One bite of these scrumptious almond flour shortbread cookies lets you know that delight DOES come on a plate!
It’s not too often that you find low carb cookies that actually taste – well, legit, and like cookies! But these sweet, buttery and perfect little almond flour cookies put other desserts to shame… Oh, the shame!
Once you taste these babies, it’ll be hard to enjoy just any old cookie recipe. Because of their guilt-free-ness, I enjoy them as breakfast cookies here and there, they go so well with a warm cup of tea or coffee!
Let me show you why I can’t get enough.
What I Love About This Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies Recipe
First of all, I love that these actually taste like cookies, and NOT a low carb desserts alternative!! There’s just something about that sweet little bite of satisfaction that’s hard to resist (call me weak).
Here’s what to expect before diving in:
- BUTTERY + sweet (like traditional)
- Simple
- No shame involved
- Cookie-cutter optional
Common Keto Shortbread Cookie Questions
These easy shortbread cookies come together in a snap! Here are some questions readers have had in the past:
?Can I swap almond flour for other flours?
Unfortunately no. Almond flour recipes (any gluten-free/low carb flour alternatives for that matter) have unique baking characteristics and can’t be swapped.
?What are the best sweeteners to use here?
Any granular sweetener you prefer, coconut sugar, regular sugar, or sugar alternatives.
I switch between the keto sweeteners Lakanto and Swerve, both of which can be used as a 1:1 swap with traditional sugar, and keep these in the keto cookies range.
?What is xanthan gum and can I skip it?
Xanthan gum is the glue that holds almond flour and gluten free recipes together. Without it, our dough would melt into a giant sheet pan cookie (not what we’re going for). Needless to say, don’t skip it!
?Do I have to chill the dough before cutting the cookies?
Yes! Keeping the butter cool will give our cookies the best texture once they’ve baked. I’ve also found that allowing the dough to chill is one of the most important steps in preventing cookie spread, so your cookies will keep the shape you cut them into.
?Can I cut these into any shape?
Yes! I love doing heart-shaped cookies for Valentine’s, and pumpkins in the fall. Use whatever cookie cutters you prefer here.
Recipe Variations
As with most cookie recipes, it’s hard to change things up as the measurements, ingredients, and techniques are important. But there are a few ways to get creative with these almond flour shortbread cookies:
- Skip the chocolate dip for more traditional almond flour shortbread cookies.
- Or, switch the type of chocolate, like low carb dark chocolate, sugar free white chocolate, or whatever you prefer.
- Add a topping (for crunch + more flavor) – While the chocolate dip is cooling, sprinkle some unsweetened coconut shreds, chopped low carb nuts, orange peel, or chopped/dried fruits.
- Top these with frosting. Looking for keto sugar cookies? I suggest following my sugar cookie recipe instead, but if you want to turn these into sugar cookies, just skip the chocolate and cover them in frosting.
More Gluten Free Cookie Recipes
Cookies should taste like cookies, no matter what type of flour you use! If you agree, here are a few other delicious options for you:
Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1/4 Cup Unsalted Butter softened
- 1/2 Cup Swerve or Lakanto (see sweetener notes below) granular. Sub for granular sweetener of choice.
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Cups Almond Flour
- 1/2 Teaspoon Xanthan Gum
- 3.5 Ounces Low Carb Chocolate sub for chocolate of choice!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the unsalted butter (1/4 cup), sugar (1/2 cup) and vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) using an electric mixer until fluffy.
- With the mixer running, add the xanthan gum (1/2 teaspoon), then slowly and almond flour (2 cups ), 1/2 cup at a time.
- Form the dough into a round disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Roll the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper using a rolling pin, until it's 1/4" thick.
- Use a 3x1" cookie cutter (or a pizza cutter as I did) to cut the cookies into a rectangular shape.
- Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. You'll know the cookies are done when the edges become golden.
- Allow your cookies to cool on your baking sheet before removing them.
- While your cookies cool, begin to melt your chocolate using a double boiler.
- Once cookies have hardened, dip them into the chocolate, and place them back on the baking sheet. Repeat until you've dipped all your cookies in chocolate.
- Place your dipped cookie baking sheet in the fridge, allowing chocolate to harden, for about 30 minutes. Enjoy!
Fans Also Made These Low Carb Recipes:
Lindsey's Tips
- Almond Flour. Using fine-grained almond flour will yield the most "flour-like" results. My favorite brands are Bob's Red Mill, Trader Joe's, or Costco brands.
- Chocolate. I love Lily's chocolate chips for this (they make dark, semi-sweet, and milk) but you can always make your own low carb chocolate by following my recipe!
- Lakanto, Swerve, or Erythritol. I stick to Lakanto and Swerve which are a 1:1 swap with traditional sugar. If using a different brand of Erythritol, keep in mind it's 70% as sweet as sugar, so you may need to add more to taste.
- Xanthan Gum is necessary for binding the ingredients of this recipe together, you CAN'T SKIP OR SUB!
- Nutritional information is for 1 cookie, if you make 28 cookies using this recipe. If counting your net carbs, there is 1g of sugar alcohols and 2g of fiber per cookie, so each cookie would have 1 g of NET carbs!
Nutrition
Im not a big fan of using xanthum gum, upsets my stomach. Have you tried this recipe with psyllium husk? would it be a 1 to 1 substitution? Thanks! – Laura
Hi Laura! I haven’t tried this recipe with psyllium husk — psyllium husk would make these a bit “fluffier” than the traditional biscuit-like quality of shortbread cookies. Instead, I would try adding an egg for its binding capabilities. Hope that helps! Let us know how it goes!!
Lore
Am I reading this correctly ? 1/4 cup of butter to 2 cups of almond flour and no other liquid ? Cuz I’m thinking that’s gonna mix in to sand …..I’ll try it
Hi Lore! The xanthan gum helps to bind the ingredients, and the butter keeps them suuuper soft and delicious. Hope you enjoy!
I have made quite few times and following the recipe, I cannot get them to be crunchy ?.x 🙂
Hey Lesley! They may need to bake a bit longer. Also, the thinner you roll them, the crunchier they will be. Last, be sure to leave enough room between each cookie so the air in the oven can circulate around each cookie. Hope this helps! Happy to continue troubleshooting with your further if these tips don’t work! ?
Can I substitute coconut oil for butter?
Hi Renai! I haven’t tested coconut oil as a substitute in this recipe, but it shouldn’t be a problem! Just know that the texture will be less “flaky”. Hope you enjoy!
Really great!! Tastes like cheating!?
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed Rissa!?
These were excellent. I’ve eaten them all but I’m thinking these would make great xmas gift ideas. Have you frozen them? I’m wondering how they would hold up in the freezer if made in advance.
Hi Anna! SO happy you enjoyed! Yes, they are great in the freezer, I usually store any cookie leftovers in there.
Why would you tell someone that the flour is not interchangable, but the sugar is?!
“Any granular sweetener you prefer, coconut sugar, regular sugar, or sugar alternatives.”
Using “regular sugar” defeats the low carb aspect of this recipe.
Hi Laura! A 9″ pie pan. Enjoy!
Such tasty simplicity in an almond flour bara! I used coconut sugar and they are addictive! Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it Debs!?
These cookies were amazing!! They were so easy to make and I loved how sweet they were while only having 1 gram of sugar per cookie! Yay!
Right Anjali? I’m glad you liked it as much as I do!?
OMG! These shortbread cookies dipped in chocolate are amazingly delicious! I made them today, and all of them are gone by now. 🙂 I will be making them again.
Sounds great Irina! I’m so glad you enjoyed ?
This were a hit at my office cookie exchange!
Yay! So glad to hear that Brianna ?
What delicious almond cookies. I love the dip in chocolate too.
So glad you liked it Dannii 😁
My kids love shortbread and this was such an easy recipe. They came out perfect!
Wow! So glad to hear that Beth😍