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    Home » Recipes » Cookies

    Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies

    Published: Dec 3, 2020 · Modified: Jun 10, 2023 by Maria Doss · This post may contain affiliate links · 15 Comments

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    These Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies are outrageously good! They are buttery without any butter, crisp yet tender, mildly sweet, and are made with only 3 ingredients.

    large blue plate filled with small golden colored almond cookies.

    I wanted to create almond flour shortbread cookies with alluring buttery richness, yet showcase the nutty almond flavor without any bells and whistles.

    A good shortbread cookie needs to hold together while still being sandy and delicate, like brown sugar shortbreads or chocolate shortbread cookies.

    These almond flour shortbread cookies recipe are the perfect guilt-free treats with healthy fats, ease of preparation, and mildly sweet with a perfect texture like the black sesame seed cookies.

    Jump to:
    • Why this recipe works?
    • The 3 ingredients
    • How to make?
    • How to store?
    • How to freeze?
    • Helpful tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • More cookies
    • Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies

    Why this recipe works?

    Mixing the almond flour and sugar first before adding the fat, creates less aeration. Also, I adopt the reverse creaming method of combining the coconut oil and water with the flour mixture, where the liquid coats the flour, resulting in the water evaporating in the oven, producing an amazing crisp texture.

    The 3 ingredients

    Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.

    • Almond flour - I like to use super fine almond flour in all my baking recipes like in almond flour cake.
    • Brown sugar - Adds caramelly flavor, and moisture and promotes browning.
    • Coconut oil - Imparts a subtle, pleasant coconut flavor that compliment the nutty almonds like in almond butter balls.

    How to make?

    You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.

    two hands mixing cookie dough in a large white bowl.
    two hands scooping and shaping cookie dough.

    1.Add almond flour, golden brown sugar, and salt into a medium bowl and whisk to combine, making sure to break any lumps.

    2 & 3. Add liquid coconut oil and water, and stir with a rubber spatula until the dough is thoroughly combined.

    Pro tip: The dough should feel wet yet be crumbly. Perform a test - Roll a tablespoon of measured dough into a ball and then flatten. If it breaks apart or feels dry, then stir in 1 or 2 teaspoons of additional water. If it feels too wet or greasy, then mix in 1 or 2 tablespoons of additional almond flour.

    two hands shaping rolling cookie dough.
    a hand placing a shaped cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet.

    4 to 7. Scoop up a tablespoon of measure dough, gently roll it into a smooth ball and flatten them to a ½-inch thickness. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about an inch apart.

    8. Optional step - Place one sliced almond on the middle of each cookie, pressing it slightly into the dough (this helps it to stay intact after baking).

    shaped almond flour cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet.

    Bake cookies for 18 to 21 minutes at 350 degrees (rotating pan halfway through baking), until the almond flour shortbread cookies are deep golden in color. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.

    Tip: To achieve perfect crispiness, it is crucial not to remove the cookies from the oven when they are pale golden or lightly colored. Allowing them to develop a deeper golden color is essential for achieving the desired level of crispness. But, don't make them turn dark brown.

    How to store?

    Store almond flour shortbread cookies in a sealed container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days. They tend to lose some of the crispness after about a couple of days, but still delicious!

    How to freeze?

    Place in a ziplock bag, seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Leave almond flour shortbread cookies at room temperature for a few hours to thaw completely.

    Helpful tips

    • Use super fine almond flour and not meal.
    • Don't use hot coconut oil. If your coconut oil is solid, then melt it in the microwave and cool it to lukewarm before making almond flour shortbread cookies.
    • Bake until it develops a deep golden brown color.
    • Flattening them to ½-inch will result in a crispier cookie.

    small almond cookies topped with a sliced almond, placed on a wire rack.

    Recipe FAQs

    Can I use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar?

    While coconut sugar offers its own unique qualities, such as subtle caramel notes, it does not impart the same level of moisture and rich molasses flavor as brown sugar. Thus resulting color and texture might differ from those achieved with brown sugar.

    Why is there no vanilla extract in the ingredients?

    The pairing of almonds and coconut oil creates a sensational flavor combination that requires no additional flavorings. However, feel free to add vanilla or almond extract to the almond flour shortbread cookies.

    What is the difference between almond flour and all-purpose flour?

    Almond flour is made solely from ground almonds, while all-purpose flour is made from wheat grains, often with the bran and germ removed, and has a smooth texture. All-purpose flour, also has gluten, contributing to a more chewy baked product.

    What is the difference between almond flour and almond meal?

    Almond flour is typically made from blanched almonds (almonds with the skin removed) and is finely ground into a powdery texture, thus resulting in a light and smooth texture, similar to traditional wheat flour. On the other hand, almond meal is made from almonds that still have their skin intact, resulting in a coarser texture with a natural brown color.

    a hand holding a two broken halves on one almond cookie.

    More cookies

    • Chocolate shortbread cookies on a white tray.
      Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
    • raspberry thumbprint cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet.
      Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
    • oat flour chocolate chip cookies on a wire rack.
      Oat Flour Cookies
    • oatmeal cookies without eggs on a wire rack.
      Eggless Oatmeal Cookies

    Hungry for more? Follow me on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook or Pinterest for more delicious recipe

    small golden colored almond cookies placed on a wire rack.

    Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies

    These Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies are outrageously good! They are buttery without any butter, crisp yet tender, mildly sweet, and are made with only 3 ingredients.
    4.5 from 75 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 15 Cookies
    Calories: 129kcal
    Author: Maria Doss

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups super fine almond flour
    • ¼ cup packed golden brown sugar
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil not hot
    • 4 teaspoons water
    • 15 sliced almonds for topping optional
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350° F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
    • Add almond flour, brown sugar and salt into a medium bowl and whisk to combine, making sure to break any lumps.
    • Add coconut oil and water and stir with rubber spatula until the dough is thoroughly combined.
      Pro tip: The dough should feel wet yet be crumbly. Perform a test - Roll a tablespoon of measured dough into a ball and then flatten. If it breaks apart or feels dry, then stir in 1 or 2 teaspoons of additional water. If it feels too wet or greasy, then mix in 1 or 2 tablespoons of additional almond flour.
    • Scoop up a tablespoon measure dough, gently roll into a smooth ball and flatten them into a ½-inch thickness.
    • Place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about an inch apart.
    • Optional step - Place one sliced almond on the middle of each cookie, pressing it slightly into the dough (this helps it to stay intact after baking).
    • Bake cookies for 18 to 21 minutes (rotating pan halfway through baking), until the cookies are deep golden in color. Place pan on a wire rack to cool completely.
      Tip: To achieve perfect crispiness, it is crucial not to remove the cookies from the oven when they are pale golden or lightly colored. Allowing them to develop a deeper golden color is essential for achieving the desired level of crispness. But, don't make them turn dark brown.

    Notes

    1. Use super fine almond flour and not meal.
    2. Don't use hot coconut oil. If your coconut oil is solid, then melt it in the microwave and cool it to lukewarm before making almond flour shortbread cookies.
    3. Bake until it develops a deep golden brown color.
    4. Flattening them to ½-inch will result in a crispier cookie.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Cookie | Calories: 129kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 5mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg

    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.

    Did you make this recipe?Mention @KitchenAtHoskins or tag #kitchenathoskins!

    Did you make this recipe? I’d love your feedback! Please let me know by leaving a comment or review below or snap a photo and share on Instagram.

    Some of the links above are affiliate links, which pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you! I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thank you for supporting kitchenathoskins.com

    All contents and images are my original work, unless and otherwise mentioned. Please do not use my recipes or images without linking back to www.kitchenathoskins.com. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite in your own words and don’t forget to include a link back to the original recipe.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Carlos

      April 07, 2021 at 5:02 pm

      Made a batch yesterday and are gone. Making more today with little bit less sugar and little bit of Bailey’s and cocoa. Let see.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        April 07, 2021 at 5:16 pm

        Hi Carlos, Bailey's and cocoa addition sounds absolutely delicious:)

        Reply
    2. Sandra R

      May 09, 2021 at 6:30 pm

      Found the extra two tbsps of coconut oil unnecessary. Just by removing that it was not as greasy but still moist and flavourful. Very strong coconut flavour.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        May 11, 2021 at 2:03 am

        Hi Sandra, I'm glad that you were able to modify the recipe to your liking, Maria

        Reply
    3. Baker

      May 13, 2021 at 11:51 pm

      Followed the instructions exactly but turned out too dry. Don’t like it at all.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        May 15, 2021 at 7:10 pm

        Hi Baker, I'm so sorry that it didn't work for you. It could be that the almond flour was a little excess. Our sincere apologies again, Maria

        Reply
    4. Debbie Kuhn

      May 18, 2021 at 9:31 pm

      I was unable to roll into a ball. Shaped it as best I could with my fingertips. Dough felt almost greasy, so I might try leaving the two tablespoons out next time. I like the taste of them. I don't like real sweet things, so these are good.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        May 19, 2021 at 1:27 pm

        Hi Debbie, Just a touch of more water will help with binding the dough, Maria

        Reply
    5. Ghazal

      October 19, 2021 at 1:23 pm

      Love this recipe, would I be able to substitute the sugar with maple syrup?

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        October 19, 2021 at 2:55 pm

        Hi Ghazal, Unfortunately the answer is NO! Addition of maple syrup tends to make the cookie batter not as thick, which in turns makes them flat. Sorry, Maria

        Reply
    6. Gitanjali Ramamurthy

      November 15, 2021 at 6:27 pm

      Can I substitute coconut oil for any other oil like vegetable oil?

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        November 16, 2021 at 5:38 am

        Hi Gitanjali,

        You could replace coconut oil with melted butter (cooled to lukewarm) and a touch a vanilla extract. Both butter and coconut oil adds flavor and richness to the cookie, that vegetable oil will not! That being said, you could use vegetable oil, however we will suggest adding a touch of vanilla extract and reducing the oil to 1/4 cup and remaining water. Hope it helps, Maria

        Reply
    7. Bou Baker

      September 23, 2022 at 2:27 pm

      Maria,
      Thank you for sharing this recipe, it's solid.

      *I was looking for something to use CBD infused coconut oil and this did very well.
      The dosing seems to work out nicely for a single cookie. 🙂

      Almond Milk was substituted for the water (to improve flavor) and, I doubled the salt to mellow the strong "herb" flavor.

      I LOVE almond flour brownies and so was eager to see what kind of cookie it would make.
      My thought is that the cookies, just like the brownies, will not harden too much when stored for longer periods of time.
      So far, so good!

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        September 23, 2022 at 7:26 pm

        Glad you liked the cookies, have a wonderful weekend - Maria

        Reply
    8. Long Live The Princess 39

      September 19, 2023 at 1:08 pm

      5 stars
      Hmmm iss anyone else encountering probems wioth the
      picturs on this blog loading? I'm trying tto find ouut iff its a problem on my
      eend oor if it's thhe blog. Anny sugggestions would bbe greatly appreciated.

      Reply

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    Hi I'm Maria, the recipe developer, photographer, and videographer behind this food blog. Here you’ll find simple everyday recipes that pack in serious flavors, with a sprinkling of creative twists to familiar dishes. I also focus on including an overview of why the recipe works, valuable tips, step-by-step photos, and videos to guide you along the way.
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