Healthy and nutritionally packed, these easy Teff Almond Butter Cookies pair beautifully with coffee or tea. Gluten-free, vegan, and refined sugar-free.
The increased amount of sun this week has made everything feel a bit easier. Daylight savings and Spring seemed to have coordinated their schedules because we couldn't have asked for a more beautiful introduction to March. It also felt like a good time to take our Christmas wreath with its festive lights down off the front door. I know. I did, though, stop turning the wreath lights on at the close of January.
Clearly, you can see where my priorities are not.
Much of my attention recently has been given to these teff almond butter cookies. I have been wanting to do more with teff as it seems like it has a variety of uses. Touted as a nutritional powerhouse, full of amino acids, fiber, and protein, it is one gluten-free grain that I haven't experimented with much.
After researching cookie recipes that used teff and nut butters, the ratios of teff flour to nut butter all seemed to be the same. But I played anyways, using a little more teff, a little less, sweetening with coconut sugar, switching up and sweetening with maple syrup, more salt, less salt, a touch with cinnamon, some without.
I ended up resorting back to the seemingly tried and true ratio of teff flour to nut butter, then sweetening with maple syrup, adding ground cinnamon for some warmth, and enhancing the almond butter base with some almond extract. These cookies have a delicate texture, are slightly crumbly, and remind me a little of a softer shortbread cookie.
I also tinkered with the cooking time quite a bit, maybe a little too obsessively, but came to the conclusion that a slightly undercooked cookie center made for the best outcome. Overbaking by a couple minutes sucks the moisture out of these little bites and leaves you running for the nearest beverage. Speaking of beverage, these cookies do pair nicely with coffee or tea.
Teff Almond Butter Cookies (Gluten-free, Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups teff flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup unsalted almond butter
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup melted coconut oil
- ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.
- In a large bowl, combine teff flour, salt, and cinnamon. Add almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil (make sure it is no longer hot), and almond and vanilla extracts. Stir with a rubber spatula until well combined.
- Roll cookie dough into small balls and place on cookie sheet. With a fork, flatten balls about halfway down. Sprinkle cookies with sea salt.
- Bake for 10-11 minutes. Overtaking will result in a dry cookie. Remove from cookie sheet and allow to cool on a wire rack.
- Store in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
Jennifer
This recipe is delicious! First time baking with Teff flour. I used half almond flour and half tahini. My whole family, including toddler loves it! Will definitely make again.
Tessa
That is awesome! Thank you, Jennifer!
Rachel
Really amazing cookies!!! :)
Tessa
Thank you, Rachel!!
Rachel
Thank you so much! Sounds really interesting! Can i sub the almond butter with peanut butter?
Tessa
Hi Rachel! I think natural peanut butter would sub in just fine! :)
Beth
I try introducing healthy options for my toddler... Due to the high protein content of teff, I wanted to intoduce it to his diet and one can't go wrong with cookies. I made a few alterations and it still turned out great, thanks for the wonderful recipe :))))
My son has nut allergies, so instead of almond butter, I used tahini...
Since making it vegan wasn't a concern for me, I used organic butter instead of coconut oil.
Lastly, I didn't sprinkle salt on top as I added 1/2 cup of raisins.
Tessa
Tahini is such a great sub! I'm so glad it worked for you. Thanks so much for your kind note, Beth!!
Liz Smith
So sad to report that I just made the Teff Almond Butter Cookies recipe (following to a "T") and it was a disaster. The cookies melted into each other and didn't adhere as a solid, turning into a mess of crumbs. I saved the mess of cooked crumbs and will probably try using it as pie or crumble crust. I think if I pressed it into the bottom of a dish it might stay put and be delicious.
Tessa
Hi Liz - I'm so sorry to hear that. I know that is frustrating and hate that that was your experience. My only guess as to why they didn't stay solid is that the almond butter may have had a higher oil content. I have found in making other recipes that nut butter oils can vary sometimes and alter the results. I like your idea of saving as a crust and agree it would be delicious as a crumble!
Miriam
These cookies were delicious! It’s hard to find almond butter where I live so I substituted and used Tahina which worked well. Thanks for this recipe
Miriam
Tessa
That's awesome! Thanks so much for your note. I will have to try them with tahini as well. If almond butter is hard to find, you can also throw a couple cups of almonds into a food processor and make your own almond butter. I love toasting my almonds and then processing them!
Maddy
Omg. Tessa. I just made these and I didn't think the batter would make it to the oven because I couldn't stop eating it by the spoonful straight out of the bowl. THESE ARE AMAZING. Where has this recipe been hiding?! Everyone needs to make these!!!! The flavors are incredible - so complex and comforting. I'm graduating college this week and am giving them to my favorite professor as an end-of-the-year thank you. I can't even. I could go on and on. Thank you!!
Tessa
Maddy! I am SO happy you liked them! You just made my day. Seriously. :) And what a compliment that you are giving them as a gift!
Congrats on your graduation!!! What's next for you?
Gillian
These are so delicious! I didn't have hazelnuts so I made these, but your hazelnut teff cookies are next on my list.
Tessa
Thank you! I am so happy you liked them!! I hope you like the hazelnut teff cookies just as much. The hazelnut + chocolate together is so good!