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3-Ingredient Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies (vegan, Paleo, keto option)

Healthy 3-ingredient almond flour shortbread, ready to eat in under 30 minutes! They are also vegan, Paleo, grain-free, gluten-free, and keto (with one ingredient swap).
3-Ingredient Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies that are Vegan, Paleo, Grain-Free & Keto Option

Super Easy Almond Flour Shortbread

It is 100 degrees outside, but I cannot help myself: I am ready for fall baking to begin!

School starts next Monday, so I am planning ahead, filling the freezer with quick and easy options I can add to lunches.

Confession: it’s mostly cookies. I’ll get around to savory options soon enough, but I need to be true to my cookie monster self :).

My 3 ingredient almond flour cookies continue to be a hit, so I decided it was time for more of a good thing. Specifically, 3-Ingredient Almond Flour Shortbread!
3-Ingredient Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies that are Vegan, Paleo, Grain-Free, Gluten-Free and have a Keto Option
These cookies are tender, teatime-perfect shortbread heaven. They are also:

  • Vegan
  • Grain-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Paleo
  • Keto (with one easy ingredient swap)

Fast , Easy & Foolproof Grain-Free Shortbread

They are ridiculously easy, and almost foolproof, too. Simply mix together 1 cup of blanched almond flour (not almond meal), 2 and 1/2 tablespoons coconut sugar (or a keto substitute), and 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil, plus 1 tablespoon water and a pinch of salt. 
3-Ingredient Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies that are Vegan, Paleo, Grain-Free, Gluten-Free and have a Keto Option

No Electric Mixer and No Chilling Required

You read correctly: this shortbread cookie dough is made with MELTED  coconut oil. No electric mixer required. A bowl, a spoon, and about 30 seconds of stirring are all that you need for the preparation.

Moreover, the dough does not need to chill before baking.

Roll & Bake the Cookies

Simply roll the dough into balls, place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and flatten halfway down (so that they are about 1 cm thick). I chose a fork for my flattening, but a cookie stamp, the flat bottom of a measuring cup, or fingertips will also do the trick.
3-Ingredient Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies that are Vegan, Paleo, Grain-Free, Gluten-Free and have a Keto Option
Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the centers no longer look wet. The cookies will still seem somewhat soft, but that is due to the high amount of fat (almond flour + coconut oil). They will become firm once completely cooled.

Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
3-Ingredient Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies that are Vegan, Paleo, Grain-Free, Gluten-Free and have a Keto Option

That’s it! With minimal time and effort, a dozen delectable shortbread cookies are yours for the eating.

You can double or triple the recipe according to the needs of your household, or the occasion.

3-Ingredient Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies that are Vegan, Paleo, Grain-Free, Gluten-Free and have a Keto Option

Like my other minimalist cookie recipes, the opportunities for flavor personalization are boundless. Some quick ideas to jumpstart your creativity include the following:

(1) Extracts: replace 1/2 teaspoon of the water with vanilla extract, or 1/4 teaspoon of the water with almond, orange or lemon extract;

2) Citrus: replace the water with an equal amount of freshly squeezed lemon, lime or orange juice and add 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon, lime, or orange zest

(3) Spices: add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of your favorite spice (you can taste the dough to determine how much; begin with a little add more as needed). For example, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, or nutmeg.

(4) Chocolate: Add 2 to 3 tablespoons miniature chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (sugar-free, keto-friendly options for keto cookies). Cacao nibs are also an excellent choice (they have no sugar and are naturally keto).

Happy baking, and stay cool!

More Grain-Free & Vegan Almond Flour Cookies to Try:

  1. 3-Ingredient Almond Flour Cookies
  2. 3-Ingredient Banana Almond Flour Cookies
  3. 4-Ingredient Chocolate Almond Flour Cookies
  4. Almond Flour Gingerbread Cookies
  5. Pumpkin Almond Flour Cookies
  6. Sweet Potato Almond Flour Cookies
  7. 3-Ingredient Fresh Apple Almond Flour Cookies
almond flour shortbread on a black cooling rack

3-Ingredient Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies

Yield: 12 cookies
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 17 minutes

Tender and decadent-tasting almond flour shortbread, made with 3 ingredients. The cookies are extremely simple to make, as well as vegan, Paleo, grain-free, gluten-free, and keto (with one ingredient swap).

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (112 g) blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
  • 2 and 1/2 tablespoons (30 g) coconut sugar (see notes for keto)
  • 2 tablespoons (30 mL) virgin coconut oil, melted
  • 1 tablespoon (15 mL) water
  • 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt (optional/ adjustable)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients, stirring to combine (be sure to break up any lumps in the flour and/or sugar).
  3. Shape dough into twelve 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls (I use my small cookie scoop). Space balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Flatten to about 1 cm thickness (e.g., with a fork, I chose a fork, cookie stamp, the flat bottom of a measuring cup, or fingertips).
  4. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until golden (the cookies will seem somewhat soft while hot; they will firm up as they cool).
  5. Remove from oven and cool on sheet for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.

Notes

Storage: Because of their high fat content, the cookies are best stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for up to 2 weeks (or the freezer for up to 6 months).

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: 75; Total Carbs: 2 g; Net Carb: 1 g; Sugars: 0.3 g.

Other Sugars: An equal amount of brown sugar or granulated sugar of your choice can be used in place of the coconut sugar.

Butter and other Fats: If not following a vegan diet, you can use melted butter or ghee in place of the coconut oil. Because butter has a higher water content than coconut oil, I suggest increasing the butter to 2 and 1/2 tablespoons and only adding 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of water.

Nutrition Information
Serving Size 1 cookie
Amount Per Serving Calories 85Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 2.5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 24.2mgCarbohydrates 4.6gFiber 1gSugar 3gProtein 2g

Did you make this recipe?

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Kaja

Monday 20th of February 2023

Yum yum yum! These cookies were so good! and they were easy to make. I only had one problem, I didn’t have almond flour so I had to bled my own so it was a little chunky, but this brought out the almond flavor which made it delicous! I’m defintely making this agian, also I only used 2 Tbsp of coconut sugar, because I prefer a little less sweetness. I added a bit of cinnamon, too. Thank you for this recipe!

Camilla

Thursday 2nd of March 2023

How clever are you, Kaja! Way to make it work! And now you have me thinking about chunky almond cookies... :)

Kaja

Monday 20th of February 2023

Yum yum yum! These cookies were so good! and they were easy to make. I only had one problem, I didn't have almond flour so I had to bled my own so it was a little chunky, but this brought out the almond flavor which made it delicous! I'm defintely making this agian, also I only used 2 Tbsp of coconut sugar, because I prefer a little less sweetness. I added a bit of cinnamon, too. Thank you for this recipe!

Emily

Tuesday 20th of December 2022

These are wonderful! I added finely grade orange rind and a sprinkle of nutmeg. perfect elegant cookies that fit our eating plan, thank you!

Camilla

Monday 16th of January 2023

Im so glad you like them, Emily! I love the sound of adding orange and nutmeg, so Christmas-y.

Kristine

Saturday 3rd of December 2022

I believe water, salt & pepper are normally not counted in the ingredient count as they are so basic. Instead of getting caught up in the counting just make and enjoy!

Mak

Tuesday 15th of November 2022

I have a hard time finding no/ low sugar cookies in Amsterdam. Oh boy I just made these cookies - they’re divine! Seriously they’re the BEST cookies I’ve ever made, I followed this recipe wholeheartedly using almond meal, melted coconut oil and good quality maple syrup, salt, lemon zest. The cookies have the look and soft crunch. I didn’t wait for them to cool. Thank you so much Camilla. Please keep these effortlessly recipes coming.

Lisa

Tuesday 29th of November 2022

@Mak, can you tell me how much maple syrup you used please? i prefer using it to sugar. also - the lemon zest sounds like a super addition!

Camilla

Tuesday 15th of November 2022

Mak, thank you! I am so happy that you decided to give these recipes a try. Enjoy every last crumb!!!

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