Why You’ll Love This Almond Flour Sugar Cookies

• Incredibly Tender Texture. Almond flour gives these cookies a melt-in-your-mouth quality that’s hard to beat. They’re soft and crumbly in the best way possible, without being overly dense or cakey.
• Naturally Gluten-Free Goodness. If you’re baking for someone with dietary restrictions, these are a perfect choice. They rely entirely on almond flour, creating a delicious treat that everyone can enjoy.
• Simple & Satisfying. You only need a handful of basic ingredients, and the process is wonderfully straightforward. There’s no need for chilling the dough, which means you’re just minutes away from warm, fresh-baked cookies.
• That Perfect Buttery Sweetness. The flavor profile is pure, classic sugar cookie—but with a subtle, toasty depth from the almonds. It’s a familiar taste with a lovely little twist.

Ingredients & Tools

• 2 ½ cups blanched almond flour
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt

Tools: A medium mixing bowl, a hand mixer or stand mixer, a baking sheet, and parchment paper.

Using room temperature ingredients is key here—it helps everything emulsify into a smooth, cohesive dough. And don’t skip the blanched almond flour; it gives you a finer crumb and a lighter color, which is exactly what you want for that classic sugar cookie look and feel.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 145 kcal
• Protein: 3 g
• Fat: 12 g
• Carbohydrates: 8 g
• Fiber: 2 g

Serves: 16 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10-12 minutes | Total Time: 22 minutes

Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes

• Why room temperature matters. If your butter and egg are cold, your dough will be stubborn and might not come together smoothly. Taking them out about 30-60 minutes before you bake makes all the difference for a perfect texture.
• Don’t pack your almond flour. When you measure, spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off. Packing it down will give you a dry, dense cookie, and we want light and tender!
• The sugar rolling secret. Rolling the dough balls in sugar isn’t just for looks. It creates a delightful, slightly crunchy exterior that contrasts beautifully with the soft interior. A little extra sparkle never hurt anybody.
• Watch them like a hawk. Almond flour cookies can go from perfectly golden to over-browned in a flash. Because of their higher fat content, they continue to cook a bit on the hot tray after you take them out, so err on the side of under-baking.

How to Make Almond Flour Sugar Cookies

Serving Suggestions

Complementary Dishes

• A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream — The warm, crumbly cookie paired with cold, creamy ice cream is a textural dream. The vanilla echoes the flavor in the cookie beautifully.
• A fresh fruit salad with mint — The bright, juicy acidity from berries or citrus cuts through the richness of the cookies, making the whole experience feel a little lighter and more balanced.
• A sharp cheddar cheese plate — Don’t knock it ’til you try it! The salty, sharp cheese creates an incredible sweet-and-savory contrast that is surprisingly addictive.

Drinks

• A cold glass of whole milk — It’s a classic for a reason. The creaminess of the milk is the perfect partner to the nutty, buttery cookie and it just feels like home.
• A cup of Earl Grey tea — The bergamot in the tea has a lovely citrusy note that complements the almond flavor so well, making for a very sophisticated little snack.
• A rich hot chocolate — For those truly indulgent days, dunking one of these cookies into a mug of deep, dark hot chocolate is pure bliss.

Something Sweet

• Lemon sorbet — The intense, clean tartness of the sorbet is a fantastic palate cleanser that makes you ready for another almond flour sugar cookie.
• Dark chocolate-dipped strawberries — This feels fancy but is so easy. The bitter dark chocolate and sweet berry are a perfect match for the simple cookie.
• A dollop of whipped coconut cream — For a dairy-free option, this adds a lovely, cloud-like creaminess that melts right into the warm cookie.

Top Mistakes to Avoid

• Using cold butter. This is the number one reason dough won’t come together properly. Cold butter won’t cream correctly with the sugar, leading to a greasy, flat cookie. I’ve messed this up before too, rushing to get cookies made!
• Over-measuring the almond flour. Scooping directly from the bag packs the flour down, adding too much to the recipe. This is the most common cause of dry, crumbly cookies that fall apart.
• Over-baking. These cookies don’t brown much, and they continue to set on the hot tray. If you wait for them to look “done” in the oven, they’ll be hard and overdone by the time they cool.
• Over-mixing the dough. Once the flour is incorporated, stop! Over-mixing develops the proteins in the almond flour and can lead to a tough, chewy texture instead of a tender, delicate one.

Expert Tips

• Tip: Weigh your almond flour. For the most consistent results every single time, use a kitchen scale. 2 ½ cups is roughly 250 grams. This completely eliminates the risk of over-measuring and guarantees perfect texture.
• Tip: Add a flavor twist. Stir in the zest of one lemon or orange to the dough for a bright, citrusy kick. Or, add ½ teaspoon of almond extract alongside the vanilla for an even more pronounced nutty flavor.
• Tip: Make them festive. Before baking, press a holiday-themed stamp into the flattened dough ball for a pretty design. Or, mix your rolling sugar with a little cinnamon or sprinkles for a colorful finish.
• Tip: Master the re-roll. If you have scraps from cutting shapes (if you choose to roll and cut), just press them together gently. Don’t knead the dough, as this will make the second batch of cookies tougher.

FAQs

Can I make these cookies ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can prepare the dough, roll it into balls, and freeze them on a baking sheet. Once solid, transfer the frozen dough balls to a zip-top bag. You can bake them straight from frozen, just add 1-2 minutes to the baking time. This is a fantastic trick for having fresh, warm cookies whenever the mood strikes.

Why are my cookies spreading too much?
This usually happens if your butter was too soft or almost melted. You want it softened but still cool to the touch. Also, double-check that you used enough almond flour—if you under-measured, the dough will be too wet and will spread more in the oven as the butter melts.

Can I use a sugar substitute?
You can, but the results will vary. Granulated erythritol-based substitutes often work well and will give you a similar texture and sweetness. Liquid sweeteners like maple syrup or honey will drastically change the texture, making the cookies much softer and cakier, and they’ll spread more.

How should I store these cookies?
Because of the almond flour, these cookies are best kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, I recommend freezing the baked cookies. They thaw surprisingly quickly and taste just-baked.

My dough is too sticky to handle. What do I do?
Don’t panic! This can happen, especially on a warm day. Just pop the bowl of dough into the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. This will firm up the butter just enough to make the dough easier to roll without affecting the final baked texture.