Before starting, keep in mind that these are slightly softer than regular shortbread cookies. They are vegan, gluten-free cookies made with wholesome ingredients, crispy on the outside, and chewier in the center.
Preheat oven to 325F (160C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium-size mixing bowl, add all the ingredients: almond flour, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, salt, vanilla extract, and almond extract,
Combine the ingredients with a spatula first, then squeeze dough with your hands to bring ingredients together, and form a cookie dough ball. If too wet, you can add more almond flour.
Scoop the dough with a measuring tablespoon and roll into a ball.
Place each ball onto the lined cookie sheet.
Use a fork to flatten each cookie. The thinner, the crispier they will be. You can add sprinkles now, using a fork to press them gently into the batter.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until slightly golden and slightly hard on top.
Cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to completely cool down.
Storage
Store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 5 days
Video
Notes
Flour: you need ultra-fine almond flour for this recipe, not almond meal. Measure the flour packed in the cup. I didn't try the recipe with a different type of flour.Sweeteners: you can replace maple syrup with agave syrup. I didn't try other sweeteners, and I don't recommend sugar-free liquid sweeteners. They are high in fiber and will dry out the dough.Texture: Keep in mind that these are healthy vegan shortbread, and their texture is slightly different and slightly softer in the middle. For a crispier cookie, you can replace 1 tablespoon of maple syrup with 1 tablespoon of water.