Whether you're following a low carb diet or are gluten free, baking desserts with almond meal is easy! Keto-approved and free of grains, almond meal is the ideal baking flour to create delicious sweets like cookies and brownies. In addition, because almond meal is grain-free, it doesn't contain any gluten. While this is a good thing for many, some bakers may be wondering how baked goods get their rise and chewy texture without that trademark ingredient. Luckily, there are several tips and tricks that you can follow to make your almond meal goods taste identical to traditional ones—starting with cookies!
So many people think that they can't enjoy cookies when following a specific diet. But the truth is, when made with the right ingredients, cookies can be enjoyed by nearly everyone. And, some cookies can even be healthy. In this guide, we'll tell you everything you need to know about baking cookies with almond meal and teach you how to make the perfect almond meal cookies.
Almond Meal Cookies
Thick, pillowy and soft at the center, almond meal cookies are an excellent low carb and gluten free dessert. In fact, they're so good you will probably enjoy them more than their grain-based counterparts. Almond meal cookies fulfill all of the necessary cookie requirements. They have the perfect balance of chewy and crispy texture, are full of flavor, and are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. Flavor them with spices like cinnamon or mix them with a bit of vanilla and chocolate. Their light flavor means that they can be combined with just about anything and taste great.
Additionally, unlike some cookie recipes, an almond meal cookie recipe is not hard to make. All of the ingredients can be mixed into one bowl, they don't require any refrigeration, and with a few ingredient swaps, they may be good for you! After baking these cookies made from almond meal once, it's sure to become a weekly occurrence.
Ready to begin baking? From start to finish, almond meal cookies can be prepared in just thirty minutes. And because they're naturally gluten free and low carb, everyone at the table can enjoy them.
What You'll Need
In addition to almond meal, there are a few other ingredients you'll need to make sure these cookies are as tasty as ever.
Coconut Sugar
A flavorful and natural way to sweeten up your baked treats, coconut sugar tastes similar to brown sugar and can be used in the same way. However, because coconut sugar is less refined, it's digested more efficiently and can lead to fewer blood sugar spikes.
Almond Butter
Adding a bit of almond butter to your cookies will give them the perfect chewy and moist cookie texture. Combining almond butter with an almond meal provides a rich and nutty flavor that tastes great when combined with chocolate.
Chocolate Chips
This brings us to our next ingredient, chocolate chips. While chocolate chips are optional, they add a delicious flavor to your cookies while improving their melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Sea Salt
The ingredient that genuinely takes these cookies to the next level is a bit of flaky sea salt. It's an excellent way to balance out the sweet flavors of this treat without them becoming overpowering. Plus, depending on the size of the flakes, it can add a bit of crunch.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup almond butter
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups sifted almond meal
- 1/2 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips
- A pinch of Flaky sea salt
Baking Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter, coconut sugar, almond butter, egg and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until they have thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth.
- Add baking soda and salt to the top and slowly begin to add in the almond meal. Set the mixer to a low-speed setting and beat until everything is evenly combined.
- Roll in the chocolate chips with a spoon and then scoop out the cookie dough into 2-inch diameter balls. Place on a baking sheet 2 inches apart.
- With a spoon or your fingers, lightly press down on the top of the cookie dough balls to flatten them. Sprinkle with salt.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges of the cookies begin to brown. The cookies will feel dry on the top and edges but a bit moist in the center.
- Place the cookie sheet on a cooling rack and allow the cookies to cool off thoroughly. Once they've finished cooling, transfer them to a plate and enjoy.
Baking With Almond Meal
Many gluten free and keto recipes replace all purpose or wheat flour with almond meal. Though almond meal goods taste delicious, if the proper steps are not followed, the result can be somewhat of a disaster. To help you avoid some of the most common pitfalls when baking with almond meal, we've put together a list of expert-approved tips. After reading the information below, you'll be ready to bake wonderful tasting cookies that guests will rave about.
The Difference Between Almond Flour and Almond Meal
Before you begin baking, it's essential to know which ingredients you need to make your recipe a success. For example, though almond flour and almond meal are often listed as the same ingredient and can be used interchangeably, there are slight differences between the two. Being aware of these differences will help you adjust the recipe to each and create great-tasting cookies.
Almond flour and almond meal are both made from ground-up almond. However, they're processed differently. Blanched almond flour is a fine, powder-like texture that uses peeled almonds instead of whole ones. Because the skin of the almonds is removed before processing, the flour produced is soft, fluffy and has a light, uniform color. Almond meal, or unblanched almond flour, is flour made from whole almonds with the skin intact. The flour has bits of the skin mixed into it, is a darker color, and is more coarse in texture. Almond email is an excellent option when making grain-like treats and serves as a wonderful gluten free substitute for breadcrumbs.
Storing Almond Meal
Though almond meal is considered a type of flour, it shouldn't be stored alongside the other flour in your pantry. Because almond meal is made from almonds, a nut full of oils, it's more prone to oxidation and spoiling. Storing almond meal in the refrigerator or freezer will keep it fresher for longer.
If you think that your almond meal has gone bad, smell it. If the almond meal has spoiled, you will notice a foul odor when you open the bag and smell it. Spoiled almond meal also has a more bitter taste than fresh almond meal.
Follow Recipes with Precision
Before you begin customizing your almond meal cookies, be sure to follow the recipe step by step. Because almond meal has a higher fat content than all-purpose flour, it's not always substituted at a 1-to-1 ratio, and some of the other ingredients in the recipe are often adjusted. However, following a recipe explicitly created for almond meal will ensure the best results and give you a better understanding of how to use the flour to create other baked goods.
Note The Differences Between Almond Meal and Wheat Flour
Though wheat flour can be substituted for almond meal, the two have very different textures. Almond meal is thick and coarse, meaning that the cookies you create with it will have a thicker result. Many almond meal recipes use a binder like a xanthan gum to recreate gluten's elasticity to baked goods. Using a recipe that includes additional binders can ensure that you're cookies are as fluffy as you'd like.
Monitor Cookies as They Bake
If you're used to making wheat-based cookies, then you likely know how long it takes them to cook thoroughly. However, when baking with almond meal, the cooking times change. Cookies baked with almond meal will brown and cook faster than all-purpose flour, so you'll want to check on them periodically to make sure they don't burn. Additionally, you'll want to follow the recipes cooking instructions carefully.
Allow Cookies to Cool Completely
Once your almond meal cookies come out of the oven, let them cool off completely before moving them. Letting your cookies cool thoroughly is just as important as allowing them to bake. As the almond meal cools, it will set and firm, creating that chewy cookie texture that you know and love. If you reach for a bite too soon, they'll crumble and fall apart before making it off of the plate.
The next time you're craving a sweet dessert, use the steps above to create almond meal cookies at home. An easy, low-allergen recipe, we're confident that these cookies will be a new family favorite. From Everyone at Bob's Red Mill, happy baking!
