Almond cookies are soft and chewy, melt in your mouth cookies made with ground almonds. This almond cookie recipe is easy to make, needs no chill time and makes the most delightful, naturally gluten free cookies.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
Some of my favorite recipes on the blog are made with almond flour. My Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies, Almond Flour Brownies, Almond Flour Chocolate Cookies, Almond Flour Mug Cake and Almond Flour Chocolate Cake are all amazing almond flour recipes. I know you’ll love this light, soft and chewy almond flour cookie recipe as well because:
- Naturally gluten free: These almond drop cookies are naturally gluten free.
- You love soft, chewy and nutty cookies. Almond flour makes the BEST chewy cookies. The richness and extra fat from the almond flour, gives these almond flour cookies rich, chewy texture that lasts for days.
- Quick and easy to make. These almond flour cookies are just as easy to make as any drop cookie recipe and only needs a few simple ingredients.
Ingredients
This recipe for almond flour cookies requires only a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge. Here’s what you’ll need.
- Dry Ingredients: Gather almond flour and salt.
- Wet Ingredients: Gather unsalted butter, granulated sugar, eggs, almond extract, vanilla extract and sliced almonds for topping.
Substitutions
These chewy cookies with almond flour are as easy to make as they are delicious. Here are my recommended substitutions to make these grain free cookies if you need them.
- Almond Flour: Blanched almond flour is the correct flour to use in this recipe. Almond meal will make the cookies coarser and grittier. If you prefer that type of texture, make sure to measure the almond flour by weight (360 g) rather than cup for cup.
- Butter: I like to use unsalted “sweet cream” butter in almost all my baking recipes. This is the most common and widely available butter in the US. If needed, use salted butter (omit the added salt) or a diary free butter you like.
- Granulated Sugar: Maple sugar would be good refined sugar free substitutes.
- Eggs: This is an essential ingredient for these chewy almond flour cookies. This recipe hasn’t been tested without eggs.
- Vanilla Extract: This is more for background flavor and nicely enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Almond Extract: I highly recommend using the almond extract for the best almond cookies.
- Sliced Almonds: I like using sliced almonds for another layer of texture. Feel free to omit the sliced almonds or use 1 whole almond on top.
How To Make
Learn how to make almond cookies in a few easy steps.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C) for about 30 minutes before baking the cookies. Line 1- 2 large baking sheet(s) with parchment paper. Add the butter to a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. With the mixer on medium speed, cream together the butter with the light granulated sugar for 2 - 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low and mix in the eggs, almond extract and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. Mix the almond flour and salt into the wet ingredients until just combined.
- If you want, wrap the cookies in plastic wrap and chill. No chill time is needed though.
- Using a small cookie scoop (1 tablespoons, 15 ml), scoop the almond cookie dough, roll into balls and place them onto the lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Top each cookie dough ball with sliced almonds. Bake the cookies for 14 - 16 minutes until the edges and tops of the cookies are set.
- Cool the almond meal cookies on the baking sheet until completely cooled. Then transfer to a cooling rack, dust with powdered sugar and enjoy.
How To Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Store: Place the baked chocolate chip almond flour cookies in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to one week.
- Freeze Baked Cookies: Make sure the almond biscuit cookies are completely cooled to room temperature. Individually wrap each cookie in plastic wrap and place in a ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Freeze Cookie Dough: Scoop the cookie dough into balls and place on a lined baking sheet or large plate. Flash freeze in the freezer for 20 minutes. Remove the cookie dough balls and transfer to an air tight, freezer safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw the cookie dough in the fridge overnight. Top the cookies with sliced almonds and bake as directed in the recipe.
- Thaw: The easiest and tastiest way to thaw the Italian almond cookies is to let them sit out at room temperature until thawed. Warm the thawed cookies in the microwave for 15 - 20 seconds for a “fresh from the oven” taste.
M’s Expert Tips
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature. This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in deliciously tender almond cookies.
- Don’t skip the almond extract. Adding almond extract really brings a sweetness and depth of flavor to the cookies.
- Measure the almond flour properly. I highly recommend using a food scale to get perfectly measured ingredients every time. Alternatively, use spoon almond flour into a measuring cup, evenly sweep any excess off the top of the measuring cup to get 1 cup almond flour. Do not scoop straight from the bag.
- Give your cookies a “cookie scoot.” Within the 30 - 60 seconds of removing the cookies from the oven, use a large biscuit cutter (wider than the cookies) to help shape any cookies back into a more round shape. Place the cutter over the cookies so the edges of the cookie are inside the cookie/ biscuit cutter. In a circular motion, gently nudge the edges back into a round shape.
FAQs
Almonds are naturally gluten free. These cookie use only almond flour so they are also gluten free.
Replace the butter with plant based butter.
This can happen when too much almond flour is used compared to the wet ingredients or by not allowing the cookies to cool long enough. It is important to measure the almond flour correctly and to allow the cookies to cool on the hot baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack.
For a larger cookie, use a medium cookie scoop (2 tablespoons, 30 ml) and bake for 16 - 18 minutes.
The texture of the cookie is often chewy and moist when almond flour is used. The cookie also has a slightly nutty taste when compared with cookies made with regular flour.
Other Simple Cookie Recipes to Try
If you try this Almond Cookies recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! - M
Almond Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
- 1 - 2 baking sheets
- 2 sheets parchment paper
- 1 small cookie scoop (1 tbsp, 15 ml) optional
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups (360 g) almond flour
- ¼ cup sliced almonds for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C) for about 30 minutes before baking the cookies. Line 1- 2 large baking sheet(s) with parchment paper.
- Add the butter to a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. With the mixer on medium speed, cream together the butter with the light granulated sugar for 2 - 3 minutes.½ cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed, 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- Turn the mixer to low and mix in the eggs, almond extract and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. Mix the almond flour and salt into the wet ingredients until just combined.2 large eggs, room temperature, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) almond extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract , ¼ teaspoon salt, 3 cups (360 g) almond flour
- Using a small cookie scoop (1 tablespoons, 15 ml), scoop the almond cookie dough, roll into balls and place them onto the lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Top each cookie dough ball with sliced almonds.¼ cup sliced almonds for topping
- Bake the cookies for 14 - 16 minutes until the edges and tops of the cookies are set. Cool the almond meal cookies on the baking sheet until completely cooled. Then transfer to a cooling rack, dust with powdered sugar and enjoy.
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