This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
My almond flour cookies are thick, soft, chewy, naturally grain-free, and refined sugar-free. They require no chill time and are ready in 15 minutes.
Love almond flour recipes? Try my almond flour pancakes, almond flour banana bread, almond flour cake, and almond flour muffins next.
Using grain-free flour in cookies can be very tricky. While traditional white flour or wholewheat flour are safe choices, others can be pretty hit-and-miss. My simple almond flour cookie recipe is a winner, and it tastes like any good cookie!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- 5 Ingredients. And you don’t need any eggs or milk to make them.
- Perfect texture. They are thick and chewy, have a slightly soft center, and have gorgeous crisp edges.
- Quick and easy. There is no chilling required, and they take less than 15 minutes to make.
- Diet-friendly. These cookies are vegan, gluten-free, AND paleo!
Ingredients needed
- Almond flour. You must use blanched almond flour, not almond meal. Almond meal tends to yield heavy and dense cookies and will be darker in color.
- Baking powder. Gives the cookies some rise.
- Butter. Either butter or vegan butter can be used. You must measure your butter in a melted/softened state. If you use vegan butter, be sure to use one from a stick, as other kinds contain added water that can affect the texture of the cookies.
- Maple syrup. Gives the cookies the necessary sweetness without being overpowering. You can also use agave nectar or honey (although I find honey to be a little too overpowering, so be wary!).
- Vanilla extract. A must for any good cookie recipe!
- Chocolate chips. Optional but highly recommended! I like to use a mix of semi-sweet chocolate chips and dark chocolate chips. If you opt for vegan butter, use vegan chocolate chips.
How to make cookies with almond flour
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep. Mix together the almond flour and baking powder. Next, add the softened butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Gently fold through your chocolate chips, reserving a few to top the cookies with.
Step 2- Shape. Form 6 large or 12 small balls of dough and place on a lined baking sheet. Press each ball of cookie dough into a thick cookie shape.
Step 3- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges start to brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the pan.
Arman’s recipe tips
- While your butter must be melted/softened, it should also be at room temperature. Using warm butter will start the melting process of the chocolate chips, resulting in marbled cookies and burnt edges.
- These cookies do not spread, so shape them the size and thickness that you want.
- Do not overbake the cookies, as they continue to cook as they cool down.
- Be sure to check on the cookies at the 12-minute mark and continue to monitor them until done. They can go from golden to dark brown in a short amount of time.
- Use another syrup. Some readers have tried replacing the maple syrup with sugar-free syrup. I haven’t tried this myself, so I cannot vouch for its outcome.
- Shape appropriately. I made 6 large cookies (as pictured). For smaller cookies, make 12 balls of dough.
Flavor variations
- Almond flour chocolate chip cookies. As pictured! Fold through 1/4-1/2 cup chocolate chip of choice into the dough.
- Raisin cookies. Add 1/2 cup raisins to the dough, and reserve a few to top the cookies with. Soak the raisins for 30 minutes prior, for them to plump up and be extra juicy.
- Trail mix cookies. Add up to 1/2 cup of your favorite mix-ins, including seeds, nuts, candy bits, and more!
- Double chocolate cookies. Add 1/4 cup cocoa powder to the batter and 1/2 cup chocolate chips.
Storage instructions
To store: Place the cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Store them in the refrigerator if you’d like them to keep longer.
To freeze: Put your cookies in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Frequently asked questions
While you technically can use almond meal, your cookies won’t be creamy in color but flecked with brown and black spots. They also will be slightly more crumbly.
Unfortunately, no. Freezing this particular cookie dough will yield crumbly and gritty remnants once thawed, and the cookies will be brittle and grassy once baked. My recipe is super simple, though, so you don’t need to fret about prepping this in advance.
More almond flour desserts
- Almond flour brownies
- Almond flour oatmeal cookies
- Almond flour banana muffins
- Almond flour banana bread
- Almond flour waffles
- Almond flour chocolate cake
- Almond flour cupcakes
Almond Flour Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour blanched almond flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup butter or vegan butter, softened
- 3 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add your almond flour and baking powder and mix well. Add your melted butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract, and mix until combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold through your chocolate chips.
- Form 6 large or 12 small balls of dough. Place on the lined sheet, and press down into a cookie shape. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until just beginning to go golden around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published October 2020, updated and republished November 2024
Hi
Loving your recipes, thank you for sharing!
I hate almonds and so have never used almond flour.
Do the cookies, cakes etc take on an almond flavour when using the almond flour?
Thanks, Tracey
It’s very, very subtle 🙂
Not that I can taste!
Thank you thank you for this amazing recipe! A cookie i can enjoy while on a low FODMAP diet for SIBO/to balance and heal gut microbes! 😃 I have missed cookies so much! Love the minimal ingredients that i have on hand anyways. Added 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 2 tsp almond extract and MMMMM!!!!! I also made with and without choc chips and love either one! So delicious that even husband and son who are not low fodmap couldn’t stop eating. A keeper forever! 💝
Yum!!
Thanks, Julie!
Absolutely the tastiest, best gluten-free cookies. I make them for my gluten-intolerant friends all the time and they love them as does anyone who eats them.
You are so sweet, Judy!
Wonderful and flavorful!
Thanks, Jane!
I made these cookies yesterday and they are actually better than I expected. They are very good. I highly recommend them.
These were yummy and soo easy to make. Thanks!
So welcome, Holly!
These have been a regular snack around my house for 6 months now. I usually switch out the chocolate chips with a bit of stevia. I recently made them with cinnamon and blueberries and they’re delicious! Gives them a blueberry cobbler vibe. Thanks for the recipe Arman 😊
My family LOVE these cookies so much!
I make a double batch and use 100% cacao unsweetened and find this to be the most satisfying snack.
I have made them with vanilla extract and 1/2 the amount of almond extract, very good both ways!!
Thanks, Kim!
I really like these cookies. Easy to make and very delicious!
Amazing! Since I can no longer eat, wheat or eggs, this has been my go to cookie for a while now. It’s amazing every time and my kids love it too.
I found the recipe to be very easy to put together. I found them to be moist and chewy and tasty. I made 16 small cookies and they baked for 12 minutes.
I ate three small cookies and found that they were very filling. I did not use chocolate chips. I found that I was able to melt the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds possibly due to the fact i did not use the choc chips and my flour was cold from the refrigerator. I found them to be sweet enough for me, surprisingly. I think next time I’ll try almond extract in place of vanilla, because I love the almond flavor. Thank you!
Great cookies!! I rolled them into a ball and then pressed them down half with a fork (like a peanut butter cookie). They were thick, crunch and wonderful!!