These 3-ingredient almond flour cookies are healthy and delicious, perfect for anyone seeking gluten-free, grain-free, and refined sugar-free treats. Imagine a cookie with NO GRAIN, NO EGG, NO BUTTER, NO OIL, and NO REFINED SUGAR, yet tastes amazing. These cookies boast a delightful crispy exterior with a tender and chewy center. Requiring only three ingredients and ready in under 20 minutes, these cookies are poised to become your go-to recipe for any occasion.
Why These Cookies Are a Must-Try
What comes to mind when you hear about healthy almond flour cookies made with only 3 ingredients? This almond flour cookies recipe might be one the best, quickest, and simplest almond flour cookie recipes. These cookies are impressive in every aspect: appearance, ease of preparation, minimal ingredient list, and exceptional taste. Almond flour cookies are a guilt-free pleasure to enjoy with your evening tea or as a snack for your kids.
The Magic of 3 Simple Ingredients
These cookies use 3 SIMPLE INGREDIENTS. These 3-Ingredient Almond Flour Cookies are very simple and easy to make.
- Almond Flour: Use blanched fine almond flour for the best results. It’s very important to use finely ground almond flour (I used blanched almond flour), not almond meal (which is more coarsely ground, and is ground with the skins still on). The cookies will be greasy and heavy when made with almond meal. I know, almond flour is a little bit pricey, but it is 100% worth it for these cookies. For successful cookies every time, use a kitchen scale to measure the almond flour. The most likely reason is that too much almond flour has been added. This happens when too much flour is added to a measuring cup. For the most accurate results, I strongly recommend weighing the almond flour for best results.
- Sweetener: Honey or maple syrup are excellent choices. I have used honey, but you can also use 2.5 tablespoon maple syrup. You can also use an equal amount of maple syrup, agave nectar or honey (if you do not follow a strictly vegan diet).
- Water: Just a tablespoon to bring the dough together. About 1 tablespoon of water is used for kneading the dough. You can also use milk instead of water.
Quick and Easy Preparation
To make this simple recipe, all you need to do is mix 3 simple ingredients to make cookie dough, then shape it into balls, and bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Now add about 1 tablespoon of water/milk and then squeeze dough with your hands. Mix well to knead until they form a smooth and slightly sticky cookie dough.
- Use a cookie scoop or spoon to form the dough into 12 equal-sized balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. I’ve found that using clean hands to scoop and roll into small balls works great, but using a small cookie scoop is a great option, too. I own cookie scoops in three different sizes that I use for everything from scooping cookies and cupcakes to making sausage balls and meatballs.
- Use your fries knife to create a design for cookies. To make a design, simply press the knife into the rolled balls.
- Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Bake for 14-18 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Bake in the preheated oven for 13 to 16 minutes until golden brown and just barely set at the centers.
- Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for two minutes on the baking sheet. At this point, cookies would appear a bit soft, they will harden once they are cooled. Remove from the oven and cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet.
- Now transfer them to a cooling rack, and let them cool down completely. Cool Completely: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
Tips for Perfection
- Sweetener Options: If you want to use sugar then replace honey with the same amount of sugar (brown sugar, coconut, or even white). When using sugar, then you will need some more liquid to shape the dough. An equal amount of brown sugar (light or dark) can be used in place of the coconut sugar.
- Mix-ins: Add 1/4 cup of shredded coconut to the cookie dough and knead the dough with coconut milk. Mix in nuts or seeds: Add chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, or even sunflower or pumpkin seeds.
- Thumbprint Cookies: To make thumbprints almond cookies, make an indentation into the top of each flattened dough ball. Then fill the center with your favorite jam or marmalade. Jam thumbprint cookies: make a small indentation in the center of each cookie before baking.
- Cut-Out Cookies: For making cut-out Almond Flour Cookies, grease the dough and place it between parchment paper pieces. After that, roll the dough into a circle.
- Sprinkles: After shaping cookies, you can also top them with the sprinkles of your choice.
- Chocolate: You can also half dip these cookies in melted dark, milk or white chocolate. Chocolate: Add a 2 to 3 tablespoons of miniature chocolate chips to make almond flour chocolate chip cookies. You can also add chocolate chunks, chopped chocolate, or cacao nibs to the dough.
- Extracts and Zests: Add a 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract or almond extract, or 1 teaspoon of finely grated citrus zest, such as lemon zest, lime zest or orange zest to the dough.
- Vegan Variation: Make a batch of easy 3 ingredient vegan almond flour cookies in minutes! They taste rich and buttery, despite being free of oil, eggs, butter and dairy. Dairy free - Swap coconut oil for the butter to make these dairy-free.
- Salt: Sea salt - Put a little salt on top of the cookies once they come out of the oven.
- Lemon: Lemon zest - Another fun variation is to mix in a bit of lemon zest.
Troubleshooting
- My cookie dough is really thick and stiff. Why? The most likely reason is that too much almond flour has been added. This happens when too much flour is added to a measuring cup. For the most accurate results, I strongly recommend weighing the almond flour for best results.
- My cookies did not spread or change shape. Why? The reason is the same as above (too much almond flour).
Storing Your Almond Flour Cookies
These Almond Flour Cookies do not have any eggs or milk, so they store quite well at room temperature when stored in an air-tight cookie jar. To store almond butter cookies, place them in an airtight container at room temperature. This will keep them fresh for up to five days. For longer-term storage, consider freezing the cookies. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Properly stored in the freezer, they can last for up to three months. You don’t have to store this almond flour cookie recipe in the fridge, but you can if you want. If you don’t want to eat chilled or cold cookies, you can set them out and let them come to room temperature.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Serving Suggestions
These cookies taste best with simple ingredients. You really don’t need extra ingredients to make them. A cup of warm tea or coffee complements the nutty flavor of the almond butter cookies beautifully, enhancing the overall taste. Another great way to enjoy these cookies is by using them as a base for an ice cream sandwich. Simply take two cookies and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt in between. For something extra special, I like to drizzle melted dark chocolate and a sprinkle of sea salt over the cookies. They are also perfect for holiday cookie platters.
Keto-Friendly Adaptation
Making these cookies keto-friendly is a snap. Simply replace the coconut sugar with an equal amount of keto-friendly brown sugar replacement (e.g., Sukrin Gold, Swerve). Keto Variation: Replace the coconut sugar with an equal amount of keto-friendly brown sugar replacement (e.g., Sukrin Gold, Swerve).
Dietary Considerations
Are these cookies suitable for people with dietary restrictions? These cookies are generally a good option for those looking for a simple and quick treat, but it's important to check for allergies related to nuts. They are also gluten-free and dairy-free, making it a suitable choice for many diets. Using a keto-friendly sweetener makes them low-carb as well.
Variations and Substitutions
- Nut Butters: Can I use other nut butters instead of almond butter? Yes, you can substitute almond butter with other nut butters like peanut butter or cashew butter. Just keep in mind that the flavor and texture may vary slightly depending on the nut butter you choose. For a different flavor twist, consider mixing or substituting half of the almond butter with peanut butter.
- Sweeteners: What can I use as a sweetener for these cookies? I like to use a monk fruit and allulose blend to keep them low-carb. You can also use honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar. Adjust the amount to suit your taste preferences. Keep in mind that liquid sweeteners may require slight adjustments to the dry ingredients.
- Other Flours: Can I make these with other kinds of flour (besides almond flour)?
The Bottom Line
Enjoy a simple, quick treat with these 3-ingredient almond butter cookies. There's something so satisfying about whipping up a treat with just a handful of ingredients, which is exactly what makes these 3-ingredient almond flour cookies such a win. Whether it's a busy weeknight or you just want something quick and sweet, these keto cookies come together fast and leave you with minimal cleanup. I love that these cookies offer a simple, no-fuss solution to craving something sweet without many extras. Plus, they are low-carb and gluten-free, just like my almond biscotti. These cookies are perfect for when you want a quick snack to share (or to keep all to yourself!). They are just as fast as making no-bake cookies and faster than air frying a cream cheese danish. Since they store well in an airtight container, I like to keep a batch around for easy, homemade treats throughout the week.
A Note on Baking Sheets
Avoid Dark Metal Baking Sheets / Cookie Sheets: Dark baking sheets and cookie sheets are not good for baking cookies of any kind. Save them for roasting and sheet pan meals. Dark baking pans can overly darken or burn the bottoms of cookies. Check Cookies at the Minimum Baking Time: Begin checking the cookies for doneness at the earliest suggested baking time. The cookies are done when the center is just barely set. and the edges are lightly browned. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line a light colored baking sheet with parchment paper.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
About the Author
Lisa MarcAurele is a blogger and cookbook author. She created Little Bit Recipes to help people save money by minimizing leftovers when cooking for one or two people. Lisa is also a co-founder of Daily Life Travels, where you can discover new places to visit and things to do. I'm Camilla, food writer, author, runner, and spin instructor.
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