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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Hilda says
Almond crescents are a favorite at our home and they never last, but I would like to bake ahead for Thanksgiving. Do they freeze well?
Editke says
Spread out and got flat, burned on the bottom. Nothing like the real deal sadly. And I followed the recipe to a T!
Mellissa Sevigny says
I’ve made these many times and the company that made the video for this recipe years ago followed it and had no trouble. Not sure what went wrong with your batch.
Debra says
The taste of these was great but I got a similar result. I think the problem is the sweetener I used. I saw you recommended erythritol but I use Bocha Sweet for almost everything. They’re too soft, and that’s what Bocha Sweet does… so, I’ll try again, this time with granulated erythritol.
Erin says
These are our favorite low carb cookie! I make them every year for Christmas. Thank you!
Vicki says
I’ve just made a batch of these almond biscuits for the first time . Was craving something a bit sweet with an almond flavour , and luckily found this keto recipe online , along with some others . This one e really appealed though .
WOW ! What a treat ! Needed 20 minutes in my oven and ( to my taste ) would have been even better with less sweetener . I live in Tasmania and use a sweetener called Natvia ( an Erythritol / Stevia combination ) .
Recipe turned out perfectly !
I happened to have some guys here delivering my new fridge and they were salivating over the smells from the oven , asking what I was baking ! Think they were hoping the biscuits would be cooked before they left ! Unfortunately not !
Will be definitely making these again , but with less sweetener ! Husband agrees !
Sheila E Hernandez says
I’ve made these a couple of times now, and they are just remarkable! I gave up on trying for a crescent shape and just go with little sticks….it certainly doesn’t affect the taste!!!! I’ve also made them with pecan extract and crushed pecans on the outside – quite tastey! The one thing I do differently is also add some of the crushed nuts into the dough – for some crazy reason, seems the nuts stick to the outside better!
Michelle Jaromin says
Made these last night and they are perfect with my morning coffee! Thanks to other reviewer comments and my own finicky oven, I decided to bake at 330 for 15 mins. As stated in the post, they initially came out extremely soft and I really was tempted to stick them back in the oven, but I held out and am so glad I did! Easy peasy & delicious – this recipe is definitely staying in my arsenal!
Rachelle says
I’ve made these at least 20 times now. This is by far my favorite cookie recipe. The cookies freeze very well too! Like a previous comment, I too dip them half way in chocolate and they are fantastic, easy and beautiful. Thank you so much for such a wonderful recipe. Shalom 💜
Wendy Driesman says
Any idea if I could use another ground nut on the outside? Maybe crushed walnuts or pecans?
Mellissa Sevigny says
Yes!
Jen says
I made these and they came out great! Instead of 1/2 Cup granulated erythritol, I used 1/3 Cup confection erythritol + 1 Tbsp granulated erythritol. I dipped the ends in chocolate. Other than that, I followed the recipe.Really good.
I think the people whose cookies flattened, I suspect that their oven was not heated properly before the cookies went in. Low oven temp, butter melts, but the oven is not hot enough to bake the cookie, so it spreads.
Mellissa Sevigny says
That’s a great theory, you might be on to something!
jane says
On the money! Almond horns ARE super sticky sweet and these were spot on. Can’t wait to try one that doesn’t burn my tongue, haha. You nailed it, thanks!
Rachel says
The only sugar substitute I have is ugar free almond flavored syrup.. is there any way I could use this for these instead?