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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Sarah says
These are fantastic! Love the cookie consistency! Great flavor!
Amanda says
I just made these, and they’re amazing! My hubby and son agreed that they couldn’t tell they were low cab. I used Splenda to sweeten. So good I’m having a hard time staying away!
Jean says
I’m curious how much splenda to use for this cookie recipe. Thank you so much.
Amanda says
I used 3/4 cup of the baking-style Splenda.
Isata bah says
Did you use regular Splenda ? I only have the granulated sugar packets and was wondering how to use them. I see that I will need 3/4 cup of it and that means I would need 6 ounces which seems like a lot of sugar. Is this accurate? Will love to try these tomorrow.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Any granulated sweetener will work!
Annie says
I made these and they are delicious – just disappinted because they ended up as flat round biscuits. Did not retain their shape. I also used erythritol as sweetner. Any suggestions for next time?
Mellissa Sevigny says
I use swerve which is erythritol so that shouldn’t be a problem – if your almond flour isn’t really finely ground then the butter won’t distribute right and you could get a lot of spread. Otherwise not sure because mine puffed slightly but didn’t spread at all!
Chris says
Thanx but my dough seemed perfect. Not watery at all I used honeyville flour.
Michelle says
Amazing! Reminds me of my favorite pignoli cookies that I find so hard to resist at the Italian bakery on the corner. Mine spread a lot too, but they still taste delicious.
Cmihalov says
Texture is right on. Mine did spread a lot. I even put them in the refrigerator while I waited for the oven to pre heat. The almond was waaay to strong. Will try less next time. Otherwise awesome. Any tips on how to get them to retain their shape??? Thanx! I love your recipes?
Frank weir says
Maybe dough was too watery? Mine was very thick, moldable. Maybe add more almond flour to thicken?
Frank weir says
Melissa…made these this weekend. My wife tried one and asked what ingredients I used … which usually is a VERY bad sign. She absolutely loved them and swore they were as good or better than the store bought versions. I over baked my second batch and she actually preferred the crunchiness of those. Sprinkled powdered Swerve on a few but not necessary, better without. Gonna have to break down and buy you’re ebook collection. Your recipes really work well for me and are simple for a guy like me to prepare. I loved your banana dessert cups from a year ago too. Tried that recipe this fall substituting pumpkin purée with powdered Swerve to sweeten. Excellent result also! Happy holidays from Michigan!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Frank! Thought I responded to your comment weeks ago, not sure why it didn’t show up! Enjoy the books! ☺️
Jane Jouraida says
I made these cookies and….they just spread out into cats tongue shape!! Still yummy but certainly not the nice crescent shape I put into the oven! Any idea why? I used erythritol and a splash of Splenda.
Mellissa Sevigny says
I also used erythritol Jane so not sure what happened! What kind of almond flour were you using??
Amy says
Excellent, nice alternative recipe!
IBikeNYC says
Hi, Mellissa!
These sound GREAT to me, too. I’ve been saving up for a bag of almond flour (and SHAME on them for charging so much for what is, after all, the LEFTOVERS from processing!) and expect to have it in time for Christmas baking.
Meantime, just in case you haven’t already found this out for yourself, those “gleaming cases of colorful jewel-like cookies that are hard to resist!” are N-E-V-E-R worth the nutritional havoc they wreak.
Kinda like those candied nuts from the street vendors that, as I once read, “never taste as good as they smell.”
If you REALLY wanna break the metabolic bank, you should get referred to an authentic OLD-STYLE Italian bakery by someone old enough to be your grandparent!
Medeja says
These cookies must taste amazing! Definitely need to try them..one day :D
Rhonda Martinez says
I just made them as my christmas cookie they are fantastic!