Gluten Free Almond Italian Bakery Cookies
Okay hear me out – these gluten free almond Italian bakery cookies are so good that my Italian mom says they’re one of her favorite recipes of mine. Bold claim? Maybe. But I’ll take the compliment and run with it. You know that distinct smell and feel you get when you walk into an Italian bakery? I get those same feelings when I bake these cookies. If you’ve ever had a pignoli cookie, these will remind you of those, just without the pine nuts.
I’m always on a mission to make sure that recipes I create gluten free can be enjoyed by all. My brother (a self-proclaimed gluten lover) even enjoyed these! They’re wonderfully moist and so full of flavor, your gluten lovers are sure to enjoy them too. The hardest part about this recipe? Waiting for the chocolate to harden on the cookies before you enjoy them!
These almond Italian bakery cookies are naturally gluten free by using almond flour and coconut flour, while maple syrup sweetens them just enough to really allow that almond flavor to shine through. The cookies also get drizzled or dipped in chocolate to create the perfect flavor combination. Although in my book, anything covered in chocolate is perfect! You can also keep these dairy free and paleo by using your favorite chocolate chips to fit your dietary needs. I recommend these Enjoy Life chocolate chips if you’re in search of a good alternative. I prefer dark chocolate with these cookies, but feel free to use milk chocolate if that’s your preference!
To make these cookies, you’ll start by combining the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Then you will combine the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla and almond extracts. You’ll add the dry ingredients into the wet to combine them and then let the dough firm up in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. Don’t skip this step – it makes the dough easier to work with! I recommend using a cookie scoop to then scoop the dough into balls and flatten them a bit with your palm. Once baked and completely cooked, you will either dip or drizzle the cookies in chocolate for the final touch before digging in!
Gluten Free Almond Italian Bakery Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups almond flour
- 3 tbsp coconut flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted (+ ½ tsp for melting chocolate)
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- In a medium sized bowl combine almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt
- In a large sized bowl combine the coconut oil, maple syrup, egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined
- Place dough in refrigerator for about 10 minutes to firm up
- Scoop about 1½ tablespoons worth of dough and roll into a ball before flattening a bit with your palm to form the dough into a circle and place on a parchment lined baking sheet
- Bake for 9-10 minutes and carefully remove cookies from cookie sheet to a cooling rack
- Once cookies are completely cool, melt the chocolate chips with the additional 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil and dip half the cookie in the chocolate (alternatively, you can drizzle the cookies with the chocolate*)
- Transfer to a piece of parchment lined surface for the chocolate to harden and enjoy!