Description
Delight in these Gluten Free Dulce de Leche Cookies made with almond flour, featuring a soft caramel-rich center and topped with creamy frosting and swirled dulce de leche. Perfectly chewy with a luscious texture, these festive cookies are ideal for holiday celebrations or anytime you crave a sweet treat without gluten.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cup almond flour
- 3 tablespoons tapioca flour or cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup almond butter or cashew butter
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon molasses (optional, but recommended)
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup softened butter
Frosting
- 4 oz. low-fat cream cheese (softened; can use ⅓ less fat Neufchatel cream cheese)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Topping
- 13 oz. can of dulce de leche caramel sauce
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper to prevent the cookies from sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside for later.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In another medium bowl, beat the almond or cashew butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add the milk, vanilla extract, molasses (if using), and egg. Continue beating until all ingredients are fully combined and clump-free.
- Incorporate Dry Into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and beat until fully combined. Then, place the cookie dough in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes, which helps the dough hold together during baking.
- Scoop and Bake Cookies: Using a medium cookie scoop, form dough balls and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until the edges are set and the cookies are slightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Frosting: In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese and butter on high speed until smooth and combined. Add powdered sugar ½ cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl to eliminate any clumps. Mix in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt until the frosting is creamy and smooth. Transfer the frosting into a piping bag and chill it in the refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes to firm up.
- Prepare Dulce de Leche: Place the dulce de leche caramel sauce into a separate piping bag for easy swirling on the cookies.
- Decorate Cookies: Once the cookies and cream cheese frosting have chilled, pipe a swirl pattern of dulce de leche on top of each cookie. Then pipe the cream cheese frosting inside the dulce de leche swirl to create an attractive alternating swirl design. Serve and enjoy your decadent gluten free dulce de leche cookies.
Notes
- These cookies are soft and caramel-rich, making them perfect for festive occasions like Christmas.
- You can substitute tapioca flour with cornstarch if preferred.
- For a dairy-free alternative, use vegan butter and cream cheese substitutes and a plant-based milk.
- Chilling the dough results in better shape retention during baking.
- The optional molasses adds depth of flavor but can be omitted if unavailable.
- Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 130 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
