These chewy lemon almond cookies have tons of flavor and the absolute perfect cookie texture! They’re fancy enough to serve to guests and easy enough to whip up when a cookie craving hits. Paleo, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar free.
We’re celebrating the first day of SPRING (eek!) with a recipe that is absolutely one of my favorites yet. And oh-so-springy, of course!
Chewy paleo + vegan lemon almond cookies that are so full of flavor, have perfect texture (yes perfect!) and will basically rock your paleo world in all ways possible. In other words, get ready for a serious treat!
Way back when I stumbled upon a basic paleo + vegan cookie recipe completely by accident. I was trying to make cookie dough, failed, and decided to add a flax egg, bake, and see what happened.
What came out of that experiment was these chewy “oatmeal” raisin cookies – and that was the beginning of a whole bunch of paleo + vegan chewy cookies that are seriously my favorite cookies ever.
From the original ones, to these cranberry orange chocolate chip ones, apple cinnamon, and double chocolate chip mint cookies, I keep the basics, switch up the flavor, and I’m never disappointed!
I guess based on how much I’m raving, you can guess that these chewy almond cookies are no exception, and you’re totally right. These are cookies you can confidently serve to non-paleo eaters and know they’d never know the difference!
One note regarding the flaxseed egg. With all my cookies recipes that use flaxseed “eggs”, there is typically an option to use an egg yolk if you don’t wish to make them vegan. While that still technically holds here, I highly recommend you try them with the flax egg.
The moisture, chewiness, and overall texture is just superior when you use the flaxseed instead of an egg yolk. If you do wind up using the yolk, I recommend pressing the cookies down before baking, since they won’t spread as much. The dough most likely will not need to be chilled either if you use an egg yolk.
If you’re holding back on using the flax egg because it’s strange and intimidating – no worries – it’s actually extremely simple and requires no work.
All you need to do is place 1 tbsp flaxseed meal and 2.5 tbsp water in a small bowl before you begin and allow it to sit there while you prepare the dry ingredients and preheat your oven. Yup, it’s that simple!
As the mixture sits, it thickens and forms a consistency similar to that of an egg, and, you whisk it into the wet ingredients just as if it were one.
Okay, looks like we’re ready to get started with these cookies – I can’t wait for you to try them! And, I also can’t wait for some REAL spring weather over the next few weeks (wishful thinking!)
Let’s get our ovens preheated and our flax egg going, because it’s time to bake these seriously yummy lemon almond cookies – let’s go!
Chewy Lemon Almond Cookies {Paleo, Vegan}
Chewy Lemon Almond Cookies {Paleo + Vegan}
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal mixed with 2.5 Tbsp water, allowed to sit 15 minutes (this is the “flax egg”)
- 1 1/4 cup blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour or arrowroot
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted and cooled to almost room temp
- 1/4 cup smooth almond butter
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or raw honey for non-vegan version
- 1/4 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Grated zest of 2 lemons
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
- 1/2 tsp organic lemon extract optional, for extra lemon flavor
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
Instructions
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Prepare the flax egg and set aside. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Combine the almond flour, tapioca (or arrowroot), baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl.
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In a separate large bowl, whisk together the nut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup, maple sugar, flax egg, extracts, lemon zest and lemon juice until very smooth.
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Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until well combined and a sticky dough forms. Chill the dough in the fridge for about 10-25 minutes.
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Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop and drop dough about 2” apart on the parchment lined baking sheet - I made 12 cookies. Arrange sliced almonds on the tops of the cookies, pressing the top of each cookie a bit as you go.
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Bake 11-13 mins until set and turning light brown. Remove from oven and allow them to cool 5-10 minutes on the baking sheet (they’ll be very soft), then transfer using a spatula to wire racks to cool completely.
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Cookies are best stored at room temperature, loosely covered for the first day. After a day or so, store them in an airtight container at room temp or in the fridge. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*Although I highly recommend using the flaxseed "egg", you can also sub in an egg-yolk if you prefer. If you use an egg-yolk, you'll need to gently press the cookies down right before baking since they won't spread as much.
Nutrition
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Want More Paleo + Vegan Cookie Recipes? Try One of These!
Cranberry Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies
Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Thick and Chewy Snickerdoodles
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These look so good and they scream spring! I love both lemon and almond flavors so I can only imagine how good this combo is. Yum!
I am so grateful to have an egg free recipe! I will have to try these.
Yeah, I already made these for breakfast this morning. They were amazing!!!! 😀
amazing! happy you loved them 🙂
These cookies look so delicious! I love lemon and almonds together!
HI! Can I use an egg instead of flaxseed? Would I use just one egg? Thanks.
These cookies were top notch! Perfect! I made 19 cookies and they spread a lot with my medium size scooper – nice and big. Followed the recipe completely and did not disappoint me. Flavors were out of this world. Can you tell I REALLY liked them a lot. Baked them for 13 minutes and could easily take them off sheet after about 5 to drying rack. Can’t wait to try the other recipes! A REAL winner!
This recipe was delicious.
Wondering about the nutrition facts, are there 171 calories in 1 cookie or 1 serving (12 cookies)?
Even my dad loved these cookies! He is very picky!
These are good but mine spread like crazy! Super thin, not puffy looking like yours. I followed recipe exactly with no substitutions
I used a Tble spoon more lemon juice because I didn’t have the almond extract, I used the flax egg(so simple)and instead of maple syrup I used swerve sweetner. The cookies are delicious and chewy. I’m anxious to make the oatmeal raisin and choc. chip.. Thank you for the recipe. I don’t eat a lot of sweets, but I love a good lemon cookie with coffee.
These were AMAZING. I followed the directions exactly but mine spread. I’ll try again — maybe increase chilling time? — and see if I can get them to look puffy like yours! The flavor was top-notch!
hi, is the half cup of almonds to use on top of the cookies only?
Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.
Can I substitute reg egg for flax egg?
Spread out to paper thin “cookies”. I even chilled the dough for over an hour before baking and they melted completely flat. Honestly enjoyed the batter uncooked more than the cookies. Oven was properly preheated, all the correct procedures in place (I was a pastry chef in my 20s). Won’t make again without serious adjustments. Might add oats and roll into no bake cookies.