These almond flour cookies are wonderfully buttery. They are melt-in-your-mouth tender and very flavorful!
Ready in about 45 minutes, they are very easy to make. Simply mix everything in one bowl, scoop onto a baking sheet and bake for around 15 minutes.
These cookies are incredible. They have this wonderfully tender crumb, and the almond extract adds such an interesting depth of flavor.
They are so good, so tender and light, that it's difficult to believe they're made with almond flour and no white flour.
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make these almond flour cookies. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Butter: I use unsalted butter. Make sure it's softened. You can put it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to soften it. My favorite butter to use is Kerrygold.
- Sweetener: I use stevia glycerite (product link provided in the recipe card below). The amount I use equals about ⅓ cup of sugar, and you can use any granulated or powdered sweetener instead of stevia.
- Almond extract: Although I only use ½ teaspoon, this is absolutely a must so please make sure to use it. Also, make sure to use pure almond extract. The ingredients listed should be water, alcohol, and bitter almond oil.
- Egg: I use one large egg in this recipe.
- Almond flour: It's very important to use blanched almond flour rather than a coarse almond meal in this recipe. The flour should be a super fine grind. I typically use Bob's Red Mill almond flour.
- Salt: I use ¼ teaspoon of coarse kosher salt. If you use fine salt (such as table salt or sea salt), use just a pinch, which is about ⅛ teaspoon.
- Baking soda: I mix it into the batter last, to make sure it doesn't lose its potency before I place the cookies in the oven.
- Almonds: Used as a decorative element, but I also like their crunch. Make sure to use raw almonds rather than roasted and salted ones.
Instructions
Making these almond flour cookies is truly easy. The detailed instructions are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of the steps:
You start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F and lining a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Next, using a handheld electric whisk, whip together the butter, stevia, vanilla, and egg. You'll notice that the mixture is not smooth at this point - that's OK.
Now, gradually mix in the almond flour. Then mix in the salt and baking soda.
Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, drop 12 mounds of the dough onto the prepared cookie sheet.
Gently flatten and shape the mounds with your hand.
Bake the cookies until golden brown. Depending on how hot your oven runs, this can take anywhere from 12 to 20 minutes. In my previous house, it took 14 minutes. Where I live now, it takes 20 minutes.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet before enjoying them.
Expert tip
Flavor extracts are often used merely to enhance baked goods, so they're not always essential.
But in this case, the almond extract is an inherent part of the recipe and I urge you not to omit it, and not to replace it with another flavor extract - not even vanilla. It simply won't be the same.
Frequently asked questions
No, unfortunately, you can't. These flours behave very differently when baked. They are not interchangeable.
When the cookies come out of the oven, they are soft and fragile. But as they rest and cool on the baking sheet, they set and become firmer.
It's very important to let them cool, undisturbed, on the baking sheet. Don't try to lift them and place them on a cooling rack.
Yes, it is. If you don't line the cookie sheet with parchment paper, the cookies could stick to the pan. So it's important to use it.
Variations
A great way to vary this recipe is to add ½ cup of dark chocolate chips and turn them into chocolate chip cookies.
You can also add ½ cup of chopped nuts instead of chocolate chips. Pecans are especially good in this recipe.
Serving suggestions
I like to serve these cookies with hot chocolate in the winter and with cold almond milk in the summer.
You can also crumble them on top of frozen yogurt or chocolate yogurt.
Lastly, try using two of them to make a sandwich cookie with a thick layer of almond butter or chocolate hazelnut spread.
Storing leftovers
Once completely cooled, these cookies can be kept at room temperature, in an airtight container, for up to 4 days. For longer storage, it's best to freeze them.
They soften a little while stored and become more cake-like, but they are still very, very good.
Related recipes
Recipe card
Almond Flour Cookies
INGREDIENTS
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter soft
- 1 teaspoon stevia glycerite (equals ⅓ cup sugar)
- ½ teaspoon pure almond extract (please don't omit)
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ cups blanched finely ground almond flour (6 oz; it's best to measure by weight)
- ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or a pinch of fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 12 raw almonds (not roasted and salted)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld electric whisk on medium speed, mix together the butter, stevia, almond extract, and egg. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. The mixture won't be smooth at this point and that's okay.
- Gradually mix in the almond flour, ½ cup at a time, until well-blended. Then mix in the salt and baking soda. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
- Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, drop mounds of the dough, two inches apart, onto the prepared cookie sheet. Gently flatten and shape the mounds with your hand, as shown in the video below.
- Bake the cookies until lightly browned. Depending on how hot your oven runs, this can take anywhere from 12 to 20 minutes.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 20 minutes before enjoying them.
WATCH THE VIDEO:
NOTES
- You can use ⅓ to ½ cup of sugar or any granulated sweetener instead of stevia.
- It's very important to use blanched almond flour rather than a coarse almond meal. It should be a super fine grind. I typically use Bob's Red Mill almond flour.
- It's best to measure almond flour by weight. If you measure it by volume, don't pack it into the measuring cups. It should be loosely packed.
- Cooling the cookies completely on the baking sheet will allow them to set. If you try to lift them off the baking sheet when still warm, they'll be soft and crumbly.
- The almond extract ingredients should be water, alcohol, and bitter almond oil. It's an integral part of the recipe and should not be omitted or substituted.
- I prefer using a handheld mixer to a stand mixer in this recipe because of the relatively low volume of ingredients. But a stand mixer would probably work too.
ADD YOUR OWN NOTES
NUTRITION PER SERVING
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 