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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)
By
My almond flour cookies recipe makes buttery shortbread cookies, with 4 ingredients and no refined sugar. A gluten-free, healthy dessert!
Ingredients
[ See substitutions ]Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Basic Almond Flour Cookies
Optional Chocolate Dip
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]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.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
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.
563 Comments
Margaret Wilson
0Why can’t I print your recipes?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Margaret, You can find the print button at the top of the recipe card.
tammy
0yummy! I think I may have put a tad more butter in mine; but it worked out ok, the dough was a little less dry. Thank you!
MaeBae
0These cookies are AMAZING!! I had a group of friends over and they gobbled these down! When I told them they were keto and gluten-free, they were amazed at how good they tasted. I did use your Besti powdered sugar substitute, Kerrygold Irish butter, and Lily’s dark chocolate no sugar added baking chips (net 3g Carbs). The only issue I had was the original recipe only made about 12 medium size cookies. I will be doubling this recipe from now on! Ha ha! SO…YUMMY!
Maebae
0I take my comment about needing to increase the recipe back. Maybe I was in a hurry to share with company and I missed something…because I made them today and the recipe TOTALLY makes more than I said. I doubled the recipe and it easily made 48 cookies. That said, the cookie size really makes the difference. Anyway…STILL love this recipe and will make it regularly!! Thanks again Maya!
Janie
0Made these today. They turned out fantastic! Not quite as golden as yours, a little darker, but the chocolate makes the cookie. I did used crushed walnuts as I always have those in the house. Also wanted to say that I used your besti monkfruit allulose blend and there is absolutely no aftertaste. We are fairly new to Keto/low carb and have tried several of the non nutritive sugars and besti is great. I have started a monthly subscription for us as I think it is the one we will enjoy. I have also made your almond flour biscuits and they are so buttery that you need nothing else with them. Your tip about a tad of butter before putting them in the microwave was spot on. You are doing a wonderful job for us folks who can’t have sugar and still want to eat healthy, but with a little goodie every now and then. Thank you! ?
Ang
0Hello. Can I substitute pure maple syurp for the monk fruit and if not what would be a good substitute for monk fruit? Just woundering…
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ang, Sorry, no, I don’t recommend a liquid sweetener for this recipe. The dough will be too runny. I hate notes about sweetener options in the post above.
Jania
0Delicious!!! I just added sugar free dried cranberries to the batter instead of the chocolate topping. This recipe is a keeper for sure! Thank you Maya!!!
Natalie
0Hands down these are the BEST Keto cookies I’ve made. I did add one egg and 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts to the mixture and ropes with one low carb chocolate drop. Crunchy when cooled, just as my family likes. The recipe made quite a lot and everyone loves them ?
Have a pic but don’t know how to add. Thanks for creating this recipe!
Becky
0This dough was so dry so I added 1 lg egg to it. Still was dry but at least I was able to form it into cookies without them falling apart. I didn’t use all almond flour…I made it with 1 1/2c almond flour & 1c coconut flour. Also, I think if I make them again I will add some almond or coconut extract to give them a little more flavor.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Becky, The reason the dough was dry was because you substituted some of the almond flour for coconut flour. They are not interchangeable. If substituting half the almond flour for coconut flour, I’d expect the cookies to be pretty dry even with an additional egg. Coconut flour requires recipes specifically developed for that flour. Hope that helps for future reference.
Maria
0Hi! I think this recipe was accidentally linked to your raspberry cream cheese cookie. Would it be possible to fix this error? I cannot access it anymore. I always get this link instead. Thank you for posting so many amazing recipes ??
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Maria, I have the raspberry cream cheese thumbprints recipe in the Wholesome Yum App.
Ro
0These cookies didn’t bake… or even hold together
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ro, I’m not sure what you mean by they didn’t bake, but you do need to bake them. If they were too dry to hold together, it’s possible it’s a difference in how you measured — check the video on the recipe card for the right dough consistency. Hope this helps!
Jane Atkins
0I’m really enjoying these yummy easy to make shortbread. It is softer than real shortbread but very tasty. I used xylitol as the sweetener.
Carlene Lafer
0Can press in a cookie sheet and cut when still hot rather than make cookies?
elizabeth
0I did exactly that. Pressed 1/2 of the dough onto a pastry sheet. Baked it, then cur into squares with a pizza cutter. Made beautiful uniform cookies. Way easier than pressing them out individually.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Carlene, I have never tried that. I’ve used this recipe with cookie cutters (small ones work best), but that was cutting before baking.
Anna
0These are so yummy! I used chopped pistachio and it was tasty. Next time I might add some ground cardamom to the cookie dough.
Denise Pattavina
0I LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe! Today I was short 1/2 cup of almond flour and replaced it with shredded coconut. The consistency was a tiny bit more dry but just as delicious.
Jean
0Oh my goodness these are the best cookies ever! I nearly gave up trying to make keto biscuits as they’re usually pretty average but these are the best.
Just wondering though how would you recommend store them having been dipped in coconut oil….fridge I guess?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad you liked these cookies, Jean! You can store them on the counter or in the fridge, but with the chocolate dip the fridge works better.
Jae
0Hi, I’d love to make these but need ‘total’ carb info – for my child’s medical keto diet?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jae, I’ve got the total carbs in the nutritional info on the recipe card above.
Sandra
0Question: Should I let the almond flour come to room temperature before making these cookies? I keep almond flour in the freezer to retain it’s freshness.
Sandra W.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sandra, Yes, I would recommend letting it come to room temperature if you keep it frozen.
Nizey F.
0Texture was great but they tasted very bitter. Was that the allulose I used? I used a fresh bag of Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour. Any ideas about what went wrong?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Nizey, Sorry to hear that. I’m not sure why this would have happened to your cookies. Did you use Besti sweetener? One of my favorite things about is it has no bitterness, unlike other sweeteners. If you used a different brand, that could cause this. Otherwise, was your butter fresh? Or maybe it was your brand of vanilla?
Gladys
0Ooops…..
1-2-3
Almond cookies
It is TWO tbsp water.
See comment above this one!
Sorry…it is Christmas and I forgot how to count!
G.?????????
Gladys
0Happy Christmas to you!
I do not add fats to my almond flour cookies. I do add monk fruit/erythritol blend sugar.
And water to bind and a drop or two of vanilla or other extract for flavour! No eggs at all.
It is 1-2-3
1 cup almond flour
3 tbsp monk fruit
1 tbsp water
Vanilla
I like to add dark chocolate chocolate chips, sometimes. Or a whole almond or pecan on top!
It makes a less greasy cookie.