Keto Sugar Cookie Recipe (gluten free + low carb)
This is the perfect Keto Sugar Cookie Recipe! These almond flour sugar cookies have the delicious, soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture, just like traditional Lofthouse sugar cookies, and contain about 2 net carbs each!
Originally published December 2020, updated November 2023
Today I’m sharing the ultimate low-carb sugar cookie recipe! If you are a regular reader, you know I’ve been on a mission to master keto cookies this year. My baking obsession started with these Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies and evolved into a white chocolate macadamia and cranberry version. Those cookies are perfectly chewy and are a perfect low carb alternative to the classics we all love.
I’m happy to report that these keto sugar cookies are just as good! These soft, pillowy cookies are perfectly sweet and excellent on their own, or with frosting. This is a great gluten-free cookie to add to your holiday baking! To help make your seasonal baking simpler, use the simple chart in this guide to How Many Cups in a Quart– you’ll find yourself turning to this helpful post again and again!
Ingredients for Keto Sugar Cookies
If you’re new to the keto diet, you may be thinking, “sugar-free sugar cookies?” I know the concept might sound strange to some, but I promise these almond flour sugar cookies are so delicious! Here’s what you’ll need to make these naturally gluten-free, sugar-free cookies:
- Almond flour and Coconut Flour: you need both in this recipe. I’ve tested this recipe many times, in many ways, and the combination of both flours provides the most authentic taste, texture, and flavor.
- Baking Soda, Baking Powder, and Salt: this provides lift and rise to the cookies.
- Granular Monkfruit Sweetener: if you prefer Swerve as a sweetener that will work too.
- Butter: unsalted works best since salt is added to the cookies.
- Egg: size large egg at room temperature.
- Sour Cream: full fat and light sour cream work equally well in this recipe.
- Vanilla Extract: pure vanilla extract adds depth and flavor to these cookies.
- Optional Frosting: butter, cream cheese, powdered monkfruit sweetener, almond milk or heavy cream, and vanilla extract.
Get the Recipe: Keto Sugar Cookie Recipe (gluten free + low carb)
Ingredients
For the Keto Sugar Cookies
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated monkfruit sweetener
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Keto Frosting
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups confectioners monkfruit sweetener, add 1/2 cup at a time to get your desired consistency and sweetness, you may use slightly more or less depending on your preference
- 1-2 tablespoons almond milk or heavy cream, use only as needed to thin your frosting to your preference
Equipment
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together butter and sugar until blended. Mix in the egg, sour cream, and vanilla extract.
- With mixer set on low speed slowly add in flour mixture and mix until combined.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and shape into a round disk. Chill for a minimum of 2 hours, preferably overnight.
- When ready to bake preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Scoop the sugar cookies out using a 1 inch cookie scoop and place on a silicone lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes. Remove from the oven when the center is still slightly undercooked, it will finish baking as it cools. Allow the cookies to cool 10 minutes on the baking sheet and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the frosting: Combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract and 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer. Add 1/2 cup of the sweetener at a time until it reaches your desired consistancy and sweetness. Use 1-2 tablespoons liquid to thin as needed.
Notes
How to Make Keto Sugar Cookies
In addition to the ingredients listed above you will need mixing bowls, electric mixer, spatula and baking sheets. These low-carb sugar cookies can be made easily! Here’s a step-by-step guide for delicious keto sugar cookies.
Combine Dry Ingredients
In a mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this aside for now.
Combine Wet Ingredients
In a second mixing bowl, add the butter and monk fruit sweetener and cream with an electric mixer until well blended. Add in the egg, sour cream, and vanilla extract and continue mixing just until the ingredients are well combined.
Form Dough
While the electric mixer is on low, add in the flour mixture until it creates a sticky but uniform dough. Wrap this dough in plastic wrap and chill overnight.
Bake Cookies
After the dough has chilled and the butter has hardened again, you’re ready to scoop! Use a 1-inch cookie scoop to create 24 cookies. Place the dough at least 1-2 inches away from one another on a silicone lined baking sheet at 350 degrees. Bake for 9-11 minutes, removing the cookies from the oven while they’re still slightly soft in the center. Leave them on a the baking sheet for 10 minutes (they’ll finish cooking and cool down a bit), then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
How to Make Sugar-Free Cookie Frosting
The sugar-free frosting is simple to make. Frosting is the combination of a few simple ingredients: a fat, sweetener, an extract, and sometimes a small amount of liquid. For this keto frosting, I combine butter, cream cheese, powdered monkfruit sweetener, vanilla extract, and a tiny amount of milk to achieve the right consistency. I consider this recipe a base recipe because it is easy to customize. You can easily add a different extract, such as almond or maple, to achieve a different flavor combination.
Keto Sugar Cookie FAQs
This recipe makes 24 cookies if you use a small, 1-inch cookie scoop. When divided into 24 equal portions, these keto sugar cookies come to just 1.8 net carbs each. When you add the sugar free frosting, which is also included with this recipe, it adds 1.3 grams of fat and 0.1 grams of carbs.
Yes! Chilling the dough is absolutely essential. The cookies have the perfect texture when they have been chilled overnight. However, it is possible to bake these cookies after the dough as chilled as little as two hours. Cookie dough is chilled to solidify the fat in the dough, which prevents the cookies from spreading too much. If you do not chill the dough, or place the dough on an already warm baking pan it will result in a thin cookie that has spread too much.
Yes, this recipe will work if you you are using cookie cutters! The dough is sticky, so it can be a little harder to work with. Make sure to flour the work surface well and do not roll the dough any thinner than a 1/4 inch. Decrease the cooking time by 2 minutes, depending on the shape and how fat you make the sugar-free sugar cookies. These make great Christmas Cookies!
Tips for Making Sugar-Free Cookies
- I do not recommend using another type of flour for this recipe. I’ve found the ratios of almond flour and coconut flour to be perfect for this recipe and cannot recommend anything else.
- You must chill the cookie dough, otherwise the keto sugar cookies will spread dramatically in the oven.
- The bake times listed are for cookies that have been scooped using a 1-inch scoop. If you make the cookies larger or smaller, the bake time will vary.
More Keto Cookie Recipes:
You can never have too many cookie recipes, right? My all time favorite low-carb cookie recipe are these Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies, as of this writing this recipe has over 200 five-star reviews! They are perfectly flavored with vanilla, dark chocolate chips and pecans.
Some of my other favorite low carb cookie recipes include:
Can this sugar cookie dough be rolled out and cut with cookie cutters?
Hi Angela, yes it can. The dough is sticky so it can be a little harder to work with. Make sure you flour the surface well and do not roll the dough any thinner than 1/4 an inch. Decrease the cooking time by 2 minutes, depending on the shape and how fat you make them they may take a few minutes longer to cook, but that is a good starting point. I hope that helps!
Can this recipe be made with different sweeteners like Swerve?
Hi Jeni, yes swerve should work just fine. I hope you enjoy!
Looks delicious! Is the monk fruit for the cookies the granulated kind, and the powdered kind for the frosting?
Hi Nikki, it is granulated. I hope you enjoy!
How long would these last in an airtight container on the counter and in the fridge? These look delicious!
is there something else I can use instead of confectioners monk fruit for the icing?
Confectioners swerve will work.
Great flavor but I found the end result to be more like a butter cake than a cookie…next time I’ll use less butter!!
I do not own a stand mixer. If using a hand held mixer what might I need to do to get a good result? Should I just beat together with a wooden spoon instead and knead with my hands?
Hi Rita, a handheld mixer will work the same for the recipe as the stand mixer. Just cream together the butter and sweetener until it resembles the photos (just nicely incorporated; it is okay if there are a few lumps), then continue with the recipe. I hope you enjoy!
Cookies were delicious, however they were very moist maybe wet would be a better term, was not able ice cookies but was delicious as I said. Next time I think I will put more coconut flour to soak up the moisture. Maybe bake at a lower temperature for a longer time to firm the cookie up he.
I made these at a friend’s house and didn’t have a silcone mat or a 1 inch scoop. I used parchment paper and a spoon to scoop the dough. They turned out fine but had to cook them for 15 to 20 minutes for them not to be raw in the middle. I doubled the batch too. The icing for the double batch was almost too sweet with the monk fruit at 2 cups. Again I know its preference but wanted to share my experience
Can you freeze the dough and/or baked cookie?
Yes, I believe the dough would freeze very well. I have not tried freezing the cookie, but I think it would be just fine without the icing.