This almond flour sugar cookies recipe is a lovely companion to any cup of milk, coffee, or hot chocolate!
Healthy desserts are vital in my book of low carb recipes, because low carb doesn’t mean lame, tasteless or restrictive! And what better way to spread holiday cheer than with a freshly baked batch of sugar cookies?!
Mouthwateringly sweet and buttery, these sugar cookies will rock your socks off! I’ve spent a lot of time perfecting my low carb desserts to taste just as good while meeting the standard of healthy recipes — and I’m stoked to share my secrets with you!
Keep reading to see how this almond flour sugar cookies recipe can make your holiday season that much more special!
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What I Love About This Almond Flour Sugar Cookies Recipe
These keto cookies are an amazing treat! I love them because they:
- Have only 1 gram of carbs per cookie!
- Use low carb kitchen staples (no complicated ingredients list!)
- Are fun to decorate, no matter what season
- Taste just as sweet and fluffy as “normal” cookies!
Almond Flour Cookies Recipe Notes
Regular sugar cookies have about 20 grams of carbs per cookie. My almond flour cookies have only 1 gram of net carbs per cookie! And they taste just as gooood!
Here’s what you need to know to make them:
Ingredient Notes
For this delectable almond flour sugar cookies recipe, you want to use:
Super-fine almond flour – I like Bob’s Red Mill or Trader Joe’s brand. The fine grain size is most similar to wheat flour and is important to use when making low carb baked goods as it leads to a fluffier product.
I don’t recommend almond meal because of the flakes. It’ll change not only the texture but the look of the cookies as well!
Sweetener – I use erythritol, my favorite keto sweetener! It makes for the best almond flour sugar free cookies!
The other ingredients in this recipe are standard baking staples – egg, butter, salt, baking powder, and vanilla extract.
Cooking Tips
The difference between an okay sugar cookie and an “oh my goodness this is the best ever” sugar cookie is the chilling time! You want to get the dough cold before baking these. Just wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge for 6+ hours!
Chilling cookie dough is super important for any drop cookies, like sugar cookies, chocolate chip, or snickerdoodles. Why?
- Chilling solidifies the fat which controls the spread of the cookies.
- When the dough gets time to sit, the sugar absorbs the moisture. This concentrates the flavor and makes the cookies chewier and crispier! And it helps control the spreading.
As you roll and cut the cookies, you want to cool the excess dough in the fridge again. It might be a little inconvenient, but I promise it makes a big difference in your cookies!
Also, rather than sprinkling flour onto surfaces, I roll my cookies between two sheets of parchment paper. This easy swap means I don’t have to add extra carbs to the recipe!
To make low carb icing, I combine water and erythritol (plus some food coloring if I want bright decorations!) Make sure to add the water in small 1/4 teaspoon increments to reach the desired consistency.
For a DIY pastry bag, I put my icing in a resealable bag and cut a small hole in one of the bottom corners!
Storing Tips
Whenever I bake a batch of this almond flour sugar cookies recipe, I have to fight the temptation to eat them all at once!
But I’ll store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, and they’re good for a few days.
Can You Freeze Them?
You can freeze your cookies, too! Stick them in a resealable bag and warm them up in the microwave when you’re craving some sweet goodies!
If you want to freeze the dough, chill it first. Then wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in a resealable bag. When you’re ready to use, thaw it in the fridge overnight. You’ll still get your freshly baked cookies this way!
You can also chill the dough, roll it out, and cut it before freezing. Stack them in layers using parchment paper, and freeze in an airtight container!
Almond Sugar Cookies Recipe Variations
This almond flour sugar cookies recipe is a wonderful treat for any time of the year! If you’re wanting to mix up your low carb cookies, here are some of my suggestions:
Can I Swap Almond Flour For Coconut Flour?
Almond flour recipes are, unfortunately, not interchangeable with coconut flour. This is because coconut flour is extremely dry. To make coconut flour sugar cookies, you’ll need to follow a recipe specifically made for coconut flour!
Coconut flour is an awesome low carb high fiber flour alternative. It’s also gluten and nut-free! So if you love coconut, check out my coconut flour cookies!
Can I Make These Biscuit Like?
Almond flour shortbread cookies are a great gluten-free alternative to the regular Scottish biscuits!
To make the recipe more biscuit-like, experiment by adding more butter, reducing the amount of sugar, and leaving out the egg. Also, bake for a little longer at a slightly lower temperature, 350°F. The end result should be a richer, crumblier biscuit. For exact measurements, ratios and instructions, click the link above to check out my recipe.
These quick swaps make the difference between sugar cookies and shortbread cookies, but at the end of the day, they’re both yummy low carb snacks!
What Are Some Healthy Cookies Mix Ins?
If your goal is sugar cookies, mix-ins aren’t ideal, because they change the texture and look of these cookies.
But what you can do is make almond flour chocolate chip cookies! I have a fantastic recipe for low carb chocolate chip cookies which will hit your sweet tooth every time! And you can add coconut flakes or different nuts for some healthy cookies!
Can I Add Peanut Butter?
Peanut butter is a delight, but rather than adding them to this almond flour sugar cookies recipe, I’d recommend making low carb peanut butter cookies (almond flour peanut butter cookies if you’re paleo! OR these healthy peanut butter cookies if you’re craving Nutter Butters!) instead.
If you really love the idea of peanut butter with sugar cookies, you can use some to decorate, too!
Can I Turn These Into No Bake Cookies?
Due to the necessary eggs in this recipe, this almond flour sugar cookies recipe can’t be turned into low carb no bake cookies. BUT! If that’s what you’re craving, check out my healthy no bake cookies instead!
Almond Flour Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1/2 Cup Erythritol
- 1 1/2 Cups Almond Flour
- 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
- 5 Tablespoons Butter melted
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Icing (Christmas Variation):
- 1/4 Cup Powdered Erythritol
- Water as needed
Chocolate (Halloween Variation):
- 1/2 Cup Low Carb Chocolate melted
- Almonds sliced
Instructions
- Place erythritol, almond flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and whisk together to combine.
- Add melted butter, egg and vanilla extract to the bowl.
- Using an electric mixer, thoroughly combine.
- Lay a piece or plastic wrap on your countertop.
- Place the dough in a ball in the center of the plastic wrap, then press on the top of your dough to form a disk.
- Place in the fridge for 6 hours - overnight.
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Line a cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper
- Roll the dough using a rolling pin between two sheets of parchment paper until the dough becomes 1/4” thick.
- Use cookie cutters to cut into desired shapes. Form excess dough into a disk and place in the fridge for 20 minutes before rolling/cutting again (this will make it easier to use).
- Gently place cookies on a cookie sheet (I do this using an super thin spatula) and bake in the center rack of the oven for 7-9 minutes, or until the edges become lightly golden.
- Allow to cool, the cookies will continue to harden as they cool.
For Icing:
- Place powdered erythritol in a small bowl.
- Add water using ¼ teaspoon increments until it’s created a paste.
- Place into a resealable bag and cut a small hole in the tip.
- Decorate your cooled cookies and enjoy!
Nutrition
More Low Carb Cookies Recipes
I have a variety of cookie recipes to meet your every dessert need! For more scrumptious low carb cookies, check out:
- Breakfast Cookies. No bake! And delicious cookies you won’t feel guilty about having for breakfast!
- Low Carb Cream Cheese Cookies. So creamy, you’ll never want cookies any other way!
- Low Carb Snickerdoodles. Cinnamon-y, pillow-y, deliciousness.
- Low Carb Gingerbread Cookies. Christmas time just isn’t the same without ’em!
- Low Carb Snowball Cookies. Delightful, sugar (substitute) covered bites of joy!
Conclusion
Whether you’re celebrating the holidays or sipping a cup of coffee in August, this almond flour sugar cookies recipe will make you feel cozy every time!
Let me know what you think in the comments below! Did you try any variations? Which low carb cookies are your favorite?
