3-Ingredient Vegan Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies

Delicately crisp at the edges and tender throughout, these almond flour shortbread cookies need just 3 main ingredients, one bowl, and about 17 minutes. The straightforward small-batch recipe is vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, and Paleo, with a plain keto variation—no mixer or chilling required.

A short ingredient list can produce an exceptionally good cookie. Almond flour supplies richness, coconut oil gives the cookies their delicate shortbread texture, and coconut sugar adds a lightly caramelized sweetness. The dough takes about 30 seconds to stir together and goes directly into the oven—no electric mixer, rolling pin, or chilling required.

My original 3-ingredient almond flour cookies have long been reader favorites, so I wanted to create an equally plain almond flour shortbread. This version is richer and more delicate, with lightly crisp edges and a tender center that firms as the cookies cool.

One detail matters: the cookies do not spread much in the oven. Shape the dough into balls and flatten them before baking. A fork makes a classic crosshatch pattern, but a cookie stamp, flat-bottomed measuring cup, or your fingertips will work just as well.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Made with 3 main ingredients, plus water and optional salt
• Ready in about 17 minutes
• Mixed by hand in one bowl
• No mixer, rolling pin, or chilling
• Vegan, egg-free, and dairy-free
• Gluten-free, grain-free, and Paleo
• Easily adapted with a keto-friendly brown sugar replacement
• Small-batch recipe that makes 12 cookies
• Straightforward to double or triple
• Freezer-friendly

Ingredients

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post.Toggle betweenUS Customary(volume) andMetric(weights) for preferred measurement option.

• Blanched almond flour:Use finely ground blanched almond flour for the smoothest dough and most delicate shortbread texture. It is not the same as coarse almond meal.
• Coconut sugar:Sweetens the cookies and gives them a subtle caramel flavor and warm golden color. Brown sugar or another granulated sugar can also be used.
• Virgin coconut oil:Melted coconut oil replaces the butter traditionally used in shortbread. It also helps the cookies firm as they cool.
• Water:A small amount brings the dough together. It can also be partially or completely replaced with an extract or citrus juice for a flavored shortbread.
• Salt:An optional pinch sharpens the almond flavor and balances the sweetness.

How to Make Almond Flour Shortbread

Note that the complete instructions are also in the recipe card below.

1. Prepare the oven and pan.Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

1. Mix the dough.Stir the almond flour, coconut sugar, melted coconut oil, water, and optional salt in small bowl or a medium bowl. Break up any lumps in the flour or sugar and continue stirring until a cohesive dough forms.

1. Portion the cookies.Divide the shortbread cookie dough into 12 equal portions and roll each portion into a 1-inch (2.5-cm) ball. A small cookie scoop makes portioning especially straightforward.

1. Flatten the cookies.Arrange the balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten each one to approximately 1 cm thick using a fork, cookie stamp, flat-bottomed measuring cup, or your fingertips. The cookies will not spread much while baking.

1. Bake until golden.Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers no longer look wet. The cookies will still feel soft while hot.

1. Cool completely.Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Carefully transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely; they will become firmer as they cool.

1. Prepare the oven and pan.Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix the dough.Stir the almond flour, coconut sugar, melted coconut oil, water, and optional salt in a medium bowl. Break up any lumps in the flour or sugar and continue stirring until a cohesive dough forms.
3. Portion the cookies.Divide the dough into 12 equal portions and roll each portion into a 1-inch (2.5-cm) ball. A small cookie scoop makes portioning especially straightforward.
4. Flatten the cookies.Arrange the balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten each one to approximately 1 cm thick using a fork, cookie stamp, flat-bottomed measuring cup, or your fingertips. The cookies will not spread much while baking.
5. Bake until golden.Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers no longer look wet. The cookies will still feel soft while hot.
6. Cool completely.Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Carefully transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely; they will become firmer as they cool.

Taste and Texture

The cookies are delicately sweet, with a rich almond flavor and a faint caramel note from the coconut sugar. Once completely cool, the edges are lightly crisp and the centers are tender and delicate.

Thickness makes a difference. Cookies flattened to the suggested thickness have a classic tender shortbread texture. Flatten them slightly thinner if you prefer a crisper cookie.

Storage

Let the almond flour shortbread cool completely before storing.

• Refrigerator:Store in the fridge an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
• Freezer:Freeze in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Thaw the cookies in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving.

Flavor Variations

• Vanilla shortbread:Replace 1/2 teaspoon of the water with vanilla extract.
• Almond shortbread:Replace 1/4 teaspoon of the water with almond extract.
• Lemon, lime, or orange:Replace the water with an equal amount of fresh citrus juice and add 1 teaspoon finely grated zest.
• Spiced shortbread:Add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice, or nutmeg.
• Chocolate chip shortbread:Add 2 to 3 tablespoons miniature chocolate chips or finely chopped chocolate.
• Fruit and nut shortbread:Add a few tablespoons of finely chopped dried fruit (e.g., dried cranberries), nuts (e.g., pistachios, walnuts, pecans), seeds, or cacao nibs. Keep the additions modest because the cookies are naturally delicate.
• Holiday shortbread:Add finely chopped peppermint candies, cranberry pieces, orange zest, or a combination of warming spices. Makes a great gift.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the cookies with coffee, black tea, chai, or hot chocolate. They also make a lovely addition to a holiday cookie tray, especially with citrus- or spice-flavored variations.

For a plain dessert, dip one side of each cooled cookie in melted chocolate and let the chocolate set before serving.

Tips for Success

Finely ground blanched almond flour produces the smoothest dough and most delicate texture. Coarse almond meal will give the cookies a more rustic appearance and texture.

Almond flour shortbread does not spread much in the oven. Press each ball of dough to about 1 cm thick before placing the pan in the oven.

A dark baking sheet can brown the bottoms before the centers are ready. If your cookies tend to darken underneath, use a light-colored pan and begin checking them at 10 minutes.

The cookies should still feel soft when they come out of the oven. Remove them once the edges are golden and the centers no longer look wet.

Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving them. They are delicate while warm and develop their final shortbread texture as they cool.

Ingredient Substitutions

Yes. Replace it with an equal amount of brown sugar or another granulated sugar. The color and flavor will vary depending on the sugar you choose.

Readers have reported success using an equal amount of maple syrup. Omit the water at first, mix the dough, and add only a few drops of water if needed to form a cohesive dough.

Yes, if you do not need the cookies to be vegan. Use 2 and 1/2 tablespoons melted butter or ghee in place of the coconut oil and reduce the water to 1 and 1/2 teaspoons. Butter contains more water than coconut oil, so both adjustments are important.

Replace the coconut sugar with an equal amount of a granulated keto-friendly brown sugar replacement formulated for baking. Different products can produce slightly different sweetness and texture.

This recipe depends on the natural fat and structure of almond flour. Coconut flour, rice flour, cassava flour, and ordinary all-purpose flour are not equal one-for-one replacements. I have not tested a complete flour substitution that I can recommend here.

Frequently Asked Questions

The three principal ingredients are almond flour, coconut sugar, and coconut oil. Water is a pantry staple, and the pinch of salt is optional.

No. Because the recipe uses melted coconut oil, the dough can be mixed, shaped, and baked immediately.

Very little, if at all. Flatten the balls of dough to about 1 cm thick before baking. They will retain approximately the same shape in the oven.

That is normal. Almond flour and melted coconut oil make the cookies delicate while hot. Leave them on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then cool them completely on a wire rack so they can firm.

I do not recommend this dough for cut-out cookies because it is quite tender. Shape it into balls and flatten them with a fork, cookie stamp, measuring cup, or your fingertips instead.

Yes. The recipe can be doubled or tripled without changing the method. Portion every cookie to the same size so the batches bake evenly.