Your go-to, any occasion cookie: my 3-ingredient almond flour cookies! They are vegan, grain-free, paleo, and have a keto option, too.
The Best and Easiest Almond Flour Cookies
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.
Vegan, Paleo, and Keto Almond Flour Cookies
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.
Use Blanched Almond Flour to Make the Cookies
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.
Vary the Cookies in Multiple Ways
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!
How to Make 3-Ingredient Vegan Almond Flour Cookies
Making these cookies keto-friendly is a snap. Simply replace the coconut sugar with an equal amount of keto-friendly brown sugar replacement (e.g., Sukrin Gold, Swerve). Done! This reduce the carbohydrates to 2.5 grams per cookies (sugars 0.4 grams).
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.
Make Keto Almond Flour Cookies
If you wish to make keto almond flour cookies, I have the solution for you: swap the coconut sugar for an equal amount of keto-friendly brown sugar substitute (use a variety that can be used measure for measure to coconut sugar or brown sugar).
Happy baking, everyone!
More Grain-Free & Vegan Almond Flour Cookies to Try
3-Ingredient Banana Almond Flour Cookies
4-Ingredient Chocolate Almond Flour Cookies
3-Ingredient Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies
Sweet Potato Almond Flour Cookies
3-Ingredient Fresh Apple Almond Flour Cookies
Print
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, & other, options)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- Optional: 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 (optional) 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).
Sugar Options: An equal amount of brown sugar (light or dark) can be used in place of the coconut sugar.
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
Miracle cookies OMG!!! These are fantastic!! I halved the recipe and added cinnamon, almond extract, and I added some monk fruit sweetener and a little salt. YOU ARE BRILLIANT!!!
★★★★★
Way to brighten my day Rachelle!!! I love the sound of your additions, sounds so delicious 🙂
These came out AMAZING!!!! I made the cherry jam thumbprint variation and can’t wait to make them again!!! Thank you for sharing! These will absolutely be a go to recipe for me 🤓❤️
★★★★★
Cherry + almond= heaven in my book! Hooray that it is making your go-to list!
Hiya
Just made my first batch…I’m not much of a baker or cook or chef for that matter hahah. So a recipe with four ingredients and 16minutes cooking time sounded perfect… AND THEY WERE!
So pleased with the recipe and how they turned out!
I doubled up my mixture too.
Out of interest, how many cookies should i be able to get our of the single mixture? (Just trying to be strict – as I can be – with calorie info per cookie.
Many thanks
Rob
I am so pleased that they were a success for you, Rob! As for yield: I get 10 cookies. I use a small cookie scoop for making cookie so that they are all the same size (it is one of my very favorite kitchen tools, I use it for portioning other things like vegan meatballs, mini muffins, sand dollar size pancakes, falafel. I’ve had my current one for about 18 years 🙂 This is what I have : small cookie scoop Cheers!
Hi Camilla! I made these and – yep, I packed on the Almond flour DuH. So they stayed mounded but I just cooked them a bit longer. THESE are so good! Yummmmmm. I also sprinkled a minute amount of sea salt on tops before baking. Thank you thank you for this recipe, can’t wait to add nuts and things. OMGee these are the bomb!
Yay! So glad they worked out, Rita, even with extra almond flour 🙂 Enjoy!!!
This recipe is the best! It’s super delicious and healthy. I followed the recipe as instructed, and added 1/4 cup of chocolate chip and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. The cookies were amazing! I love that it is crunchy outside and soft inside. Next time I will add some chopped walnuts just to try it. I will definitely make this again very soon. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
★★★★★
Soooo happy these were successful for you, Marizza (what a beautiful name, BTW :)) You are so welcome, and have fun experimenting with different add-ins.
I tried the recipe but for some reason my cookies flattened out in the oven and I just broke them up like barks. I wonder where j went wrong? I have to mention that I used regular brown sugar instead of coconut sugar
Hi Madiha! I am so sorry that your cookies did not turn out. Using brown sugar is perfectly fine, so that is not the issue. The results sound very unusual. It sounds like it could be one or two issues, or both (1) too much almond flour (perhaps packing the cups?) and (2) the oven temperature, which overbaked the cookies (many ovens run hot, perhaps check yours with an oven thermometer).
I was wondering if I can replace coconut sugar with either white sugar, brown sugar big sugar and if I can how much do I replace it with?
Hi Mikayla,
Yes, you can definitely use brown sugar; you can probably use white sugar, too, I just have not tried it.
Use the same amount as the coconut sugar.
I made these this evening and these are great. Love the flavor.
Next time I’m going to add vanilla extract as some of the other commentators suggested.
Great Christi, I am so glad you like them and they turned out so well!
I don’t understand the 2 TBSP water?? How would that ever work? I added 1/4 cup almond milk and about 2 TBS water. At that liquid quantity I was able to actually roll cookie balls with my hands.
★★★★
Hi Maina! Glad you were able to make these work for you 🙂 I have made the recipe more than 100 times and the 2 tablespoons of water works perfectly.
Same issue…2 table spoons of water, and it’s just a powdery mix? What am i missing?
Hi Janelle,
I am so sorry your mix did not come together. It definitely sounds like there was too much almond flour. It is very easy to overpack, so if not using a scale to measure, I strongly recommend very lightly spooning (no packing) the flour into a dry measuring cup to measure. I hope that helps.
Me too. Had high hopes. Inwas worried that the douh was initially crumbly and failing to bind, but came together into a stiff dough at last. It wasn’t a droppable dough – I shape it into balls, which didn’t flatten and didn’t cook through. After 16 minutes baking, flattening them, and adding 5 more minutes, I took them out and let them cool, in case that would help make them crisp and cookie-like. That did help a bit, and they turned out odd, but delicious. Will keep playing, because I love the simple ingredients!
I thought of that too but once I added the 2 tablespoons it came out really well!!
Great, Aisha! I know, it looks dry when it is first added, but a bit of stirring and it comes together as a soft dough.
I was in search for yummy gluten-free, dairy-free cookie recipe because my brother in law had those limitations. This recipe was perfect but I was skeptical about the ingredients. And they turned out AWESOME. I played with flavors and added 1/4tsp almond extracr for an almond cookie,. Then for orange cranberry flavor, I added 1/3 c cranberries as recommended, and added 1/4tsp orange zest.:) so excited to try other variants using this recipe as a base. Thank you for this!❤️
★★★★★
Whoohoo! Glad to hear you love these, Katrina! Love your add-ins.
Has anyone tried subbing the coconut sugar for honey or maple syrup?
Delicious and easy!
★★★★★
So glad to hear it, Tara!
Update
This time I added 1/4 cup coconut and 1/4 cup old fashioned oats and kept the macadamia nut on the top. Delicious!
Ok, I am officially craving cookies now, Jane, and I am still working on my morning cup of coffee 🙂 Sounds delicious!
Wow! These sound divine without the guilt! If I add oats, do I need to add extra water?
Can’t wait to try these this weekend 😉
HI Sin,
Gosh, I am not sure how these would work with oats, it might take some tweaking to get them just just (the oats will absorb a lot of moisture, so yes, you will probably need to experiment with adding more water).
I am in love with this recipe. It takes 5 minutes to ready for the oven with hardly any equipment needed. Most importantly, the cookies taste great. Here are some changes I made to suit my needs: I substituted an equal amount of Xylitol for the sugar and I smushed down each cookie to flatten a bit before baking. I also pressed 1/2 of a macadamia nut on top of each cookie. Very nice taste. The next time I made the recipe I added 1/4 cup of non sweetened, shredded organic coconut to the mix. Delicious! I will probably add 1/2 cup next time. I started with less as I did not know how the coconut would affect the consistency of the dough but it was fine. This recipe lends itself to lots of possible variations. I especially love that there is no butter needed for a cookie that can easily rival many others that do have butter.
Oh y goodness, you are making me seriously hungry reading your variations! YUM! Thank you a million for the compliments, and, hooray, love that you love these so much! (BTW: I love your email address )
Hi Camilla,
thank you so much for your wonderful recipes. can i ask one thing: my cookies have bitter aftertaste. Anything i can do? I’m using (defatted) sukrin almond flour. I’m new to baking with almond flour, so maybe i’m just not used to the taste.
Many thanks!
★★★★
Hi GF! I am sorry your cookies had a bitter aftertaste, that is unusual. I had never heard of defatted almond flour, had to look that u (always good to learn about new products, thanks!). It must have something to do with the defatted almond flour. I have used many different brands of almond flour and never had that problem, so perhaps the lack of fat and the greater percentage of protein? But should be fine with regular almond flour.
WOW WOW WOW. I was doubtful, there must be a catch. Nope these are awesome. I used monkfruit sweetener and added one extra tablespoon of water.
★★★★★
That is so great to hear, Sharon! Thanks for sharing re: the monkfruit sweetener, that is very helpful!
How is the texture supposed to be, before putting in the oven? I added two tablespoons of water but it is all still like crumbly… 🙂
HI Roberta,
The texture should be moist. It is likely there was too much almond flour. It is easy to over-measure/pack the cups. If not using a scale to measure I recommend very lightly spooning the almond flour into the cup (no packing) to measure.
Hello! Is it possible to substitute the sugar with powdered stevia?
Hi T,
I have not baked with powdered stevia, but if it says that it is a measure to measure sub for sugar, it should work. The cookies will likely be a touch drier, as sugar adds moisture (consider adding a 1/2 teaspoon more water).
I made these today, and they were fine, certainly easy enough, if not great. My issue is, why do you call them 3 Ingredient Cookies when they obviously have five ingredients? Would it be so hard to call them 5 Ingredient Cookies, or just Easy to Bake Cookies?
★★★★
Hi SB,
I am glad the cookies turned out! The recipe is meant to be a base recipe so that it can be varied it many differnt ways (with extracts, zests, spices, chocolate chips, jam, dried fruit, etc.). As for the 3-ingredient title: one could call them those other options, the 3-ingedient title is simply my choice. Salt is always optional, and I assume running water is available (similarly I would not call a recipe for boiled pasta a 1-ingredient recipe, not a 3-ingredient recipe, even though the pasta is boiled in water and adding salt to the water is optional).
We cannot stop making these. 2x/week so far.Such a genius little recipe. We’ve been adding mini choc chips and a thumbprint if apricot jam. My 4 year old thinks these are some of the best treats we’ve ever made together and I agree. Guilt-free and couldn’t be easier. Thank you!
Oh Erin, the thought of your 4-year old loving these fills my heart with joy! So happy that these are a family favorite (we have been making them nonstop since the shutdown, too :))
These turned out great. I love the simplicity. I just happened to have keto friendly chocolate chips in the cupboard so used those. I was skeptical that two tablespoons of water was going to blend well enough but it worked out very well. After I balled the dough I didn’t try to flatten them because it didn’t specify. I ended up with little balls with a soft center and they were perfect.
★★★★★
So happy to hear that they surpassed expectations, Ingrid!
I simply cannot believe how amazing these cookies turned out with such a simple recipe. They’re perfectly crispy and chewy at the same time. Oh so good! I wish I had found it earlier. Thank you for sharing this!
You are very welcome, Deepa!
These are so delicious! I added 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom and used orange juice instead of water for an orange cardamom flavor. I used a bit less sugar because of the OJ. I can’t wait to experiment with other variations!
★★★★★
Yum! Great idea to use the orange juice, I am going to have to try that, Sarah. And cardamom is my favorite spice–love your creativity!
Love this recipe! It is now our go to for chocolate chip cookies. With the stress eating that my hubby is doing, I’m happy to provide a healthier cookie. He has a dairy allergy and problems with his blood sugar. I was happy that I didn’t have to make substitutions, as they don’t always turn out correct. I used Swerve. He stated that by having these, he doesn’t miss cookies. (Which happened with other “healthy cookie” recipes.). Oh, I added dark Enjoy Life Chips as they are allergy friendly. I also made these with regular brown sugar for myself. ( I can’t tolerate sugar substitutes. ) Delish as well. Plus, it’s easy to find almond flour, even when other baking supplies are low stock.
★★★★★
So happy to read your comment, Amy Dee 🙂 Glad these fit for both of your dietary needs! I know, it is heartening that almond flour remains so available. The wheat flour section is completley cleared out in all of our store, but the health food section has plenty of options (almond flour, coconut flour, and more)
I don’t have baking powder at this time. Can I replace with baking soda instead?
Hi Meg,
Use 1/8 teaspoon baking soda and add 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice to the water mixture. It should work!
I would love to make these. I am following the Paleo dirt and do not have store bought baking powder (due to corn). Any suggestions on what to use as baking powder? Thanks!
Hi Cristin! You can make a grain-free baking powder at home (much cheaper) using arrowroot or tapioca starch and baking soda. If you goodle paleo baking powder, you can find many recipes for the ratio 🙂
Are these cookies supposed to spread when baked? When I made them they stayed in the shape of the scoop and did not flatten.
Hi Monica,
They should spread out some. Perhaps try adding a smidge more water next time, it sounds like the dough may have been too stiff to spread. If measuring the almond flour with cups (instead of weighing it), lightly spoon it into the measuring cups (it is really easy to overfill/pack almond flour).
These cookies are absolutely delicious. I’m so glad I made them, super easy using whole simple ingredients, I added some sesame seeds on top & they gave it a nice nutty flavor. Soo good ! Never makin any other cookie again
Yum! So pleased these hit the spot, Dany!
I’ve made these twice in one week! I was lucky enough to have the three ingredients! They taste great and I’m hooked now!
★★★★★
I needed some good news, and you provided it, Maryam! So happy to hear these have you hooked 🙂 That makes two of us!
Hi Camilla,
This recipe is too good. I made 2 batches today and both came out really well.For extra flavor I made one with rose water and one batch with cardamom. Thank you so much for the recipe :).
★★★★★
You are SO welcome, Gayathri! I absolutely love the combination of cardamom and rose water–I am going to have to make a batch with those additions!
I’ve tried many almond flour cookie recipes and this one hits the spot. Mine didn’t spread either so I will put more water next time. They are delicious nonetheless! I’m making a second batch with cinnamon as I type this 👍🏻
★★★★★
Happy to hear you enjoyed these, Maggie, thank you!
I made these today. I forgot the salt but they were still yummy. I was only able to get 6 cookies not 10, not sure why, but they are only for me. I added chocolate chips to mine…Yum
★★★★★
Hi Susan! Glad you like the recipe! I think my cookies were simply smaller than yours. I used a small cookie scoop, which is about 1 tablespoon per cookie. But nothing wrong with big cookies!
OMG! These were delicious! My husband (gotta love him) bought some almond flour by mistake. I was looking for snacks to make with it. We were also out of butter so I thought it would be a challenge. I’m so happy I found this recipe. The cookies were moist and chewy. I thought they’d be tasteless rocks. I told my husband we would have to add almond flour to our grocery list now. Thank you for this excellent recipe!
WONDERFUL! Hee-hee, especially nice surprise when you have lowered expectations of the results. So glad you enjoyed these so much 🙂
I just made these and I loved them so much!! I’ve had gluten and dairy restrictions my entire life so these were awesome to find. I added a little bit of vanilla extract and cinnamon and it really elevated the flavor.
★★★★★
Wonderful, Lexi! So glad these worked for you! Love the vanilla and cinnamon additions 🙂
WOW. I wasn’t expecting much when I read the ingredient list, but it really blew my mind away. These cookies are buttery and chewy as promised, and they hold together very nicely! Such a good sweet for my husband and I during COVID-19 quarantine.
★★★★★
Hip hip hooray!!! So happy these weer a (surprise) success, Angela!
OK: this recipe is amazing. I added 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and used milk instead of water. Also, I used brown sugar as that is all I had here. Oh and I added some ground up walnuts. These cookies came out scrumptious! Not overly sweet and I couldn’t believe how buttery they were, considering that the recipe didn’t call for any added oil. It’s a perfect recipe for people like me as I’m currently no Betty Crocker. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful, simple recipe.
★★★★★
I make these for my mom every week! Theyre so good. I roll them into balls with a hershey kiss inside and dip in sprinkles before baking 👌
Ooh, why had I not thought of the kisses idea, thank you Bridgette! You have one lucky mom, and you are one sweet daughter!
This recipe is amazing. I added 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and used milk instead of water. Also, I used brown sugar as that is all I had here. Oh and I added some ground up walnuts. These cookies came out scrumptious! Not overly sweet and I couldn’t believe how buttery they were, considering that the recipe didn’t call for any added oil. It’s a perfect recipe for people like me as I’m currently no Betty Crocker. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful, simple recipe.
★★★★★
Oh wow, Lisa, that is so great to hear! I know , it is crazy how they have a butter-y flavor. Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Yum! I added cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon. Crazy good. Next time I’m trying lemon. 💗
★★★★★
yum, Yum, and YUM! Sounds perfect, CH!
Yums! I used Swerve to sweeten. These were great, and so easy. Love that they are egg-free. 🙂
We cookies did not spread out and where burnt on the bottom ..maybe I should turn my heat down, and they where not that light
Hi Judy,
Sorry to hear that you had problems with the recipe. Several tips that might help: he cookies do not spread a lot, but if they do not spread at all, then it is likely due to too much almond flour in proportion to the water. If you have a kitchen scale, it is worth weighing the flour to get a precise measurement. Otherwise, measure by lightly spooning the flour into the measuring cup to ensure that it is not packed (i.e., too much flour). Too much flour could also explain why they came out heavy. Regarding burnt bottoms: it could be that your oven runs hot. I am a big fan of oven thermometers (inexpensive)to check oven temperature. It can save a lot of grief with baking! Also, a dark baking pan can cause burnt bottoms; not sure if that could be the case. But a light-colored, heavy baking sheet can make a big difference with simple cookies such as this.
I make these as a thumbprint cookie with either raspberry or fig jam. They have become my go to for potlucks and bake sales and just anytime I’m not sure if there will be vegans or celiacs. It’s so nice to have a quick, easy, yummy dessert most people can enjoy. Thank you for the recipe!
★★★★★
I’m so glad to hear this is your go-to recipe, Jennifer! 😊❤️
I’m so shook about how good these turned out. I was skeptical because the ingredients were too simple and I thought they were come out as plain, dense blocks of dough but oh boi I was wrong. I did use mylk instead of water and added vanilla and choc chunks but the cookie dough base is way better than expected❤
Yay! So happy that they defied expectations!
Hi thank you for sharing this recipe I made the chocolate chip cookies,used homemade almond milk neede four tablespoons fore the mixture to bind
I had trouble baking longer than five minutes noticed cookies started to burn on the outside
Any suggestions I followed the recipe exactly except adding almond milk instead of water
Thank you
Hi Ronda!
So sorry you had problems with the cookies. The almond milk is not likely to be the issue. If they are burning at 350 after only 5 minutes then it is most likely that your oven runs (very) hot. You can check it with an oven thermometer (they are inexpensive) and then adjust down by how much hotter it runs at particular temperatures. Also, is there any chance you used a dark metal baking pan? Dark metal will bake cookies, cakes and breads much faster. But given that these were burning in such a short time makes me think it must be the oven temperature.
I literally made these in under a minute!
I added vanilla extract….
They are delish!
★★★★★
So glad that they were so easy…and so yummy! Thanks, Gina!
Awesome recipe
I can’t stop eating it 😋
So pleased! I know, the only downside is they are so darn yummy 🙂
Delicious! I substituted the sugar for honey. Kinda played with the amount to get a nice consistency. Maybe 1/4 cup. Pressed the fork in like peanut butter cookies for some art! Thanks for the recipe!!!?
★★★★★
Whoohoo, the honey substitute sounds delicious! Love the fork-press art , too 🙂
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!
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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!
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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.
These are very good. I was not sure they would hold together while 4eading this recipe but they really did. They are not even crumbly. I love them! Very surprised!
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Excellent, April! So happy to hear they exceeded expectations!
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 🙂
Hello, I just tried this but 2tbs of water basically did nothing. Do I need to put more water to help these form? It is still mostly powder after I placed the water in. I am not sure what I am doing wrong. TIA
Hi Joleen,
I am guessing you stirred vigorously after adding? The dough will look dry when the water is first added but should become a dough after mixing well. Perhaps it was a generous measure of flour? But yes, you can always add a drizzle more water (start with very little, stir a lot) until it just turns into a dough.
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 🙂
Very easy to do and what a delight! They were GONE within 5 minutes of taking them out. I used brown sugar instead of coconut (same ratio). I ran out of baking powder so I used baking soda (same ratio). I doubt that I was supposed to do that but they came out delicious. Since I was using a toaster oven, I baked them for 7 minutes, keeping an eye on them. As soon as they started turning golden I took it out. It was crusty on the outside and smooshy in the inside. I inhaled them all. They’re that good! Thanks for the recipe 😀
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You are so welcome, Wael!!! It sounds lik we are cookie twins (re: inhaling shortbread :))