3-ingredient apple almond flour cookies for fall and winter, made with almond flour, a fresh apple, and cinnamon. They are vegan, oil-free, and have no added sugar.
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!
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
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
(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.
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!
More Grain-Free & Vegan Almond Flour Cookies to Try
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.
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.
Notes
Storage: 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.
Apple Tips: In order for this recipe to work well, it is important to (1) use a sweet or tart-sweet apple. For example, red-delicious, gala, Macintosh, or Braeburn; (2) Process the apple very finely, to the point where the juices are releasing. It should look like raw apple sauce (see photo); be sure to measure the amount of apple after pureeing. Do not use more than the 1/2 cup that is called for in the recipe (i.e., do not just go by general size of the apple).
Variation Ideas:
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.
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!
Camilla
Friday 19th of February 2021
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 😍
Janet Paula
Monday 1st of February 2021
You say nothing about 1/2 c. of applesauce. You only give the size of the apple. Did i miss it.
Camilla
Monday 1st of February 2021
Sorry about the confusion, Janet; I have updated the recipe card.
Amber
Sunday 25th of October 2020
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!
Camilla
Monday 7th of December 2020
My pleasure, Amber!!!
3-Ingredient Banana Almond Flour Cookies {Vegan} | power hungry
Friday 25th of September 2020
[…] 3-Ingredient Fresh Apple Almond Flour Cookies […]
2-Ingredient Almond Flour Cut-Out Cookies | power hungry
Friday 4th of September 2020
[…] 3-Ingredient Fresh Apple Almond Flour Cookies […]
I’m Camilla, food writer, author, runner, and spin instructor. PowerHungry® is where I share my easy, minimalist, plant-based recipes, designed for living a healthy, delicious, empowered life.
Italian White Bean Soup {vegan, oil-free, high protein}
Easy Split Pea Curry {vegan, high protein, oil-free}
3-Ingredient Black Bean Chili {vegan, oil-free, high protein}
Chickpea Pasta e Fagioli (vegan, high protein, grain-free}
Roasted Carrot White Bean Soup {3-Ingredients, vegan, easy
AZ
Thursday 18th of February 2021
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!
Camilla
Friday 19th of February 2021
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 😍
Janet Paula
Monday 1st of February 2021
You say nothing about 1/2 c. of applesauce. You only give the size of the apple. Did i miss it.
Camilla
Monday 1st of February 2021
Sorry about the confusion, Janet; I have updated the recipe card.
Amber
Sunday 25th of October 2020
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!
Camilla
Monday 7th of December 2020
My pleasure, Amber!!!
3-Ingredient Banana Almond Flour Cookies {Vegan} | power hungry
Friday 25th of September 2020
[…] 3-Ingredient Fresh Apple Almond Flour Cookies […]
2-Ingredient Almond Flour Cut-Out Cookies | power hungry
Friday 4th of September 2020
[…] 3-Ingredient Fresh Apple Almond Flour Cookies […]