These Almond Candy Cane Cookies are made with almond flour to bring out classic holiday flavors. Compared to classic almond candy cane cookies, my recipe has no flour, no eggs, and no butter and only needs 4 basic pantry ingredients for easy gluten-free Christmas cookies.
If you love almonds and candy cane flavor, these Christmas cookies are for you. They are similar to my Vegan Shortbread Cookies in texture with the flavors of Peppermint Snowball Cookies.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This paragraph gives you all my tips about picking the right ingredients. For the full recipe with measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post!Go to Full Recipe
You only need 4 base ingredients to make these cookies:
- Almond Flour – It forms the base of the cookies, providing a light, crumbly texture and rich almond flavor. For nut-free options, use my shortbread cookies and add candy canes.
- Powdered Sugar – This sweetens the dough and helps bind it. You can also use sugar-free powdered erythritol or powdered allulose for lower-sugar alternatives.
- Water – Water binds the ingredients together. It should also work with plant-based milk (like almond or oat milk) for a slightly creamier dough.
- Candy Canes (Crushed) – These add holiday flavor and a festive crunch. You can also use crushed peppermint hard candies or sugar-free candy canes for reduced sugar.
- Almond Extract – This enhances the almond flavor and holiday notes. Vanilla extract can also be used for a milder flavor or you can just omit any extract entirely.
How to Make Almond Candy Cane Cookies
These cookies are really easy to whip up. Here’s how in pictures.
Crush the candy cane in a bag with a rolling pin and combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Stir the batter with a silicone spatula until the batter is sticky and forms a ball.
Roll 8 small dough balls. Roll them again into sticks and bend the end to form a cane.
Place the candy cane on a baking sheet and bake them for 12 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C).
Carine’s Baking Tips
I have a few more tips to make the best cookies possible.
- Use Ultra-Fine Almond Flour – This ensures smooth dough and prevents grainy cookies. Avoid almond meal, as it’s too coarse.
- Crush Candy Canes Evenly – Aim for tiny pieces; large chunks can create uneven baking. A food processor works well if crushing by hand is difficult.
- Grease Your Hands – Lightly grease your hands with oil to prevent the sticky dough from adhering as you shape the candy canes.
- Work Quickly – The dough can dry out if left too long. Shape one cookie at a time to maintain consistency.
- Customize Sweetness – Reduce the crushed candy canes for less sweetness or add more for an extra festive flavor.
- Avoid Overbaking – Watch closely as almond flour burns easily. Bake until just lightly golden on the bottom.
- Cool Completely – Allow cookies to cool fully before handling, as they are delicate when warm but firm up as they set.
- Double the Batch – These cookies store well, making them a great option for gifting or holiday parties.
- Experiment with Shapes – Use the same dough to make other festive shapes, like stars or wreaths, by pressing it into molds.
Decoration Ideas
You can easily decorate these cookies with many different styles.
- Drizzled Icing: Use vegan royal icing or melted chocolate to drizzle over the cookies. Feel free to include green or red coloring for Christmas colors. Sprinkle crushed candy cane on top while the icing is still wet.
- Dipped Edges: Dip one end of each candy cane in melted chocolate and sprinkle with edible glitter or more crushed candy cane.
More Christmas Cookie Recipes
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Almond Candy Cane Cookies
These Almond Candy Cane Cookies are made with almond flour to bring out classic holiday flavors. Compared to classic almond candy cane cookies, my recipe has no flour, no eggs, and no butter and only needs 4 basic pantry ingredients for easy gluten-free Christmas cookies.
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Servings: 8 Candy Cane Cookies
Calories: 119.4 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup Almond Flour - note 1
- ⅓ cup Powdered Sugar - note 2
- 2 ½ tablespoons Water - note 3
- 3 tablespoons Candy Cane - crushed, about 2 candy canes (note 4)
Optional
- ½ teaspoon Almond Extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Place the unwrapped candy canes in a Ziploc bag, close it firmly, use a rolling pin to tap the candy cane on a strong surface, and crush it into tiny pieces – avoid too big chunks. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir almond flour, powdered sugar, crushed candy cane, and water.
- Stir to combine and form a sticky dough. You may have to lightly grease your hands and squeeze the ingredients to bring the dough together.
- Grab about 2 tablespoons of dough, roll it into a ball, then roll it into a long cylinder, and bend the top to form a candy cane shape. Place on the cookie sheet leaving a thumb of space between each candy cane cookie.
- Bake the cookies for 12 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C) until dry and lightly golden on the bottom edge.
- Let the cookies cool down on the cookie sheet at room temperature for 15 minutes, then on a cooling rack.
- If you like, drizzle my vegan royal icing recipe on top.
Notes
Note 1: You can’t use this recipe with all-purpose flour. For a nut-free shortbread recipe use my vegan shortbread recipe and add crushed candy cane to the dough.
Note 2: You can use sugar-free powdered erythritol or powdered allulose.
Note 3: You can use any brand of candy canes we love Yum Earth for a healthier choice. Decrease the amount of crushed candy cane for a less sweet cookie.
Note 3: Almond extract is optional. You can use vanilla extract instead or leave it out.
Storage: You can store the cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also double or triple the recipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 119.4kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.7g | Protein: 4.5g | Fat: 10.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.7g | Sodium: 0.3mg | Potassium: 0.4mg | Fiber: 2.2g | Sugar: 0.8g | Calcium: 44.3mg | Iron: 0.8mg | Magnesium: 0.1mg | Phosphorus: 0.01mg
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