Almond Flour Apple Cookies (8g Protein, No Eggs, No Gluten)

These Almond Flour Apple Cookies are simple cookies made with 6 wholesome ingredients, but with no eggs, no dairy, and no gluten, and still 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber.

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While the whole recipe is just below, don’t miss all my tips further down, including ingredient swaps, my cooking tips, and step-by-step shots!

Almond Flour Apple Cookies

These Almond Flour Apple Cookies are simple cookies made with 6 wholesome ingredients, but with no eggs, no dairy, and no gluten, and still 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber.

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Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 12 minutes mins

Total Time: 22 minutes mins

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8 cookies

Calories: 255.2 kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

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Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• ▢ 2 ½ cups Almond Flour - (note 1)
• ▢ 3 tablespoons Maple Syrup - (note 2)
• ▢ 1 cup Grated Apples - (note 3) about 1 large apple, unpeeled
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Apple Extract - (note 4)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• ▢ ⅓ cup Pecans - finely chopped (note 5)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and lightly oil the paper with coconut oil. Set aside.
• Choose a flavorful apple like Braeburn or Granny Smith. Using a hand grater, on the largest setting, grate the apple until you get 1 cup of grated apple
• Chop the pecans on a wooden board.
• In a large mixing bowl, stir almond flour, maple syrup, grated apples, apple extract, and cinnamon.
• Stir with a rubber spatula until the dough forms. It should be sticky but easy to roll into a ball – not runny or too wet. If too dry, add a bit of water to stick everything together. If too wet, add a bit more almond flour to form dough.
• Fold in the chopped pecans, and gently stir to incorporate without breaking them.
• Divide the dough into 8 balls. The dough is sticky, so you may want to oil your hands to roll the dough balls.
• Place each dough ball onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving an inch between each, and press the top slightly if you want to flatten the cookies. If you like, press a raw almond in the center top of each cookie, and press lightly to imprint. These cookies do not spread very much as they bake, which means the shape you give them now is almost what you get after baking them.
• Bake the cookies in the center rack of the oven for 16-18 minutes at 350°F (180°C) until golden brown on the edges.
• Let them cool down for 15 minutes on the cookie sheet, then slide a spatula under each cookie and cool down on a wire rack for 1 hour.

Notes

Note 1: The recipe works with an almond meal, but it doesn’t work with coconut flour or regular flour. Sesame seed flour might work, but I haven’t tested it.

Note 2: You can use any liquid sweetener like agave syrup, maple syrup, or apple syrup to boost the apple flavors of the cookies. Applesauce works too, and adds more apple flavor, but the cookies are softer.

Note 3: Choose apples with a strong, vibrant flavor or the almonds will mask it too much. This includes Granny Smith, Braeburn, Honeycrisp, and Jonagold. These varieties maintain their shape well during baking and offer a good balance of sweetness and tartness. 

Note 4: If you skip the apple extract, the cookies won’t have a strong apple flavor.

Note 5: Or chopped walnuts, almonds, or shredded coconut. You can also skip it.

Oven Mode: I use the fan-forced (convection) mode. If you have to use conventional mode, I recommend increasing the temperature by 25°F (15 °C). The baking time should be the same, but it might take a few more minutes.

Storage: Store the cookies in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. You can freeze the cookies in Ziploc bags and thaw them at room temperature the day before.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 255.2kcal | Carbohydrates: 15.4g | Protein: 7.8g | Fat: 20.3g | Saturated Fat: 1.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.7g | Sodium: 0.9mg | Potassium: 51.6mg | Fiber: 4.6g | Sugar: 7.5g | Vitamin A: 11.5IU | Vitamin C: 0.8mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 1.5mg | Magnesium: 7.5mg | Phosphorus: 13.3mg | Zinc: 0.3mg

Ingredients and Substitutions

You only need 6 simple ingredients to make this recipe. Here’s how to pick and swap them.

• Almond Flour – This ingredient creates the primary structure of the cookie and gives it a soft, moist texture. It also lends a rich, nutty flavor. Using almond meal also works, but other flours like coconut flour or wheat flour won’t work in this recipe.
• Maple Syrup – Maple syrup provides the main source of sweetness for the cookies and helps with the binding of the dough. You can also use other liquid sweeteners like agave syrup or apple syrup to boost the apple flavor.
• Grated Apples – The grated apples add natural sweetness, moisture, and a tender texture to the dough. A firm, flavorful apple variety like Braeburn, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Jonagold works best because they hold their shape well during baking.
• Apple Extract – The extract ensures a more intense apple flavor in the finished cookies. Without it, the flavor of the baked apples can be subtle and might get lost. You can skip this ingredient if you don’t have it, but the cookies won’t be as apple-forward.
• Cinnamon – This spice adds a warm, sweet aroma and a subtle depth of flavor that complements the apples perfectly. A pumpkin pie spice blend also works nicely here.
• Pecans – The pecans bring a lovely crunchy texture and a buttery, nutty flavor to each bite. Chopped walnuts, chopped almonds, or shredded coconut are also fine additions to the dough.

How to Make Almond Flour Apple Cookies

Carine’s Baking Tips

Let me share a few more tips for a perfect cookie.

• Boost Apple Flavor – The natural flavor of the apple can be subtle in these cookies because the nutty almond flour is quite strong. If you want the taste to truly stand out, I recommend adding the apple extract. It makes all the difference!
• Grate Your Apples – Don’t skip this step or use chopped apples instead. The moisture and natural juice from the grated apple are essential for binding the almond flour and maple syrup together, which gives the dough the perfect sticky consistency.
• Swap Your Syrup – For an even more delicious apple flavor, try using apple syrup in place of the maple syrup. It’s a simple change that adds another layer of fruity taste to every bite.

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