Toasted pecans mixed into a simple, grain-free almond flour dough sweetened with brown sugar and a touch of maple then dipped in dark chocolate for good measure – these cookies are light, buttery, with just the right amount of crisp! | Gluten Free + Vegan Option
How to make these Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies
- Mix all of your cookie ingredients together in a mixing bowl until a dough forms.
- Divide the dough into two sections then form into logs.
- Wrap tightly in plastic wrap then refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour.
- Slice into cookies, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick then bake.
- Cool the cookies then dip in chocolate. Sprinkle with finely chopped, toasted pecans if desired and enjoy!
FAQ’s
Can I make this Dairy Free and/or Vegan?
Yes! You can easily make these almond flour shortbread cookies by using dairy free vegan butter in place of regular dairy butter. In place of the dark chocolate, just make sure to use a dairy free chocolate and you’re good to go!
I haven’t tested these cookies using coconut oil but I do think they would work with slightly varied results. Coconut oil usually makes for slightly more crumbly, coconut-ty cookies.
What’s the different between almond meal and almond flour?
Though almond flour and almond meal are made from the same thing (ground almond) there are a couple of key differences between the two.
- Almond flour is typically made with blanched (skinless) almonds into a more fine flour.
- Almond meal is usually made with un-blanched (skin on) almonds into a more coarse flour.
Can I use almond meal instead of Almond Flour?
Yes! In many cases you cannot swap out almond meal/almond flour interchangeably but with these cookies you can. For best result using almond meal with these cookies: I recommend using a kitchen scale to get the most accurate measurement of almond meal.
Can I use another type of Flour?
No. This recipe is meant to be used with almond flour and I have not tested other types of flours here. At best, you might be successful using another type of nut flour (not coconut flour) but I can’t say for sure as I haven’t tested these myself using other nut flours.
If you’d like a nut free slice & bake cookie similar to these I recommend you take a look at my Hazelnut Slice and Bake Cookies. Those cookies are also grain free – made with a combination of chickpea flour and tapioca flour.
Tips
Make sure to properly chill the dough
Slice and bake cookies need time to chill properly before baking. If they’re not, they will spread and puff up in the oven. While they’ll still taste good, the texture and shape will be off.
Let the cookies Rest Before Moving
Fresh out of the oven these cookies will be tender and slightly crumbly. After about 5 minutes they will firm up well enough to move. Once fully cooled they’ll be sturdy, crispy and good to go.
Freeze the Dough for Later
Freeze the dough pre-sliced: Roll your dough into logs and wrap up as you normally would then let chill in the fridge for at least an hour to firm up. Once firm and chilled, slice the dough into individual cookies while keeping the log still intact. Re-wrap the sliced cookie log in plastic wrap, then wrap up in foil for extra freezer protection. When you’re ready, place in the freezer and keep for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, you may need to slice the dough to separate the cookies, but with the cuts already in place it should be much easier to cut and separate.
When you’re ready for cookies simply bake from frozen – just add an extra 2-3 minutes to the overall bake time. You may also want to write down the date frozen as well as the bake temperature and time.
OR you can freeze the dough unsliced and bake the defrosted dough. Let the dough defrost in the fridge over night then bake as you normally would.
You can also freeze the baked cookies. Once they have fully cooled, transfer the cookies to a freezer safe bag and keep for up to 3 months.
More Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookies You Might Enjoy:
- Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies with Almond Flour
- Golden Almond Cookies
- Grain Free Ginger Cookies
Toasted Pecan Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies
Toasted pecans mixed into a simple, grain-free almond flour dough lightly sweetened with brown sugar and a touch of maple then dipped in dark chocolate for good measure - These cookies are light, buttery, with just the right amount of crisp! | Gluten Free + Vegan Option
Ingredients
- 2 cups (192 g) almond flour
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) soften butter (vegan butter if needed)
- 1 tablespoon (20 g) maple syrup
- 2/3 cup (73 g) chopped pecans
- Optional: coarse sugar for rolling
- 100 g dark chocolate (dairy free if needed)
Instructions
- Add the pecans to a dry frying pan and toast over a medium heat for about 5-7 minutes until the nuts have darkened slightly in colour and are fragrant. Once toasted, remove from heat.
- In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients required for the cookies: almond flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, butter, maple syrup and pecans. Mix until a soft dough forms.
- Divide the dough into two pieces (it's easier to roll in smaller portions). Shape each piece of dough into logs, about 6 inches long and 2 inches tall. Tightly wrap each log in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for at least an hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F/ 180°C. Line or lightly grease a couple of baking sheets and set aside.
- Unwrap the cookies. Optional: Sprinkle a bit of coarse sugar in a shallow, plate or bowl and roll each log of dough in sugar. This adds a bit of crunch and sparkle to the final cookie, but is totally optional.
- Slice the dough into 1/4 - 1/2 inch slices. Place the slices on your prepared cookies sheet - leave an inch between each piece because they will puff up slightly while baking.
- Place in the oven and bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges have turned golden brown.
- Let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- While the cookies are cooling, melt the chocolate. Once cooled dip the cookies in the melted chocolate and then lay out on piece of baking paper. Sprinkle with chopped pecans and let dry.
Olivia says
The dough completely fell apart after sitting in the fridge for an hour. Couldn’t use it.
Sarah Nevins says
Hi Olivia! Sorry to hear these didn’t work out for you! It sounds like the dough may have been a bit too dry which caused them to fall apart too soon. Can I ask what the texture of the dough was like as you rolled it into a log before chilling? It should have been soft, pliable and a bit buttery at that point. I might be able to help trouble shoot where things went wrong with a little more info.
DW says
You seem to be missing instructions about how long to bake these cookies. How many minutes do they bake? Otherwise it looks like a great recipe.
Sarah Nevins says
Oh no! I don’t know how I missed that – thanks so much for pointing that out to me! The cookies bake for about 12 minutes
DW says
Thanks! Looking forward to trying these out. I’ll let you know how they turn out.