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GET IT NOWIt’s cookie season, and I want you to meet my favorite almond flour cookies! After you try them, I think they might be yours, too. They’re buttery and sweet, a little soft, a little crunchy, and taste just like shortbread. They are wonderful around the holidays in particular, but honestly, I make them year-round. Whether you’re looking for a low carb dessert or heathy dessert, or just want that buttery texture with a nutty flavor, my almond flour cookie recipe is for you. Bake them with me and see why I love them so much!
Why You Need My Almond Flour Cookies
- Sweet and buttery, with a melt-in-your mouth texture – These turn out soft and slightly chewy, with a slightly crisp outside. The classic buttery taste and sweetness reminds me of the perfect shortbread cookie!
- Versatile base recipe – I’ve made many types of cookies with almond flour over the years, but this one is by far my favorite. I’ve been baking it for almost a decade, and still come back to it multiple times a year. In fact, it’s the base for most of my other almond flour cookie recipes — I’ve got variations for you below.
- Super easy to make – You need just 4 simple ingredients and one bowl, and you’ll be enjoying these almond flour cookies in around 20 minutes.
- Gluten-free, with no refined sugar – My recipe is grain-free, egg-free, and if you use my Besti sweetener, low carb and keto friendly. Much healthier than regular white flour cookies!
- Perfect for holidays – They are great for any occasion, but I especially love making these for holiday cookie trays. They always disappear fast!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my almond flour cookies recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
Basic Almond Flour Cookies:
- Wholesome Yum Almond Flour – I use this one because it’s super finely ground and blanched, which gives the cookies the best texture. Many brands of almond flour, and especially almond meal, can make them grainy or gritty. If you need a nut-free version, make coconut flour shortbread cookies instead.
- Butter – I love this brand. I usually use salted for balance, or you can use unsalted and add a pinch of salt. Just make sure it’s softened before starting! If you need a dairy-free option, you can substitute coconut oil — I recommend butter flavored coconut oil to get a similar taste.
- Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – Along with sweetness, it prevents the cookies from turning out too dry. It also has 0 net carbs and no aftertaste. Notes on other options:
- Other granulated sweeteners – You can use another granulated sugar substitute by converting it using my sweetener conversion chart, but keep in mind the texture may vary and you might detect a bitter aftertaste.
- Sugar – White sugar or coconut sugar does work if it fits your lifestyle — just not mine.
- Liquid sweeteners – Avoid using liquid options like honey or maple syrup, as they’ll mess up the wet/dry ratio.
- Vanilla Extract – With just a few ingredients in these almond flour cookies, quality really matters. I like this brand.
Optional Chocolate Dip:
- Sugar-Free Chocolate – Any kind works, but I’m a big fan of this brand of sugar-free chocolate chips!
- Coconut Oil – It helps the chocolate harden nicely as it cools and gives it a beautiful, glossy finish.
- Chopped Nuts – I used pecans, but any other nuts will work.
How To Make Cookies With Almond Flour
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
Basic Almond Flour Cookies:
- Cream the butter and sweetener. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat together the butter and Besti, until it’s fluffy and light in color.
- Beat in the other ingredients. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually add the almond flour, about half a cup at a time. The dough will be a bit crumbly — this is normal!
- Form the cookies. Use a cookie scoop to place rounded tablespoonfuls of dough onto a lined cookie sheet. Flatten to about 1/3 inch thick—they won’t spread much, so make them as thin or thick as you like! Prick with a fork.
- Pop in the oven. Bake the almond flour cookies until golden. Cool completely before removing from pan, as they will be fragile at first.
Optional Chocolate Dipped Edges:
- Melt the chocolate and coconut oil. You can do this in short spurts in the microwave at low power, or use a double boiler on the stove. Stir occasionally.
- Dip your almond cookies. Cover them halfway in chocolate, then place them on a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Quickly sprinkle with chopped nuts while the chocolate is still wet, then chill in the fridge until the chocolate is set.
My Recipe Tips
- Start with butter that’s soft, but not too soft. If your softened butter is too warm, it won’t form air pockets when you beat it, but if it’s too cold, it won’t get fluffy at all. I cut the butter into small pieces to help it soften faster at room temperature. You can also take a shortcut by filling a stainless steel boil with boiling water, dry well, then invert over the butter on a plate — it’ll soften from the residual heat.
- Cream the butter correctly. I always start with my hand mixer at a lower speed, so that butter and sweetener don’t fly everywhere, then increase as it starts to incorporate. This method creates little pockets of air, which will give your almond flour cookies a more delicate tender crumb.
- Don’t over-beat the butter. If you go too long, the air breaks down. I’ve found that 5 minutes is just right. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s light and fluffy!
- Use blanched almond flour. I can’t emphasize this enough! It needs to be blanched almond flour to be the right texture for almond flour cookies.
- Don’t have quite enough almond flour? You can replace up to half of it with other ground nuts, like I did with my pistachio cookies! I wouldn’t replace all of it, though, because it’s finer than other types.
- Add the almond flour gradually. If you dump it in in at once, it won’t mix as well and you’ll end up mixing it too long, affecting the final texture.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl. Do it while you’re creaming the butter and again after adding the almond flour. Skipping this step can leave some spots denser than others.
- Gently pack the dough into the cookie scoop. If it’s too loose, it won’t hold together when released. But worst case, if your cookies crumble when you flatten them, you can press them back together.
- Keep an eye on your baking time. Lots of factors can affect it, so check after 10 minutes and every couple of minutes after. Use your oven light or just crack the door slightly to avoid losing heat.
- Be patient after baking. These almond flour cookies will be super soft and crumbly right out of the oven. Let them cool completely to firm up.
More Almond Flour Cookie Recipes
Like I mentioned above, I’ve used these almond flour cookies as a base for so many of my other cookie recipes using almond flour! Here are some variations you can try:
- Chocolate chip – Just fold the chocolate chips into the dough before baking, instead of dipping. If you’re craving a more classic chocolate chip cookie, I’ve got keto chocolate chip cookies already, and a new version of almond flour chocolate chip cookies coming soon!
- Thumbprint – Press a thumbprint into the dough before baking and fill it with your favorite jam. I love this brand, or sometimes I make my own sugar-free chia jam! I’ve also filled the prints with dried fruit and nuts, like my rugelach recipe.
- Extracts – Instead of vanilla, you can try almond extract (the almond flavor in these cookies is pretty mild without it), or go with other favorites like lemon, orange, or hazelnut. 1/2 teaspoon is a good amount.
- Cream cheese – My keto cream cheese cookies are a variation of these almond flour cookies, except with cream cheese added.
- Spices – Try my keto gingerbread cookies with warming spices, keto pumpkin cookies with pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice, or simple sugar-free snickerdoodles.
- Oats – My healthy oatmeal cookies use almond flour as a binder instead of white flour.
- Cookie dough – Since it doesn’t contain any eggs, feel free to sneak some dough while you’re making these! I also have a keto cookie dough recipe that’s very similar.
Tools I Use For This Recipe
- Cookie Sheet – I used this size for baking the cookies and this smaller one for cooling them in the fridge after dipping them in chocolate. As you can tell, I love these pans—I have them in every size!
- Mixer – I love my hand mixer with built-in storage. A stand mixer works, too.
- Cookie Scoop – I’ve had this one for as long as I’ve been making these almond flour cookies, and it’s still like new! It releases cleanly and makes your cookies all the same size.
- Double Broiler – Convenient for melting the chocolate without the risk of burning.
Almond Flour Cookies (4-Ingredient Recipe)
My almond flour cookies recipe makes buttery shortbread cookies, with 4 ingredients and no refined sugar. A gluten-free, healthy dessert!
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Basic Almond Flour Cookies
Optional Chocolate Dip
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
Basic Almond Flour Cookies
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
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Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat together the butter and Besti, until it's fluffy and light in color.
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Beat in the vanilla extract. Beat in the almond flour, 1/2 cup (64 g) at a time. (The dough will be dense and a little crumbly, but should stick when pressed together.)
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Scoop rounded tablespoonfuls of the dough onto the prepared cookie sheet (I use this cookie scoop). Flatten each cookie to about 1/3 in (.8 cm) thick. (You can make them thicker or thinner to your liking. Keep in mind they will not spread or thin out during baking, so make them as thin as you want them when done.)
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Bake for about 12 minutes, until the edges are golden. Allow to cool completely in the pan before handling (cookies will harden as they cool).
Optional Chocolate Dip
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Allow almond flour cookies to cool and harden completely before dipping in chocolate. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper (one that will fit in your fridge).
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Melt sugar-free chocolate and coconut oil in a double boiler. Once melted, dip the cookies halfway into the chocolate and place onto the lined pan. Immediately sprinkle with chopped nuts before the chocolate sets.
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Chill in the refrigerator before handling, until the chocolate is firm.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cookie
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the perfect texture in your almond flour cookies!
- Variations: Want to make these chocolate chip, fall flavored, as thumbprints, or in other ways? I’ve got lots of variations here!
- Store: These almond flour cookies will last a few days on the counter in an airtight container, or you can keep them in the fridge for over a week. I find that the chocolate-dipped ones keep better refrigerated.
- Freeze the dough: You can freeze the dough for up to 6 months, either in a ball wrapped in plastic wrap, or after forming the cookies. For formed ones, just place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze. Once solid, transfer to a freezer bag. Thaw on the counter before baking.
- Freeze the cookies: Pop them in a zip lock bag and keep frozen for up to 3 months. I line parchment paper between them to prevent sticking, or flash freeze on a baking sheet before placing in the bag.
- Note on nutrition info: The optional chocolate dip and pecans are not included in the nutrition facts below.
- Want to make these with coconut flour? Make my coconut flour cookies instead.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Low Carb Holiday Cookbook and Keto Ebook Bundle!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
Almond Flour Cookies
Gratitude Moment
I’ve been baking these almond flour cookies for so many years, but in 2020 when I created my Besti sweeteners and Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour, they were a total gamechanger for me. They made this recipe and so many other sweet baked goods so much better, because they improve the flavor and texture, without the aftertaste that so many sweeteners have.
Here I am with these cookies and my 3 Bestis, as well as my almond flour biscuits I make with the same flour. I’m so grateful to have these products to make recipes with! I hope you’ll give them a try and let me know what you think.
559 Comments
Corrina
0These have been my saving grace while traveling. I’m sure they will be a staple for me as I continue on my keto journey. I had a girlfriend who eats regular SAD food try one today and she even loved it! I just want to give a big thanks!! My only problem is stepping away from the cookies because they’re so amazing 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Corrina! And you’re very welcome. 🙂
Rosalyn
0Just made these. I did use coconut sugar, as I find the stevia with erythritol, when I bake is bitter. Love these. Thanks for a great easy treat!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m glad to hear you enjoyed them, Rosalyn! I do sometimes find bitterness when using stevia, but don’t detect any with erythritol, which is what I used for the original recipe. Everyone’s tastes are a little different with sweeteners though, so I tried to keep it flexible to be able to use any one you like. Coconut sugar can be a good natural one to use.
lilacsandcupcakes
0How many cookies is a serving? I made these and they were good!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0The nutrition info is based on one 2-1/4″-diameter cookie per serving. I’m glad you liked them!
Christine Castaneda
0These are awesome, Maya! I LOVE shortbread cookies and these are easy, delicious and did I already say awesome! Thank you!
Esther
0Absolutely delicious!! I love how you have a feature to cut the servings, as I usually have to do that because I CANNOT have 18 cookies around! This will definitely be my “go-to” dessert recipe. Thanks!
Cynthia Madrigal
0Have you tried making these in a pan as bar cookies?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I haven’t tried it, but that should work! The oven time may need to be adjusted – just watch for the edges to become golden. If you go this route, you’ll want to let them cool completely before cutting into bars.
onyinye
0Can I substitute almond flour with oats or oat flour?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I haven’t tried it, but it might work. I’d recommend oat flour over the oats if you want a shortbread cookie.
Marion Nunn
0Made today, very enjoyable. Thanks!
Christie
0Hi, how would you convert if I use Swerve? Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0It would be a scant 1/2 cup – almost the same as plain erythritol, but just a little less since it’s a tiny bit sweeter. I added it to the list in the recipe card.
Debbie Piper
0Can you add Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener (with erythritol) to the sweetener list? Thank you so much. I’m looking forward to making these!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Yes, I added it to the list on the recipe card. Thanks for asking!
thespeckledpalate
0I absolutely love, love, love these cookies, and I know my gluten free friends are gonna feel the same way! Well done!
Susan
0Thank you so much for adding the sweetener conversions! You are awesome!
Astrid Frazier
0I made these today and while they looked ok, they weren’t sweet enough. After looking at my THM sweetener conversion chart, I think I figured out the issue (am about to make another batch to be sure) – you said to use 1TB+2t of sweet blend, it should actually be 2T+2t
Michael Ann
0Thank you for taking my question in the spirit in which it was intended!
Deb
0Thank you!
Eileen Miller
0Would you add Truvia to your list of sweeteners? Along with the amount? Please and thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Of course! Truvia has been added to the list.
A
0What about using Pyure?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I added Pyure to the list of conversions in the Notes section on the recipe card. Thanks for asking!
Deb
0Is that a typo about the stevia powder – 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon? That’s a huge amount of stevia powder, especially for just 18 cookies! Two tiny “doonks” of stevia sweeten my shakes.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks for catching that! Yes, it was an error – 3 tbsp + 1 tsp was for Truvia. For pure stevia powder you’ll need only a 1/2 teaspoon. I updated the amounts on the recipe card.
Michael Ann
0Where you list Stevia as an alternate sweetener, did you mean Truvia? The link takes me to Truvia, and that is a HUGE amount of stevia! Thanks for the recipe! I’m looking forward to trying it!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks for catching that – you and another person asked about this. I updated the recipe card, with stevia and Truvia listed separately, and they should be correct now.
Laura
0What could be substituted for erythritol?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Laura, I added a few substitutions to the notes in the recipe card. Hope this helps!
Sarah
0My children are allergic to almonds… would something like coconut flour work, do you think?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Unfortunately almond and coconut flours are too different to substitute one for the other. You could try another nut flour if their allergy isn’t to all nuts. I’ll add it to my list to create a nut-free version as well.
Paula
0Can I substitute THM Gentle Sweet? Same ratio?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Yes, you can use Gentle Sweet, but the amount is different. I added conversion amounts to the recipe card.
Cindy
0Would the amount be different for stevia, Splenda, or THM Gentle Sweet? I’ve never cooked with erythritol before. Don’t know how it compares to other sweeteners.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Yes, the amounts will vary depending on the sweetener. I added conversion amounts for various sweeteners to the notes in the recipe card.
michelleferrand
0So cool that you made an amazing looking cookie with only 4 ingredients! Nice job!
Kathy Southerly
0What does THM S, mean?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0THM refers to the Trim Healthy Mama (THM) way of eating. At a high level, the premise is to eat either fat or carbs (either one together with protein) for each meal, but avoid combining them in the same meal. THM S meals are essentially the fat/protein-centered meals, so most low carb meals (including this recipe) would also qualify. You can read more about THM here.
Kim | Low Carb Maven
0How fun getting new furniture and re-vamping a room. It almost makes it feel like a new house. I haven’t tried the Bob’s Red Mill super fine almond flour yet. I will have to try. Good luck finding just the right piece of wall art for the room.
Georgina
0Just four ingredients? These look amazing!!
STACEY
0These look simple and tasty! How fun to get new furniture and carpet. Wall art is always tricky to find just the right piece, but can be such a fun adventure hunting for it. My hubby and I have such different taste in art so it is a challenge to be sure, lol.
Cherylie
0OMGosh! I made banana bread with Bob’s “regular” almond meal and had lots of large chunks left after sifting. Used it anyway – kind of has a texture of finely chopped walnuts like Grammy used to put in cookies.
So grateful you pointed out their superfine almond meal! Cannot wait to try some of your recipes.
Julie
0When using erythritol before it had that cooling effect. Do you not experience that?
Coo
0Yes, on my tongue feels cool and I’ve noticed when I eat it, it sticks to my taste buds. For example, if I drink water right after, it has a slight sweet/cool taste. Sorry to be graphic but I assume that’s what you mean.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0You can try xylitol if you are sensitive to the cooling effect of erythritol.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I haven’t noticed a cooling effect in these. If you’re sensitive to it, you can replace it with any sweetener you like.