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These vegan almond flour cookies are soft, chewy, and irresistible! They're healthy, grain-free, dairy-free, and refined-sugar free but with all the goodness of a classic cookie. You won't be able to stop at just one!
There's nothing more universal than a love for cookies. Who can resist a melty, golden-brown cookie straight from the oven? And even though I'm partial to chocolate chip, you can customize these nutty cookies into just about any flavor! These chewy almond meal cookies aren't just for the health-focused. Kids, adults, neighbors, and coworkers will love them too!
For this vegan almond flour cookies recipe, I used only wholesome ingredients! Maple syrup for sweetness and coconut oil for a chewy yet tender crumb. In my experience, almond flour recipes can be hit or miss. Almond flour absorbs less moisture which makes baking with it a bit tricky. So I did what any loving baker would do, I tested these cookies until they came out perfect.
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With a well-tested recipe like this one, easy almond flour cookies come out crisp and chewy every time! Almond flour has a mild but slightly nutty flavor that's addictive in cookies. It gives them a bit more texture and plenty of plant-based protein, which is great since you will definitely want more than one of these
👩🍳 Why This Recipe Works
- Gluten free almond cookies never tasted so good!
- Made with wholesome ingredients like maple syrup and coconut oil
- Grain-free, vegan, low carb, and paleo
- Almond flour recipes are high in plant-based protein.
- Kid friendly!
- Crispy almond flour cookies have chewy, soft centers with crispy edges.
- No eggs means edible cookie dough. Yes, please!
- Great for a dessert or a healthy snack any time of year
- Customize these cookies made with almond flour to switch up the flavors.
- Best almond flour chocolate chip cookies ever!
🥘 Ingredients
This almond flour cookie recipe is made with simple ingredients found at major grocery stores. You won't need to hunt around for any of them or use any special equipment like a food processor or mixer.
Flax Seeds & Water: To make a flax egg! A flax egg is a substitute for eggs in vegan recipes. They give the cookies structure just like a regular egg. They blend in well with no aftertaste. You won't even know it's there.
Blanched Almond Flour: The best replacement for all purpose flour! Almond flour is used interchangeably with almond meal, but there is a slight difference. Both are made from ground almonds but almond meal is typically made from raw almonds with skins. It has a coarse texture compared to almond flour which is made with blanched and peeled almonds. I recommend fine almond flour for the best taste and texture, though almond meal will work too. It is possible to make your own, but it's best to follow a tutorial or you could end up with almond butter!
Baking Soda: To help the cookies rise! Without it, you would have dense and flat cookies.
Salt & Vanilla Extract: A little bit of kosher salt accentuates the sweetness, and vanilla's sweet flavor enhances all the ingredients!
Maple Syrup: Maple syrup is less processed with a caramel-like sweetness. Coconut sugar and brown sugar work great too!
Coconut Oil: Coconut oil behaves like butter in cookies and cakes. It gives you a tender and chewy texture without any dairy fat.
Vegan Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet chocolate chips have a sweet, yet rich flavor that sings in cookies! Dark chocolate and milk chocolate chips work great too!
📖 Variations
These delicious cookies can be customized to fit your taste buds! Try one of the variations below:
- Almond Flour Keto Cookies: These cookies are already pretty low carb (only 7 grams net carbs per cookie), but if you're on the keto diet, use your favorite 1:1 sugar replacement in place of the maple syrup for an even lower carb option. I recommend a monk fruit blend for its pleasant taste that mimics sugar.
- Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies: Reduce the coconut oil to 1 tablespoon and melt 1/4 cup of peanut butter with the wet ingredients. Omit the chocolate chips if desired!
- Almond Flour Oatmeal Raisin Cookies: Replace 1 cup of the almond flour with rolled oats. Omit the chocolate chips and add 1/2 cup of raisins. For almond flour oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, use 1/2 cup of chocolate chips as directed.
- Thumbprint Cookies: Leave out the chocolate chips and make a small indent on the top of each cookie. Fill the indent with melted jam then bake as directed.
- Almond Flour Banana Cookies: Use only the almond flour, baking soda, and salt, and add 2/3 of a cup of mashed banana. Bake at 350 degrees for up to 16 minutes (until cookies are set)
- Almond Flour Sugar Cookies: This one's easy! Just omit the chocolate chips and follow the recipe as directed! The texture is similar to a shortbread cookie. You can add a teaspoon of almond extract for an amaretto flavor.
- Almond Flour Lemon Cookies: Same as sugar cookies except add 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon zest.
- Almond Flour Chocolate Cookies: Melt 1/2 cup of chocolate chips with the oil mixture and two tablespoons of Dutch cocoa powder to the dry ingredients. Follow the recipe as directed.
🔪 Instructions
Follow these simple instructions to make these paleo chocolate chip cookies!
Make the Flax Egg: In a small bowl, stir together the flax seed and water. As it sits it will thicken into a gelatinous mixture similar to an egg. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Melt Wet Ingredients: In a microwave-safe container, melt the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract together. Microwave in 30-second increments until completely melted.
Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking soda, and salt.
Combine Ingredients: Add the chocolate chips, flax seed mixture, and wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir to form an almond flour cookie dough.
Scoop & Bake: Use an ice cream scoop to scoop the dough in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
Cool & Enjoy: For best results, let the paleo cookies cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet then transfer to a wire rack. Don't skip this important step! The cookies will firm up as they cool.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Are almond flour cookies healthy?
Almond flour cookies are much healthier than their original counterparts. Almond flour is low-carb and grain-free yet packed with nutrients. It's also rich in plant-based protein, Vitamin E, and antioxidants. These cookies are refined-sugar-free and dairy-free, which makes them a healthy part of a well-balanced diet. Enjoy them in moderation like you would any delicious treat.
Does almond flour bake like regular flour?
You can not substitute almond flour for regular flour in a 1:1 ratio. Almond flour absorbs moisture differently since it is made up of almonds instead of wheat. Almond flour recipes often need more flour than wheat-based recipes and sometimes more eggs. It does however tastes delicious in baked goods with the correct ratios!
How should I store these healthy almond flour cookies?
Store the cookies in an airtight container or ziplock bag for up to one week. They are best enjoyed within the first three days of baking them!
Can I freeze these cookies?
Yes! You can freeze ground almond cookies baked or unbaked. To freeze them baked, simply freeze them in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. For unbaked, scoop the cookies onto a lined sheet pan and freeze for 45 minutes. Once the cookies are frozen, place them into a zip-top freezer bag and use them within 3 months. You can bake as many as you want at one time.
💭 Expert Tips
- Don't remove the cookies immediately from the pan once they come out of the oven. The cookies need two sets of cooling time, once on the pan and once on a cooling rack. A hot cookie will fall apart!
- As a general rule of thumb, don't substitute coconut flour, oat flour, or whole wheat flour in place of almond flour. Almond flour isn't a 1:1 substitute with other alternative flours. Each one absorbs moisture differently.
- Resist the urge to bake these chewy cookies until they look "done". It's important to let these gluten free almond flour cookies cool completely before serving, because they continue to cook and set up as they cool.
- For large cookies, use a large cookie scoop and add a couple of minutes to the baking time.
- For a buttery cookie, be sure to use almond flour and not almond meal.
- Bob's Red Mill & King Arthur are two almond flour brands I highly recommend!
