Flourless Almond Butter Cookies, an Easy Fancy Marvel

Imagine a cross between a Chinese almond cookie with an Italian amaretti – that’s my best description of these sophisticated tasting, delicately crunchy cookies. The recipe is a fast and fancy marvel because there’s so little involved. In fact, if you’ve got almond butter, almond extract, sugar and egg, you have most of the ingredients for this almond cookie. Additionally, they are flourless (yay) and dairy-free (double yay). How could that possibly be? The almond butter and sugar provide enough body and fat to bake up into a delightful morsel.

There’s only one egg in the mixture and it mostly serves to bind the ingredients. I suppose you could make this cookie vegan with a product like Just Egg. The baking soda and salt cause the lofty expansion and spreading of the dough balls. They start as 1-inch balls and end up 2 ½ inches wide and about ⅓ inch thick!

I initially posted this recipe in my Pass the Fish Sauce newsletter, which you should subscribe to in order to receive the latest in your inbox! After some folks asked about the combination of ingredients, I decided to expand my report on VWK. I’ve made this almond cookie recipe four times now and it’s a cinch that comes together in minutes. 

How does that almond cookie dough form?

When you initially stir together the ingredients, the dough feels very soft. However, let it sit for a few minutes and it hydrates, becoming firmer. The dough is then pinchable, rollable. I didn’t use fancy ingredients for this cookie, as you see.

Embellishments: Chocolate, Almond, or None?

The cookie bakes up to its loftiest if you do not roll it in chopped almonds (I used roasted sliced almonds, which exert the least pressure on the balls). The whole sliced almonds didn't do much for me; and that threesome of almond slices fell off so don't do it despite its cute appearance. Chocolate needs to be pressed into the dough ball so the cookies don’t puff up as much. The cookies are flatter but you have a chocolatey contrast. I used Guittard baking wafers. 

If you want the puffiest, most delicate, tender, nearly crumbly texture, don’t put anything on the cookie. But, we all like a little bling. Do some of each. This is the most fun cookie that I’ve made in years. I hope you enjoy these cookies and play with them! They're terrific to have around -- they keep well for a good week.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Flourless Almond Butter Cookies

If you're avoiding eggs, try a liquid egg substitute, such as Just Egg. I have not tried that swap but feel it may work. Please report back if you try it out! Makes 36 cookies

Course: Dessert

Ingredients

• 1 cup (7 oz) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ plus ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
• Brimming 1 cup (9 oz) creamy almond butter
• 1 extra large egg, beaten, or 4 tablespoons beaten egg
• Brimming 1 teaspoons pure almond extract
• ⅓ cup finely chopped sliced or slivered almonds (optional)
• 36 dark or bittersweet chocolate baking wafers, or about ¼ cup chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350F with racks placed in the lower and upper third positions. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a bowl, combine the sugar, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a spatula. Add the almond butter, egg, and almond extract. Mix well to create a soft dough. Let it sit for a few minutes to firm up before rolling the dough into 1-inch balls. If using the almonds, roll the dough ball in the chopped nuts, gently pressing so the nuts adhere, and then place on the baking sheet. Press the dough ball down slightly, if you want, though it didn’t seem to make a huge difference. If using the chocolate, place the dough ball on the prepared baking sheet then gently press a baking wafer or three chips on top (you’ll flatten the dough ball slightly). Or, just leave the dough balls as is. Whatever you do, leave about 2 inches of space between the dough balls because the cookies spread as they bake. You may need to start a third baking sheet.
• Bake the cookies for 18 to 20 minutes, switching the baking sheet positions midway from front to back and top to bottom. The cookies are done when they are very lightly browned and set (touch the side of one to test). Let cool and crunch up on a wire rack before eating or storing.

Notes

Variation Swap out the almond butter for peanut or sunflower seed butter. I didn’t care for them but if you’re allergic to almonds, there are options!