Keto Sugar Cookies
Published December 8, 2019 • Updated June 6, 2026
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These keto sugar cookies have the same buttery, vanilla-forward flavor as traditional sugar cookies, with a texture that's soft in the center and crisp at the edges. At only 2.7g net carbs per cookie, they roll out, cut out, and hold their shape for decorating.
I’ve been making these keto sugar cookies since 2018, and they’re the recipe I come back to every holiday season. Christmas, Valentine’s Day, random Tuesday when my kids want to decorate. This is the one. The blend of almond flour and coconut flour gives you a dough that actually rolls out, holds a cookie cutter shape, and bakes into something that tastes like the real thing (because it is, just without the sugar). No gritty texture, no weird aftertaste, no dough that falls apart when you try to lift a shape off the counter.
What makes this recipe different from most low carb versions is that there’s no cream cheese in the dough. A lot of sugar free cut out recipes lean on cream cheese for structure, but I find it changes the flavor too much. You lose that clean, buttery, vanilla taste that makes these worth making. I tested a cream cheese version early on and it tasted more like a cheesecake cookie. My version uses butter, powdered erythritol, and a sifted flour blend that keeps things light.
One thing I’ve learned from making these so many times: thinner cookies taste better. Roll to about 1/8 inch and the edges develop this golden, almost caramel color that changes the whole flavor. I’ve made thick batches and thin batches side by side, and the thin ones win every time. My reader Rita made a batch for her daughter’s birthday weekend, and her 9-year-old (who won’t touch anything labeled “keto” in their house) ate four plain ones straight off the cooling rack before they even got frosted. That’s the kind of test I care about.
The almond extract is listed as optional, but I never skip it. It’s subtle, maybe a quarter teaspoon, but it’s what bridges the gap between “almond flour cookie” and the real deal. Without it, the flavor reads more like a shortbread. With it, you get that familiar bakery taste that makes people ask for seconds.
If you’re building out your cookie collection, I also have keto shortbread cookies that use a similar sifted flour technique, 3-ingredient almond flour cookies for when you want something simpler, and a small batch version of this recipe if you don’t need a full tray. For holiday baking, my frosted animal cookies and Christmas tree cookies use a similar cut-and-decorate approach. I’ve tested all of them dozens of times, and this is the one I reach for when the shape and decoration matter.
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Keto Sugar Cookies Ingredients
1 3/4 cup blanched almond flour -
1/3 cup coconut flour
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1 teaspoon baking soda
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1 teaspoon cream of tartar
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
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2/3 cup powdered erythritol (as sweetener)
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2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
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1 egg
Keto Royal Icing Ingredients
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1 1/4 cup powdered erythritol
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3 large egg whites
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1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
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pinch of salt
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Sift dry ingredients
Sift together our dry ingredients: almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. This creates a finer texture for these cookies. I highly recommend you don’t skip this step.
Mix wet ingredients
In large bowl, cream together the butter and powdered erythritol until fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in vanilla extract along with the almond extract if using. Then beat in eggs.
Refrigerate dough
Add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Place dough into between two pieces of parchment paper and flatten down to a small disc shape. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. May store in freezer in a Ziploc bag for later use too.
Roll it out
Keeping the dough between the parchment paper. Lay down a wet paper towel and place the dough and parchment paper on top. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness between the two sheets of parchment paper. Refrigerate for additional 20 minutes.
Preheat oven
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Punch out shapes and bake
Remove the top piece of parchment paper and cut out shapes. Place on a parchment lined baking tray about 1.5 inches apart. Bake until starting to get golden brown around the edges, about 8-9 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool on baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Decorate with keto royal icing once completely cooled.
Decorate
To make keto royal icing, combine 1 cup powdered erythritol sweetener, egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. Remove 1/3 of the icing into a smaller bowl and add remaining 1/4 cup powdered erythritol. Whisk until slightly thicker than original icing mixture. Use the first batch of icing to flood the inside of the cookies with icing and the second thicker batch to outline the cookie. Add icing batches to two separate piping bags. Using the thicker icing, pipe the borders of your cutout cookie. Then using the thinner icing, flood the inside of the outline.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
My cookies crumbled when I picked them up. What did I do wrong?
I've had this happen and it's almost always because the cookies weren't fully cooled. They come out of the oven very soft and need to firm up as they cool. I leave mine on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. If they're still fragile after cooling completely, you probably packed too much almond flour into the measuring cup. I always spoon my flour in rather than scooping to avoid this.
How can I keep my cookies from spreading and losing their shape?
I refrigerate the cut out shapes on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes right before they go in the oven. This is the trick that changed everything for me. If they still spread a little after baking, I immediately push the edges back into shape with a butter knife while they're still warm. I do this within the first 30 seconds of pulling the tray out.
Can I use coconut flour instead of almond flour?
I wouldn't swap them one for one. Coconut flour absorbs way more liquid than almond flour, so the ratios would be completely different. I've tested both flours individually and the blend is what gives these cookies the right texture. If you have a nut allergy, I'd try subbing sunflower seed flour for the almond flour portion only, keeping the coconut flour amount the same. I haven't tested a fully nut-free version of this specific recipe yet.
What's the best sweetener for crispy cut out cookies?
I use powdered erythritol in the cookie dough and the icing, and I've tested this with several sweeteners. Erythritol is the one that crisps properly. Allulose keeps cookies soft and chewy (great for my no bake cookies, not right here). Monk fruit blends can work in the dough but won't set up correctly in the royal icing. I also prefer powdered over granulated because it dissolves fully and gives a more delicate crumb.
Can I freeze the cookie dough?
I freeze this dough all the time. I flatten it into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and store it in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. When I'm ready to bake, I thaw it overnight in the fridge. It rolls out and cuts just as well as fresh dough. This is my go-to move for holiday prep. I'll make the dough weeks ahead and bake whenever I'm ready.
Is the raw egg white in the royal icing safe?
I've been making royal icing with raw egg whites for years. Traditional royal icing recipes from the Food Network, NY Times, every bakery cookbook I own, they all use raw egg whites. As long as your eggs are fresh and from a quality source, the risk is extremely low. If you're not comfortable with that, I've had readers use meringue powder instead (about 2 teaspoons per egg white), though it adds a couple extra carbs. You can also pasteurize your egg whites in a sous vide pouch before using them.
How thin should I roll the dough for crispy vs. soft cookies?
I roll mine to about 1/4 inch for a softer cookie and 1/8 inch for a crispier one. The thinner version develops more of that golden, almost caramel color at the edges, and I think it gives better flavor overall. One of my readers, Ashley, noticed the same thing and now only rolls them thin. If you go the 1/8 inch route, watch the oven closely. They can go from golden to overdone in about a minute. I usually pull the thin ones at 7-8 minutes instead of the full 8-9.
Why did my royal icing turn out runny?
I've had this happen and it's almost always an egg size issue. My recipe is calibrated for large eggs, and if yours are extra-large, the extra white throws off the ratio. I crack my whites into a measuring cup first and aim for about 2 tablespoons per white. If you already mixed it and it's too thin, whisk in an extra tablespoon or two of powdered erythritol until it holds a line when you drag a spoon through it. Also make sure you're using powdered, not granulated. Granulated won't dissolve fully and leaves the icing grainy and loose.
I forgot what sugar cookies taste like. These reminded me.
Been wanting to try keto cut-out cookies forever but I'm out of coconut flour. Can I just up the almond flour, or does that 1/3 cup actually matter for texture?
The coconut flour is what keeps cut-outs from spreading. It soaks up way more moisture than almond flour, so without it the dough gets sticky and everything flattens out. Honestly, I'd wait until you have it. Or just bump up by 2-3 tablespoons of almond flour and chill the cut shapes 15 minutes before baking.
Confession: I rushed the dough chill the first time. Told myself 15 minutes in the freezer was the same as an hour in the fridge (it is not), and spent 20 minutes cursing at dough that kept tearing and folding back on itself. Did it properly the second time, full hour, and these cut clean and came out soft in the center. Genuinely good cookie. I just wish the instructions had a harder warning on the chill step. Skip it once and you'll know why.
15 minutes in the freezer doesn't cut it with this flour blend. The fats need the full hour or the dough tears. Adding a stronger warning to the chill step.
No coconut flour, so I threw in an extra 1/3 cup of almond flour instead. Honestly thought they might fall apart when I cut them, but they held fine. Center came out softer than probably intended, which I liked. Could be the flour swap, could be my oven. Happy accident either way.
Soft center makes sense. Coconut flour pulls in a lot of moisture, and without it the dough stays wetter through the whole bake. If you want to lean into it, try rolling a little thicker and pulling them when the edges just barely set.
Most keto sugar cookies I've tried have had this dense, waxy texture that tastes like eating the concept of a cookie rather than an actual one. I was making this out of curiosity more than hope. The cream of tartar with the baking soda looked unusual to me, I've never seen that pairing in a cookie before, but something about how the dough came together started changing my read on it. Actually rollable, actually cuttable, didn't crack coming off the parchment. The texture when baked is noticeably lighter than anything else I've made with almond flour. I don't know if it's the leavening combo or the coconut flour ratio but I'm going back through my other keto cookie recipes now and rethinking every single one.
Cream of tartar gives the baking soda something to react with. Without it you lose the lift and end up with that waxy, flat texture. I went back and reworked four of my other almond flour recipes after I figured out this ratio.
My daughter is seven and very opinionated about sugar cookies. She hovered the whole time I was rolling them out, asking me twice if they were 'real ones.' She took one bite and went quiet for a few seconds (for her that means she's actually thinking), then came back for another without saying a word. That's the most honest review I've gotten on anything I've made keto.
That second cookie without saying a word is the whole review. My kids do the same thing, I have to watch the tray.
Used the full 1/4 tsp of almond extract. That's what makes these actually taste like bakery cookies. Also: if the dough gets tacky while cutting, 5 minutes in the fridge fixes it.
Five batches in, and I only just tried adding the optional almond extract instead of skipping it. That quarter teaspoon changes everything. I have no idea why I kept leaving it out.
Five batches without it, and I get it. It reads as optional so people skip it. But it's what makes these taste like a real sugar cookie instead of just an almond flour cookie.
Started keto last fall and had basically written sugar cookies off until I made these and hit that crisp edge going into a soft center and now I'm having a moment.
That edge-to-center contrast is exactly what I was chasing when I was testing this. Roll to 1/8 inch next time if you want even more of it - the edges get almost caramel.
Brought these to my neighbor's cookout last weekend and someone thought I bought them from a bakery.
Bakery comment is what I always hope for. That 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract is the thing nobody can place but it's doing the work.
Triple batch for my daughter's class party next week. I really need the dough to work. Does refrigeration time need to go up when you're chilling that much at once? I doubled a keto cookie dough recipe before and it never firmed up enough to roll out. Really don't want to repeat that.
Split it into thirds and chill each one separately. One big mass doesn't chill through evenly, that's probably what got you last time. Overnight beats rushing it.
Brought these to a coworker's birthday cut into flower shapes and they held their form the whole drive over, though I'd roll them just a little thicker next time to get more of that soft center.
Yeah, 1/4 inch for the soft middle. Flower cutters are one of my favorites with this dough.
Four other keto sugar cookie recipes and not one rolled out without crumbling. This dough held together through the cutter and came out looking like actual cookies. Must be the coconut flour.
Yeah, you got it. Almond only doesn't hold. One thing that helps with clean edges too: refrigerate the cut shapes on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes before they go in the oven. Makes a difference when the kitchen runs warm.
Brought a batch to a spring bridal shower cut into little tulip shapes and people kept holding them up to photograph before eating, which for a keto cookie still kind of freaks me out.
Photo before eating is the actual compliment. Tulip cutters hold so clean with this dough.
I've been on keto for almost two years and somewhere along the way I just accepted that sugar cookies were gone. Not pizza, not bread, just this one specific thing my mom made every spring that I'd eat half a batch of before they cooled. Found this recipe on a Tuesday when the craving got bad enough that I figured I'd try even though I'd never baked with almond flour before. When I pulled them out of the oven, the centers were still soft and the edges had just a little crunch to them. I ate three standing at the counter before I thought to put any on a plate. The vanilla is exactly right, and that small amount of almond extract does something to the flavor I can't quite explain, but it's the part that made me think of her kitchen. I sent my mom a photo. Double batch next time and I'm not apologizing for it.
Sending her that photo is exactly why I kept testing this recipe until it felt right. And yeah, double batch. Not optional.