Paleo Almond Butter Cookies —Vegan & Keto Options
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These simple Paleo Almond Butter Cookies are a delicious, easy treat that any health-minded mom can feel great about serving to her family.
The hint of sweetness provided by a little honey and some raisins is just enough to make them special enough for when you need a sweet treat, but they’re healthy enough that you can even consider serving them for breakfast (and no, I won’t tell).
Even in a home that is committed to eating healthy, cookies still have a place. Just because your OREO days are over, doesn’t mean you can’t still eat cookies.
They just have to be healthy cookies.
And these cookies are just that. They’re grain free, refined sugar free, and vegan so they’re perfect for just about any special diet. And if you use a low-carb sweetener, they work for the candida diet too.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This recipe is:
- easy to make
- flexible for all kinds of special diets
- easily adaptable for according to your liking (add/swap mix-ins as you like)
- freezes well
- rich and chocolatey finger-licking delicous!
Ingredients
Following are the ingredients you’ll need to make these delicious cookies. For the amounts needed, simply scroll down to the recipe card.
- almond butter
- flax or eggs
- honey
- baking soda
- salt
- coconut
- more optional mix-ins (nut and/or chocolate chips)
Directions
Here are the basics for how to make these super simple cookies. For details, simply scroll down to the recipe card.
Combine flax and water. Set aside to gel.
Mix other ingredients in a bowl. Add the gelled flax.
Bake.
So easy and so yummy!
Sweetener Options
You can use honey as written, for this recipe, or you can use maple syrup as well.
Other options are Sucanat or coconut sugar (for a lower glycemic index), or you could even use a low-carb sweetener to make these totally sugar-free and low carb. Lakanto or allulose are good choices for that.
You’ll want to increase any alternative sweetener aside from the maple syrup, however, because honey and maple syrup are sweeter than sugar.
Recipe Notes
- Use this Homemade Nut or Seed Butter to make this recipe totally special diet-friendly.
- Use 1/16 teaspoon stevia or 1/4 cup xylitol instead of honey for a low-carb option. See this post on Stevia for tips.
- Sugar-free chocolate chips (here is a great homemade option), raisins, organic unsweetened dried cranberries, etc. are all great options for mixins. Avoid raisins for a low-carb option. If you wish to skip the mix ins you could simply add more coconut or even chopped nuts or seeds.
No matter how you make these, you’re for sure going to love them.
Variations
There are so many ways to change this recipe around to make it whatever you like. Here are some ideas to whet your creative appetite:
- add extra coconut and a dash of coconut extract for a super coconutty version.
- add dried cranberries and use slivered or chopped almonds for the nuts. Macadamia nuts would be a great choice as well.
- add pecans for the nuts and extra chocolate chips and salt for a salted chocolate pecan version.
- use healthy white chocolate chips and macadamias.
- add chopped bacon, pecans, and chocolate chips.
The possibilities are truly endless.
Storage
- To store: store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- To freeze: after cooling the cookies completely, place them in an airtight container lined with wax or parchment paper or in a freezer-safe bag. You can freeze them for up to 2 months. Simply thaw out at room temperature when ready to eat.
Paleo Almond Butter Coconut Cookies (Vegan and Keto Options)
Ingredients
- 2 eggs (or alternative. See Recipe Notes)
- 1 cup almond butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup nuts
- 1/2 cup sugar-free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375.
- In a large bowl, combine eggs, nut butter, and honey until smooth.
- Stir in remaining ingredients except for nuts and chocolate chips. Combine just until well-mixed.
- Add nuts and chocolate chips. Just just enough to mix them into the dough.
- Place about 2 tablespoonfuls of dough onto an un-greased cookie sheet or baking stone (you can use parchment if you want).
- Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before removing from cookie sheet.
Flax Egg Option
- In small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons flax meal and 1/3 cup water. Let set until gelled (about 5 minutes), then proceed with the rest of the recipe.
Notes
- Use 1/16 teaspoon stevia or 1/4 cup xylitol instead of honey for a low-carb option.
- Use the flax egg suggestion for an egg-free option. This Powdered Egg Substitute is another great alternative.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is merely an approximation. Optional ingredients are not included and when there is an alternative, the primary ingredient is typically used. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts since they have been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
What fun food tradition do you have in YOUR home?
This recipe is by Raia of Raia’s Recipes. Rais is a homeschooling, stay-at-home mom of four crazy kids. After the birth of her third child in 2010, she was diagnosed with “trauma-induced gluten intolerance”. This turned her whole-wheat-bread, pasta-filled life upside down and set her on a mission to find out what healthy really meant for her family. Aspiring to encourage other moms wandering the allergen-infested isles of grocery stores, she shares her love of simple, allergy-friendly baking (and chocolate).
I made these last night and they were. Delicious. I’m am on the Candida diet and have been for several months. We tried one other cookie and they were not good these are great. I doubled the recipe and added fresh cut up cranberries instead of chocolate. I think I will add cinnamon next time too. The cranberries gave them a zing. I wasn’t sure how much stevia so I used a little less than a teaspoon of the liquid. Thank you for the recipe.
So great – what a great addition to the recipe!
Flax doesn’t make a gel, does it? I know chia seeds do??? Was there a mistake?
Yes, flax does make a gel or rather a good egg substitute.
I use flax all the time and never got a gel. . I take two heaping TBS every morning of my life for so many health benefits. I mix it with water and drink it down. It has never gelled. :/ I will try some and let it set.
I used to take it but it didn’t seem to agree with me. I hope to write a post on it.
OmGosg thank you this looks great for my candida diet with a modification here and there
Yay – glad to hear it. Enjoy – we love them.
When I tried to make these, they were very runny and they didn’t hold together well. Any thoughts on how I could prevent this? Thanks!
I’ve just emailed the author – thanks!
I’m sorry they didn’t work out for you, Anna! I make these cookies regularly and have never had that happen. :/ The only thing I can think of is that your almond butter may not be as thick as mine is. (Mine is very thick.) If you don’t have any egg allergies you could try subbing an egg for the flax meal and water, that would make it stick together more. Sorry I can’t be more helpful!
These look yummy. Thanks for sharing this healthy cookie recipe. Pinning!
Thanks much!
I am so thrilled to have found your page. We can’t wait to try this recipe. We just discovered my son ‘s recent stomach issues to be caused by gluten intolerance and wheat allergy. As an active 12 year old he feels like he has been handed a life sentence…:-( We are searching and learning about how to eliminate and substitute new alternatives.
Yum. They look really good and such healthy ingredients. Thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays Blog Hop. I shared on Pinterest.
Hi there and thanks! I hope you enjoy them!
What a great recipe! I’ve never seen a recipe of Raia’s that didn’t amaze. Thanks for sharing this one here!
I agree, Julia!!!
Awww…. thanks, Julia. 😉
Sounds yummy and all the ingredients we have in our house, yay!
Thanks! Hope you enjoy them!
These look delicious! Pinning 🙂
Thanks Audrey! I was just eyeing your lovely cake from this Wed’s linkup!
A good chocolate cookie has a little texture and I love coconut! Mmm, one bowl recipes are the best and anytime almond butter is involved, I am signed up! Amazing cookie recipe, pinned!
Thanks Mary!!! I completely agree with you. Coconut. Almond Butter. Cookies. All of it!