These 2 ingredient almond flour cookies are soft, lightly chewy, and made without eggs or butter. You only need almond flour and syrup for the basic dough, plus a little vanilla if you like. Stir everything together in one bowl, scoop, flatten, and bake.
Some days I want homemade cookies without pulling half the pantry onto the counter. This is the kind of recipe I turn to then. The almond flour gives the cookies a rich, almost buttery flavor, even though there’s no butter in the dough.
- Why You’ll Love These Almond Flour Cookies
- Are These Really 2 Ingredient Cookies?
- Are These Almond Flour Cookies Keto?
- Ingredients and Substitutions
- How to Make 2 Ingredient Almond Flour Cookies
- My Best Tips for Perfect Almond Flour Cookies
- Easy Flavor Variations
- How to Store 2 Ingredient Cookies
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
- 2 Ingredient Almond Flour Cookies
I love them with coffee, and they’re simple enough to make when I want something sweet without much preparation. If you enjoy recipes with a short ingredient list, my 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies are another one to try.
Why You’ll Love These Almond Flour Cookies
- Just 2 ingredients for the base. Vanilla and other add-ins are optional.
- No mixer needed. A bowl and spoon are enough to bring the dough together.
- Made without eggs or butter. The almond flour provides richness, while the syrup adds sweetness and moisture.
- Soft with lightly golden edges. Let them cool before taking a bite so they have time to firm up.
- Easy to customize. Keep them plain or add a little cinnamon, vanilla, or chocolate.
Are These Really 2 Ingredient Cookies?
Yes. The dough is almond flour + maple syrup, nothing else. I like to add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract because it makes them taste more like a classic cookie, but it’s optional. Leave it out and you have truly 2 ingredient almond flour cookies. Add it and you have 3, and I won’t tell anyone.
Are These Almond Flour Cookies Keto?
No, and I’d rather tell you straight. Maple syrup is real sugar, so each cookie lands at roughly 11g net carbs. They’re a good simple, gluten-free, dairy-free cookie, but they’re not a strict keto treat. If you’re counting carbs closely, these are my low-carb picks instead: Keto Butter Cookies, Keto Pecan Cookies, and Flourless Chocolate Cookies.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Blanched almond flour: Buy finely ground, blanched almond flour (the superfine kind). Almond meal, the one with brown flecks, makes gritty, crumbly cookies. Measure by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off. Packed flour = dry cookies.
- Pure Maple Syrup: This adds sweetness and moisture, helping the almond flour come together without eggs or butter. I recommend using real maple syrup for the best results. Sugar-free alternatives may behave differently, so I can’t guarantee the same texture if you swap them.
- Vanilla Extract (Optional): I like adding a little vanilla because it makes the cookies taste even better, but you can leave it out to keep this a true two-ingredient recipe.
How to Make 2 Ingredient Almond Flour Cookies
Prepare the Baking Sheet
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Make the Cookie Dough
Add the almond flour and syrup to a mixing bowl, along with the vanilla if you’re using it.
Stir until no dry pockets of flour remain. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky, but thick enough to hold a mound when scooped.
Scoop and Flatten
Divide the dough into 12 equal portions and place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between them.
Gently flatten each portion with your fingers or the back of a spoon. These cookies don’t spread much, so shape them before baking and keep them an even thickness.
If the dough sticks to your fingers, place a small piece of parchment paper over each cookie before pressing it down.
Bake Until Lightly Golden
Bake for 12–15 minutes, checking at 12 minutes. The edges should be lightly golden, and the cookies should look set on top.
The shorter baking time gives softer cookies. Slightly thinner cookies baked toward the longer end of the range will have firmer edges. Watch them closely rather than waiting for the entire cookie to turn brown.
Let Them Cool
This step is important! The cookies will be quite soft when they first come out of the oven, so don’t try to move them right away.
Let them cool on the baking sheet until they’re firm enough to lift, then transfer them carefully to a wire rack.
They’ll continue to firm up as they cool, giving you that lovely soft center without falling apart.
My Best Tips for Perfect Almond Flour Cookies
Let them cool before tasting. I know it’s tempting to grab one straight from the oven, but they’re delicate while warm. Giving them time to cool makes them much easier to handle.
Use finely ground almond flour. This makes a big difference in the texture. Coarse almond meal can make the cookies feel gritty and more likely to crumble.
Pay attention to the dough. It should be soft and a little sticky, but not runny. Different brands of almond flour and syrup may give slightly different results.
Don’t skip flattening the cookies. Unlike traditional cookies, these won’t spread much while baking. If you leave them in balls, they’ll stay quite thick.
Watch the edges, not just the timer. Start checking at 12 minutes. You want lightly golden edges, not dark brown cookies.
Easy Flavor Variations
I like how simple these are plain, but you can add a little extra flavor if you want:
- Chocolate: Fold in a small handful of chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. My homemade sugar-free chocolate chips work great.
- Cinnamon: Add a pinch to the dough.
- Citrus: Try a little finely grated orange or lemon zest.
- Almond: A few drops of almond extract bring out the nutty flavor.
- Salt: A small pinch balances the sweetness.
Keep the additions modest so the dough still holds together. If you need the cookies to stay dairy-free, check the chocolate label.
How to Store 2 Ingredient Cookies
Let the cookies cool completely before storing them.
- At room temperature: Keep them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- In the refrigerator: Store them in an airtight container for up to 1 week. They’ll become a little firmer when chilled, so I like to let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before enjoying.
These cookies are quite soft, so I recommend placing parchment paper between layers if you’re stacking them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use sugar-free maple syrup?
You may be able to use a sugar-free maple-flavored syrup, but the results will depend on the brand and ingredients. Some sugar-free syrups are thinner than regular maple syrup, while others behave differently during baking.
Can I use honey instead of maple syrup?
Honey may work as an alternative because it also adds sweetness and moisture, but it can change the flavor, consistency, and browning of the cookies. I haven’t verified this substitution for this exact recipe, so I can’t promise identical results.
Can I use coconut flour instead of almond flour?
Not in the same amount. Coconut flour absorbs much more liquid, so this two-ingredient dough would need to be reformulated. If that’s the flour you have, try my coconut flour cookies instead.
Can I replace the syrup with granulated sweetener?
Not directly. The syrup supplies moisture as well as sweetness. A dry sweetener won’t bring the almond flour together in the same way.
Why is my dough too sticky to shape?
A little stickiness is normal, and you can scoop the dough rather than rolling it by hand. Let it rest briefly, then flatten the portions through a piece of parchment paper.
If the dough is loose enough to run or spread on its own, check your measurements and the syrup you used before adding more flour.
They may have been moved before they cooled enough to hold together. Let them rest longer on the baking sheet before lifting them. Too much almond flour or overbaking can also make them crumbly.
Are These Almond Flour Cookies Sugar-Free?
No. These cookies are made with pure maple syrup, which naturally contains sugar. While there’s no white or brown sugar added to the dough, they’re not sugar-free or keto-friendly. Each cookie has approximately 11g net carbs.
More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
- Almond Flour Cranberry Orange Cookies
- Flourless Chocolate Cookies
- Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough
- Keto Thumbprint Cookies
You can also browse my collection of 30+ Keto Cookie Recipes for even more baking inspiration.
2 Ingredient Almond Flour Cookies
Description
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 180°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the almond flour, maple syrup, and vanilla extract, if using, to a large mixing bowl.
- Mix until a soft, slightly sticky cookie dough forms and no dry almond flour remains.
- Use a medium cookie scoop to portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each cookie.
- Gently flatten each dough ball using your fingers or the back of a spoon. The cookies won’t spread much while baking.
- Bake for about 12 minutes for softer cookies or up to 15 minutes for firmer cookies with crispier edges. The edges should be lightly golden.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before carefully transferring them to a cooling rack.
- Allow them to cool completely before serving. The cookies will firm up more as they cool.
Notes
- The basic recipe only requires almond flour and maple syrup. Vanilla extract is optional.
- Use finely ground blanched almond flour rather than coarse almond meal for the best texture.
- The cookies don’t spread much while baking, so flatten them to your desired thickness before putting them in the oven.
- The cookies will feel soft when they first come out of the oven. Let them cool completely before serving because they firm up as they cool.
Nutrition information is shared to make meal planning easier. Values are estimates and can vary depending on the ingredients, brands, and serving sizes used. Learn more in my nutrition policy.
