The Best Almond Flour Sugar Cookies! Soft in the middle and crispy on the edges. Easy to roll out and perfect for cut-outs!
Hundreds of reviewers agree these cookies are the most delicious almond flour sugar cookie recipes around! This tried-and-true recipe was originally published in 2013 and is one of my #1 recipes today!
Original photo from 2013. I thought it was very cool with the bright pink background – ha!
Holiday baking just isn’t complete without making sugar cookies!
One of my favorite Christmas traditions is making Christmas cookies in all different holiday shapes and decorating them with colored icing and sprinkles. (But these cookies are equally great for any time of year. If you like to make cookies for Valentine’s Day or Halloween, this is the perfect cookie!)
I don’t use the term “the best” lightly. These cookies roll out like a dream and hold their shape really well during baking. They are crispy and buttery on the outside, and soft on the inside!
I originally published the recipe way back in 2013. It continues to be a reader (and family) favorite year after year!
Every holiday season thousands of people come back to this post to make this recipe! Be sure to check the comments if you have any questions about substitutions!
Table of Contents
These are made with almond flour, which gives the cookies a delicious taste and keeps them soft. Soft is definitely a requirement when it comes to sugar cookies!
Almond flour cookies are awesome because they are soft, without being doughy. (One of the most popular recipes on my site is these almond flour chocolate chip cookies – always with great reviews!)
You also might like these amazing gluten-free sugar cookies.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Soft interior + crisp and buttery edges
- Tender crumb
- Easy to work with
- Great for decorating for holiday
- Simple ingredients
For more almond flour baked goods, try these almond flour snickerdoodles, almond flour oatmeal cookies and almond flour blondies.
You also might like this collection of gluten-free dinner recipes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s everything you’ll need to make these amazing cookies!
- Almond flour: Be sure to use blanched almond flour rather than almond meal for the right consistency. Blanched almond flour is made from almonds with the skin/tough coating removed so it’s extra fine. Almond meal is made from the whole almond and won’t create the ideal results in baking.
- Coconut flour: Grain-free flour can be hard to work with, but coconut flour makes these cookies easier to roll out and helps them bake up nice and crisp!
- Sugar: I usually use organic cane sugar in these cookies. However many commenters have reported great results using coconut sugar! A liquid sweetener like maple syrup or honey won’t work.
- Baking soda: Baking soda helps rise and lift these perfect cookies.
- Salt: Fine sea salt balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor of this gluten free cookie recipe.
- Vanilla: I always use real vanilla extract for my gluten free baking!
- Butter: You can use a dairy-free butter substitute such as Earth Balance buttery sticks to keep these cookies dairy-free. I don’t recommend using all coconut oil in place of the butter. Real butter or Earth Balance is important for the right texture.
- Coconut oil: I love using part butter and part coconut oil in cookies for a nice soft texture. I also use this trick in these favorite gluten-free oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
- Eggs: Use room temperature large eggs to help bind the dough of these gluten free cookies.
- Almond extract: Almond extract compliments the slightly nutty flavor of the almond flour and takes these cookies to the next level of deliciousness!
Coconut Flour
I am not usually a fan of coconut flour, but it works wonderfully in this recipe. The addition of coconut flour makes these cookies easier to roll out and helps them bake up nice and crisp.
For more gluten-free Christmas cookies, be sure to try these gluten-free almond cookies, gluten-free almond biscotti, gluten-free molasses cookies and gluten-free coconut macaroons.
How to Make Almond Flour Sugar Cookies
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a large bowl and hand mixer) cream together the room temperature butter, coconut oil, and sugar.
- Add the eggs, almond and vanilla extract, mix until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, combine the baking soda, salt, almond flour, and coconut flour.
- With the mixer running on low, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Form the dough into a ball with your hands and place on a piece of plastic wrap. Form the dough into a disc and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Sprinkle a clean, flat surface with coconut flour and roll the dough out until it is 1/4 thick. I like laying it on a piece for parchment paper and placing another sheet on top to roll it out. Or you may have to rub the rolling pin with coconut flour to do this. Make your cut-out cookies using your choice of cutters. Work somewhat quickly so the dough stays cold. Using a spatula, transfer the cut cookies to the baking sheets.
- Gather the remaining scraps back up into a ball and roll out again. Repeat rolling and cutting out cookies until you use all the dough. If the dough gets too warm while you work with it you may need to chill it again.
- Bake the cookies for 13-15 minutes, until lightly golden brown. These cookies need to bake longer than a traditional sugar cookie recipe. They will stay soft and just get a little crispy, which is just what you want! Cool on a cookie sheet for 2 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting. Enjoy these traditional sugar cookies!
Storage Instructions
These cookies stay good for a few days! You can store these cookies (frosted or unfrosted) in an airtight container (in the refrigerator or at room temperature) for up to five days. You can also store these cookies in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQs
Here are some answers to some frequently asked recipe questions. You can also search the comments for more substitute recommendations!
Unfortunately no. Coconut flour and almond flour have very different properties. The dough really needs to coconut flour to hold together. The cookies will not turn out properly without it.
No. If you’re looking to substitute the butter, use Earth Balance buttery sticks. Do not use more coconut oil in place of the butter or you won’t get the right consistency.
These cookies stay good for a few days! You can store these cookies (frosted or unfrosted) in an airtight container (in the refrigerator or at room temperature) for up to five days. I like keeping them in the fridge! You can also store these cookies in the freezer for up to 3 months.
This recipe is specifically designed to use almond flour. You can try these gluten-free sugar cookies (they’re SO good too!) if you want a recipe that uses gluten-free 1:1 baking flour or gluten-free all purpose flour.
Almond Flour in General FAQs
Almond flour can be used to make sugar cookies, but I don’t recommend doing a 1:1 swap in a regular sugar cookie recipe. Instead, it’s best to use a recipe that is specifically made using almond flour (like this recipe!)
Almond flour adds texture and flavor to gluten-free sugar cookies. It also keeps the cookies soft and gives them a great chew, which is essential for a delicious sugar cookie!
Almond flour needs a leavening agent in order for it to rise. This recipe uses baking soda to help the dough rise and achieve a light and tender crumb.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- I highly recommend using Honeyville Blanched Almond Flour Super Fine Grind or Wellbee’s Super Fine Blanched Almond Flour for this recipe. I’ve also used Costco’s almond flour with great results. Be sure to use blanched almond flour rather than almond meal for the right consistency.
- To make sure these cookies turn out, scoop and kind of pack the almond flour down when measuring it.
- Chilling the dough is very key so you’re able to work with it!
- When rolling and cutting the dough, work quickly so the dough stays cold.
- I like rolling it out in-between sheets of parchment paper dusted with coconut flour.If you have trouble cutting them out, try rolling out the dough then placing it in the freezer for 10 minutes before cutting the shapes out.
- Finally – DO NOT substitute the coconut flour for more almond flour. The dough really needs to coconut flour to hold together.
What type of almond flour?
Be sure to use blanched almond flour rather than almond meal for the right consistency. Blanched almond flour is made from almonds with the skin/tough coating removed so it’s extra fine. Almond meal is made from the whole almond and won’t create the ideal results in baking.
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I hope you enjoy these almond flour sugar cookies as much as we do! If you try this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you!
The Best Almond Flour Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter ghee, or palm shortening, softened
- 1/4 cup coconut oil softened, not melted
- 3/4 cup sugar*
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 1/4 cups blanched almond flour scoop and slightly pack it down when you measure it
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, coconut oil, and sugar. Add the eggs, vanilla and almond extract, mix until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, combine the baking soda, salt, almond flour, and coconut flour. With the mixer running on low, add the flour mixture to the creamed ingredients 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Form the dough into a ball with your hands and place on a piece of plastic wrap. Form the dough into a disc and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Sprinkle a clean, flat surface with coconut flour and roll the dough out until it is 1/4 thick. I like laying it on a piece for parchment paper and placing another sheet on top to roll it out. Or you may have to rub the rolling pin with coconut flour to do this. Cut out the cookies using your choice of cutters. Work somewhat quickly so the dough stays cold. Using a spatula, transfer the cut cookies to the baking sheets.
- Gather the remaining scraps back up into a ball and roll out again. Repeat rolling and cutting out cookies until you use all the dough. If the dough gets too warm while you work with it you may need to chill it again.
- Bake the cookies for 13-15 minutes, until lightly golden. These cookies need to bake longer than typical sugar cookies. They will stay soft and just get a little crispy, which is just what you want! Cool on a baking sheet for 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting. Enjoy!
Notes
- I highly recommend using Honeyville Blanched Almond Flour Super Fine Grind or Wellbee’s Super Fine Blanched Almond Flour for this recipe. I’ve also used Costco’s almond flour with great results. Be sure to use blanched almond flour rather than almond meal for the right consistency.
- To make sure these cookies turn out, scoop and kind of pack the almond flour down when measuring it.
- Chilling the dough is very key so you’re able to work with it!
- When rolling and cutting the dough, work quickly so the dough stays cold.
- I like rolling it out in-between sheets of parchment paper dusted with coconut flour.If you have trouble cutting them out, try rolling out the dough then placing it in the freezer for 10 minutes before cutting the shapes out.
- Finally – DO NOT substitute the coconut flour for more almond flour. The dough really needs to coconut flour to hold together.
I used Monk fruit sweetener. It was great. Tasted like regular cookies. Next time I’ll use another sweetener not based with erythritol. It left a minty taste.
I haven’t tasted these yet, but they smell amazing! I only baked part of the dough though, as I was making 4 mini fruit pizzas and am using this for the crust. I did not use almond extract, and I did increase the vanilla. I always use way more vanilla extract than recipes call for as that is my preference. I probably used about 1 Tablespoon. I put in fridge for an hour, but probably should have done the freezer since I didn’t have time for an overnight chill.
I also did not set a timer, so not sure how long I baked them for. I just kept an eye on them until the edges started to show color and an amazing aroma was filling my kitchen.
They are being topped with a cream cheese and butter whip with powdered sugar to make a tasty frosting (tastes like cream cheese and fluff without the work of making fluff or buying the corn syrup whip from the store). We have fresh cherries, black berries and strawberries to go on top. A healthy-ish birthday dessert for us tonight. Thanks for the recipe.
Do these need to be refrigerated after baking, or are they OK at room temp? They are so good but I used royal icing and I’m waiting for it to try. I’m worried they are going to get too soft sitting out.
These are so amazing that every party I have taken them to, they’ve been wolfed down in a matter of minutes!!! Can’t even begin to count the number of people Ive shared the recipe with !! My modifications:
* I prefer using the coconut sugar and then either monk fruit sugar or eritriyol for the 2/4 and 1/4 combo
* A basic gluten free flour also work if you don’t have the coconut flour on hand, but blanched almond is a must
* Dough DOES get soft quickly so I break it up into 2 parts or 3 parts, and freeze them while I work on 1 part at a time, rolling quickly between 2 parchment, which are floured with coconut flour or gluten free flour
* Use a floured spatula to help you get your shapes our faster and cleaner
* High quality ghee and coconut oil make a big difference
* Don’t feel panicked if when mixing sugars with fats, look a little split or off if you’re using coconut sugar
I have Kirkland’s Almond Flour and Cup 4 Cup GF All Purpose Flour. Will I be able to use the Cup 4 Cup in place of the Coconut Flour? Thank you!
We tried 3 different sugar cookie recipes this year, and this one was the winner! The frosting recipe in the comments section was the best frosting recipe too! One tip: pull the butter out of the fridge only 30 mins before using. It’s the perfect blend between whippable and soft!
So glad you liked the cookie recipe! Great tip about the frosting.
Great recipe!
Cookies turned out very delicious! They hold very well. I just added less vanilla (only 1tsp) and might try to add a little bit less sugar. Will definitely be making this recipe again.
How many are in a serving?
The nutrition facts are for 1 cookie if you make 2 dozen cookies. I hope this helps!
These are a Christmas tradition in my home. I’m the one who needs to eat a grain-free diet, but these are so delicious that everyone enjoys them. (In fact, my husband says they are more flavorful then white flour sugar cookies and I agree!) Thank you for sharing your amazing recipes!
I’m so glad your family likes them! Thanks for the comment 🙂
I made these cookies they were a gigantic hit, but my granddaughter wants to be able to take to her class but ecause of nut allergies at her school can GF 1/1 Flour be used in place of the almond flour?
The nutrition facts don’t say what a “Serving” is?
The nutrition facts are for one cookie – or 1/36th of the recipe. Sorry for the confusion!
Do you have a recipe for frosting?
Wow! Just made these and they really are THE BEST grain-free sugar cookies. Thank you for the recipe!
I am looking to try these for Chrostmas. You used regular sugar in your recipe, but switching that out for stevia or erythritol would work and would bring the sugar/carb count down, right?
Thanks!
Does the nutritional information include the icing as made per your recipe in the comments?