If you want to have your vegan cookie and eat it too, try these healthy and utterly easy vegan Almond Flour Cookies. They are gluten-free and they are naturally sweetened with dates. They are also divinely chewy, scented with cardamom and vanilla, and they go from start to finish in under 20 minutes.
These yummy almond flour cookies are very likely the easiest cookies you can make but you know that already if you've been one of the many Holy Cow Vegan readers who have baked them, and loved them, over the years. I've updated the recipe with new photos and text, including step-by-step photos and instructions.
The flavor and texture of these grain-free cookies is very different from other almond-flour-based cookies, like vegan amaretti cookies or these crispy and buttery almond cookies. But they are just as delicious. You won't be able to keep your hand out of the cookie jar!
You need just five ingredients to make these vegan cookies, and two of them -- the cardamom and the vanilla -- can be optional. There is no leavening agent needed, like baking soda or baking powder. The dough comes together in a food processor and best of all, the cookies are naturally but perfectly sweetened with dates.
This is a great lunchbox treat or after-school treat for your kids. But it's also the kind of cookie that you can reach out for again and again because there's nothing here that's not great for you. Now that's called having your cookie and eating it too!
Table of Contents
Why you'll love this vegan almond flour cookies recipe
- Healthy. It's not often that you can call a sweet treat healthy, but these cookies definitely are healthy, and more. The almond flour and dates bring with them lots of nutrients, including healthy protein and fiber. I've had readers tell me they have eaten the entire batch by themselves with no guilty side-effect afterwards!
- Absolutely delicious. There are no compromises with these vegan almond flour cookies. They taste exquisite and they are so chewy and satisfying.
- Easy recipe. This is a beginner-level easy recipe, and it is very hard to mess up. There is no need to separately mix wet ingredients and dry ingredients -- the dough comes together in a food processor in minutes. And shaping these cookies can't be easier.
- Soy-free and gluten-free. And they are dairy-free with no eggs, of course.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Finely ground almond flour. I use the one labeled "superfine almond flour". Coarse almond meal won't hold together as well, so if you are milling your own flour make sure you mill it to a very fine texture.
- Dates. I used deglet noor dates. If using medjool dates, which are sweeter, you can used fewer. If you don't want to use dates, use 3 tablespoons of pure maple syrup. You can also use an equal quantity of coconut sugar, brown sugar or turbinado sugar, but make sure you process the sugar first to break it down before adding the other ingredients.
- Extra virgin olive oil. You can also use virgin coconut oil. The flavor of coconut oil pairs really well with cardamom in desserts.
- Ground cardamom. This is an optional ingredient, but you can add it for a wallop of exquisite yum. Just ¼th of a teaspoon -- what you'd get from about four green cardamom pods -- is enough.
- Pure vanilla extract. This is also optional, but it adds more great flavor to these divine cookies.
How to make vegan almond flour cookies
Soak dates in warm water for at least 30 minutes.
Drain all water and process the dates in a food processor until the dates have broken down into small pieces. You don't need to puree the dates, but there should be no large pieces.
Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor--almond flour, olive oil, salt and the optional vanilla and ground cardamom.
Process until the dough comes together.
Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll each piece into a smooth ball. Place on a cookie sheet at least an inch apart.
Create a decorative pattern by pressing down on the cookie with the tines of a fork.
Turn the fork at a right angle and press down again to create a cross-hatch pattern. This will also flatten the cookies a bit.
Bake in a preheated 350-degree Fahrenheit/180-degree Celsius oven for 12-14 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Let the cookies cool for five minutes then, using a spatula, transfer them to a wire rack. Let them cool thoroughly before eating.
Helpful tips
- If you don't have a food processor, puree the dates coarsely in a blender and then mix with the other ingredients in a bowl using a spatula. Make sure you strain out all the water from the dates before adding to the processor!
- If you want to reduce the number of dates in the recipe for cookies that are less sweet, you might want to add a little bit of water to make sure the dough holds together. Process to make the dough and then add water only if necessary.
- You can line the baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly coat it with oil. Otherwise the cookies will sometimes need a nudge with a spatula to get them off the cookie sheet.
- For cookies that have more of a shortbread cookie texture with crispier edges, bake 14 minutes. The cookies will become chewier as they stand, however.
- The cookies will be soft when they come out of the oven, but they will firm up as they cool. Resist the urge to leave them in for too long as you could end up with dry cookies.
- You can try a few flavor variations with these cookies. For instance, to make thumbprint cookies with this recipe, flatten the cookie dough ball a bit with your fingers, then press into the dough with your thumb instead of a fork. Fill the center with chocolate chips, peanut butter or your favorite fruit jam and bake.
Storage instructions
- Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight jar for up to a week. You can also refrigerate them for up to two weeks.
- Store the cookies in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw before eating.
More yummy vegan cookie recipes
Love these vegan almond flour cookies? Check out more vegan gluten-free desserts on Holy Cow Vegan!
Vegan Almond Flour Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup superfine almond flour
- ¾ cup deglet noor dates (if you use Medjool dates, you might want to scale down to half the amount because they are sweeter)
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt (pink salt or sea salt preferred)
Instructions
- Soak dates in warm water for at least 30 minutes.
- Drain and process the dates in a food processor until they have broken down into very small pieces. You don't need to puree the dates, but there should be no large pieces.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor--almond flour, olive oil, salt and the optional vanilla and ground cardamom. Process until the dough comes together.
- Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll each piece into a smooth ball. Place on a cookie sheet at least an inch apart. Create a decorative pattern by pressing down on the cookie with the tines of a fork. Turn the fork at a right angle and press down again to create a cross-hatch pattern. This will also flatten the cookies a bit.
- Bake in a preheated 350-degree Fahrenheit/180-degree Celsius oven for 12-14 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Let the cookies cool for five minutes then, using a spatula, transfer them to a wire rack. Let them cool thoroughly before eating.
Recipe notes
- If you don't have a food processor, puree the dates coarsely in a blender and then mix with the other ingredients in a bowl using a spatula. Strain out all water from the dates before adding to the processor!
- For cookies that have crispier edges, bake 14 minutes.
- The cookies will be soft when they come out of the oven, but they will firm up as they cool. Resist the urge to leave them in for too long as you could end up with dry cookies.
- To make thumbprint cookies with this recipe, flatten the cookie dough ball a bit with your fingers, then press into the dough with your thumb instead of a fork. Fill the center with melted chocolate or your favorite fruit jam and bake.
- Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week. You can also refrigerate them for up to two weeks.
- Freeze the cookies for up to three months. Thaw before eating.
Carolyn Smith Moorman
Made these for the 2nd time! The directions are "spot on!" I prefer coconut oil to olive oil. Other than this, I follow the directions. Perfection! Thank you!
kay
I'm having a problem with this recipe converting from metric to US. It says 1 cup almond flour, converting to 236 grams, which is almost 2 1/2 cups. Which is correct?
I am so excited to try this recipe and am looking forward to making it.
Vaishali
It's 100 grams. The automatic converter messed it up. Corrected now.
Joyce
What could I substitute for the oil?
Vaishali
The cookies will be rather dry without any oil. Keeping that in mind, you can use applesauce or vegan yogurt in the same quantity.
Linda Sturtevant
How much sugar and dates?
Vaishali
3/4 cup deglet noor dates. Recipe card has all the ingredient quantities.
Gina
These sound divine, involving some of the flavors of one of my favorite dessert cuisines--Moroccan: almond, date, cardamom. Really look forward to making these asap. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Vaishali
Didn’t think of it at the time but you are right - these do sound like Moroccan flavors. 😍
Prachi Gokhale
I just made the cookies, turned out really good. I had the dates and almond flour since long but had no idea how I can use them. I am glad, I could use the dates and almond flour in such a cute and healthy way! I am gonna make them more. thank you Vaishali.
Vaishali
Hi Prachi, so happy you loved the cookies.
KathyRae
These cookies turned out perfect for me… And exactly 12 dates… I thought surely it’s not going to really be 12 dates but it actually was!
I also used almond butter instead of the olive oil… And I will definitely make these again! Yum 😋
Sarah
Hi I’m using medjool dates to make this recipe. I took your advice and used half the portion; however I was only able to make 6 cookies. Is that what you meant?
Vaishali
Hi Sarah, you probably made the cookies bigger. These are meant to be pretty small. You would get fewer cookies with medjool dates, but not by half.
Sarah
Thanks for the response! I think by using half the medjool dates the cookie ended up drier and easier to fall apart. Should I add more oil to make it more moist?
Vaishali
You can add oil or try applesauce.
Vaishali
😀 Hi KathyRae, Yep, it works like magic! So happy you loved the cookies!
Jessica
Thank you so much for this recipe! I am pregnant and have been instructed by my midwife to eat dates daily to help with labor and delivery. I never thought I would find such a delicious and healthy way to do so. I am eating low carb as well so the almond flour is perfect for me!
Vaishali
Jessica, so happy to hear! And congratulations. ❤️
Anne
Hi! I was wondering if you could use date syrup instead of the soaked dates and if so, how much you’d suggest using. Thanks
Vaishali
Hi Anne, it's hard to suggest as I haven't used date syrup in these, but I'd say about a fourth of a cup, as it's more concentrated? Taste the dough and add more if you feel it's necessary.
Anne Valentino
I'm cutting out white flour and sugar to try to reduce inflammation in my joints and these cookies are a wonderful treat! The flavor reminded me of (much more complex to make) mamoul date cookies and they would be wonderful alongside a cup of coffee or tea.
Very quick and easy to make and could easily be adapted for variety with different flavorings, fruit, or nuts - this one is going in my recipe book. Thank you for the recipe!
Vaishali
Yay, so happy you loved them! And yes, they would work with many flavorings. 🙂
Danielle
This was surprisingly so delicious!! Word of warning to whoever cooks them in an air fryer though - bake them for around 8 minutes as they came out burnt for me (I'm talking brown/black haha) when I'd set the timer for 14 minutes. They still came out tasty and edible though - in fact they gave the cookies a nice crunch! Thank you for this recipe.
Vaishali
Hi Danielle, good tips about making these in the air fryer. So happy you loved them!
Kit
Can I omit the 3 tbsp olive oil or sub it with almond butter?
Thanks
Anonymous
I used almond butter and they were great! Will try aquafaba instead next time.
Vaishali
So happy to hear!
Kristine
How much almond butter ?
Vaishali
You can use almond butter but just be advised that the cookies might be a bit more dense and dryer.
Andrea
Absolutely amazing! Easy to make and felt healthy while Store being delicious and indulgent. I did use avocado oil instead of olive oil. I’m not sure if it was the substitution and oil, but I felt that I probably could’ve used a little less oil the next time. I will definitely be making these again!
Vaishali
Awesome! So happy to hear Andrea.
Camille
Just made with dried blueberries dried cranberries coconut flour, dash of lemon and cinnamon, great substitution details for great recipe
Vaishali
Sounds so delicious!
Victoria Bogdanos
Insanely easy and delicious! I just made them today and love the end result. Moist on the inside, slightly crunchy on the outside. I pressed a whole pecan in the center before baking...took the already great recipe up a notch. A++!
Vaishali
Yay! Thanks Victoria and so glad you enjoyed the cookies.
Kate
Hi there. Very excited to make these! If I'm using only 6 medjool dates instead of 12, do I halve all of the other ingredients as well? Thanks!
Vaishali
No since medjool dates are sweeter they should be enough. You might want to add a dash of applesauce if the cookies don't hold together.
Anonymous
Made using 5 medjool dates, coconut oil, 1 t lemon extract and 1/2 t vanilla extract....and added some unsweetened coconut that I pulsed finely into food processor before doing dates! Amazing this way and amazing using the original recipe. Thanks for providing a great starting point...now I can play around with flavors!
Vaishali
Sounds delicious!
Anonymous
I made these with soaked and Unsoaked dates and I preferred the unsoaked dates actually; they were more chewy and easier to roll into balls. Awesome recipe. Have been recommending it to everyone!
Vaishali
So happy to hear, and thanks!
Anonymous
Wow these were amazing. I used virgin coconut oil instead of olive and topped each cookie with 3 slivered almonds before baking. Fulfilled my craving for something sweet!
Vaishali
Yep, they just hit the spot don't they? So happy you loved them.
Hiral
These are delicious! I've made them a few times now with the original flavor and love them. But today I made couple of changes since not everyone in my family is a fan of cardamom like I am, I used half almond flour and half coconut flour and instead of cardamom, I used orange zest! They came out yummy! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Vaishali
Yay, so happy you loved them Hiral!
Raf
I am not a fan or cardamom can I use something else for flavour? Would chocolate nibbs work?
Vaishali
Yes!
Anonymous
I just discovered it. This cookie recipe is great. I cannot stop eating them. Thanks.
Vaishali
So happy you like it!
Edith Tsacle
This sounds wonderful. I would like to use regular flour instead of GF. What changes would I have to make to the recipe?
Thank you.
J Moss
what can I use in place of the oil? We do not use oil of any kind.
Vaishali
You can sub an equal quantity of applesauce.
fam
Hey Vaishali. I'd like to thank you for posting this wonderful recipe! Ive been up seaching for a sugar free, sweetener free, gluten free, wheat free and dairy free cookie or biscuit. They're for my mumm who can't have any of what I've just mentioned, its extremely hard of find the perfect recipe as every receptive searched or store-bought contains one or another of the mentioned list. Im completely ecstatic and cannot wait to show her, tea time is getting more interesting now. Id love to know, do you by any chance have more of these recipes you'd like to share? something that shell be able to dunk in tea, she loves it. Once again, thanks so much for sharing.
Nitza
Thanks for sharing your recipe, they look delicious, I can't wait to prepare them.
I love to use Ghee in my cooking. Would the recipe still work if I substitute Olive Oil with Ghee?
Many thanks! ????
Renu
Hi v,
I'm new to the vegan world. Both my son's, who are twins, have turned vegan, and it breaks my Indian mom heart that ghee, dahi and paneer are no longer on their list. I make almond milk for them and am left with a whole lot of almond pulp..
How do I modify the recipe to incorporate almond pulp instead of almond meal? And yet get crisp cookies?
CJ
You can dehydrate the almond pulp, then give it a whizz in the blender to turn it into almond flour. You may need to add extra liquid to your recipe, as I find it to be drier than regular almond flour. If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can use your oven on a very low setting.
Jenn
Do you think it would be possible to use maple syrup instead of the dates? Thanks!
Vaishali
Yes!
Mathangi
Hi Vaishali,
Your cookies look so delectable. Would it work if I substitute coconut oil instead of the extra virgin olive oil?
Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Vaishali
Coconut oil would be fine!
Deepa
Hi Vaishali-
Thanks for sharing the recipe. I tried them for Christmas however the cookies came out really soft rather than crunchy. They were more like ladoos, no matter how much i baked them, the only thing that changed was color and not texture. I want to try them again but not sure what i should do differently. I used 12 mejdool dates - shall i try with 6 as you mentioned to reduce the quantity if using Mejdool dates? I really love the fact that these are naturally sweetened with the goodness of dates so I don't want to give up yet.
Thanks again!
-Deepa
Vaishali
Hi Deepa, these have the texture of shortbread so they are supposed to be crumbly, not crunchy. They should get slightly crispy around the edges and should remain soft but crumbly in the center.
MG
Thank you for the excellent recipe ! I made these for my 22 month old grandkid since the recipe has no sugar in it . Her mom and dad are adamant about not giving any sugar other than in its natural form so I am so glad I found this recipe. Hope the baby will like it when I give it to her tomorrow. Thanks again !
Vaishali
MG, so happy you made these!
Gloria
Not everyone has a food processor. Please share both ways- with and without food processor. Thank you gloria noto
Vaishali
Gloria, see recipe notes.
JN
I made these yesterday as I was craving for sweet BUT healthy and also because the recipe looked so simple. These are GREAT! I had to stop myself from eating more. Thank you for posting a recipe that needs so few ingredients and so easy to make. Cannot get over the flavor!!!
Vaishali
JN, The flavor is pretty awesome with those dates and cardamom. So glad you tried. Thanks for your feedback!
Sarah
Hi Vaishali, I marched into the kitchen the minute your recipe dropped in my email and made these. They are so good, I swear I would have eaten the whole thing if not for my kids beating me to it. Thank you for another amazing recipe.
Vaishali
Sarah, that's lovely to know. So happy you tried the cookies!