Category Archives: almond flour

Almond Flour Sparkling Shortbread {Vegan, Gluten-Free}

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I am very happy to participate in the Sweetest Season Cookie Exchange for the sixth time this year. This is a food blogger-lead fundraising event and awareness campaign for Cookies for Kids’ Cancer. This organization is a 501(c)3 non-profit with the mission to raise funds for innovative pediatric cancer treatments and research through bake sales and cookie swaps. Supporters (“Good Cookies”) can do this throughout the year, but we are bringing awareness during this time of holiday giving. If you’d like to learn more and/or make a charitable donation to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, click here. Otherwise, scroll on for Almond Flour Sparkling Shortbread!

Almond Flour Sparkling Shortbread {Vegan, Gluten-Free}​

Every year, I take great pride in having a vegan, gluten-free recipe in my holiday repertoire. Half of everyone I know falls into one of these two categories; it’s kind of a no-brainer to have this as part of my skill set. I love feeding my people.

When writing these sorts of recipes, the only boundaries I give myself are that I won’t work with hard-to-access flours or pre-made blends (they’re inconsistent). As such, it should come as no surprise that I buy almond flour in bulk at Costco, and also that I go through it at the speed of light. I’ve got a lot of gluten-free and/or vegan people to feed, ya know.

Almond Flour Sparkling Shortbread {Vegan, Gluten-Free}​

This holiday season, I’m keeping it very simple. How simple? Six ingredients-, slice & bake-, stays good for days-simple. But with sparkle, of course, because simple doesn’t mean boring around here. Almond Flour Sparkling Shortbread, y’all.

Almond Flour Sparkling Shortbread {Vegan, Gluten-Free}​
Almond Flour Sparkling Shortbread {Vegan, Gluten-Free}​
Almond Flour Sparkling Shortbread {Vegan, Gluten-Free}​

These cookies are so easy to make. The dough is is a quick one with just five ingredients: almond flour, vegan butter, confectioner’s sugar, salt and vanilla. Once the it’s mixed up, it’s rolled into two logs, coated in your sparkling sugar (or vegan sprinkles), and refrigerated for a few hours or a few days depending on your schedule and needs. When you’re ready for cookies (and who isn’t?) simply slice them thick and bake them just until they look dry.

Almond Flour Sparkling Shortbread {Vegan, Gluten-Free}​

Almond Flour Sparkling Shortbread have it all. They’re buttery with a pronounced almond flavor, and a tender-crisp bite. The sparkling sugar on the edges adds a little pizzazz and a some extra crunch. And since they’re vegan and gluten-free, they’re one more festive way to feed both my people and yours.

Almond Flour Sparkling Shortbread {Vegan, Gluten-Free}​

Not vegan and gluten-free? Try my classic Sparkling Shortbread!

Almond Flour Sparkling Shortbread {Vegan, Gluten-Free}
makes about 3 dozen small cookies

6 tablespoons vegan butter, softened to room temperature (or dairy butter if not vegan)
6 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
6 tablespoons sparkling sugar, or (vegan) sprinkles of choice

In a medium-large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat vegan butter until fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add confectioner’s sugar and beat until fully combined (about 2 minutes). Beat in vanilla.

Add half the almond flour and mix until combined. Beat in remaining almond flour and salt. Dough may look rubbly, but should hold together extremely well when pinched.

Knead dough a couple of times with your hand, then divide it in half.

Place two sheets of plastic wrap on the counter. Place sparkling sugar on a dinner plate.

Working with one half of the dough at a time, form it into a log that is roughly 7 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. Place the dough log on the plate of sparkling sugar, then gently roll it around to coat completely. Remove it to one of the sheets of plastic wrap and wrap it up. Repeat this process with the remaining dough and sparkling sugar. When done, place both logs of dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours or up to 3 days.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325F. Line two rimmed sheet pans with parchment paper.

Working with one log of dough at a time, slice off any scraggly ends, then slice in increments of 1/4-1/3 inch (I went 1/3 inch because I prefer thick shortbread). Place slices about 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared pans.

Bake cookies 14-16 minutes, rotating the pans top to bottom and back to front at the 8 minute mark. Cookies are done when they look completely dry and are just starting to turn pale golden at the edges. They should not brown.

Let cookies cool completely on their sheet pans. Serve. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for at least a week.

Flourless Pumpkin Almond Cake

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Flourless Pumpkin Almond Cake​

When I crack open a can of pumpkin purée, I want to make sure to use it all up instead of letting it get weird in the fridge. With the exception of the iconic pie, pumpkin recipes tend to call for just a small amount of the actual squash to achieve their texture and color, so there’s nearly always some leftover. And that, my internet friends, is how we’ve ended up with three pumpkin recipes in a row.

I mean, you can freeze leftover pumpkin purée, but wouldn’t you rather have a wedge of Flourless Pumpkin Almond Cake?!

Flourless Pumpkin Almond Cake​

This simple cake is a seasonal spin on a classic Flourless Almond Cake. It begins with blanched almond flour, brown sugar and pumpkin spice, then gets some richness from egg yolks, pumpkin purée, and melted butter. The cake gets its moist, springy texture because it’s lifted with whipped egg whites (and the tiniest spoonful of baking powder for extra stability).

Flourless Pumpkin Almond Cake​
Flourless Pumpkin Almond Cake​
Flourless Pumpkin Almond Cake​

It bakes up thick and rustic, with a crumb that is somehow both airy and pleasantly damp (a weird but accurate descriptor). I find it to be somewhere between cake and a pumpkin pie filling, just without the crust. It’s a perfect non-pie dessert for Thanksgiving (or any fall occasion), and has the added benefit of being gluten- and grain-free. I will always love a dessert that can feed more of my people, especially if it involves copious amounts of fresh whipped cream.

Flourless Pumpkin Almond Cake​

On a separate note, I’m feeling a little more consistent in my baking and blogging as we get toward the holidays, so expect to see more of me. I’ve been sharing my daily baking adventures (the highs and the lows) over on my Instagram stories. I’ve been loving the feedback and learning what y’all want to see from me. It’s all fall Maine content for this weekend, but I’ll be back in the kitchen next week. Come follow along, if you like.

Flourless Pumpkin Almond Cake​
Flourless Pumpkin Almond Cake
makes 1 8-inch round cake, about 8-10 servings

4 large egg whites, room temperature
3 large egg yolks, room temperature
1/3 cup pure pumpkin purée
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour (measured by spoon & level)
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed 
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt

For serving:
whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8-inch round pan. Line the bottom with parchment and grease again. Set aside.

Separate egg yolks from whites. Reserve 3 egg yolks for this recipe; set 1 egg yolk aside for a different use. Reserve all 4 whites in a very clean, dry bowl, for whipping.

Combine almond flour, light brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer on low speed to mix the ingredients together—this will take all of 15 seconds. Add 3 egg yolks, pumpkin purée, melted butter, and vanilla, then mix until combined. The mixture will be very thick.

Wash and dry mixer attachments, along with a medium mixing bowl. I also like to wipe down the equipment with vinegar, just to ensure that everything is completely clean before I add the egg whites. There is no way to salvage this recipe if the egg whites are contaminated with oil, yolk, or even water.

Transfer 4 egg whites to the very clean, dry medium mixing bowl. Use the very clean, dry electric mixer to whip them until stiff peaks form, about 2-3 minutes.

Stir 1/3 of the whipped egg whites into the almond mixture. Gently fold half the remaining egg whites into the mixture, followed by the other half.

Transfer batter to prepared pan. Scatter sliced almonds over the top. Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until firm in the center and not visibly damp.

Let cool in the pan for 30 minutes before running a thin, flexible knife around the edge of the cake. Invert cake onto a clean plate. Remove parchment. Revert onto a serving plate or cakestand. Let cool completely before slicing. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Leftover cake will keep covered at room temperature for up to two days or in the refrigerator for up to five. It tastes good on the first day, but the flavors deepen over time.