This Almond Melt-Away Cookies recipe is a direct result of me sharing my Low Sugar Lemon Melt-Away Cookies and several of you saying, “Sounds good! I think almond extract would be a great idea to try in these cookies too!”
Thanksgiving and Christmas happened in the meantime – so three months later, it took me five minutes to try your idea. No sense rushing into anything.
I was also waiting to see how my attempt at Homemade Almond Extract would turn out. What a bummer. Making Homemade Vanilla Extract is a total no-brainer so I was hoping almond extract would be the same. I soaked the nuts in vodka as recommended by several sites, then I even simmered off some of the alcohol – but it didn’t turn out extract like I’m used to using. Then I looked at the ingredients on my purchased extract and there is “almond oil” included. Is that what gives my purchased extract the yummy smell and flavor? If any of you have successfully made Almond Extract, will you please share all your secrets?!
In the meantime, taking my basic Easy {Low} Sugar Cookie recipe and adding different flavors has been super simple and yummy. Here’s a quick link list for you:
- Easy {Low} Sugar Cookies
- Low Sugar Lemon Melt-Away Cookies
- Low Sugar Orange Melt-Away Cookies
- Low Sugar Lime Melt-Away Cookies
- And now these…
Low Sugar Almond Melt-Away Cookies
- 1 cup melted butter
- ½ cup sucanat or raw sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 cups of whole wheat pastry flour (give or take)
- Stir together melted butter and sugar.
- Add eggs, extracts, and baking powder.
- Stir in flour until a solid ball of dough forms.
- Drop teaspoon-sized balls of dough onto a cookie sheet, about an inch apart.
- Bake in a 350° oven for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.
I learned on accident that you can forget the eggs in these cookie recipes and while they are a bit more crumbly, they are still great! Just a little bonus for those of you who have to avoid eggs.
I love it when I can cut the sugar so drastically in a recipe and my kids can’t tell a difference. These are perfectly sweetened and the almond extract makes them taste fancy with no additional effort!
I should also mention that these lightly sweetened cookies taste amazing with a steamy cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk. Ah, life’s simple pleasures. :)
Would just plain old vanilla work? Would they be like vanilla wafers then? My kids love those boxes ones and I’d love a healthier version!
My original version of this cookie (https://www.heavenlyhomemakers.com/sugar-cookies-the-whole-wheat-low-sugar-super-delicious-way) is just as you suggest, vanilla only! And yes, they are similar to vanilla wafers. I hadn’t thought of that!
You might also want to check out a recipe I came up with a few years ago for Homemade Vanilla Wafers: https://www.heavenlyhomemakers.com/homemade-whole-wheat-vanilla-wafers :)
We must have read the same websites. Because I just tossed my attempt at almond extract for the same reasons! Ugh! And I was so excited.
I’ve never made almond extract and would love to know how. Has anyone tried making it using sliced or chopped almonds? I read some sites that said more surface area to transfer the almond flavors from almonds to the vodka is better.
Oh, and skinless too.
How about cinnamon? Then it could be kind of like snickerdoodle so with less sugar!
Fantastic idea. I’ll try that next!
Thanks Laura! Not sure how I missed the original recipe! I saw the lemon and am excited for the Orange! But we will try the vanilla! But I really want to try the almond first. I love all things almond! Decisions decisions! Thanks for pointing me in the right direction and with links!
Would this work or taste as good if I used a half cup of butter and a half cup of coconut oil?
Should be great!!
Would this work if I used half butter and half coconut oil?
Yes definitely!
Oops sorry I didn’t mean to post twice!
I don’t know if this is helpful, but I’ve heard that most almond extract is actually made from apricot pits, even if it’s “pure almond extract.” I guess most stone fruit pits contain the same chemical that is “bitter almond oil.” I’m fuzzy on the details, but you could look into it.
How about peppermint?
(Unless you want to wait until next Christmas, when EVERYTHING will be peppermint again. :) )
My 5-year-old and I made these this afternoon. We used sprouted flour from hard wheat, cuz that’s all the flour I had on hand, and a combination of coconut sugar and maple sugar because I don’t have sucanat. I tasted the dough, and added about 1.5 Tablespoons of maple syrup because it wasn’t sweet enough for me; this might be due to the coconut sugar, which is really not very sweet at all. Anyhow, they taste WONDERFUL! Thank you for such a quick, easy recipe. Note: I added a 1/2 tsp salt, because I often add salt to recipes that don’t have any listed.
I pretty much never make cookies. But this email said, “Make me! Make me! Make me!” It was the first time I used the almond extract I’ve had in my spice drawer for over a year. I don’t remember why I bought it.
Chocolate Mint. I need the recipe by Sunday. Please & thank you. ;)
LOVE this recipe Laura! I make it gluten free and use 1/4 cup honey and 1/4 coconut palm sugar (cane sugar makes my body crazy) and they turn out great! I have used the regular recipe as nilla wafers in banana pudding and they are fabulous.
PECANS. I love pecans. My favorite Pamela’s gluten free pecan shortbread cookie has SO MUCH sugar in it that I can’t eat them anymore. But, BLESS YOU, this recipe works great to make pecan shortbread cookies! I put in an extra tsp of vanilla and chop a cup of pecans and throw those in. YAY!
I like the cinnamon idea for snickerdoodle flavor. Excited to hear your discoveries about that….
Used this recipe as a perfect low sugar shortbread base for my daughter’s favorite raspberry shortbread cookies. Making them for her prom prep party this Sat. (Her friends come over to get ready for “prom” then parents come and take pics). Just add a thumbprint dab of raspberry preserves before baking. Then a drizzle of icing (powdered sugar & milk with almond extract) after they cool. Not so low sugar once you add the icing preserves, but at least lower than before!