These Healthy Vegan Almond Flour Sugar Cookies are a wholesome twist on a classic treat. Made with vegan butter, almond flour, and naturally sweet ingredients, they are perfect for the holidays or any time you want a comforting, plant-based cookie. Decorated with a simple vanilla glaze, these cookies offer the perfect balance of soft texture and crisp edges, making them a crowd-pleasing dessert—vegan, naturally gluten-free, oil-free, and absolutely delicious.
Soft, tender, and lightly sweet, these almond flour cookies are a wholesome, vegan twist on classic sugar cookies. Perfect for holiday baking, gifting, or cozying up with a cup of coffee or my Vegan Sunbutter Hot Chocolate.
The holidays always bring out the baker in me, and just like my Healthy Vegan Gingerbread Cookies or Vegan Candy Cane Cookies, these almond cookies are made in one of my favorite shapes to bring cheer and joy to the table this season. I love making a batch on a lazy afternoon, decorating a few, and sneaking a first bite before anyone else can. Best of all, they are made with better-for-you ingredients, like maple crystals and blanched almonds or hazelnuts from Wilderness Poets. You'll love how simple they are to make and how absolutely delicious they taste. Happy baking!
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Ingredients To Make Almond Flour Cookies:
Here's what you need to make a good sugar cookie the vegan way!
- Wilderness Poets Maple Crystals: It's one of my favorite natural sweeteners that blends smoothly into the cookie dough, is rich in antioxidants and minerals like zinc, manganese, potassium, and calcium. They're much sweeter than cane sugar, so a little goes a long way. Beyond being a healthier alternative, they add incredible flavor, perfect for elevating this simple cookie recipe. Make sure to use leftovers to make my Easy Maple Candied Hazelnuts or Soursop Coconut Cream Pie next.
- Wilderness Poets Vanilla Bean Powder: It's not your regular vanilla powder. It adds a beautiful aromatic, warm flavor that enhances the almond notes. It also adds warmth and depth to the icing.
- Cashew-Based Vegan Butter: This gives richness and a soft, tender texture while keeping the cookies plant-based.
- Ground Flaxseed + Water (Flax "Eggs"): It acts as a vegan binder, providing structure and moisture to the dough.
- Almond Extract: A little goes a long way, enhancing the nutty flavor and adding a subtle, sweet aroma to the cookies. Use leftovers to make my No-Bake Cherry Almond Energy Balls.
- Almond Flour or Hazelnut Flour: It forms the base of the cookies, delivering a soft, tender bite, and is naturally gluten-free. I make it from Wilderness Poets Blanched Almonds or Blanched Hazelnuts using a blender. It's that easy, and it adds so much more flavor than a regular flour mixture.
- Baking Powder: Helps the cookies rise slightly and maintain a light texture.
- Cornstarch: Adds softness and helps achieve that tender, melt-in-your-mouth quality. I'm also using some to dust the surface when shaping the cookies.
- Sea Salt: Balances sweetness and brings out the nutty flavors.
- Powdered Sugar or Sugar-Free Substitute: I'm using it to sweeten the glaze and create a smooth finish.
- Plant-Based Milk: You only need a little for the glaze, but you can adjust the consistency to make a drizzleable icing.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Them:
Don't let the festive look fool you. They are super easy to bake and come together in no time.
- 1. Prep the Flax "Eggs": In a small bowl, mix ground flaxseed with water and let it sit for a few minutes until thickened. This acts as a vegan binder for the cookies.
- 2. Cream the Butter and Sweetener: In a large mixing bowl, beat the vegan butter with maple crystals until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla bean powder, almond extract, and the thickened flax mixture until smooth.
- 3. Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour (or hazelnut flour), baking powder, cornstarch, and sea salt until evenly mixed.
- 4. Form the Dough: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until a soft, thick dough forms. If it feels sticky, gradually add a little more almond flour.
- 5. Chill the Dough: Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30-45 minutes. Chilling helps the dough firm up, making it easier to roll and cut.
- 6. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 7. Roll and Cut the Cookies: Dust your work surface and rolling pin with a little cornstarch. Roll the chilled dough to about ¼-inch thickness, use cookie cutters to create your desired shapes, and place the cookies on the prepared sheets.
- 8. Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- 9. Prepare the Icing: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar (or a sugar-free alternative), vanilla bean powder, and plant-based milk until smooth and drizzleable. Adjust consistency as needed.
- 10. Decorate: Once the cookies are completely cool, drizzle or pipe the icing on top and let it set at room temperature before stacking or storing.
Top Tips:
- Chill the Dough: Refrigerating the dough helps it firm up, making it easier to roll, cut, and handle. Similar to my Healthy Pistachio Rose Cookies.
- Dust Lightly: Use a little cornstarch on your work surface and rolling pin to prevent sticking.
- Cookie Thickness: Roll the dough to about ¼-inch thickness for soft, tender cookies with lightly crisp edges.
- Even Baking: Leave a little space between each cookie on the baking sheet to ensure even baking.
- Check Doneness: The cookies should be lightly golden around the edges but still soft in the center when you remove them from the oven.
- Use Room-Temperature Ingredients: Ensure vegan butter and plant-based milk are at room temperature for smoother mixing and better dough consistency.
- Customize Shapes: Have fun with cookie cutters to create festive or favorite shapes for holidays, gifts, or special occasions.
Variations And Substitutions:
I really recommend making these delicious cookies as-is, using my recommended ingredients. You won't regret it. But just in case you don't have something on hand, here are a few things you can use to either replace or switch things up.
- Flour Options: Swap home-made blended almond flour for hazelnut flour or a store-bought blanched almond meal, if desired.
- Sweetener Alternatives: Instead of maple crystals, try coconut sugar or another natural sweetener you have on hand.
- Extracts: Use vanilla extract, as in my Vanilla Bean Cookies, instead of almond extract, or combine them to customize the flavor.
- Icing Variations: Swap powdered sugar with a sugar-free alternative like allulose or erythritol. Adjust the consistency with plant-based milk as needed.
- Shape and Size: Make smaller cookies for quick baking or use favorite cookie cutters for festive shapes.
Storage:
- Room Temperature: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- Refrigeration: For slightly longer freshness, store in the fridge.
- Freezing: Unbaked dough can be shaped into cookie dough balls, frozen in a freezer bag, and baked later for convenience.
- Icing Tip: Allow the icing to fully set at room temperature before stacking or storing to prevent smudging.
Equipment Needed:
- Small, Medium, Large Mixing Bowl: For combining ingredients, preparing the flax "eggs", and making the icing.
- Food Mixer or Hand Mixer: To cream vegan butter and sweetener efficiently.
- Rolling Pin: To roll out the chilled dough evenly.
- Cookie Cutters: For fun shapes and festive designs.
- Baking Sheets / Cookie Sheets: To bake the cookies.
- Parchment Paper: For easy cleanup.
- Wire Rack: To cool the cookies completely before icing.
- Whisk: For mixing the icing to a drizzleable consistency.
Recipe FAQs:
Do I have to chill the dough?
Yes, chilling is highly recommended. It firms the dough, making it easier to roll, cut, and handle.
Can I make these cookies ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can shape the dough into cookie dough balls, freeze them, and bake later, or store baked cookies in an airtight container.
How do I prevent cookies from sticking?
Dust your rolling pin and work surface lightly with cornstarch, or use parchment paper to roll the dough and bake.
More Amazing Vegan Cookies To Try Next:
If you try this Healthy Vegan Almond Flour Sugar Cookie Recipe, I'd really love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. I'd also really appreciate a recipe card rating! Thank you for supporting The All Natural Vegan!
Healthy Vegan Almond Flour Sugar Cookies
These Healthy Vegan Almond Flour Sugar Cookies are a wholesome twist on a classic treat. Made with vegan butter, almond flour, and naturally sweet ingredients, they are perfect for the holidays or any time you want a comforting, plant-based cookie. Decorated with a simple vanilla glaze, these cookies offer the perfect balance of soft texture and crisp edges, making them a crowd-pleasing dessert-vegan, naturally gluten-free, oil-free, and absolutely delicious.
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer or mixing bowl
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1 cup maple crystals
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean powder
- ½ cup cashew milk based vegan butter
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 6 tablespoons water to make flax eggs
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 4 cups almond flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch plus extra for rolling the dough
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Icing:
- 1 cup powdered allulose You can use powdered sugar or erythritol
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla bean powder
- 1 tablespoon plant-based milk
Instructions
Instructions
Prep the flax "egg"
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ground flaxseed and water.
- Let it sit for 5-10 minutes to thicken.
Cream the butter and sugar
- In a large mixing bowl, add the vegan butter and Wilderness Poets maple crystals.
- Beat with a stand or hand mixer (or vigorously by hand) until light and fluffy.
- Mix in the Wilderness Poets Vanilla Bean Powder, almond extract, and the thickened flax mixture until smooth.
Combine the dry ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond (or hazelnut) flour, baking powder, cornstarch, and sea salt until evenly combined.
Form the dough
- Add the dry mixture into the wet ingredients.
- Mix until a soft, thick dough forms.
- If the dough feels too sticky, add 1-2 more tablespoons of almond flour until it holds together.
Chill the dough
- Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it, and refrigerate for at least 30-45 minutes.
Preheat the oven
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll and cut the cookies
- Heavily dust your work surface and rolling pin with cornstarch.
- Roll the chilled dough out to about ¼-inch thickness.
- Use cookie cutters to cut into shapes and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between each cookie.
Bake
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just turning lightly golden.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing (they firm up as they cool).
Icing Instructions
Make the icing
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar (or sugar substitute), vanilla bean powder, and plant-based milk.
- Start with 1 tablespoon of milk and add a tiny splash more if needed until you reach a smooth, drizzleable consistency.
Decorate
- Once the cookies are completely cool, spoon or pipe the icing over the cookies.
- Let the icing set at room temperature before stacking or storing.
Store
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days, or refrigerate for slightly longer freshness.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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