These Cinnamon Almond Flour Sugar Cookies are made with healthy fats, natural sugars, and gluten-free almond flour for simple to make paleo sugar cookies that will satisfy your sweet tooth with zero guilt! Make them ahead of time for holiday parties, cookie exchanges, and more.
Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice
It’s the best time of the year, y’all! Do you know what that means? Yep! It’s cookie season! With the holidays in full swing, there’s no better time to whip up a batch of the Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies, Brown Butter Snickerdoodles, or Vegan Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies. After all, who doesn’t love a fresh-baked cookie? They make the perfect homemade gift ideas and always hit the spot, especially when served with a cup of Mexican Spiked Hot Chocolate. However, while these recipes are all delicious, one of my all-time favorite desserts are sugar cookies!
Simple, sweet, and easy to make, they’re a classic recipe I never get tired of making (or eating). So, I decided to try my hand at creating a grain-free version that tastes just as good as the original and is a bit more healthy. Luckily, I think I nailed it with these almond flour sugar cookies! They’re perfectly soft and every bit as sweet as your favorite recipe.
Ingredients & Alternatives
Made with a simple base and rolled in sparkling cane sugar, you’re not going to believe how something so delicious can be made with such simple ingredients! Take a look below to find everything you’ll need for these paleo sugar cookies.
- Blanched Almond Flour – This flour is made by finely grinding almonds with their skins removed, resulting in a smooth, gluten-free alternative that’s perfect for baking. It gives cookies a light texture and a slightly nutty flavor while maintaining moisture. Using blanched almond flour also ensures an even, consistent finish in your baked goods.
- Arrowroot or Tapioca Flour – If you don’t have arrowroot or tapioca flour, you can use oat flour instead.
- Real Butter – Feel free to replace the butter with refined coconut oil. However, whichever option you choose, make sure they have been softened at room temperature!
- Coconut Sugar and Cane Sugar– For a low-sugar, low-carb option, replace the cane sugar with Monk fruit sugar. To keep this recipe Paleo friendly, use all coconut sugar.
- Room Temperature Egg – Eggs work as binders to hold the rest of the ingredients together while also adding protein and healthy fats!
- Pantry Staples – As with most cookies or baked goods, you’ll also need a few pantry staples such as baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.
How to Make Almond Flour Sugar Cookies
We wanted to make this almond flour cookie recipe more festive, similar to Christmas sugar cookies. So, we gave them a little glitter. Sugar glitter, that is. Keep reading to learn how these cookies come together!
- Sift. In a small bowl, sift together the almond flour, flour/starch, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, and cinnamon.
- Combine. Then, in a second bowl, combine the butter, sugars, and vanilla, beating them until they are creamy. Add in the egg, and beat the ingredients again.
- Mix. Working in batches, mix the flour mixture with the butter and egg mixture, beating the ingredients on low until they are creamy and smooth.
- Roll and Chill. Roll the formed dough into a ball, wrap it in silicone plastic wrap, and let it chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours.
- Form Balls. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls, and roll them in sparkling cane sugar.
- Bake. Arrange the balls of dough on a prepared baking sheet 1-2 inches apart, and let them bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-14 minutes.
- Cool. Once finished, allow the cookies to cool on the pan for at least 10 minutes, and enjoy!
Note: Baking times can vary depending on altitude, so it’s a good idea to start checking on the cookies after 10 minutes. A 10-minute bake will yield softer cookies, while baking for 12–13 minutes will give you crispier sugar cookies.
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Common Questions
The texture of these paleo sugar cookies is somewhere between crispy and chewy. They are slightly soft while maintaining a bit of a crunch. However, to soften them even more, you can wrap them in a moist paper towel and microwave them for 10 to 15 seconds. As a result, you will have super soft and warm almond flour cookies!
Yes, just make sure to chill the dough for 1 hour before rolling it out to form the cookies. If you don’t, the dough will become too soft to form into cookie shapes.
Yes! Unbaked dough can be wrapped and refrigerated for about a week. Or, you can scoop the dough into individual portions and freeze it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. When the dough is frozen, transfer it to an airtight container or freezer bag, and store it in the freezer for up to 2 to 3 months.
No. You don’t need to completely thaw the frozen dough. However, if frozen the frozen, the dough will take a few minutes longer to bake. Alternatively, to speed up the baking time you can place the dough on a baking sheet while you wait for the oven to preheat.
If your almond flour sugar cookies fall apart, it’s likely because you either used too much fat/butter or you aren’t letting them cool after baking. As they cool, they set and firm up creating a slightly crunchier cinnamon cookie. However, if you pick them up before they’ve cooled, they will crumble.
Almond Flour Sugar Cookies
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 18–24 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Cinnamon Spiced Almond Flour Cookies are the perfect grain free cookie for the holidays. These deliciously sweet cookies are made grain-free with almond flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and butter or coconut oil
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups blanched fine almond flour (around 250 grams)
- 2 Tablespoons arrowroot or tapioca flour (20 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 7 Tablespoons butter (or refined coconut oil), softened (room temperature)
- ⅔ cup coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup cane sugar (or sugar substitute)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg (room temperature)
- Sparkling cane sugar for rolling (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, sift together the almond flour, arrowroot flour/starch, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter with the coconut sugar and cane sugar. Beat the ingredients on medium speed until creamy and well blended.
- Add the vanilla extract and the room temperature egg to the sugar-butter mixture. Beat on low speed until fully incorporated.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in batches. Beat on low speed until the dough is smooth and well combined.
- Shape the dough into a ball using a silicone spatula and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1–2 hours.
- Once chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a cookie scoop, form the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in sparkling cane sugar if desired and place them on the prepared baking sheet about 1–2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10–13 minutes (adjust for altitude if needed) or until the cookies are golden brown. Check for doneness at 10 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Baking tips – A 10-minute bake will yield softer cookies, while baking for 12–13 minutes will give you crispier sugar cookies.
Batter Tips – If the batter is too sticky to shape into a ball, add ½ to 1 Tablespoon more arrowroot flour/starch. If the batter has not set after refrigerating, move it to the freezer for an additional 15 minutes or until firm enough to roll.
Substitutes – 20 grams of gluten-free oat flour may be substituted for arrowroot if grains are tolerated.
- Prep Time: 30 min
- chill time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 77
- Sugar: 8.2 g
- Sodium: 87.6 mg
- Fat: 4.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 9.1 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 0.4 g
- Cholesterol: 17.9 mg
These look great! Any idea how well pre-made balls of the dough would freeze for later baking?
Yes! You can scoop the dough into individual portions and freeze it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. When the dough is frozen, transfer it to an airtight container or freezer bag, and store it in the freezer for up to 2 to 3 months. You don’t need to thaw the frozen dough before baking. It will just take a few minutes longer to bake than the original recipe instructions. Thanks for the question, Angela! Happy baking!
Excellent. I don’t know why yours show up so light in color, mine pick up the darkness of the coconut sugar. These are my go to cookies on a (mostly) Paleo diet.
You can use coconut sugar or raw sugar. I used a mix of both. But glad yours worked out! Thanks for feedback Molly !
Hi there!
Would it still work if I used Virgin Coconit Oil instead of refined coconut oil?
It should but it will have more coconut taste. The extra virgin coconut oil just means the coconut flavor is pure and raw. Does that make sense?
It was so easy to follow. The cookies are amazing!
wonderful! So glad! thanks Mary
I’ll try to add some chocolate to such cookies. I already did this before, I liked it.
Mmm, great idea!
Can I substitute the butter with unsweetened applesauce?
I haven’t tried that yet. Let me know if you do! Or maybe try an almond butter or pumpkin.
Made a batch of these over the weekend and they were perfect! Loved the used of almond flour here!
Yaayy! So glad to hear that Suzy!
I loved these! Really amazing cookie recipe!
Yum! I’ve never used cassava flour, but you now have me excited to give it a try!
These were just the perfect cookies for my kiddos. I loved that you made them with coconut sugar.
These are perfect! I love that they are healthy too! My kids loved them!
I have been looking for a healthier sugar cookie and I am so happy I found this recipe! Thank you!
love the recipe! especially since it’s an almond flour recipe!
I searched for a recipe for coconut flour cinnamon cookies, and your recipe came up first. Sweet! I said. I have all those ingredients, so I began mixing according to your instructions. Little did I know, due to my own failure to read the entire blog and see that you didn’t even use coconut flour, my cookies would turn out to be dry and lifeless. Like I said, all my fault, but gosh why did your recipe get first on the list when it’s not even made with coconut flour?!
That is so strange! And I’m so sorry. What search did you put in google? Wish I could send cookies to make up for it
I searched coconut flour cinnamon cookies. It’s ok though, they taste amazing so I’m going to use them as a crumble to top ice cream. And to be honest, I pretty much suck at baking! I’ll try again sometime though!
Whoa! So simple thanks!
let me know if you try it dana!
End of first paragraph….WITH the guilt?!….I prefer these babies without!
haha, well you can enjoy WITHOUT guilt. I”m going to fix my grammar now. Sheesh, I need to edit better. thank for catching that!
Ahhh I love ALL the fall spices 🙂 I have never heard of cassava flour before. Thanks for the edu-ma-cation 😉
And I was nodding my head through this whole post, especially the part about suspending pumpkin recipes until October. You’re the best and I appreciate that. Also, these cookies though. Boom.
You’re motivating me to give Cassava Flour another chance, lol!
which brand did you try?
Otto’s sent me theirs…… Womp Womp. I should maybe give it another shot?
what did you make? all my recipes have involved egg and either butter or coconut butter and they taste awesome! not being bias haha. But I know you can’t have eggs. The naan recipe was easy and so good. no eggs or dairy in that.
I made a fail recipe and I think it was because of the flour – I need to try again and make something sweet with it… As for eggs, I am actually SLOWLY introducing them back into my life, nothing crazy, just one or two in baked recipes! 😮
I’ve never heard of cassava, but I am super intrigued. These cookies have my mouth watering!
Oh I bet you’d love
I love the simplicity of the recipe. I’m drooling right now!
I have had cassava, but not cassava flour. Love that it’s a 1:1 flour sub! For reals!
totally the best part! haha YES 1:1 simplicity
I still need to try Cassava flour.
I’ve been meaning to pick up some cassava flour, since I really miss baking without needing a ton of flours. I’m all about the pumpkin spice, so these sound amazing!
You’ve got me eager to try some grain-free baking! I always enjoy a good sugar cookie, especially when they feature cinnamon!
I would love to try some cassava flour, especially since I read in your post that it can be a 1:1 swap! I’m going to purchase some today!
You would love Dani! YOu should reach out to them! Really!
I never heard of this flour. You sparked my curiosity! And cookies are a good idea always.
Hey these look spectacular! Vegan option tu sub egg?
Thank you!!!
YOu might want to try my other almond flour cookies and add the spices. They are vegan. https://www.cottercrunch.com/almond-flour-cookies-vegan-paleo/
I love the little almond “flower” on top 😉 The “Fall” weather flowers we can enjoy, hahaha!
I have got to get my hands on cassava flour. And some cookies. Healthier cookies are what I need right now… balance… oy.
Another cotter crunch recipe going onto my boards! I kept thinking that these would be great for the holidays, don’t you agree?
No Starbucks on Nantucket so no pumpkin spice lattes…WAHOO! I am a big nutmeg fan…Happy Friday friend! XOXO
Totally with you on the “no pumpkin til October” thing!! These cookies look SO delicious! The perfect Friday treat for sure 🙂
Oh man cookies are seriously my fav. (One of my favs, who am I kidding?) These look lovely and so freaking cute with those little almond slivers! And coconut butter in cookies?! I am definitely going to have to try that. YUM!
These look so good! Have a great weekend my friend!
I love that you did all the tweaking for me! I’m totally making these! Also, hello — did you buy ALL the pumpkin at the 4points HEB because literally NON yesterday.
haha no, Randall’s still has it though. Probably for like $4 more. WHOA!
I totally jumped the gun on pumpkin in Sept, BUT I NEEDED IT. Just like I NEED these cookies. Sugar cookies are the bomb…so please send me these! Pinned!
you’re allowed.. because it was in a breakfast form. My exception! haha.
As I have a ish-ton of chickpea flour (yes, I know it isn’t cassava, but give it to me) I feel like these might need to be made by the bajillions.
oh i might do the same! i’ll try with chickpea and then we can have a cookie party! haha. OK?
I talked a little about jumping the gun with pumpkin in my post today! I can’t stay away though, when I see it all around me I just dive in. That said, by October I’m ready for a pumpkin break to build back up for T-day 🙂 These cookies are just about perfect for me – I haven’t tried Cassava flour yet, where have I been?
you need! want their info?
That would be awesome – thanks 🙂
I love ending the week with dessert–these cookies sound oh so delish. Have a great weekend lady!
you too friend! Mwah!