CRISPY Almond Flour Shortbread cookies are Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Grain Free and a Healthy treat. Made with only 3 ingredients, these biscuits are mildly sweet and made using coconut oil.
Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies
This is one of the first cookie recipes we made using this nutritious flour and it has been a HUGE hit with anyone trying this recipe. Baking with Grain free flours or flourless cookies are always a bit tricky due to the absence of gluten. But, the success of this recipe has resulted us in coming up with a huge list of cakes and desserts.
Best and Easiest
These biscuits are crisp, simple, buttery (without any butter), made with only 3 ingredients and not-too-sweet!! These have no additional add-ins like chocolate chips, vanilla, cinnamon, coconut, raisins, cranberries or so on. Seriously simple, tastes irresistible (good for breakfast or a perfect munch for the kids). Check out this twist with Black Sesame Seeds.
THE 3 INGREDIENTS
The ingredients are almond flour, coconut oil and brown sugar (not including water and salt). All you have to do is mix them in a bowl, shape and bake <--- One of the easiest cookies that you will ever make just like this almond flour cake recipe.
MORE DETAILS
Almond flour - It is finely ground blanched almonds. It can be easily found in all major grocery stores or Amazon. Make sure you use “Super Fine” for the recipe. We pick up a bag from Costco and keep them stocked in freezer.
Coconut oil - Use melted liquid coconut oil, but not hot
Brown sugar - Golden brown sugar gave the perfect color and taste (check out more recipes using brown sugar).
WHY YOU'LL LOVE THESE?
- Made with only 3 ingredients - Can't get easier than that.
- Healthy - A eggless biscuit recipe that is packed with healthy fats from almonds and coconut.
- Vegan, Gluten-free / Dairy Free / Grain Free / Flourless.
- Not too sweet.
- No leavening like Baking powder or baking soda.
- Made from scratch with butter.
Difference between flour and meal
Meal is ground almonds along with skin whereas the latter is made with blanched almonds and hence much finer in texture.
Some varieties tend to be much more fine and is labelled "superfine" on the package. These are widely available in Costco, Amazon, Sprouts and all major grocery stores in the US. Superfine variety makes a healthier alternative in baking or even while making pancakes or waffles.
It is best stored in the refrigerator or freezer for a longer shelf life. It is rich in protein and high in heart healthy fats and omega 3s.
Almond Flour VS All Purpose Flour
The former is made from finely ground almonds, is high in fat and have a completely unique property in baking when compared to all purpose. So, you cannot substitute almond flour in place all purpose flour in baking recipes and vice versa.
What do these taste like?
It is crisp, buttery (without any butter), mildly sweet, almost tastes like European butter biscuits and utterly delicious ---> Best Cookies ever!
What does almond flour do to cookies?
Apart from giving a nutrition boost, they also add mild sweetness and amazing tenderness to the recipe. Due the high fat content, it tends to not make cookies dry upon baking.
PRO TIPS FOR SUCCESS
- Use SUPER FINE variety.
- Do not use meal instead - Meal is much more coarser and also contains skin. So, the cookie texture and taste changes.
- Do not use hot coconut oil - If your coconut oil is not liquidy, then melt in the microwave and cool to lukewarm before making cookie dough.
- Deep golden brown - If the cookies are removed from oven earlier, then they will be softer in texture.
- Flatten them to ½-inch will result in a crispier cookie.
- To make homemade flour - Refer this helpful instruction from Minimalist baker.
HOW TO MAKE ?
Whisk flour, brown sugar and salt together in a bowl. Stir in coconut oil and water, mix with a rubber spatula, until wet and crumbly. Shape into a tablespoon measure balls, flatten slightly and press a sliced almond in the middle.
Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes, until deep golden brown. Cool completely.
How to store?
Place biscuits in a sealed container at room temperature for few days. They tend to lose some of the crispness but taste the same.
How to freeze?
Place in a ziplock bag, seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Simply leave cookies at room temperature for few hours to thaw completely.
Frequently asked questions:
Coconut sugar alters the color and taste of the cookie. We loved the taste that is achieved from golden brown sugar.
The combination of almonds and coconut oil is delicious together, you will not need any other flavorings! Bonus, these smell amazing too.
With 21 grams of protein, 12 grams fiber, 36 grams carbs, these cookies are rich in protein, fiber, iron, vitamins and minerals.
More Popular Almond Flour Recipes you'll enjoy:
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Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies (using Coconut Oil)
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
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 (the dough will feel wet yet crumbly).
- TIP - To test - roll a tablespoon measure dough into balls and flatten them, - if it breaks apart / feels dry, then stir in 1 or 2 teaspoons water- It it feels wet/greasy, then mix in 1 or 2 tablespoons additional almond flour)
- Scoop up a tablespoon measure dough, GENTLY roll into a smooth ball and flatten them into a ½-inch thickness (If you are having trouble with rolling the dough into balls, then mixing in few drops of more water will help with that).
- Place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about an inch apart.
- Press one sliced almond on the middle of each cookie disc, pressing the almond slightly into the dough (this helps it to stay intact after baking). This step is optional and it is purely for decorative purposes.
- 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third party calculations, should be considered estimates and not be construed as a guarantee. Varying factors such as product types, brands purchased, produce, the way ingredients are processed and more change the nutritional information in any recipe.
This post was originally published on 12/03/2020 and then modified on 02/15/2022 to add more details. The recipe, photos and video remains the same.
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Carlos
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.
Maria Doss
Hi Carlos, Bailey's and cocoa addition sounds absolutely delicious:)
Sandra R
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.
Maria Doss
Hi Sandra, I'm glad that you were able to modify the recipe to your liking, Maria
Baker
Followed the instructions exactly but turned out too dry. Don’t like it at all.
Maria Doss
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
Debbie Kuhn
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.
Maria Doss
Hi Debbie, Just a touch of more water will help with binding the dough, Maria
Ghazal
Love this recipe, would I be able to substitute the sugar with maple syrup?
Maria Doss
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
Gitanjali Ramamurthy
Can I substitute coconut oil for any other oil like vegetable oil?
Maria Doss
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
Bou Baker
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!
Maria Doss
Glad you liked the cookies, have a wonderful weekend - Maria