These 3 Ingredient Almond Butter Cookies are mildly sweet and crisp yet tender. They are gluten-free, dairy-free, and flourless -Simplicity at it's best!
Looking for more 3 ingredient desserts? Try my brown sugar shortbread cookies or chocolate kulfi recipe.
Almond butter cookies is a variation on the classic peanut butter cookie, by replacing the peanut butter with almond butter. They are just as tasty with a rich almond butter flavor with a crumbly texture.
They also have the iconic crosshatch pattern on top created by pressing the dough with a fork before baking. This technique helps in even baking, regulating the cookie's thickness to ensure uniform cooking throughout without retaining excessive puffiness in the center.
Although the holiday season is filled with indulgent treats, like the Santa's whiskers cookies, having healthier recipes like this one is invaluable, especially for accommodating friends with any dietary restrictions.
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Why you'll love it?
- Only 3 ingredients!
- Mildly sweet and irresistible in taste.
- Delicately crisp with a light and crumbly texture.
- Healthier cookie recipe.
- No flour, butter or oil.
- Naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and flourless.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Almond Butter - Like for the almond butter truffles recipe, use creamy, regular almond butter and not the natural kind. I prefer Barneys brand almond butter because it requires no stirring.
- Egg - In this 3-ingredient cookie recipe, the egg acts as a binding agent, keeping the ingredients together and preventing crumbling. It also adds moisture, ensuring a tender texture, while its subtle leavening effect helps the cookies rise, even without baking soda or powder.
- Brown Sugar - I prefer to use golden or light brown sugar to achieve the ideal color and flavor. The higher molasses content in dark brown sugar tends to impart a more pronounced taste that I prefer to avoid. Check out more brown sugar dessert recipes.
Tip: It’s best to avoid natural almond butter as it doesn’t contain any salt and the cookies tend to spread more and come out slightly crispier.
Variations
- Like the almond joy cookies, drizzle melted chocolate on baked and cooled cookies and sprinkle coarse sea salt on top.
- Stir in mini chocolate chips into the dough.
- Sprinkle sea salt on top of the dough before it goes into the oven.
How to make almond butter cookies?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
1 & 2. Add almond butter, egg and brown sugar into a large bowl and beat using a hand held electric beater for about 30 seconds or until mixed well.
3 & 4. Roll about 1 tablespoon measure dough into balls and arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet.
5. Flatten the dough in a crisscross pattern using a fork. Dip the spoon in white sugar before pressing it into the dough to prevent sticking.
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6. Bake in a preheated 340 degree oven for 20 to 23 minutes or until deep golden in color.
Tip: They will be very soft and might break when hot, but they will crisp and firm up as they cool.
Pro tip: Don't over bake! Bake for about 20 minutes or until the edges turn golden; avoid over-baking to prevent excessive browning on the bottom. Remember, cookies will continue to firm up as they cool on the baking sheet.
How to store?
Store almond butter cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. For longer storage, freeze them in a sealed zip lock bag for up to 2 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw the cookies at room temperature for a few hours for a healthy after school snack.
Make ahead instructions
- Refrigerate cookie dough - You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Leave it at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking.
- To freeze cookie dough - Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Let frozen cookie dough balls sit on the counter for about an hour, indent a crisscross pattern with a fork, then bake for an extra minute or two.
Helpful tips
- Don't over bake. It tends to get dark brown on the bottom if baked too long. Check on them after 20 minutes; if the edges turn golden, you know they’re done. And keep in mind they will continue to harden as they cool on the baking sheet.
- Use creamy almond butter and not natural or crunchy variety, as in almond butter balls.
- Don't use crunchy variety. The texture becomes too crumbly.
Recipe FAQs
Pressing a fork into the dough creates a distinctive crisscross pattern on the surface. This helps flatten the dough and control its thickness, allowing for more even baking without retaining excessive puffiness in the center.
To prevent them from becoming too dry or crumbly, consider these tips:
1. Avoid substituting brown sugar with coconut or white sugar. Brown sugar, containing molasses, retains more moisture compared to other sugars. This moisture is crucial in preventing cookies from becoming crumbly.
2. Use the correct type of almond butter. I recommend opting for a commercial almond butter that is less prone to oil separation and has a more consistent texture compared to the natural variety.
3. Prevent over-baking, which is a common mistake. Take the cookies out of the oven when the edges are firm and golden. Remember, they'll further firm up while cooling. Overbaking can lead to dry cookies.
Almond butter cookies might fall apart for several reasons:
1. Over-baking - Remove the cookies from the oven when the edges are firm and golden, bearing in mind that they will continue to firm up during the cooling process, as overbaking may result in dry cookies.
2. Incorrect ratios of ingredients - Ensure precise measurement of ingredients according to the recipe instructions, as inaccuracies can result in dry cookies.
3.Using natural almond butter - Opting for commercial almond butter with added stabilizers is recommended, as natural almond butter, prone to separation and drier consistency, may contribute to cookies crumbling or falling apart.
4. Insufficient binding agent - Use one large egg as specified in the recipe, as using a smaller egg or omitting it entirely will impact the texture of the cookies.
More almond butter recipes
3 Ingredient Almond Butter Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy almond butter I used Barney smooth almond butter
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup brown sugar, light or golden not packed
- white sugar as needed
Instructions
- Pre heat oven to 340°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add all three ingredients into a large bowl and beat using a hand held electric beater for about 30 seconds or until mixed well.
- Add almond butter, egg and brown sugar into a large bowl and beat using a hand held electric beater for about 30 seconds or until mixed well.
- Roll about 1 tablespoon measure dough into balls and arrange on the baking sheet.
- Flatten the dough in a crisscross pattern using a fork. Dip the spoon in white sugar before pressing it into the dough to prevent sticking.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 21 to 23 minutes or until deep golden in color. Avoid over-baking to prevent excessive browning on the bottom.
- Place baking pan on a wire rack to cool completey . The cookies will be very soft and might break when hot, but they will crisp and firm up as they cool.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
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