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3-Ingredient Flax Shortbread Cookies {vegan, GF, keto option}

Prepare to fall in love with these 3-ingredient flax shortbread cookies! Made with golden flaxseed meal, coconut oil and sweetener, these crisp-tender, rich-tasting cookies are vegan, grain-free, nut-free, gluten-free, and Paleo. When made keto-friendly (with 1 ingredient swap), the cookies have ZERO net carbs!

stack of 8 flax shortbread cookies on a floral napkin with a white background

Healthy, Delicious, Easy-to-Make Flax Cookies

I need little encouragement to create a new cookie recipe. So when I was grinding my flaxseed meal into a fine flour for my 1 ingredient flaxseed meal tortillas last week, I knew had to try using it in some sort of sweets. 

A simple cookie seemed like a great place to start.

Keeping the simplicity of my 3-Ingredient Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies in mind, it wasn’t long before I came up with these: 3-Ingredient Flax Shortbread Cookies.

You will love them.

stack of3 flax shortbread cookies on marble surface

Here’s what you need to know about these irresistible cookies. They are:

  • Made with 3 ingredients (flaxseed meal, coconut oil & sweetener)
  • Quick & easy to make
  • Vegan (egg-free & dairy-free)
  • Gluten-free
  • Grain-free
  • Nut-free
  • Paleo
  • Keto (with 1 ingredient swap)

Texture of the Cookies

The cookies are akin to traditional (i.e., butter and all-purpose flour) shortbread cookies when they are chilled (they should be stored in the refrigerator to preserve their freshness). They are crisp, but still tender–a perfect cookie to accompany tea!

The taste is nutty, despite the absence of nuts. 

If you like, you can also add in

  • Spices (I strongly recommend adding; use about 1/2 teaspoon of examples) cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, or pumpkin pie spice)
  • Citrus zest (e.g., 1 teaspoon finely grated orange, lemon, or lime zest)
  • Extracts (e.g., 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/8 teaspoon almond extract)(or other extracts) to enhance or vary the flavor.

This is your template cookie for all kinds of variations!

Ingredients for the Cookies

The three ingredients for the recipe are familiar and humble:

  1. Golden flaxseed meal (golden flaxseed has a much milder flavor than regular flaxseed meal)
  2. Coconut Oil
  3. Coconut sugar (or keto-friendly granular sweetener)

I recommend adding 1/4 teaspoon of salt, too, but it is optional according to your tastes and dietary needs.  

Recipe Accuracy: Weigh Your Ingredients

For the best (and most consistent results), I recommend weighing the ingredients.

My digital kitchen scale is one of my most-used tools these days when I bake. It saves me from making mis-measurement errors, which translates to lots of savings from potential baking mishaps. 

Flaxseed meal–the star of this recipe–is easily mismeasured if it is packed into the measuring cup. Weighing it ensures that the correct amount goes into the recipe every single time.

Step by Step Directions

Making this cookie dough is quick and simple.

Before you begin mixing,

  1. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
  2. Finely grind the flaxseed meal.
2 bowls of golden flaxseed meal. One is meal from the bag, the other is meal that has been finely ground.

Grind the Flaxseed Meal into a Fine Flour

Flaxseed meal is just that: a coarse meal made by grinding whole flax seeds.

This recipe requires further grinding the meal into a fine, fluffy flour. 

Grinding the meal into a fine flour is easy. Measure the amount of flaxseed meal called for in the recipe (in this case, 3/4 cup, or 78 grams). Process in a high-speed blender or a small food processor until very fine and fluffy (see the photo). The flaxseed meal will be a lighter color after finely grinding.

You can also use a small electric coffee mill (process in small batches).

Can I Grind My Own Flax Seeds into a Flour?

Yes, absolutely! Measure the same weight of flaxseeds needed (104 grams, about 3/4 cup of whole flax seeds) and finely grind into a fluffy flour. High-speed blenders and electric coffee mills are the best tools for grinding the seeds (food processors are less effective when starting with whole seeds).

Mix the Ingredients

Whisk the finely ground flaxseed meal, sweetener, optional salt and any optional dry flavorings (e.g., spices. I added 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon in this batch) in a medium mixing bowl. 

Add the warm coconut oil, water, and any optional wet/moist ingredients (e.g., vanilla extract or citrus zest) and stir until completely combined. I found the two teaspoons of water is just right, but you may need to add a little bit more for the dough to come together (due to variations in brands of flaxseed meal).

steps for making the 3-ingredient flaxseed meal cookie dough

Scoop and Shape the Dough

Roll 12 equal portions of the dough into balls (I use my small cookie scoop for even portioning, but a scant tablespoon measure of dough will also work great). Use your fingertips or the flat bottom of a glass to flatten the dough into an even circle.

2 picture collage showing the dhaping of the flax seed meal cookies

Bake the Cookies

Bake the cookies in a preheated 325F oven for 11 to 12 minutes until just set and the edges of the cookies appear crispy and dry.

Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. 

overhead shot of flax cookies cooling on a wire rack

The cookies are somewhat delicate while still warm. They are sturdy once completely cooled, and firm as shortbread once chilled (I recommend storing them in the refrigerator). 

These cookies are wonderful as a treat, but also as a healthy snack (or part of a heathy breakfast). Here’s to great cookies for all!

How Do I Make the Cookies KETO (& zero net carbs)?

Replace the coconut sugar with the keto-friendly, measure-for-measure, granulated sweetener of your choice! I have the keto macros in the notes of the recipe card (below) but (spoiler alert!), the keto version of the cookies are 52 calories each and ZERO net carbs!

OVERHEAD SHOT OF A FLAXSEED MEAL SHORTBREAD COOKIE

FAQ

Q: My cookies have a strange taste. Why?

A: It is mostly due to one of the following issues relating to the flaxseed meal.

  • Old or rancid meal: Flaxseed meal can develop off flavors if it is old or has not been stored in a cool, dry place.  For best results, use fresh flaxseed meal.
  • Dark flaxseed meal: I strongly recommend using golden flaxseed meal (it will be marked as such on the outside of the bag). It has a much milder flavor than regular (darker) flaxseed meal. Some regular flaxseed meals are very dark and, when used as a primary ingredient (as is the case here) can have a slightly fishy smell and taste (due to the high omega-3 fatty acid content of flax seeds).

Q: Can I substitute another oil for the coconut oil?

A: No, other oils will not work in this recipe. The success of the cookies depends upon using a fat that is solid at cool room temperature or when chilled. Plant butter (vegan margarine) that is sold in sticks (e.g., Earth Balance buttery sticks, Flora plant butter, or Country Crock plant butter) can be used in place of the coconut oil. It is important to use a plant butter with a high fat content (some margarines, even sticks, have a high percentage of water). If you are not vegan, an equal amount of butter can also be used.

Q: Can I use something else, like chia seed meal or another flour, in place of the flaxseed meal?

A: No, these particular cookies will only work with finely ground flaxseed meal.

Happy baking, friends!

More Flaxseed Meal Recipes to Love:

stack of3 flax shortbread cookies on marble surface

3-Ingredient Flax Shortbread Cookies {vegan, GF, keto option}

Yield: 12 2-inch (5 cm) cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes

Prepare to fall in love with these 3-ingredient flax cookies! Made with golden flaxseed meal, coconut oil and sweetener, these crisp-tender, rich-tasting cookies are vegan, grain-free, nut-free, gluten-free, Paleo, and keto-friendly (with 1 ingredient swap).

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup (78 g) golden flaxseed meal
  • 3 tablespoons (36 g) coconut sugar (see notes for keto & other sugar options)
  • 2 tablespoons (28 g) coconut oil, melted and still warm
  • 2 to 4 teaspoons (10 to 20 mL) water
  • Optional: 1/4 teaspoon salt

Optional:

  • Optional: 1/2 teaspoon ground spices (e.g., cinnamon, ginger, cardamom)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325F (160C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Process the flaxseed meal in a high-speed blender (or food processor or electric coffee mill) until it resembles a lightly, fine flour. Transfer to a medium bowl and whisk in (optional) salt.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk the finely ground flaxseed meal, coconut sugar, (optional) salt and (optional) spice until blended.
  4. Add the warm coconut oil and 2 teaspoons water and stir until the mixture just comes together into a smooth dough (add a little bit more water, as needed). Let the dough stand for 5 minutes for the flax to absorb the liquid.
  5. Roll 12 equal portions of the dough into balls (I use my small cookie scoop for even portioning, but a scant tablespoon measure of dough will also work great). Use your fingertips or the flat bottom of a glass to flatten the dough into an even circle.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven for 11 to 12 minutes until just set and the edges of the cookies appear crispy and dry.
  7. Remove from oven and cool on the sheet for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely. Place the cooled cookies in an airtight container and chill until cold.

Notes

Storage: Store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 weeks or the freezer for up to 6 months.

Make it Keto: Replace the coconut sugar with the keto-friendly, measure-for-measure, granulated sweetener of your choice. Keto Macros per Cookie: Calories (52); Total Carbs (2 g); Sugars (0 g); Net Carbs (0 g).

Sugar Options: An equal amount (36 g) of brown sugar, natural cane sugar or granulated sugar can be used in place of the coconut sugar.

Use fresh flaxseed meal: If the flaxseed meal is not fresh, the cookies will not taste fresh, ether.

Nutrition Information
Serving Size 1 cookie
Amount Per Serving Calories 64Total Fat 4.6gSaturated Fat 2.4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 0mgCarbohydrates 5.2gFiber 2gSugar 3.1gProtein 1.5g

Did you make this recipe?

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Joann Bennett

Tuesday 12th of December 2023

I love the taste of these cookies but my dough is always too flaky and extremely hard to make into balls and then cookies. It remains crumbly even when I add additional water. I follow the recipe closely and want to create a smooth dough that looks like the photos on the recipe site. Help!?! .

Camilla

Wednesday 13th of December 2023

Hi Joann,

Did you finely grind the flaxseed meal into flour? It is really important for the cookies to work. The crumbling, inability to form into balls, and lack of smoothness sounds like the flaxseed meal has not been ground into the fine flour. That will solve the issues!

Taylor

Wednesday 20th of September 2023

The flavor is good but they don't keep together at all. Maybe I didn't use enough water?

Taylor

Friday 22nd of September 2023

@Camilla, I didnt grind the flaxseed meal; I'm far too lazy haha. I did find that when I baked them anyway and let them sit for five minutes they actually did hold together - but they certainly didn't seem like they were going to!

Camilla

Thursday 21st of September 2023

Hi Taylor, Oh no, sorry that the recipe caused some problems. I am wonderful: did you grind the flaxseed meal into a very fine flour? The dough and cookies should hold together without any issue if the the flaxseed meal is ground into a fine flour, as indicated in the recipe. If you did follow that step, then it could be that more water was needed. If you measured with cups rather than weight, there is a chance that there was too much flax.

Alison

Sunday 2nd of July 2023

Nice, simple and really low carb recipe, with Erythritol as sweetener. Very good but wanted something extra. I used 2 tbsp's of my wild blackberries that were frozen and ground them still frozen (because the seeds inside become hard and awful once frozen) and added them to the mixture. Lovely - thank you for another keto recipe that helps keep me track.

Camilla

Friday 14th of July 2023

That sounds wonderful, Alison! I LOVE the sound of the added blackberries, yum!

Wendy

Wednesday 21st of June 2023

I have store bought flaxseed flour. Do I use the same weight or cup measurement of the flour as the flaxseed meal? Thanks for all your delicious recipes!

Camilla

Thursday 22nd of June 2023

Hi Wendy,

Ooh, I have never seen ready-to-use flax flour, that's exciting! For accuracy, I would definitely go with weight.

Thank you for the kind compliment, too!

Yasmeen

Thursday 27th of April 2023

I'd love to try this recipe but I dont have coconut sugar. Would it be possible to use honey for sweetening and reducing water for example?

Camilla

Wednesday 24th of May 2023

Hi Yasmeen,

Yes, definitely! Add the honey and then only add enough water to form a dough :)

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