These Almond Cookies are dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free cookies made with just 4 ingredients and ready in under 25 minutes. They have a soft, crunchy, and lightly crumbly texture with a sweet almond taste.
Christmas and cookies are inseparable. I always make dozen of different cookie varieties in the lead up to the festive season. They are great as a quick snack, fantastic with a cup of tea or coffee, and a great gift for friends and family.
I decided to make these cookies as a gluten-free option that is still very tasty, crunchy, and delicate. Believe me, you’ll love them!
Ingredients and Substitutions
You only need 4 ingredients to make these cookies to perfection!
- Almond Flour – Almond flour forms the base of the cookies, creating a soft, crumbly texture while boost the almond flavor. You can use almond meal, but results in a darker color and coarser texture. You can’t use other flours in this recipe. If you don’t have almond flour, try my other cookie recipes!
- Powdered Sugar – Powdered sugar bring the sweetness and makes the dough smooth and soft. Sugar-free powdered erythritol is a viable substitute if needed, but liquid sweeteners like maple syrup won’t work. You need more powdered sugar for the coating. It creates a snowy, fancy finish and adds a touch of extra sweetness. Erythritol powder can also be used here.
- Dairy-Free Butter – Butter bring richness and binds the ingredients together. Melted coconut oil (refined for a neutral flavor) is an excellent alternative. It probably works fine with dairy butter if you are not plant-based.
- Almond Extract – This is optional but it boosts the almond flavor for a richer taste. It can be replaced with vanilla extract for a milder, more classic flavor.
- Almonds – I use almonds for decoration and added crunch. You can skip these or replace them with another nut like hazelnuts or pecans.
How to Make Almond Cookies
This recipe is really easy to make, here are pictures of the key steps.
Add all the almond cookie ingredients in a mixing bowl with a spatula.
Combine the batter until it’s smooth and sticky.
Use a cookie scoop to form dough balls of the same size.
Roll the balls with your hands.
Roll the balls into a bowl full of powdered sugar and place them on a baking sheet.
Press an almond in the middle of the cookies and bake them for 12-14 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C).
Carine’s Baking Tips
While this recipe is quite straightforward, I’ve included below a few more tips and tricks if you are struggling with baking or if you had an issue on your first attempt!
- Use Fine Almond Flour – I prefer using finely ground almond flour for smoother cookies. If using almond meal, sift it to remove larger pieces.
- Double Roll for Crinkle Effect – Roll the cookie dough balls in powdered sugar twice for a beautiful, distinct crinkle look after baking.
- Grease Your Hands – Lightly oil your hands when forming dough balls to prevent sticking and make rolling easier.
- Press Gently with Almonds – Press the almonds gently into the dough to avoid cracking the cookies.
- Bake Until Lightly Golden – Watch closely while baking; the cookies should be golden brown on the edges but not overbaked to maintain their soft texture.
- Cool Completely – These cookies firm up as they cool. Don’t move them from the tray until they are fully set, as they’re delicate when warm.
- Experiment with Toppings – Swap the whole almonds with other decorations like chocolate chips, candied cherries, or even sprinkles for a festive twist.
- Add a Pinch of Salt – If using unsalted butter, add a tiny pinch of salt to the dough to enhance the flavors.
- Work in Batches – For best results, bake in small batches to ensure even cooking and prevent overcrowding.
- Use a Cookie Scoop – This ensures even-sized cookies, which bake more uniformly.
Flavor Variations
For a citrus twist, add a little lemon or orange zest to the dough. Add a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom for a warm, spiced flavor.
You can also change the topping, and make a cinnamon-powdered sugar mixture, and press-in an hazelnut or pecan nut.
Serving Ideas
Serve these almond cookies with a hot cup of pumpkin spice chai latte or coffee for a comforting snack. Package them in decorative boxes as gifts for special occasions.
Storage Tips
To retain their texture, store the cookies in an airtight container lined with parchment paper to separate layers. They last for at least 4 days in the fridge, possibly more. But to be honest, they are very likely to be gone by then. You can also freeze the cookies for up to 1 month and thaw at room temperature before serving.
More Almond Flour Cookies
Love almond flour? Try these other cookies!
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Almond Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Almond Flour - note 1
- ⅓ cup Powdered Sugar - note 2
- 6 tablespoons Dairy-Free Butter (Unsalted) - melted (note 3)
- ¼ teaspoon Almond Extract - optional
To coat/decorate the cookies
- 8 Almonds
- ⅓ cup Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Slightly oil the paper with cooking oil spray. Set aside.
- Fill a small bowl with the 1/3 cup of powdered sugar. This is what you use later to coat the cookies. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, stir almond flour, almond extract, powdered sugar, and melted plant-based butter until the dough is sticky and consistent.
- Use a small cookie dough scoop or tablespoon to grab a small amount of cookie dough and roll it into a ball in lightly greased hands. I made 8 cookie dough balls with this recipe.
- Roll the dough ball into a bowl filled with powdered sugar. You want all sides of the cookie dough ball to be covered. Repeat for all the remaining cookie dough balls. If you want a nice crinkle effect, I recommend repeating this step twice. It means after rolling all the cookie dough balls once, do it again.
- Place the cookie dough balls onto the prepared cookie sheet leaving a thumb of space between each, then press a whole almond on the center of each cookie.
- Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C) until sides are lightly golden brown.
- Let the cookies cool down on the cookie sheet at room temperature for 30 minutes. Don't touch them at all as they are soft at first and firm up as they cool down.
- Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack, and dip their sides into the powdered sugar again to give them a nice snowy effect.
Great recipe! I’m newly on a gluten free diet due to health concerns. These are perfect when I need a cookie fix. I dipped them in melted chocolate.
Loved it So easy to make AND to eat. I had to remove the plate away from my husband after he quickly demolished 3 of them before they even had a chance to cool down!
This worked exactly as written, thanks! My family love them ❤️
Can you omit the powdered sugar? Can you substitute cocoa powder for powdered sugar?
You can skip the powdered sugar coating, but you can’t remove it from the batter. If you want a recipe similar, but without sugar and with cocoa powder, try my chocolate almond thumbprints and replace the filling with a roasted almond.
I would love if you could include metric measurements. We don’t use ‘cup’ measurement on this side of the Atlantic; and I would love to try your recipes
There’s a metric button just above the ingredient list to convert all measurements!
Great recipe! I followed it exactly and they turned out just as in your pictures. They are so delicious. Only regret is that I should have doubled the recipe
Can I double this recipe? Eight cookies doesn’t make it worth turning the oven on.
You can double or triple it! (note that you can change the servings by clicking on the number next to it, it adjusted the quantities)
They deserve a lot more 5 stars! Thanks for another terrific recipe.
Absolutely perfect! Thank you Carine!!!
Super easy to make and I’m normally completely hopeless in a kitchen. Delicious almond flavor