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My keto Christmas cookies are soft, chewy, and studded with red and green candy buttons. They’re made with 5 ingredients and do NOT taste low-carb! 3 grams of net carbs per cookie.
Need more keto Christmas cookie recipes? Try my keto sugar cookies, keto shortbread cookies, and keto gingerbread cookies next.
In my friend group, we have a dedicated keto cookie exchange. It was my idea, in case you couldn’t guess…
Of all the holiday cookie recipes out there, I’m a sucker for the classics. My keto Christmas cookies are essentially sugar cookies, but with a few low-carb substitutions that cut the sugar but keep the sweet flavor and chewy bite.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Simple ingredients. All you need are five simple pantry staples–and NO almond flour or coconut flour.
- They bake in 12 minutes. Once they’ve had time to chill, they bake up super quick.
- Fun to share. When developing this recipe, my #1 non-negotiable was that they had to be shareable and kid-approved. These cookies tick those boxes.
- Customizable. As mentioned, I like the classic red and green candy button look, but you can use any colored candy buttons or use different mix-ins altogether.
Ingredients needed
- Cashew butter. I tested different nut butters and preferred the mild flavor of cashew butter. Make sure it’s very smooth and drippy; otherwise, it won’t mix into the dough.
- Eggs. Use room temperature eggs so they mix evenly into the dough.
- Sugar substitute. I like using allulose, but monk fruit sweetener also works. My only qualm with the latter is that it sometimes yields grainy desserts.
- Baking soda. Keeps the cookies from overspreading.
- Sugar-free candy buttons. For a pop of color. Feel free to swap them for sugar-free chocolate chips or make sugar-free white chocolate and add food coloring.
How to make keto Christmas cookies
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- Mix. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the candy buttons. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the candy.
Step 2- Chill. Cover the cookie dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 3- Prep. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 4- Bake. Remove the bowl from the fridge. Form 12 dough balls and place them on the baking sheet, 1-2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Don’t overbake. The residual heat from the pan will continue to cook the cookies after they’re out of the oven. My rule of thumb is to pull them out when they’re still soft but lightly golden around the edges.
- Swap the cashew butter. Use other types of nut butter (like almond butter or peanut butter), or, for a nut-free recipe, use sunflower seed butter.
- Use different mix-ins. Swap the candy buttons for sugar free sprinkles, chopped nuts, or a chopped-up sugar-free candy bar.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftover Christmas cookies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
To freeze: Transfer cooled cookies to a freezer bag and freeze for six months.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can! However, you just have to get the timing right. Once these are baked, I recommend packaging them up and sending them within 2-3 days. Try to keep them packaged up as tightly as possible, as these are prone to crumbling when moved too much.
I don’t recommend freezing this dough as it does not thaw very well at all. The reason for this is that there is no flour in it to keep things stable.
More keto cookies you’ll enjoy
Keto Christmas Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashew butter smooth and drippy * See notes
- 1 large egg ** See notes
- 2/3 cup allulose
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup sugar free candy buttons only use the green and red ones *** See notes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cashew butter, egg, allulose, and baking soda, and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, fold through the candy or chocolate chips at the end.
- Cover the mixing bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Remove the mixing bowl from the fridge. Form 12 balls of dough and place them on the lined sheet, 1-2 inches apart. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges just begin to go golden.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool completely.
Hm where you can buy sugar free candy buttons? I am interested.
This is the absolute best keto chocolate chip type cookie I have come across, hands down. I mix in either keto chocolate chips or keto white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts, but keep the base the same. I also use about 1/2 keto brown sugar substitute and 1/2 white granulated type for extra caramelized flavour. I even try to emulate a New York style cookie and keep them quite large and chunky so they have a nice crisp exterior and soft gooey interior. I love these cookies so much, they are perfection!
Can this dough be refrigerated overnight?
Yes it can!
Love this recipe. Just started my keto diet and love it.
I have a sugar mix including both erythitol and monkfruit would I still use the same amount of 2/3 cup of sugar?