Almond Butter Espresso Cookies

3.77

Published Dec 08, 2021, Updated Jun 12, 2023

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These almond butter espresso cookies are the perfect combination of crunchy and chewy. They’re super easy to whip up and require only six ingredients and one bowl. Plus, they’re flourless, vegan and gluten-free!

The holidays have me in a baking mood so this week I decided to remake an old cookie recipe I posted back 2011 so I could update the photos and republish them. I’m so glad I did because these almond butter espresso cookies are way too good to be collecting dust back in the archives.

A stack of almond butter espresso cookies on a plate.

Using Almond Butter to Replace Flour

These cookies are quite different from any other holiday cookie recipe I’ve made and I’m obsessed. There’s no flour (not even coconut flour or almond flour), no oil or butter and no dairy. If you’ve never tried using almond butter as a substitute for flour, you have to try these cookies! It’s crazy how well almond butter works as a flour substitute in baked goods like with these flourless pumpkin muffins and flourless zucchini muffins.

The outside edges are perfectly crunchy while the middle has a bit of chew. If you know me, you know I’m all about the crunch with baked goods so these cookies are perfection.

Plus, I’m loving the almond butter espresso flavor combo. It reminds me of breakfast! Not only are these cookies flourless, but they’re super easy to whip up, require only 6 ingredients and are vegan and gluten-free.

Ingredients measured out to make almond butter espresso cookies: organic sugar, vanilla, baking soda, almond butter, ground flax and ground espresso.

Like I mentioned above, you only need six simple ingredients and if you’re like me you probably have all of the ingredients to make these cookies sitting in your kitchen right now!

creamy almond butter – look for a brand with just one or two ingredients (almonds and salt). One of my favorite brands is Wild Friends (use the code EBF10 for 10% off your order).
sugar – I used organic white sugar in this recipe, but coconut sugar will work as well.
instant espresso – finely ground coffee works as well.
baking soda – a leavening agent.
vanilla extract – a flavor enhancer.
flaxseed egg – mix 1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 Tablespoons water and set aside for a few minutes to let it gel up. Check out my full post on how to make a flaxseed egg.

An overhead photo looking down at a plate of almond butter espresso cookies. Extra cookies are scattered around the plate alongside a bowl of coffee beans and a mug of hot cocoa.

Substitutions & Notes

almond butter – I’m assuming you can swap with any nut or seed butter, but I’ve only tested the recipe with almond butter. If you try a different nut butter, let me know in the comments.
flaxseed egg – if these cookies don’t need to be vegan you can use a regular egg in place of the flaxseed egg if you’d like.
sugar – as a sub to regular sugar you can use coconut sugar instead. I wouldn’t swap it with a liquid sweetener like maple syrup or honey.

A stack of almond butter espresso cookies on a plate. A mug of hot cocoa is next to the plate.

Start with making your flaxseed egg by mixing the ground flaxseed with water and set aside. The mixture will gelatinize to an egg-like consistency.

Side by side photos of a mixing bowl with ingredients for almond butter espresso cookies, before and after being mixed.

In a large bowl, mix together the almond butter and sugar until well combined. Add in the flaxseed egg, espresso, baking soda and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to place 1 Tablespoon of cookie dough on a baking sheet – make sure you place them about 2 inches apart because they will spread!

Side by side photos of espresso cookies on a cookie sheet, before and after being baked,

Bake at 350ºF for 10-12 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on a pan for 3-5 minutes before gently transferring the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.

An overhead photo of a plate containing almond butter espresso cookies.

How to Store Homemade Cookies

After letting your cookies cool completely, I recommend storing them in an airtight container. They’ll last a few days on the countertop, a week in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer. I love making these in advance, freezing them and then serving during the holidays!

Be sure to check out all of my holiday cookie recipes and cookie recipes here on EBF!

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3.77 from 65 votes