Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies (3 ingredients)

Almond flour shortbread stacked on a plate. The cookies are half dipped in chocolate with a sprinkle of pistachios and dried rose petals.

Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies (3 ingredients)

These almond flour shortbread cookies are delightfully crispy and easy to make! They're made with 3 healthier ingredients and taste rich and 'buttery' just like traditional shortbread cookies, but have a slightly nutty flavor profile. This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, paleo, keto and can be made oil-free.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Vegan

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 12

Total Time 17

Servings small cookies

Calories 119

Author Anthea

Ingredients

Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies

2 cups (200g) almond flour / blanched almond meal
¼ cup (85g) maple syrup
3 tablespoons (50g) coconut butter melted and cooled, or 1 tablespoon (15g) vegan butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled (note 1)

To Decorate (optional)

1 cup (170g) roughly chopped vegan chocolate or chocolate chips
Chopped pistachios and freeze dried raspberries

Instructions

Note: For the best results, I recommend using an electric scale to weigh the ingredients for these cookies. Even 1 tablespoon (15-20g) of extra ingredients will change the texture of the cookies!
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line 1-2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Preparing the almond shortbread cookies:

Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix until combined. The mixture will be more crumbly than regular cookie dough, but the mixture should 'stick' together if you pinch some between two fingers.
Press the cookie dough together so it forms a rough ball. (note 2)
On a sheet of parchment paper or clean work surface, roll out the cookie dough so it's around 8mm (just over 1/4-inch) thick. Use a 5cm (2-inch) cookie cutter to cut circles out of the dough. Collect the remaining dough and repeat. (note 3 for alternative methods)
Arrange the cookies on your prepared baking sheet with a little space between them. The cookies don't spread much in the oven.
Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Bake for less time if you prefer chewy cookies with crisp edges. Or bake for longer for cookies that a crisp throughout. Allow the cookies to completely cool on the baking sheet.
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days, in the fridge for 2 weeks or up to 2 months in the freezer.

To decorate (optional):

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat then remove.
Dip half of each cookie in the melted chocolate and place on a lined baking sheet. While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle the pistachios and raspberries on top. Allow the chocolate to set at room temperature for 20 minutes. Enjoy or store as above!

Notes

Melted vegan butter and coconut oil have a different consistency to coconut butter so it's best to use only 1 tablespoon of it. Readers have also said that melted cacao butter works, though I haven't tested it myself. For no coconut flavor, you can use refined coconut oil or vegan butter.
If your kitchen is warm, your cookie dough may be a little soft. If needed, wrap or place it in an airtight container and refrigerate it for 15 minutes or until it's firm enough to handle.
Alternatively, shape your dough into a tight log about 5cm (2-inch) thick. If the dough is firm enough to slice, use a sharp knife to cut the log into 8mm (just over 1/4-inch) thick pieces. If the dough is very soft, chill it in the fridge for 1 hour or until it's firmer.

Nutrition