This simple Paleo Butter Cookie recipe is made with just 5 ingredients –almond flour, butter, honey, vanilla, and salt. I love baking cookies with heart healthy almond flour because it’s so easy to use!
This easy paleo cookie recipe is one that my friend Mary and I like to bake when we get together. We met on the first day of orientation of college at Columbia University and have been very close ever since. She is one of the smartest, funniest people I know. When we were younger we ate our way through New York City, and spent countless hours in the kitchen together as well.
Yesterday, Mary emailed me and asked for, “that cookie recipe with almond flour and butter.” Well, that would cover a couple dozen of my recipes. After a bit of email back and forth, we narrowed it down to one of the recipes I had concocted a few years ago, when I still lived in New York. Here it is, Mary, my recipe for Paleo Butter Cookies.
Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 2½ cups blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
- ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- ½ cup salted butter, cut into pieces
- ¼ cup agave nectar or honey
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pulse together almond flour and salt In a food processor
- Pulse in butter, honey, and vanilla until well combined
- Separate dough into 2 balls and place each on a piece of parchment paper
- Cover each ball of dough with another piece of parchment paper and roll out ¼ inch thick
- Place in freezer for 30 minutes
- Using a 2 inch cookie cutter (or the top of a 2-inch wide jelly jar) cut out cookies *
- Bake at 350°F for 5-7 minutes
- Cool and serve
Please note, if your cookie dough becomes too soft to work with, roll it out again between the 2 pieces of parchment paper and return to freezer for 10 minutes.
Here are some of my other easy cookie recipes:
Karin Rush says
These are delicious. Just made them. Mine are soft. It is humid in mn now. Do yours come out crispy all the way through? Love your recipes.
Elana says
Thanks Karin! Mine are more soft than crispy. So glad to hear these are delicious :-)
Ashly says
what could I substitute for the honey/agave? Perhaps a Keto sweetner? to what ratio? Thank you
Elana says
Ashly, I haven’t tried that so not sure. Here’s a link to my Keto Diet Recipes page for you:
https://elanaspantry.com/diets/keto/
Enjoy!
Elana
Ruth says
Try using yacon syrup. It’s low glycemic but still a gooey type syrup. I’m going to try it tonight….
Juia says
Hi, just wanted to make a comment that if these contain dairy, they are not paleo. Thanks.
Elana says
Thanks Julia! Many people actually prefer using butter in paleo recipes and consider it to be a healthy paleo food. You might find something you like on my Dairy-Free Recipes page:
https://elanaspantry.com/diets/dairy-free/
Enjoy!
Elana
Tina says
Grass fed butter is Paleo, so this recipe is perfect for those on Paleo.
Elana says
Thanks Tina!
Kathy says
Oh, my goodness, these cookies are absolutely wonderful. I finally broke down and bought the Honeyville Almond flour & I love it! The first time I made these, I used my Ninja to mix them. I just made them a few minutes ago, and mixed in the butter with a pastry blender by hand in a bowl, and it worked well. Both times, I rolled them in balls and smushed them on the cookie sheet. I baked them for about 9 minutes. They are soft cookies, which I prefer, and delicious.
Thank you so much for your recipes. I am on Paleo for health reasons, and sweets are definitely a weakness for me. Being able to eat Paleo cookies helps me to stay on this eating plan.
Elana says
Thanks Kathy! I’m so glad that these cookies were absolutely wonderful!
Shari says
Can a mixer be used instead of a food processor?
Elana says
Shari, I haven’t tried that so not certain, but I think it might work. If you do experiment please let us know how it goes :-)
Tiffany Washington says
Hi same issue did it work and can I use coconut sugar or coconut flour
Elana says
Tiffany, for more on the difference between almond flour and coconut flour please go here:
https://elanaspantry.com/paleo-baking-almond-flour-vs-coconut-flour/
Enjoy!
Elana
Elizabeth says
Made these tonight and substituted maple syrup for the honey, because I just prefer the taste, and added about 3/4 T cinnamon. The batter was the right consistency, but didn’t seem sweet enough. I added another little drizzle of syrup (maybe 1-2 tsp?) and it was perfect. I experimented and cooked half as thicker drop cookies and half as a thumbprint style cookie using strawberry preserves, keeping the dough in the fridge while waiting for the oven to heat and between batches. I made them small, about a rounded tsp of dough, and they did need an extra minute (8 mins, both versions). I have made MANY a batch of your recipes and love the versatility! Thank you! I read somewhere online a few years ago that most non-grain cookies do best if they are frozen quickly, then used as desired. That is my experience as well. I am not sure if it is because I live in Florida, but I have yet to find a recipe that isn’t softer than desired after 24 hours, no matter how stored at room temp. If you have any storage tips, I woud love to hear them!
Elana says
Hi Elizabeth, so glad to hear that you are loving the versatility of my recipes! I live in Colorado and it is VERY arid here so my cookies stay super crisp when left out on a plate on the counter. I love that you are freezing the cookies to avoid that humidity of Florida, that sounds perfect :-)
Jaci says
I am going to try this recipe but can’t have almonds. If I substitute coconut flour, should I change the amount of flour used and increase the butter?
Elana says
Jaci, for more on the differences between almond and coconut flour please go here:
https://elanaspantry.com/paleo-baking-almond-flour-vs-coconut-flour/
Here is a link to a nut-free cookie recipe for you:
https://elanaspantry.com/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Enjoy!
Elana
Dee says
I have a very silly question about the butter cookies. Do you have a good substitute that I could use in place of the butter? Dairy allergy. Is a problem as well as the wheat. I need help in finding a good spread that can be used on breads too. I have trouble with bought nut butters/chemicals. Any suggestions would be appreciated greatly. I am new to this way of eating, so any help is great. Thanks for your wonderful site too.
Elana says
Dee, here’s a link to my Dairy-Free Desserts Recipes page for you!
https://elanaspantry.com/special-diets/dairy-free-dessert/
Enjoy!
Elana
Maria says
I have found that Spectrum organic shortening is a great sub if you cannot or do not want butter.
Elana says
Thanks Maria, if you use that substitution for this recipe I’d love to know if it works :-)
Nikki says
Dee,
I just made these, I’m dairy free as well and used earth balance vegan butter. The sub worked perfectly!
Elana says
Lisa, I make this recipe for the boys and their friends often and we like the amount of salt in it. Feel free to adjust the recipe to your palate. Thanks for your comment!
Norine Salvador says
Thank you for your recipes. I have tried your butter cookies and changed the almond flour to a quarter of a cup, and used spelt flour for the rest, only because I ran out. I have to admit, they were absolutely delicious. Again thank you Elana
Elana says
You’re welcome Norine!