Almond Flour Cookies

I have tested this recipe with both, and almond meal produces a grittier, denser cookie that crumbles more easily. Finely ground blanched almond flour is what gives these their smooth, tender texture. If almond meal is all I have on hand, I pulse it in my food processor for 30 seconds to get it finer before using it.

I specifically developed this as an egg-free cookie. The butter and almond flour bind together on their own once you press the dough firmly. When I tested adding an egg, the cookies spread too thin and lost that thick, soft center I wanted. Skipping the egg also makes this recipe friendly for anyone avoiding eggs.

I see this when the cookies do not cool long enough on the baking sheet. I let mine sit for a full 10 minutes after pulling them from the oven before I even think about moving them. They firm up significantly as they cool. The other common cause is too little butter. I use a full stick (8 tablespoons) and make sure it is properly softened, not melted.

I have made these with coconut oil in place of butter and they work well. I use the same amount, measured solid and then softened. The texture is slightly crispier at the edges, which I actually prefer sometimes. I refrigerate the coconut oil dough for 15 minutes before scooping because it tends to spread more than the butter version.

I freeze both regularly. For baked cookies, I lay them in a single layer on a sheet pan until frozen, then transfer to a freezer bag. They keep for three months. For raw dough, I scoop balls onto parchment, freeze them solid, then bag them. They bake from frozen with just 2 extra minutes in the oven. I always have a bag of frozen dough balls ready for when I want fresh cookies fast.

I had this happen when I overbaked by just a couple minutes. At 12 minutes my cookies started releasing butter onto the pan. Now I pull mine at exactly 10 minutes when the edges are barely golden. The centers will still look slightly underdone, but they set as they cool. I also make sure my butter is softened at room temperature, not microwaved, because partially melted butter throws off the fat distribution.

I keep mine in an airtight container on the counter and they stay soft for five full days. The key is a properly sealed container. If I leave them loosely covered, they dry out by day three. I have never had a batch last longer than five days in my house because they get eaten, but the texture holds up well throughout that window.

For the standard butter version, I do not refrigerate the dough. It scoops and bakes perfectly at room temperature. I only chill the dough when I use coconut oil instead of butter, because that version spreads more. Fifteen minutes in the fridge is enough. If your kitchen runs very warm (above 78 degrees), chilling for 10 minutes can help the butter version hold shape too.