I’ve been meaning to share these almond cookies with you for the longest time. For so many reasons, they are just one of my favorites. They come together so simply. No mixer required, just a couple of bowls and a whisk.
Isn’t that just the kind of cookie you need right now? I know I do! Then there’s their perfect texture. Chewy and moist on the inside, but crisp and crunchy on the outside.
They are made with almond meal, making them naturally gluten-free. Plus, compared to traditional recipes, these are much lower in sugar, but you’d never know.
These make a great holiday cookie, but I make them all year round. I love them with a cup of coffee in the afternoon. Just one…or two.
Almond Cookies
Simple cookies, naturally gluten-free with vegan options.
Serves: 18 to 22 cookies, depending on size of quenelles
Ingredients
- 2 cups 200g almond meal
- 1/2 cup 100g granulated sugar (see Notes)
- pinch of cardamom
- zest of one orange
- 2 large egg whites* or 1/4 cup aquafaba for a vegan version (See Notes)
- pinch of cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond meal, sugar, cardamom and orange zest. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg whites or aquafaba with the cream of tartar, vanilla and almond extracts until you have soft peaks.
- Pour the egg white/aquafaba mixture over the almond meal mixture and stir to combine.
- Using two soup spoons, scoop up about a heaping tablespoon full of dough with one of the spoons. Go back and forth between the spoons to create the quenelle shape. It should just take about 3 flips between the spoons to get it. Drop the cookie onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them out about an inch or so apart. They won't spread.
- Bake the cookies for about 18 to 20 minutes or until just golden.
Notes
To make these vegan, substitute the 2 egg whites with 1/4 cup of aquafaba. Aquafaba is the liquid in canned or home cooked chickpeas.
You can further reduce the sugar by using just 1/3 cup (67g). You'll be surprised by how sweet they still are!
If you'd like, melt about 1/2 cup (80g) of dark chocolate or white chocolate chips to dip the tops into. Garnish with an almond.
Inspired by Almond Cookies, Canal House, Volume No. 8, Pronto
I just made these for the second time for my husband who has celiac disease. We ALL love them! I much prefer making real cookies with real ingredients rather than using a GF baking mix. Thank you!
This makes me so happy, Pam! Glad that you and your hubby are enjoying them. I have to tell you…these are my favorite cookies! Happy New Year! :)
Made these before, used lemon instead of orange, so good! The store is out of cream of tartar, can I substitute or should I risk it at another store?
I’m so glad you enjoyed these, Maddie! By now, you’ve probably sorted out your dilemma, but you can substitute a 1/4 teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar for the cream of tartar if necessary. Hope your second go was as tasty as the first!
I just made these to add to my Christmas cookie collection gift trays and have decided to keep them all…..lol. Actually, I need to buy some more almond meal because these cookies are amazing and I surely want to include them in my gift giving; they are sooo good! Thanks for the recipe.
Bina, I’m thrilled that you enjoyed them so much! You should absolutely keep some cookies for yourself! :) Everybody needs some cookie love! Thanks for taking the time to comment…this made my day!
Oh my! I love how simple these cookies are. They look and sound incredible.
I pinned them so that I can give this recipe a try during the holidays.
<3
Thanks so much, sweet Aysegul! I hope you love them as much as I do! :)
I just made these tonight and I love them! They turned out just like you said, they have a crisp outer layer and they are nice and chewy on the inside. I will be making these cookies often!
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that, Elle! I make them often too! Thanks for your sweet comment!
This was my first time using Almond Meal. I wasn’t sure on what method to use to measure it out. And since the recipe doesn’t say how many grams/oz, I decided to spoon it into the measuring cup, rather than scooping, which I could have ended up with more than needed. Well, glad I did. They came out fine. As they baked, my home was filled with the sweet aroma of almond and vanilla! I left out the cardamom (didn’t have any) but I don’t think I’ll need to add it next time I make these. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe with us!!
I’m so happy to hear these turned out so well for you, Liliana! You are right, when you use the scoop method with traditional flour, you do end up with more flour. But, with almond flour, it’s usually preferable because of air pockets that can occur. I am working on including grams in my recipes moving forward. As you know, it makes all the difference in baking. For this one (and I’ll update this recipe now) you’ll need 200 grams of almond flour/meal. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! :)
I just wanted to let you know, I made these tonight. I can tell you they are delightful and will be made so many times. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Being gluten free sometimes can be frustrating, and finding gems like this is so helpful.
Awe, Lisa! I am so happy to hear that! We deal with diet restrictions in our house too and I know that frustration! Keep a close eye out for another gluten-free cookie coming very soon! All I’m saying is…it involves chocolate…and they are totally swoon-worthy! Thanks for your kind words!
Hi, do you have any recipes that use the leftover almond pulp from making your own almond milk? thanks
That’s a great question, Chris. Leftover almond pulp can absolutely be used in baking. I haven’t test it with this recipe, but if I ever do, I’ll be sure to let you know. In the meantime, these energy bites from Alanna of The Bojon Gourmet look incredible!
These are delicious, simple, not too sweet, perfect for gift giving. I’m going to try the chocolate dipping on the next batch.
So happy you enjoyed them, Joanne! Yes…they are really nice dipped in chocolate too! Happy holidays!
I just made these and was surprised at how successful they were! The dough was VERY sticky and my oven is completely unreliable, but they still came out delicious. Thanks for the recipe! :)
So happy you enjoyed them, Sarah! Yes, these cookies are super forgiving…they seem to turn out every time. Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Hey there! I’m curious how these would taste with a 100% stevia (green granulates) substitution. =) I’m going to try it out!
I haven’t tested this recipe with stevia, Lina, but if you do try it, I’d love to hear your results. Thanks!
These are lovely, and a nice change from the overly sweet cookies during the holidays. Now if I can only figure out how to do the quenelles as well as you… :-)
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much, Chris! The quenelles take a bit of back and forth, but I know yours will be great!
I’ve never stumbled across these cookies before! Love that they are simple and full of almond deliciousness. Definitely great for some dunking!