredients and used the same as your recipe.
Hi Doreen,
So glad you like the cookies! Hmm, I’m not sure why yours did not spread. I do not flatten mine. Perhaps more loosely pack each cookie as you scoop?
Having already been vegan now for two months, just not forcing my son bc he still wants his bacon and burgers so I only allow it because he’s my kid whereas the other eats anything you give her, and it being near the end of the month, I wanted a snack that I and the kids would like. I wanted to do peanut butter vegan cookies with no oil. But realized I am super low on peanut butter. So I went with sugar cookies.
I was apprehensive about such little liquid used. But these are great! I didn’t have coconut sugar but I have monk fruit sugar. It’s grown on me. Came out very good.
Oh that is so good to hear, Ashley! And I am happy to know that the monkfuit sugar worked, too–I know that will be helpful to others, as well! 🙂
Tried the fingerprint recipe. Delicious! Thank you!
Whoot! So glad to hear, Sheila 🙂
Can I add brown sugar or white sugar instead of coconut sugar?
Yes, either will work Sam!
I find the recipe alone needs something, the variations listed all sound delicious but my quick fix was to approx. 1/4 tsp of vanilla when adding the water. Works Wonders! Such a quick and simple recipe, I’ve made these at least 4 times already
Perfect, sounds great Jynger! So glad you have made the recipe your own 🙂
Do you think these could be made without the sugar?
Hi Nicole,
It might produce something akin to a cracker, I just do not know. Were you planning on using an alterative sweetener, such as stevia? If so, it will not for this particular recipe, a the sugar does more than add sweetness (adds volume, moisture, browning, and more). With such a minimalist recipe, there is not much wiggle room for change in the basic formula, other than additions.
The recipe doesn’t say when to add the sugar. I assume it’s added with the flour and other dry ingredients.
Thank you so much for catching that, Penny! I have made the change 🙂