These almond butter cookies have crumbly edges, tender middles, and a sweet, nutty flavor. A sprinkle of flaky sea salt takes them over the top!

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This almond butter cookies recipe was a happy accident. The first time I made it, I had one of my I-need-a-cookie-and-I-need-it-now cravings, and I headed to the kitchen to see what I could do about it. I found all the ingredients to my vegan peanut butter cookie recipe – sugar, flour, baking powder, you know the drill. All the ingredients, that is, except for one: peanut butter! Would almond butter work in its place?

YES! As soon as I tried these cookies, I wondered, “Why haven’t I been making almond butter cookies all along?” They have crumbly edges, thick, tender middles, and a sweet and nutty flavor. If you’re looking for a last-minute holiday cookie recipe, I think this one would be perfect. It’s quick and easy to make (no chilling required!), and the cookies are absolutely delicious. But if you don’t get to them today, don’t worry. These almond butter cookies are a yummy anytime treat.

Almond Butter Cookies Recipe Ingredients

Ready to bake? Here’s what you’ll need:

Almond butter, of course! It fills the cookies with rich, nutty flavor. Be sure to use creamy – not crunchy – almond butter for this recipe.
Ground flaxseed and water – They replace an egg, helping the cookie dough bind. As a result, these almond butter cookies are totally vegan!
All-purpose flour – Make sure to spoon and level the flour for this recipe. This method yields a lighter cup of flour than one that’s scooped straight from the bag or jar. These cookies have a stiff dough, so a precise flour measurement is crucial. If your cups of flour are too heavy, the dough will be dry and difficult to work with.
Baking powder and baking soda – They help the cookies rise.
Coconut oil – For richness! Make sure your coconut oil is soft, but not melted, for this recipe.
Granulated sugar and brown sugar – They make the cookies lightly sweet.
Vanilla extract – It gives the almond butter cookies warm depth of flavor.
And sea salt – I add fine sea salt to the dough and sprinkle flaky sea salt on top. They make the cookies’ sweet, nutty flavor pop!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Almond Butter Cookies

This almond butter cookies recipe is super easy to make! Here’s how it goes:

First, make the flax egg. In a small bowl, stir together the flaxseed and water, and set the mixture aside for 5 minutes to thicken.

Meanwhile, combine the wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and the wet ingredients in a large one. Stir the flaxseed mixture into the bowl of wet ingredients.

Then, pour the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients…

…and stir to combine. The dough will be stiff! If it’s too dry and crumbly to work with, add water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until it’s just cohesive.

Then, shape the cookies. Use a 2-inch cookie scoop to portion the dough, and roll it into balls with your hands. Place the balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Press each ball down slightly. Then, use a fork to decorate each cookie with a cross-hatch pattern, flattening it more in the process.

Finally, bake! Sprinkle the cookies with flaky sea salt (optional, but recommended), and bake for 12 to 13 minutes at 350°. After you remove them from the oven, let them cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Almond Butter Cookies Recipe Tips

Use smooth, runny almond butter. This recipe will not work if your almond butter is dry or stiff. Make sure that it’s well-stirred and that it doesn’t have any lumps or chunks. If you store your almond butter in the fridge, allow it to sit at room temperature for an hour before making this recipe. You want it to be as runny as possible!
Add water if you need to. If your cookie dough is on the dry side, don’t worry! That’s how it should be for this recipe. However, if it’s too dry to work with, don’t hesitate to moisten it. Add water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until it’s just cohesive and you’re able to shape it into cookies.
Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet. If you’re anything like me, you’re going to want to devour these cookies as soon as they come out of the oven! But hold off if you can. They’re very delicate at first. As they cool on the baking sheet, they firm up and take on their yummy crumbly texture. Their flavor gets better too!
Freeze the extras (if you have any!). These almond butter cookies freeze perfectly! If you have any extras, pop them in an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze them for up to 2 months. I love keeping a stash on hand for whenever a cookie craving strikes.

More Favorite Cookie Recipes

If you love these almond butter cookies, try one of these yummy cookie recipes next:

Almond Butter Cookies

rate this recipe:

4.80 from 24 votes

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 12

Serves 20

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These almond butter cookies are a yummy anytime treat! For the best results, use really smooth, runny almond butter in this recipe.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
3 tablespoons water
1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup coconut oil, soft but not melted
½ cup cane sugar
½ cup brown sugar
¾ cup well-stirred creamy natural almond butter*
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Flaky sea salt, optional, for sprinkling

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine the flaxseed and water and set aside to thicken for 5 minutes.
In a medium bowl, combine the (spooned and leveled) flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, combine the coconut oil, cane sugar, brown sugar, almond butter, and vanilla. Stir in the flaxseed mixture and mix well.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. The dough should be on the dry side. If it’s too dry and crumbly to work with, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it comes together.
Scoop dough using a 2-inch cookie scoop and roll into balls with your hands. Flatten slightly and place on the baking sheet. Use a fork to make cross-hatch marks. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired.
Bake for 12 to 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

*Look for creamy almond butter with a smooth consistency to make this recipe, not the dry, stiff stuff that you might find at the bottom of a jar. Even when your nut butter is runny, this recipe makes a stiff cookie dough. If your almond butter is too dry, the dough may crack, and it will be difficult to form cohesive cookies. This recipe was tested with 365 natural creamy almond butter.

Tip: If you store your almond butter in the fridge, allow it to sit at room temperature for an hour before making this recipe.