Keto Chinese Almond Cookies: Taste Tradition, Without the Carbs!
These chewy and moist Chinese almond cookies with a hint of orange are so easy to make. With just 76 calories and 1.5 net carbs per cookie, these naturally gluten-free treats are guilt-free too! While the recipe is written using low carb sweeteners, you can substitute sugar and brown sugar 1:1 for the amounts in the recipe.
Chinese New Year may have passed this year, but these delicious cookies will make you feel lucky whenever you make them all year long!
I have a confession to make: I’ve struggled with low carb baking since I started eating this way in 2016.
Between sweeteners that have an odd aftertaste and ingredients that change the texture, it’s been an exercise in frustration for me.
But sometimes, recipes end up being even more delicious than the originals…
For instance, traditional Chinese almond cookies are crisp with a crumbly texture.
Kind of like Mexican wedding cookies, minus the powdered sugar coating.
My favorite cookies are the kind that are a little chewy.
While I was taste-testing different variations of this recipe I made one version that turned out with exactly the texture I love!
And that’s the recipe I’m sharing with you today.
Not only do they taste amazing, it was so fun to make them look pretty by making flower shapes out of the almonds.
This cookie recipe is delicious to have on hand, but looks special enough to serve when you have company over for dinner.
- What are Chinese almond cookies?
- What ingredients are used in keto Chinese almond cookies?
- How do you make keto Chinese almond cookies?
- Are keto Chinese almond cookies suitable for a low-carb diet?
- What are the nutritional values of keto Chinese almond cookies?
- Can keto Chinese almond cookies be made in advance?
- How should you store almond cookies?
- Recipe Variations and Substitutions
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What are Chinese almond cookies?
The exact origin of Chinese almond cookies isn’t clear, however, they seem to have originated in the mid 1800s, soon after the first wave of Chinese immigration to the United States.
They’re often called almond biscuits, or almond cakes in China and can be found in bakeries throughout China and in many Chinatown areas in the US.
Some people believe they were adapted from the walnut cookies which were served with a walnut pressed in the center.
Today, they are considered good luck and are a staple during Lunar New Year celebrations.
Their shape symbolizes coins and is thought to bring good fortune.
What ingredients are used in keto Chinese almond cookies?
These cookies are naturally gluten free, and the ingredients can be found easily in most grocery stores or on Amazon.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Super fine almond flour: This flour is typically made from blanched almonds that are ground super fine into a meal that’s great for gluten free and grain free baking. It also add some more almond flavor to these cookies!
- Allulose: Finding good low carb sweeteners for baking has been a challenge. Allulose doesn’t have an odd aftertaste, and it also browns beautifully! It’s probably the most similar to baking with sugar.
- Swerve Brown: Just like brown sugar adds a little something special to traditional cookie recipes, this sweetener adds a little moisture and the taste of molasses without adding carbs or affecting blood sugar.
- Unsalted butter: Everything’s better with butter and these cookies are no exception. If you use salted butter, you can omit adding the salt to this recipe. It adds richness, flavor, and structure because of the way it’s added.
- Neufchatel cheese: Want to know a secret? Substitute a little Neufchatel cheese for the butter when you bake and your cookies will turn out more tender! It also reduces the fat just a little bit.
- Roasted unsalted almonds: These cookies are wonderfully chewy. Add some coarsely chopped almonds to give them a little crunch.
- Almond extract
- Orange zest: Oranges are considered a sign of good luck in Chinese culture and are often given as gifts during the Lunar New Year celebration. Adding some orange zest to these Chinese cookies gives them an amazing flavor and who couldn’t use a little extra luck?
- Sliced almonds (optional): It’s traditional to top almond cookies with a whole or sliced almond. You can even use them to decorate the tops of the cookies.
It was so fun playing around with different ways to arrange the almonds!
Please note: The sliced almonds just barely affect the macronutrients for each cookie, however, using more than one whole almond will increase the fat and calories per serving.
How do you make keto Chinese almond cookies?
One of the best parts of this recipe is how easy it is to make!
You can whip up the dough in about 5 minutes.
Are keto Chinese almond cookies suitable for a low-carb diet?
Do you follow a low carb diet?
Then you might wonder what makes a dessert suitable for maintaining your goals.
First, take a look at whether it has added sugar.
Remember: sugar is often hidden in recipes since it has so many different names, and some of them sound like they should be healthy.
When you eat low carb, the goal is to keep your blood sugar levels steady. Avoid blood sugar spikes.
However, sugar isn’t the only thing that can raise your blood sugar! White flour is another ingredient that has a high glycemic index.
This recipe doesn’t include any ingredients that are known to raise your blood sugar, and only has 1.5 net carbs per cookie!
You can have that cookie, and eat it too… 😉
Can keto Chinese almond cookies be made in advance?
I love a good make-ahead recipe, don’t you?
If you’re making these cookies to serve at a Lunar New Year dinner, or you’re planning to serve them to friends, you can prepare the dough up to three days in advance and store it in the refrigerator.
Simply slice and bake the cookies the day you plan to serve them so they’re super fresh.
If it’s going to be a busy day, you can even bake them the day before and you’ll hardly notice the difference.
How should you store almond cookies?
It’s important to store almond cookies in an airtight container.
I particularly like this storage container for cookies because it keeps them in a single layer.
Not only will this minimize breakage, it also keeps them looking pretty!
These cookies taste best if you enjoy them within three days, but they’ve lasted for a week without any problems. The texture just changes a bit the longer they sit.
Be sure to leave a star rating and review after you make the recipe! This helps other people to find and enjoy it too.
Chinese Almond Cookies | Keto | GF
Indulge your senses with these chewy and moist Chinese almond cookies. With just 76 calories and 1.5 net carbs per cookie, these naturally gluten-free treats are guilt-free too!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup allulose
- 1/4 cup Swerve Brown
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup Neufchatel cheese, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 cups super fine almond flour
- 1/4 cup roasted unsalted almonds, coarsely chopped
- 1-1/2 teaspoons fine orange zest (zest from one medium orange)
- whole or sliced almonds to decorate the top (optional)
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, cream together butter, Neufchatel cheese, allulose, and Swerve Brown until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the almond extract and salt.
- Stir in the almond flour, chopped almonds, and orange zest by hand. The dough will be crumbly.
- Turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper, and use your hands to shape it into a 1-1/2 inch thick log. It'll be about 12 inches long.
- Wrap the log in the parchment paper and refrigerate for at least an hour. This makes it easier to slice and also minimizes how much the cookies will spread during baking. You can refrigerate the log of dough for up to 2 days.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper or a silpat on a baking sheet.
- Use a knife to slice the dough into 1/2-inch coins and place them on the cookie sheet. Press the cookies down to 1/4-inch thickness and smooth the edges while doing so.
- Press whole or sliced almonds on top of the cookies. You can also use strips of orange peel to decorate the tops of the cookies.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the bottoms and edges are browned.
- Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then use a spatula to remove them to baking racks to continue cooling.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
Variations:
Omit the orange zest for a more traditional almond cookie.
Substitute lemon zest for the orange zest.
Use lard instead of the butter and Neufchatel cheese for a dairy-free version
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Nutrition Information
Yield 20 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 76Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 2.5mgSodium 37mgCarbohydrates 3gNet Carbohydrates 1.5gFiber 1.5gSugar .5gProtein 2.5g
Please note that we are not medical or nutritional professionals. We include nutrition information for our recipes as a courtesy to our readers. However, due to wide variations in brands, nutrition data is subject to change for every user. Nutrition data is calculated using My Fitness Pal Pro. All sugar alcohols are subtracted from the final carb count. Please refer to our complete Nutritional Disclosure for more details.
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