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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.
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
- 4-Ingredient Coconut Flour Cookies
- Almond Flour Graham Crackers
- 3-Ingredient Banana Almond Flour Cookies
- 4-Ingredient Chocolate Almond Flour Cookies
- 3-Ingredient Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies
- Pumpkin Almond Flour Cookies
- Sweet Potato Almond Flour Cookies
- 3-Ingredient Fresh Apple Almond Flour Cookies
3-Ingredient Almond Flour Cookies {Vegan, Oil-Free, Keto Option}
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 (36 g) coconut sugar (see notes for keto, & other, options)
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.4 g) baking powder
- Optional: 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) 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 scant tablespoons (I use a small cookie scoop, which is just shy of a tablespoon) 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.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size
1 cookieAmount Per Serving Calories 78Total Fat 5.6gSaturated Fat 0.4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 53.4mgCarbohydrates 6.1gFiber 1.2gSugar 4gProtein 2.4g
Laura
Friday 29th of October 2021
First time using this recipe and I used it to make Halloween Cutout cookies for my grandkids. Put keto friendly confetti and colored keto sugar. So pleased
Camilla
Thursday 11th of November 2021
What a great idea, Laura!!!
Anna
Saturday 23rd of October 2021
Can I use honey instead? I’m on the SCD diet and that’s the only sweeter allowed.
Camilla
Thursday 28th of October 2021
Hi Anna! Yes, you can definitely use honey in place of the coconut sugar. I suggest using 2 tablespoons of honey, and then just add the water a tiny bit at a time until you have a moist, not too stiff dough. Possibly 2 to 4 teaspoons water. 😊
Annie
Friday 8th of October 2021
Hi, Camilla! My name is Annie, and I am an enthusiastic baker who enjoys creating healthy versions of desserts! I have a blog called Desserts for the Better which focuses on posting healthy dessert recipes that are better for you yet still taste amazing. I also post “Recipe Reviews”, which are my thoughts an other bloggers’ recipes, and “Guides”, which contain my latest and greatest tips, resources, and reads about healthy baking. I have decided to feature this amazing recipe in one of my guides called “10 Healthy Snack Recipes for Your Sweet Tooth”. I think these almond cookies are so delcious and a great healthy snacking choice. Here is the link to the post if you would like to check it out! https://desserts4thebetter.wordpress.com/2021/10/06/healthy-snack-recipes-for-your-sweet-tooth/ Thank you so much for reading this! 🙂
Camilla
Wednesday 13th of October 2021
Hi Annie! What a great blog! Thank you so much for sharing a link to my recipe in your roundup, I really appreciate it :) All the best with your site, it looks great!
10 Healthy Snack Recipes for Your Sweet Tooth – Desserts for the Better
Wednesday 6th of October 2021
[…] https://www.powerhungry.com/2018/03/3-ingredient-almond-flour-cookies-vegan-grain-free-paleo/ […]
Cheska
Thursday 16th of September 2021
Mine stayed in a “ball” shape. They didn’t flatten out like it should have. I did everything exactly how you said to. Same ingredients. Didn’t work for me tho /:
Camilla
Tuesday 28th of September 2021
Hi Cheska! Oh darn, sorry they did not turn out. It sounds like there was too much almond flour. Did you use a cup measurement? If so, very lightly spoon in the flour (it is very easy to overpack flours, especially grain-free flours). A scale is the best way to measure. If you make them again, add a bit more water of the dough looks too stiff.