These irresistibly chewy gluten-free walnut cookies are made with plenty of ground walnuts and kissed with a touch of cinnamon. So simple to make and so very delicious!
These gluten-free walnut cookies are inspired by my take on Moroccan ghriba cookies. Here, ground walnuts are mixed with a few tablespoons of almond flour and a little sugar to create a chewy, nutty, and just sweet enough cookie.
A bit - but just a bit - of powdered sugar makes these cookies into the little treats they are supposed to be, and I love one or two with a late morning cup of coffee. Walnuts are the star in this recipe, so if you love walnuts (psst, also make my gluten free oatmeal walnut cookies if so!), you'll be very pleased.
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Why You'll Love These
- Simple. Just a few ingredients are needed to make these cookies, including nuts, butter, sugar, and cinnamon.
- Naturally gluten-free. Easy peasy, because nuts form the base of the cookies. No flour is needed!
- Delightful texture. I love that these cookies are slightly cracked on the outside and chewy on the inside. This is thanks to the nuts, which contribute to that delectably noshable interior.
- Not too sweet! You know I love a not-too-sweet baked item, and these cookies are exactly what I'm looking for. The cookie dough calls for just ¼ cup of sugar to sweeten the whole batch, and you can forgo the dusting of powdered sugar if you wish to keep them even less sweet (though may I suggest the powdered sugar?).
Ingredients Needed
Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!
- Butter - I like unsalted butter here, but because there's such a small amount of butter, salted butter is OK. Use non-dairy butter for a dairy-free version.
- Egg - A large or medium egg works best.
- Sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Almond flour - If you can't eat almonds, swap oat flour or another nut flour, or just use gluten-free flour like my homemade gluten free flour blend.
- Baking powder
- Walnuts - I love these cookies made with freshly ground walnuts! You can also do a mix of almonds and walnuts, or use almonds instead.
- Powdered sugar
Step-By-Step Instructions
Here's an overview in photos of how to make these walnut cookies:
1. Process walnuts: First, grind the walnuts up, although make sure you don't over-process them.
2. Make dough: Beat the butter and sugar, then add the egg and the rest of the ingredients.
3. Form: Chill the dough a bit, then roll out the cookies and dip them in powdered sugar and place on a lined baking sheet.
4. Bake: Place in a 350 F oven and bake for about 15 minutes. Cool completely.
Tips & Recipe Notes
- Don't over-process the walnuts. It's a fine line between ground walnuts and walnut butter. Make sure not to overdo it in the food processor. You want the walnuts to retain some texture and not turn into nut butter.
- Cool the cookies until firm. Note that the cookies will still be a bit soft when pulled from the oven. Cool them for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. They will set as they cool.
- Try almonds. Swap the walnuts for almonds to make almond cookies. This New York Times recipe for rose and almond ghriba cookies looks lovely.
- Make them vegan. Substitute non-dairy butter or coconut oil for the butter and omit the egg. The cookies will be a bit more delicate but still delicious.
- Leave out the powdered sugar. I love the cool sweetness the powdered sugar brings to these cookies. However, for a less-sweet cookie, you can skip rolling them in sugar before baking.
Proper Storage
- Counter - Store cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days.
- Freezer - They also freeze well: Place cookies in a freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature to serve.
More Easy Cookie Recipes
Happy baking! If you make this gluten-free walnut cookies recipe, I'd love to know. Please leave a comment below, reach out with any questions, and tag me on Instagram @Cucina Nicolina ❤️
Recipe
Gluten-Free Walnut Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 ¼ cups walnut pieces coarsely ground in a food processor
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the 2 tablespoons unsalted butter with the 1 large egg, then beat in the ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 3 tablespoons almond flour, and 1 teaspoon baking powder. Now beat in the ground 2 ¼ cups walnut pieces and mix on low until smooth. Place the bowl in fridge and chill for 30 minutes.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350° F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place 1 cup powdered sugar in a bowl.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and roll into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar and place on the baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Place in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.
Notes
- Don't over-process the walnuts. It's a fine line between ground walnuts and walnut butter. Make sure not to overdo it in the food processor. You want the walnuts to retain some texture and not turn into nut butter.
- Cool the cookies until firm. Note that the cookies will still be a bit soft when pulled from the oven. Cool them for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. They will set as they cool.
- Try almonds. Swap the walnuts for almonds to make almond cookies. This New York Times recipe for rose and almond ghriba cookies looks lovely.
- Make them vegan. Substitute non-dairy butter or coconut oil for the butter and omit the egg. The cookies will be a bit more delicate but still delicious.
- Leave out the powdered sugar. I love the cool sweetness the powdered sugar brings to these cookies. However, for a less-sweet cookie, you can skip rolling them in sugar before baking.
Nutrition
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Kim says
Really delicious cookies. I made them exactly like the recipe and they were a big hit with gluten-free and gluten eaters! I’m about to make them for the second time jn 2 weeks!
Nicole Spiridakis says
Hi Kim - I'm so glad you enjoyed these! Thanks for letting me know!
Susan Victoria says
do I substitute almond flour for the walnuts in same measurement? thank you
Nicole Spiridakis says
Hi - If you have whole almonds to grind up that would be better because in this recipe you want more of a nutty texture. But if you only have almond flour, yes you can sub that for the ground walnuts.