I perfected Soft Almond Flour Cookies made with almond flour, sugar, and egg whites, and I’m sharing the small, surprising tweak that’s the secret behind their almond cloud texture.
I can never resist an Almond Cloud Cookie, they feel almost too light to be a cookie. Using blanched almond flour and egg whites gives them that chewy, airy texture that somehow still tastes unabashedly almond.
I toss these into my Easy Gf Baking Recipes rotation because they travel well and don’t melt into a mess, and they fit perfectly among other Healthy Almond Desserts when i’m trying to keep things simple. They’re easy to make, kind of showy for a party, but honest enough for late night snacking.
Stick one in your mouth and you’ll wonder how something so delicate can be so satisfying.
Ingredients
- Blanched almond flour: nutty, high in protein and healthy fats, adds tender crumb, slightly sweet.
- Granulated sugar: gives crisp edges and sweetness, mostly empty calories, balances almond flavor.
- Egg whites: whip into glossy peaks for lift, add protein, make cookies kinda cloudlike.
- Vanilla extract: warms flavor, makes sweet notes rounder and more bakery like.
- Almond extract: tiny splash boosts almond punch, very strong use sparingly or it overpowers.
- Fine sea salt: small pinch lifts sweetness, sharpens flavors, lessens cloying taste.
- Sliced almonds and powdered sugar: crunchy topping or soft dusting for contrast and pretty finish.
Ingredient Quantities
- 2 cups (about 200 g) blanched almond flour
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large egg whites room temp
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract optional, for extra almond punch
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder optional, helps them puff up a bit
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds for topping optional
- Powdered sugar for dusting optional
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat; measure your almond flour by weight if you can for best results.
2. In a bowl whisk together 2 cups blanched almond flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder if using, breaking up any lumps.
3. In a separate clean bowl whisk 2 large egg whites (room temp) until foamy, then add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract if using.
4. Gradually add the dry mix into the egg whites and fold gently with a spatula until just combined; the batter should be sticky but hold shape, don’t overmix or it gets oily.
5. Use a small cookie scoop or two spoons to drop rounded tablespoons of batter onto the prepared sheet about 2 inches apart. If you like, press a few sliced almonds on top of each mound.
6. Wet your fingertips lightly and gently flatten each mound to about 1/2 inch high so they bake evenly, or leave a little peak for a cloud look.
7. Let the cookies rest on the sheet 10 to 15 minutes so the surface dries a bit, that helps them keep shape and get a slight crust.
8. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until edges are very light golden and tops are set, rotate the pan halfway through if your oven has hot spots.
9. Cool the cookies on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely; dust with powdered sugar if you want and store in an airtight container up to 3 days or freeze for longer.
Equipment Needed
1. Baking sheet plus parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
2. Kitchen scale (best) or dry measuring cups for the almond flour
3. Two mixing bowls, one for the dry mix and a clean one for the egg whites
4. Whisk for both the dry mix and whipping the whites (hand whisk is fine)
5. Rubber or silicone spatula for gentle folding
6. Small cookie scoop or two spoons to portion the batter
7. Measuring spoons for vanilla, almond extract, salt and baking powder
8. Wire cooling rack and an airtight container for storing leftovers
FAQ
Almond Cloud Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Almond flour: use finely ground blanched almond meal instead, same weight (about 200 g). If the meal is coarse pulse it once in a food processor, expect a slightly more rustic crumb.
- Granulated sugar: swap with caster or superfine sugar 1 to 1 by weight (150 g). It dissolves quicker in the whites so the cookies end up smoother.
- Egg whites: use aquafaba for a vegan option. Use about 2 tablespoons aquafaba per large egg white so roughly 4 tablespoons here, whip to soft peaks, it may take a bit longer and a pinch of cream of tartar helps stabilize.
- Vanilla extract: replace with vanilla bean paste or the seeds from half a vanilla bean for richer flavor, use the same amount. Or if you want extra almond punch try 1 quarter teaspoon almond extract but reduce other nutty flavors.
Pro Tips
1) Weigh the almond flour if you can, don’t rely on cup measures. Fluff the bag first and spoon it into the scale, don’t tamp it down — sorry, don’t use that character — packing makes the batter too dense and the cookies come out heavy.
2) Use room temp egg whites and whisk them only until foamy, not stiff. Overwhipping or overfolding the dry mix in will make the mixture greasy and the texture weird, so stop when it’s just combined.
3) Let the scooped mounds sit on the sheet for 10 to 15 minutes before baking so a thin skin forms, it really helps them keep shape. Wet your fingertips to gently smooth or flatten, that prevents ugly cracking and makes them bake more evenly.
4) Watch the edges not the clock, they go from perfect to dry fast. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes then move to a rack, and store layered with parchment in an airtight container or freeze flat for longer.
Almond Cloud Cookies Recipe
I perfected Soft Almond Flour Cookies made with almond flour, sugar, and egg whites, and I’m sharing the small, surprising tweak that’s the secret behind their almond cloud texture.
12
servings
148
kcal
Equipment: 1. Baking sheet plus parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
2. Kitchen scale (best) or dry measuring cups for the almond flour
3. Two mixing bowls, one for the dry mix and a clean one for the egg whites
4. Whisk for both the dry mix and whipping the whites (hand whisk is fine)
5. Rubber or silicone spatula for gentle folding
6. Small cookie scoop or two spoons to portion the batter
7. Measuring spoons for vanilla, almond extract, salt and baking powder
8. Wire cooling rack and an airtight container for storing leftovers
Ingredients
2 cups (about 200 g) blanched almond flour
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
2 large egg whites room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract optional, for extra almond punch
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder optional, helps them puff up a bit
1/4 cup sliced almonds for topping optional
Powdered sugar for dusting optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat; measure your almond flour by weight if you can for best results.
- In a bowl whisk together 2 cups blanched almond flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder if using, breaking up any lumps.
- In a separate clean bowl whisk 2 large egg whites (room temp) until foamy, then add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract if using.
- Gradually add the dry mix into the egg whites and fold gently with a spatula until just combined; the batter should be sticky but hold shape, don’t overmix or it gets oily.
- Use a small cookie scoop or two spoons to drop rounded tablespoons of batter onto the prepared sheet about 2 inches apart. If you like, press a few sliced almonds on top of each mound.
- Wet your fingertips lightly and gently flatten each mound to about 1/2 inch high so they bake evenly, or leave a little peak for a cloud look.
- Let the cookies rest on the sheet 10 to 15 minutes so the surface dries a bit, that helps them keep shape and get a slight crust.
- Bake 12 to 15 minutes until edges are very light golden and tops are set, rotate the pan halfway through if your oven has hot spots.
- Cool the cookies on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely; dust with powdered sugar if you want and store in an airtight container up to 3 days or freeze for longer.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 34.7g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 148kcal
- Fat: 8.33g
- Saturated Fat: 0.62g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated: 2g
- Monounsaturated: 5.17g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 34mg
- Potassium: 127mg
- Carbohydrates: 16.18g
- Fiber: 2.08g
- Sugar: 13.15g
- Protein: 4.1g
- Vitamin A: 0IU
- Vitamin C: 0mg
- Calcium: 44.4mg
- Iron: 0.62mg
