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3 ingredient apple almond flour cookies that are vegan, oil-free, gluten-free, grain-free, and have no added sugar. Made with almond flour, a fresh apple & cinnamon.
Fall is finally (mercifully!) here! We are still a long way from crisp and cool, but a drop into the 80s is inspiring me to get moving with some seasonal baking.
Today’s recipe will surely bring some joy. It is inspired by a comment from a reader (Susan). She wrote to ask if she could use something other than banana in my Almond Flour Banana Cookies, as her son cannot eat bananas. I was not sure, so I set about testing some options.
Here is the result: 3 Ingredient Fresh Apple Almond Flour Cookies!
I ate half a dozen of them yesterday, post-run. I am proud to say it!
Table of Contents
- Healthy Benefits of Apple Almond Flour Cookies
- Ingredients
- Step by Step Instructions
- FAQ
- How Should I Store the Cookies?
- Will This Recipe Work With Applesauce?
- What Variety of Fresh Apple Should I Use?
- I Do Not Have a Food Processor. Can I Simply Chop the Apple?
- Do I Need to Measure the Amount of Apple After Pureeing?
- Any Ideas for Variations?
- More Grain-Free & Vegan Almond Flour Cookies to Try
- Apple Almond Flour Cookies {3-ingredients, vegan, oil-free} Recipe
Healthy Benefits of Apple Almond Flour Cookies
These old-fashioned, homey, cake-like cookies are seriously good, and good for you, too. They are:
- Vegan
- Paleo
- Grain-free
- Oil-free
- Added sugar-free
- Gluten-free
Ingredients
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.
- 1 small organic sweet or tart-sweet apple
- almond flour
- ground cinnamon
- optional: salt
Use a Fresh Apple to Make Flavorful Apple Cookies
The key to making these cookies is to forgo applesauce. I tried, and they were booooring. Flat-ish, cracker-like, zilch apple flavor, and not sweet, unless I added sugar.
Instead of applesauce, these apple cookies are made with a fresh, sweet apple.
Just like baked apples, the apple flavor and sweetness intensify as the cookies bake–without the need for any additional sweeteners!
I prefer to leave the peel on for these cookies. It is packed with extra fiber (about half the fiber content of the apple is in the peel), vitamins, and the antioxidant quercitin.
If you choose to follow my lead, I recommend using an organic apple. Non-organic apples are often waxed, plus pesticides can be more concentrated in the peel. Further, organic apples tend to be more flavorful, IMHO. If using a regular apple, be sure to peel it.
Step by Step Instructions
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
(1) Process the Apple into a Thick Puree
To prep the apple, cut the flesh away from the core and cut into chunks (discard the core).
Process the apple in a food processor until it is very fine, stopping to scrape down the bowl several times. The end result should be a mash/puree that looks like apple sauce in raw form.
Measure out 1/2 cup of the pureed apple. Do not pack the measuring cup. If there is more puree, save it for something else (e.g., just eat it–my solution–or add to a smoothie, oatmeal, etc.). Measurements matter with these cookies.
(2) Mix the Dough
To make the cookie dough, stir together the apple puree, 1 cup almond flour and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon. I strongly recommend adding the optional 1/8 teaspoon salt; it enhances both the apple flavor and the sweetness of the cookies once baked.
Mix until a soft dough comes together.
If you taste the dough at this point, it will not be very sweet. This will change as the cookies bake. Nevertheless, feel free to add a smidge of sweetener. It will not take more than 1 to 3 teaspoons (e.g., coconut sugar, brown sugar or maple syrup) to create a much sweeter cookie. It just depends on your particular apple.
(3) Scoop the Dough onto a Baking Sheet
Using a small cookie scoop or rounded spoon, scoop small mounds of the dough onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet .
(4) Bake the Cookies
Bake the cookies for 15 to 18 minutes in a preheated 350F (180C) oven. The cookies need a longer bake than other kinds of cookies in order to brown and bake through the middles.
These are the sweet results of your efforts:
The cookies have some crispness at the bottom edges, but are soft and cake-like otherwise. Yes, please!
Enjoy these cookies, and happy baking!
FAQ
How Should I Store the Cookies?
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at (cool) room temperature for 2 days, the refrigerator for 5 days, or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Will This Recipe Work With Applesauce?
No. The cookies need to be made with fresh apple (they need the fiber and sweetness of fresh apple to work).
Think of the difference in the same terms of an egg: just as you could not substitute a cooked egg for a raw egg in a cake recipe, you cannot sub cooked apples (applesauce) for fresh apples in this recipe.
What Variety of Fresh Apple Should I Use?
In order for this recipe to work well, it is important to use a sweet or tart-sweet apple. For example, red-delicious, gala, Macintosh, or Braeburn.
I Do Not Have a Food Processor. Can I Simply Chop the Apple?
No, that will not work for this recipe. The apple must be very finely processed, to the point where the juices are releasing. It should look like raw apple sauce (see photo above, in the post).
Alternatives to using a food processor include using a blender (you will need to process more apple than you need for the blender to work). Measure out what you need and freeze the remaining puree. be sure to measure the amount of apple after pureeing.
You can also finely grate the apple followed by finely chopping the grated apple 9to produce a puree). Be sure to scrape all of the juices off of the cutting board before measuring the amount needed for the recipe.
Do I Need to Measure the Amount of Apple After Pureeing?
Yes! It is important to use the amount specified in the recipe (1/2 cup/118 mL). Save any extra puree (freezer) for future use.
Any Ideas for Variations?
Yes! Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Sweetness Bump: If you like, add a touch more sweetness to the dough. It does not take much to make these much sweeter. Consider adding 2 teaspoons of coconut sugar, brown sugar, or maple syrup, if desired.
- Extracts: Add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract or 1/8 teaspoon of almond extract to dough.
- Sugar Sparkle: Sprinkle tops of dough with turbinado (raw) sugar.
- Other spices: Replace the ground cinnamon with an equal amount of ground cardamom, pumpkin pie spice, ground ginger, or 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
- Chocolate Chip: Add 2 tablespoons miniature semisweet chocolate chips to the dough. Alternatively, prepare dough as directed and press the chocolate chips into surfaces of scooped dough.
More Grain-Free & Vegan Almond Flour Cookies to Try
- 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 Almond Flour Cookies
Apple Almond Flour Cookies {3-ingredients, vegan, oil-free}
Ingredients
- 1 small, about 5 oz/142 g organic sweet or tart-sweet apple
- 1 cup 112 g blanched almond flour
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt, optional, but highly recommended
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- If leaving skin on, scrub apple well. Otherwise, peel the apple.
- Core and cut apple into chunks; process in a food processor, stopping to scrape down sides, until pureed (mixture will look like raw apple sauce). Measure 1/2 cup (125 mL) of the puree.
- Place the almond flour in a medium bowl. Add the 1/2 cup (125 mL) apple puree, cinnamon and (optional) salt. Stir until completely blended.
- Using a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon, drop dough in 12 mounds, spacing 2 inches apart, on prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown and centers of cookies feel firm to the touch. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Can you use Granny Smith apple
Hi Marissa,
You can, but the cookies will not be very sweet since there is no other sweetener in the recipe. I would add a small amount of sweetener (perhaps a tablespoon of coconut sugar or maple syrup) if using a Granny Smith, since they are tart apples. Cheers.
These little gems hit the spot! Once again, I devoured the whole pan before they were cool. Thankfully, I don’t feel too guilty 🙂
Hi QZ,
Oh my goodness, I understand, entirely — these apple cookies are hard to resist. So glad you like them!😉
Do you think these would work with tigernut flour? Thank you!
Hi Natalia,
I have not tried it, but it might work with this recipe since there is so much moisture from the apples (Tiger nut Flour does not have the natural fats that almond flour does, which could be problematic in some recipes). I would love to know if you give it a try!
They are almost ready to come out. They stayed in the same size ball, as when they went in????♀️
I bet they are still good. I might just try flattening them next time.
I make a apple (diced apple) cake a lot like this that is super yummo…
Thanks for the recipe ????
I have been gifted a large number of apples so would like to make a larger batch. Do I just need to scale up the rest of the ingredients in proportion to the number of apples used?
Also- I don’t think I’ll have enough almond flour for all I’d like to make. Would it work to use some ground oats and/or maybe some flax meal in place of some of it?
Hi Jacob! Yes, simply scale up the recipe. Yes, I think you could use a combo of ground oats and flaxseed meal (perhaps 2 to 1) as a replacement for some of the almond flour.
Thank you for this recipe. So nice to find sugar free, without added artificial sugar. I am diabetic and most artificial sugars spike blood sugar. Thank you again!
You are so welcome, Patricia, I am so happy these suit your needs 😊 These are my husband’s favorite cookies, Year-round . Cheers ❤️
Firstly, Thanks for the recipe! I appreciate it.
Second, I tried it with the same amounts but it only baked a soft sheet and not a proper cookie. Tastes good though haha, but its not a proper cookie. Not sure what I did wrong..
Hi Arj,
Im so sorry the cookies did not turn out. Are you saying that you portioned them into cookies and then they all flowed together into a “soft sheet?” If so, it sounds like there most likely was far too much apple in the recipe. Did you measure out the 1/2 cup of apple after processing it (as opposed to using all of the puree)? Did the dough look like the photos before baking? It sounds like it must have been very, very wet if it flowed together. I am just trying to figure out what could have gone wrong since there are no other liquids in the recipe.
@Camilla, thanks for your response. I actually did not portion them into cookie sizes for baking. I poured and laid the mixture out flat into a 9 inch round pan. I did use 1/2 cup applesauce, and the same proportions of almond flour (1 cup) and salt too. I even added a couple tsps of sugar. The dough wasn’t very liquidy when I laid it into the pan, but it was wet. Comparing it to your pictures I’d say it was more wet than the dough you had pre-baking. Do you know what I could do to improve it next time around?
Hi Arj! When you say applesauce, do you mean cooked applesauce (as opposed to finely chopped fresh apple puree)? If yes, that would explain the difference. What makes this recipe work is that the apple is uncooked when added to the cookie (with cooked applesauce, the apples are completely broken down from the cooking.) If yes *applesauce vs fresh apple), I strongly suggest trying it again as written (with the fresh apple instead of applesauce). Cheers 🙂
@Camilla, thanks for your comments. Just responding to your last comment about the cooked applesauce vs puree-ing an apple. I used storebought no sugar added applesauce (unclear if this is cooked or just pureed and put into a jar; i think the latter). Its 100% natural apple sauce, non GMO and its ingredients are apples, water, Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C).
Hi Arj,
Yes, that’s definitely the problem. It’s not about the minimal ingredients in the applesauce, it’s that this recipe needs a fresh, *uncooked• apple to work. Think of an egg for comparison: if a cookie recipe calls for a raw egg, you cannot use a hard boiled egg in its place (even though both are egg and nothing else). I am sure my recipe could be tweaked to work with applesauce, but the ingredient proportions and possibly cooking time would have to be changed (it would take some testing/test batches). Cheers 😊
Can you use unsweetened applesauce instead of raw apple?
Hi Jean!
They might hold together, but they will not be very similar otherwise. The fresh apple gives these cookies much of their flavor, and sweetness. The uncooked apple ashl so gives these cookies a lot of their structure (much of that fiber is lost after cooking into applesauce)
I love these cookies! So simple and so good. My daughters love them, too.
I peeled the apple (I do not like peel). They came out a little softer, but still delicious!
Hi! Love your recipes. I make the banana almond flour cookies constantly. Any reason you opted not to add baking powder to the apple version?
Cheers!
Hi Amanda! So glad to know you are enjoying the recipes :).
Yes,a method to my madness with the Apple cookies: I made them with and without leavening (tried with both baking powder and baking soda). The leavening made little to no difference in rise, do I left it out 😍
You say nothing about 1/2 c. of applesauce. You only give the size of the apple. Did i miss it.
Sorry about the confusion, Janet; I have updated the recipe card.
Thank you for posting this recipe. I was desperate after being on the elimination diet for health reasons, and I had just made an expensive failed “cheesecake” from another site. This was simple, and I already had the ingredients. I did add 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup and used a honeycrisp apple. This was very easy, thanks!
My pleasure, Amber!!!
Could I substitute coconut flour!?
Hi Judy,
It could work, I have not tried. You will need to use less coconut flour (start with 1/3 the amount, perhaps up to 1/2 the amount at most). I would consider adding a small amount of fat, too; the almond flour has natural fats, coconut oil does not have fat, so the cookies may be somewhat spongy without the addition of fat.
I have almond flour but noticed that most of your recipes ask for blanched. Will almond flour still work? Thx
Hi Haylee,
Sorry for the confusion! If the package is marked as “almond flour” it will work! Almond flour is made from blanched almonds, it is important not to use almond meal, becasue it is coarser, ground from almonds with the skins still intact, so it is flecked with brown). To make things confusing, a small number of brands have started making a fine almond flour from almonds with the skins still on.
But the key is to use almond FLOUR not almond MEAL. Do not worry if the almond flour does not say “blanched.” 🙂
I really loved this recipe. My husband and I have a huge weakness for baked goods but we are trying to get our health on track! I will definitely be subscribing to this website! I made the cookies on my youtube channel.
great recipe, thank you so much!
You are so welcome, Angie!
Muy buena receta ,muy e adecuada para personas especiales
Gracias, Pablo Antonio!
Hi would oat flour work with this? Almond flour is just so expensive
Hi Tash,
It might, but I recommend adding some fat (perhaps 1 tablespoon of oil of your choice) since there is no fat in oat flour (almond flour is high in natural fat).
This recipe looks amazing!! I was wondering if I could make this with all-purpose flour, instead of almond flour. Would that work? I don’t have any almond flour on hand!! 🙁
Hi Steph! Alas, these will not work with a-p flour. Any chance that you have any nuts or seeds on hand? You can finely grind them into a meal/flou a food processor or high speed blender and use in place of the almond flour.
For a quick healthy breakfast treat or bedtime snack these cookies are he best. I used date sugar in mine and they came out fine. Would like to know if they can be made bigger, as size required at least three to satisfy, 😂. Do u think spreading in a cast iron skillet or cake pan and doing a giant cookie would work ? Also passed Some cookies and your recipe on to a friend who has a 4yr old granddaughter and it’s her new favorite snack ! Thanks for your site, I hate to bake , other than bread, and your recipes make it so simple to have healthy treats anytime with little fuss.
A million thanks, Donna!
For some added sweetness I also used a teaspoon of honey and it worked beautifully
How perfect, Savitha! It’s amazing how just a hint of sugar (e.g., honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, etc) can enliven the natural sweetness of the fruit. Thanks so much for sharing your tip!
Could you purée a pear Instead? I am allergic to apples.
Thanks
Amanda
A pear should work beautifully, Amanda!
Are you supposed to flatten the cookies before putting in the oven or leave as little balls?
Hi Kaley,
Good question! Definitely do not flatten–the shape stays more or less the same once baked. I used a small cookie scoop to create the shape–so one side is rounded (the top) and the flat side goes on to the sheet. For the same shape without a scoop, roll equal portions of dough into balls and place on the sheet (don’t press to flatten, but press so that the bottoms are flattened against the sheet). 🙂
I love the recipes that you post I cant have a lot of things and these I can have so they are good to take to work and have for my breakfast like the banana bead I used honey and changed half the almond flour for chick pea flour and it came out great and it keeps the price down as the almond flour is so pricey here ut keep the recipes coming lov them
So happy to hear that these (and some of my other recipes) are working for you, Karen! And thanks for sharing re: the half chickpea flour substitution, I will definitely try that–great idea!
I made these cookies using organic gala apples and they worked! I added vanilla and would do that again. I made 3 batches because i needed ~30 cookies and it was easy to triple the recipe. I used a mini ice cream scoop to put them on to a cookie sheet. I lined the cookie sheet with tin foil first and then a sheet of parchment paper and put the cookies on there. (I line it with tin foil first so I don’t have to wash the cookie sheet.) Thanks for the super fast, super easy recipe!
I am thrilled to hear it was a )triple) success, Deb! Thanks for sharing your foil-parchment tip with everyone, too 🙂
Good timing there! Apples piled in boxes in kitchen just now and I’m collecting Apple recipes as fast as I can. I give some away. I eat and eat my free food 😊 And my freezer is bursting. So anything that gives me a cgange us really welcome.
Oh good, I hope you give the cookies a try!