Thin & Crispy Almond Flour Sugar Cookies (healthy, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free)

With only nine ingredients these vegan almond flour sugar cookies are dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, and a tasty way to celebrate! These healthy sugar cookies with almond flour come out thin, slightly crispy, and extremely light. They're a wonderful vegan sugar cookie for kids and can be sprinkled with sugar on top or iced if you want to dress them up.

Perfect for the Holidays (like these Hazelnut healthy sugar cookies), this vegan, almond four sugar cookies make a tasty but light indulgence.

While I try to scale back sugar and processed food with my kiddos (check out these simple swaps to cut sugar!), there is a bit more intake during Christmas. Hence, these healthy sugar cookies with almond flour are a great way to let them indulge without it being over the top.

We love these almond flour sugar cookies because:

• the base of the cookies is loaded with healthy fats to act as a stabilizer
• there's minimal processed sugar in them
• they're light and won't leave you feeling bloated
• getting the kids in the kitchen to help me make them is fun

The healthy sugar cookies are also freaking delicious when crumbled over cashew ice cream topped with my caramel magic shell recipe. Just sayin' 😉

Don't want to read? JUMP to the recipe!

Do The Almond Flour Sugar Cookies Hold Together?

I'll be the first to admit that these vegan sugar cookies are finicky. They do hold together (this is why it is especially important to let the dough sit in the fridge and bind) but they're thin.

For this reason, the best way to keep them from falling apart between the time you use a cookie cutter and getting them to a baking tray is to use a silicone spatula to lift them.

Do not try to pick them up with your hands either until they're fully cooled. They come out of the oven soft and need time to firm up.

Why They Are Great For Kids & Toddlers

These vegan sugar cookies are perfect for kiddos because they contain far less sugar per cookies than your standard sugar cookie recipe. 

When my daughter was very young (around 18m-2) I would also skip topping them with additional sugar and leave them as is. This means that there were only two tablespoons of sugar and one teaspoon of maple syrup in the entire batch.

Being that there are so many unhealthy options around the Holidays, I make sure to have a stash of these on hand to bring with me so that my girls have a healthier choice when needed.

Likewise, my girls also love making them with me and I love having them in the kitchen! They may not be the beeessssstttt helper but they learn a ton about food and thinks it's awesome to "help mommy".

I personally love bringing a tray of these with me to Christmas dinners because they’re a delicious but light dessert. And who doesn’t love sugar cookies? Though, these pine tree cookies are super cute too!

Topping The Cookies

In an effort to keep these sugar cookies healthy, I simply sprinkle a bit of extra sugar on top to give them some texture.

On the other hand, I have yet to try icing the sugar cookies. That said, they are very thin and delicate. This means, if you are going to use icing, I would do it with a piping bag and not a utensil. I don't think that trying to "spread" the icing on would work very well.

Do They Puff Up?

No. Given that there's no baking powder in these sugar cookies with almond flour they do not puff up. After you use your cookie cutter and transfer them to the baking tray, they will mostly stay the same shape.

Icing The Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

Now, to be honest, icing isn't really my thing. As a busy mom, I don't have time to make the sugar cookies look like little trains with different colors or whatnot. If you want to ice your gluten-free sugar cookies traditionally, you'll want to make royal icing and color it.

Royal icing is still dairy-free and gluten-free but it is LOADED with sugar. In contrast, you'll notice that this gluten-free sugar cookie recipe is actually not that sugar dense. Sweet but not sugar-based. Likewise, I also do my best to use natural sugars (honey and maple syrup) when I can. Thus, royal icing is not something I would use.

However, there is another option!

I've been whipping up a super speedy, dairy-free icing recipe that I find is working really well. I love it because:

• there are only three ingredients (color aside)
• it hardens just like "normal" icing
• slightly less sugar dense

Dairy-Free Sugar Cookie Icing Recipe

If you want to "fancy-up" the gluten-free sugar cookie recipe and give it some icing, this dairy-free sugar cookie icing recipe is perfect. It's made from coconut milk powder which is a great healthy fat. Thus, it's dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan. 

Nevertheless, some coconut milk powders contain sugar so take a peek at the back of the ingredients! I personally use one without added sugar.

For the sugar cookie icing simply whisk together:

• 5 tbs coconut milk powder
• 2 tbs coconut oil (measured solid and then melted)
• 2 tbs cane sugar

First, heat the coconut oil and ensure there are no clumps in the coconut milk powder. Then, mix together all the ingredients until ultra-smooth. Finally, place the sugar cookie icing into a plastic bag, cut the corner, and pipe it on!

Such a simple alternative to anything fancy and much, MUCH, healthier.

Color Options For The Sugar Cookie Icing

Again, I'm not overly fancy when it comes to decorating cakes, cookies, or cupcakes! But one thing is for sure, I do my best not the negative effects of food dyes to use traditional coloring options (read more about ). If I want to color the sugar cookie icing I use:

• a tiny bit of beet powder (it makes everything pink)
• crushed EnergyBits tablets (a light green, use code mamabear to save some money and learn more about why these tabs are a staple in my diet!)
• Blue spirulina powder

Regarding this, I find that you only need a tiny bit of the powders (¼ teaspoon ish) to get a nice light color. But again, use what you're comfortable with!

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

• Mixing bowls
• Silicone spatula
• Baking sheets
• Measuring spoons
• Cookie Cutters

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Healthy Almond Flour Sugar Cookies

Fit as a Mama Bear

These almond meal sugar cookies are light and delicious! Easy to make and healthy to munch on. They're a vegan sugar cookie recipe that's perfect for kids.

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

1 hr 30 mins

Total Time 1 hr 45 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 10 cookies

Calories 91 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ¾ cups almond meal
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon coconut flour
• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil measured solid
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon cane sugar for dusting

Instructions

 

• Combine the first six ingredients together in a bowl.
• Melt the coconut oil in a shallow dish and combine the wet ingredients.
• Pour wet into dry and mix until everything looks somewhat wet. You need to really stir.
  
• Place the mixture into saran wrap and mold into a tight ball. Place in the fridge for 60 minutes.
  
• Pre heat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Let the mixture thaw 3-5 minutes then place the ball between two pieces of parchment paper and roll until ¼ inch thick.
• Use a cookie cutter to make desired shapes. The cookies are extremely soft and delicate so use a spatula to lift and palace on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
  
• Sprinkle the top of the cookies with the cane sugar
• Bake for 10 minutes.
• Remove and let sit on the tray for 30 minutes to firm up.

Notes

Makes 9-11 cookies depending on the mold.

Store the healthy sugar cookies in an airtight container on the counter.

Note: you can grab all these ingredients from my Pantry Staples.

Nutrition breakdown does not include icing.

Nutrition

Calories: 91kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 36mgPotassium: 20mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gCalcium: 26mgIron: 1mg

Keyword almond flour, christmas cookies, dairy free sugar cookies, gluten free sugar cookies

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These healthy, light, gluten-free sugar cookies make the perfect addition to a Holiday party. They contain healthy ingredients, are easy to make and you can customize the shapes based on preference. Have your kids get involved in making them and let them roll, cut, and of course, lick their fingers 😉 With this sugar cookies recipe, you get all the benefits of almonds while still enjoy cookie deliciousness!