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.
YOU ALSO MIGHT LIKE
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.
Once these cookies are made, how long do they keep? Can I make them the day before, decorate them and serve them the next day, or 2 days after? Do they get super hard and inedible after a certain period of time?
These are definitely good for 2-3 days after you make them! They won’t get hard – if anything they will get soft. I hope this helps 🙂
I just made these and they actually turned out GREAT!! I used Melt stick butter substitute so I think that made the batter a bit wet, but an extra 1/4 cup of coconut flour fixed that! Kept the cookie cutter over the shape when transferring from parchment to cookie sheet. They held their shape and are quite tasty! So exciting!
Hi Erin, have you tried replacing sugar with Monk Fruit Powdered Sweetener? If so, how did they turn out. I need a sugar free alternative for these cookies.
I haven’t experimented with monk fruit sugar myself. However I think some people in the comments have!
What can I substitute the almond flour with ?
The kids are not allowed to get anything with nuts to school
I would try making this recipe for gluten-free sugar cookies instead: https://meaningfuleats.com/the-best-gluten-free-sugar-cookies/
Is the butter salted or unsalted?
I use salted!
Can you still make these without the almond extract? I don’t have any
I used Lemon in place of Almond, but I think you could just leave it out or add a tad more Vanilla.
Love this recipe! I used Splenda rather than sugar and tried 1 batch with peppermint extract rather than almond. Probably the best low-carb cookies I’ve made. They do tend to be slightly dry, but that might be the trade-off from Splenda.
Oh my gosh, these are the best! Get this, I used this recipe to make traditional Linzer cookies ( shortbread cookie spread with jam, topped w/another cooker with a small cutout so the jam shows through, dusted with powdered sugar). My whole extended family loved these! Preferred them over the traditional recipe we had used for eons! Buttery, so light, and SO much easier than the linzer gluten free recipe’s that require SO many ingredients ( like xanthum gum, and 5 kinds of “flours”! CHRISTMAS IS SAVED! Can’t thank you enough!
Love these cookies! What is the frosting recipe that you use that is in the picture? That would wonderful to have attached to the cookie recipe:) Thank you so much for this great recipe they are our favorite!!!
Do you have suggestions on a substitute for the coconut oil? Looking forward to making these.
You can use more butter or organic palm shortening in place of the coconut oil!
Delicious ! My kids helped me make these sugar cookies we used the exact recipe except the almond extract Bc I didn’t have any . They were so good we just sprinkled decorative sprinkles and it was enough the sweetness with a nice cold glass of milk . I can’t believe how good almond flour and coconut flour were so tasty for baking . Such a healthier option. Thank you
I don’t really like the taste of gluten free cookies but these are delicious! I was wondering if you can freeze them after they are baked and decorated?
Yes these cookies freeze great! You can place them in an airtight container or Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Have you tried using the dough in an electric or manuel cookie press?
I haven’t tried that myself! I’d be interested to know how it works though!
Can I use equivalent amount of almond flour in place of the coconut flour?
Unfortunately that won’t work. Coconut flour and almond flour have very different properties and the dough wouldn’t be the right texture.
How long will this dough last in my refrigerator?
The dough will last up to 2 days. I hope you enjoy the cookies!
These are my go-to sugar cookies now! They are so good! I use royal icing to decorate them, and I have found that the cookies are a bit too sweet when using 3/4 cup sugar like in your recipe. I’ve been doing a heaping 1/2 cup of sugar and they are so yummy!
Could I please have the receipe for frosting on these cookies