Vanilla Almond Cookies (vegan)
Who likes a crumbly cookie? For those that do, these vegan vanilla almond cookies are just that. They’re made with ground almonds and wholemeal spelt flour and flavoured with vanilla. Not too sweet, but perfect with a cup of tea.
Now Twelfth Night has passed, I’m feeling it’s time to Jumpstart January. Whilst these vanilla almond cookies aren’t exactly healthy, they aren’t too bad for you either. They contain freshly ground almonds and wholemeal spelt flour and the sugar content is relatively low. I’m also trying to eat more vegan meals than usual this month to celebrate Veganuary, so I’ve made them vegan.
Rice Dream Plant Milk
As I mostly cook and bake with whole foods, the majority of the recipes I make are highly nutritious. Because it’s Veganuary, however, expect to see less sweet treats and more vegan meals than usual for the rest of this month.
But why limit this to food only? I reckon it’s time to try a dairy-free alternative to milk: cue Rice Dream.
As the name suggests, Rice Dream is a dairy-free milk made from rice. It was the first rice milk commercially available in the UK and has been with us for thirty years. It contains no added sugars or sweeteners and the only additions are a tiny percentage of sunflower oil, calcium carbonate, vitamin B12, vitamin D and salt.
Vanilla Almond Cookies And A Cup Of Tea
I was challenged to create a little tea party and try Rice Dream in a cup of tea to see how I found it. I figured a batch of these vanilla almond cookies are the ideal foil for a nice cup of tea and are festive enough for any post Christmas gatherings. They also filled up the biscuit tin nicely. You just never know when unexpected guests might pay a call. Turns out, I had several.
Because I like my tea very weak, I’m quite sensitive to the taste of any added milk. I tried the rice milk with Earl Grey and a more traditional breakfast tea and can honestly say I liked it and was happy with both cups. The flavour is good, without compromising the tea’s taste and it didn’t split as I’ve noticed some non-dairy milks do. CT, who drinks his tea a little stronger than me, also found it more than acceptable.
I’ve been using Rice Dream in a few things over the last week or so. It makes delicious vegan porridge for breakfast and I can report it produces an excellent vegan golden latté using maple syrup rather than honey. I used the Rice Dream to bind my vanilla almond cookies together too.
Vegan Vanilla Almond Cookies
These vanilla almond cookies are easy to make and quite delicious. They keep well too. I based them loosely on these pistachio biscuits with rose and almonds I made for Christmas gifts one year.
These were less sweet, but crumbly and nutty with a subtle vanilla flavour and were enjoyed by all. They are in fact very similar to my pecan snowball cookies, only these contain even fewer ingredients.
Other Vegan Cookie Recipes You Might Like
- Amaretti
- Chocolate chip cookies
- Easter biscuits
- Tiger nut chocolate chip cookies
- Vegan chai cookies via World of Vegan
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these delicious little vegan vanilla almond cookies, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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Choclette x
Vanilla Almond Cookies. PIN IT.
Vanilla Almond Cookies (vegan)
Ingredients
- 90 g coconut oil softened
- 60 g golden caster sugar
- pinch salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 160 g wholemeal spelt flour
- 90 g almonds toasted and ground
- 2 tbsp rice milk (I used Rice Dream)
- 50 g icing sugar
Instructions
- Grind the almonds in a blender or coffee grinder.90 g almonds
- Cream the coconut oil and sugar together until light and fluffy.90 g coconut oil, 60 g golden caster sugar
- Beat in the salt and vanilla extract.pinch salt, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Add the flour and ground almonds and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture has a sandy type texture.160 g wholemeal spelt flour
- Add the milk and stir with a flat bladed knife. Bring the mixture together with your hands to form a dough.2 tbsp rice milk
- Roll walnut sized pieces into balls with the palms of your hands.
- Place slightly apart on a lined baking tray and bake at 170℃ (150℃ fan, 338℉, Gas 3) for about 15 minutes or until just golden.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then roll in the icing sugar. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.50 g icing sugar
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Linkies
I’m sending these vanilla almond cookies off to Treat Petite with Cakeyboi and The Baking Explorer. They also go to Corina at Searching for Spice for Cook Once Eat Twice. I did manage to make them last more than one day – honest!
Post commissioned by Dream®. I was not expected to write a positive review and all opinions are, as always, my own. Thanks to my readers for your support with the brands and organisations that help to keep Tin and Thyme blithe and blogging.
These are simply wonderful, Choclette – I love them (although I didn’t have spelt, so I used teff, and they worked really well). They look so charming too, don’t they? Really elegant little cookies!
Thank you so much for allowing me to share this recipe on my Perfect Vegan Valentine round-up. The post is now live if you want to check it out (an’ y’know, share it around a bit)!
http://www.yumsome.com/your-perfect-vegan-valentine-25-fantastic-plant-based-recipes/
Thanks Nico, I have and I did. Glad you liked the cookies. I’m now intrigued to know how they tasted with teff. Glad they worked for you. Photos?
Great use of rice milk in these cute cookies Choclette. Thanks for entering them into Treat Petite x
Thanks Stuart. Now you’ve reminded me, I’m in the mood for cookies again 😉
I love little biscuits you can just pop into your mouth! I would have mine with coffee though as I don’t drink tea!!
Don’t drink tea Heidi? Good gracious 😉
These look adorable, and I like tgat they ate healthy too. I have tried rice milk and its a tually quite nice. I have yet to bake with it.
Thanks Nayna. They were delicious and rice milk works fine in baking.
Oh YUM I LOVE Rice Dream!! These look super simple and I imagine the toasted almonds lend a deliciously nutty flavor. I love tea too and your little tea set is really adorable. 🙂
Thanks Sarah. Almonds are such a good nut, but toasting them takes them onto an even higher plain 🙂
These sound delicious! I’m sure I’d find it hard to make them last more than one day but I’m pleased you did! I know with little biscuits like this it feels so easy to keep having just one more! Thank you so much for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice
Thanks Corina. I think it must be the almonds, but one cookie was surprisingly satisfying – not that that stopped me!
Delicious! If only it was possible to send real biscuits via the Internet! Thanks for linking up with #CookBlogShare
Hmmm, I’m not so sure that would be a good idea. I’d probably be unable to restrain myself 😉
I love the sound of these cookies, I love the addition of the coconut oil and combined with the almonds, perfection! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Thanks Kirsty, they are also super easy to make – always a bonus 🙂
These cookies looks delicious and enjoying with a cup of tea sounds wonderful. I have tried almond milk but never the rice, will have to change that.
Definitely worth trying, even if it’s only to confirm you prefer almond milk!
Oh I haven’t ever tried rice milk before, is it a nice texture? These biscuits look like the perfect treat for Veganuary!
Thank Sus. I like it and yes the texture is good, though it is more equivalent to skimmed milk than full milk I reckon.
Cute! They look like little snowballs. Bet they taste as delicious as they look xxx
Yes, they are really best for the festive period I feel, but I’d actually be happy to eat them any time 😉
They look adorable! I don’t think I’ve ever baked ball shaped cookies! I love that you made them healthy and vegan for veganuary 🙂 The rice milk sounds yummy, need to give it a try.
Oh, you must try ball shaped cookies, they are similar, but also different to flat ones 😉
Yum, just my kind of thing! I love vanilla and I keep meaning to try rice milk so I definitely will now so I can make these 🙂
Two in one Cathy, that’s my kind of thinking 😉
These biscuits do sound far healthier and I love the uniform spherical shape:-)
Thanks Camilla. The dough was perfect for rolling, so they were also really easy to make.
They look very delicious! Can’t resist anything with almonds.
Almonds are just brilliant and I find grinding them yourself makes for a much better flavour and texture in bakes.
To be honest anything with almonds gets my vote and these look like traditional Greek cookies called ‘amygdalota’ which I am totally addicted too. I need to try this milk – mostly use almond milk but don’t like it in coffee.
I’ve heard they’re also similar to Mexican wedding cookies and Russian tea cakes, so it just shows that almond cookies are the best 😉 I’m off to check amygdalota now.
Oh those sound delicious Choclette, just right with a nice cup of tea!! I’ve been experimenting with more vegan baking too recently, and I’m always pleasantly surprised as to how easy it is to substitute in dairy-free milks etc. with great results. I haven’t tried baking with rice milk before but must give it a try, these sound lovely!
Thanks Kate 🙂 Rice milk is a good one to use if you’re averse to nuts or soya and it works perfectly well in baking.
Nice and delicious vegan cookies and very easy to make so it seems. With these ingredients you do not need a lot of sugar. I have tried several grain milks before, but always went back to ‘normal’ milk (most often goat’s milk nowadays). What keeps me from using alternative milks more often is the sunflower oil. It has an adverse effect on my stomach and I do not like the taste either. Pity, because I like the idea.
Have you tried sheep’s milk Henk? It has a nicer flavour than goat’s I find and is meant to be more attuned to the human body – or so I’m told.
There are farms with milking sheep in the area , but they are not allowed to sell raw milk. Till now I haven’t seen sheep’s milk in any supermarket or even organic shop. Only yogurt and cheese. I’d definitely buy and try it. Goat’s milk can indeed become rather strong flavoured after a couple of days. I use it up in breads and pancakes then.
Not allowed to sell raw milk? Aghh, that makes me so cross! We used to have a supply of raw cow’s milk, but lost it when few years ago 🙁