Low carb cookies are my favorite. I know there are lots of delicious low carb pie, cake, ice cream, etc. recipes out there, but keto cookies will always have my heart. ???
I think my love of cookies stems mostly from my commitment issues. They are small and I can try a bunch of them – rather than committing to one piece of cake or pie, or one flavor of ice cream.
I know most people love chocolate chip and other american classics, but some of my hand’s down favorite cookies are Italian. Pignoli cookies, anisette cookies, rainbow cookies, those green and pink leaves with chocolate sandwiched in the middle! YUMMO.
I have a hard time resisting a tray of Italian cookies, and since we moved to NY I’m literally surrounded by amazing shops and delis full of delicious Italian pastries and cookies. Even the regular grocery store bakeries have gleaming cases of colorful jewel-like cookies that are hard to resist!
#cookiestruggles
So I’m making it my mission to convert some of my favorite Italian cookies (and pastries) into keto friendly cookie recipes – starting with these low carb almond crescent cookies. You’re welcome.
At our local deli they dip the ends of these into chocolate, but since I’ve already got several chocolate dipped and swirled low carb cookies on deck this week, I decided not to with this batch. You should feel free to dip them in chocolate if you want though – nobody made me the boss of your cookies! ???
The almond crescent cookies that are my favorite here in NY are crispy on the outside and have a slightly chewy, softer interior. The almond flavor is strong, which I love, and they crust the outside with the sliced almonds before baking.
They are quite simply perfect. ✨??
Getting that same texture and chewiness in a sugar free cookie is hard to accomplish, but I have to say that I got really really close with this keto cookie recipe. Mr. Hungry was super impressed and said they tasted just like the real thing.
He’s Italian AND a hard nut to crack with low carb desserts, so it was really high praise coming from him. ?
Perfect with coffee or as an after dinner treat, these sturdy low carb cookies also travel well and make lovely gifts – if you can stand to share.
As far as making them goes, they are a little more work than some of the other low carb cookie recipes I’m posting this week, but well worth the extra effort! Simply divide your dough into 12 balls – then roll them into 3 inch logs, press into the sliced almonds, and bend and pinch into a crescent shape and bake.
You may be tempted to bake these cookies longer than the recipe calls for, because the tops will seem really soft when they come out – DON’T DO IT. As they cool they will firm up perfectly and the inside will stay tender and chewy.
If you overbake these cookies they will get super hard – still delicious but you’ll lose out on the awesome texture! You’re going to have to trust me on this one. ?
IBIH cookie week isn’t over yet! In addition to these low carb almond crescent cookies, I’ve posted the low carb Raspberry Linzer Cookie Bars and Thin Mint Macaroons so far – with my favorite low carb cookie recipe of the week still to get posted tomorrow, so stay tuned!!!!
Low Carb Almond Crescent Cookies – Gluten Free
- Yield: 12 cookies 1x
Description
Nobody will believe that these amazing keto almond crescent cookies are low carb, egg free, and gluten free! I won’t tell if you don’t! Shhhh….
Ingredients
- 1 stick salted butter, softened (1/2 cup)
- pinch of kosher salt
- 1/2 cup granulated erythritol sweetener (IBIH recommends)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 2 cups superfine almond flour (IBIH recommends)
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds
Instructions
- Beat the butter, salt, and sweetener until fluffy. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and blend well.
- Add the almond flour and beat until just blended to a stiff dough.
- Divide the dough into 12 balls.
- Roll each ball into a 3 inch log.
- Spread the sliced almonds onto a clean surface and crush slightly into smaller pieces with the heel of your hand.
- Roll the logs in the almond pieces and then bend the two ends in and pinch slightly to create a crescent shape. (see photo above)
- Place the almond crescents on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 350 degree (F) oven for 15 minutes. Remove and cool before serving.
Notes
To see a list of my favorite low carb products and brands that I recommend for sweeteners, flours, etc. you can check out the IBIH Pantry Ingredients Page!
- Category: Low Carb Cookie Recipe
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: per cookie
- Calories: 185
- Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 2.5g net
- Protein: 5
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Kate Mantegna says
I received these cookies from a co-worker as a birthday present and they are so good! My work team was aware of my ketogenic journey and prepared these instead of a traditional cake. I’ve found the perfect treat to go with tea! I will be making these regularly.
Rhonda says
I made this recipe with a couple changes. I just made them as drop cookies without the almonds on the top (I didn’t have any) and half of the almond extract it called for. They came out really good! They were actually a little sweet for me. I baked them at 325 degrees on convection for 12 minutes. They spread just a little to make the perfect cookie shape. I used a 1 inch scoop and made 29 cookies.
KC says
I just made these and had to tell you they are the best low carb cookies I have ever made. Thanks so much for the recipe.
By the way, I used Bob’s Red Mill sure fine almond flour and it came out perfectly. Though after reading some of the reviews here, I was afraid they would lose their shape so after rolling, shaping and putting them on the cookie sheet, I put them into my freezer, cookie sheet and all, for about 30 minutes then right into the oven for 15 minutes.
Perfect cookies, thanks so much for the recipe
Mellissa Sevigny says
Awesome! Thanks for weighing in and I like the freezer idea for those that have had issues with them spreading!
Maggie says
Delicious! Just made these cookies but substituted glucose for the sweetener and since the mixture seemed very dry, I added an egg white.
It made 20 cookies! I flattened the balls of dough and pressed them into rounds with a fork- like making peanut butter cookies.
will definitely make these again!
Judy says
Delicious and look just like the regular almond cresents. My new “go to” sweet!
Julie says
Mine didn’t turn out like yours…they sort of flattened out while baking, like a toll house would. What did I do wrong?
Rosie says
Would guess that your butter was too cold. It has to be at room temperature or warmer and softened.
Vanessa says
These turned out great!! I reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup as my taste buds are much more sensitive to sweet things than they used to be. I did need to add more almond flour to make a stiff dough, but no biggie. It was raining here all day so it’s possible the added humidity caused a softer dough. They are very pretty and I won’t tell my guests they are low carb ? Thank you and Merry Christmas!!
Joanna says
Just made this recipe (actually twice now) and it is def going on my “to make” for Christmas cookies!! They are divine! Second time around I cut the sweetener a little bit. I’m guessing my taste buds have changed quite a lot since cutting sugar out my diet!! Yay!!! Recipe calls for 3/4 cup and I made it with half a cup Perfect amount of sweetness with 1/2 cup! I also ground up, in my coffee grinder, the granulated Swerve sweetene and instread of making 12 cookies I made 24. Perfect size plus less carbs that way! Oh and one more thing, I cut the almond extract to 1/2 tsp instead of 1 tsp. Hope y’all try them! They are so worth it!!
Lindsay says
These look delicious! I’m definitely going to have to pick up some more almond flour and try these out before the year is over. I love almond anything. Yum!
Anu says
These were wonderful! Did not have granulated erythritol so had to use powdered instead, but it worked just fine! Thanks for this recipe.