My keto walnut cookies are a super healthy take on the Italian classic Dolci di Noci. They contain only 4 ingredients and are ready in 15 minutes.
I love a fancy cake. But secretly, my favourite keto dessert are cookies. They are so easy and quick to make. Plus, they have a handy in-built portion control.
Even better, you only need a handful of ingredients. I adore these keto almond butter cookies (3 ingredients), my sugar free nutella cookies and sugar free meringue cookies (both 4 ingredients).
I created these low carb walnut cookies after a trip to Italy many years ago, where I was introduced to dolci di noci - the classic Italian walnut cookie.
Since it contains only 4 ingredients, it was very simple to turn the original recipe into a sugar free version!
This is actually one of the first cookie recipes I published on the blog. I have just added step-by-step images and more tips and tricks to the post.
This means I've just had the best day ever. Because I now have a portion of deliciously crunchy, nutty keto walnut cookies sitting right in front of me.
Jump to:
🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make - only 4 ingredients, no special equipment needed
- Quick - ready in 15 minutes
- Gluten free & dairy free
- Keto friendly - just 0.8g net carbs per cookie
- Great nutty flavor and crunchy texture. Seriously, I should publish more walnut recipes on this website. Walnut desserts rock!
Ingredients
- Chopped walnuts - Make sure they are fresh! I pulsed mine in a food processor. You can also chop them finely with a knife. Or, put them in a plastic bag and crush them with a mallet or rolling pin.
- Egg - Use either 1 medium egg or 1 large egg white. I tried both and preferred the taste with the whole egg. However, both work well.
- Powdered sweetener - Powdered erythritol, any erythritol blend such as Swerve or monk fruit sweetener, Bocha Sweet, allulose or xylitol. Make sure you are using a 1:1 sugar alternative.
- Cinnamon
Instructions
This section contains step-by-step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
STEP 1
Beat the medium egg or large egg white with powdered sweetener and cinnamon.
STEP 2
Add the crushed walnuts and stir with a for or a spatula until a cookie dough forms. Taste and adjust sweetness if required.
STEP 3
Form balls with your hands or use a cookie scoop. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
STEP 4
Bake in the oven until golden.
Katrin's Top Tip
Don't over-process the walnuts! I like to leave some larger chunks. If the walnuts are coarsely ground, the cookies are crunchier.
However, even if you blend the walnuts to a fine flour accidentally, the recipe will still work. It's quite forgiving.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, walnuts are suitable for a keto diet. They are very low in carbohydrates. 1 ounce (30 grams) or 14 halves of walnut contain just 3.9g of carbs.
Yes, if you don't mind a little grittiness. I have made these cookies with Lakanto Gold, which is a granulated brown sugar alternative. It worked really well.
The egg is the binder in this recipe. You could try a mix of nut butter and flaxseed instead. Also, grind the nuts more finely.
Your walnuts are too coarse. Add a little almond flour or a pinch of coconut flour to fix it.
Reader Review: "Love how quick these are to come together and cook - turned out super well and a great way to down walnuts and have a sweet treat when you've run out of almonds! Second batch I mixed in some brazil nuts and that was good too. Thank you!" (Sam)
Variations
Here are ideas how you can change up the recipe.
Use different nuts. The recipe works with any nuts, such as almonds, pecans or hazelnuts. You can also use a mixture. Just don't call them keto walnut cookies 😊.
Add butter. 1-2 tablespoons of melted butter gives the cookies a rich, buttery flavor.
Chocolate: Throw in a handful of sugar free chocolate chips or coat the cookies in dark chocolate such as Lindt (90% cocoa solids).
Change the spices: Try vanilla extract or a pinch of salt.
Storage
Store the walnut cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. You can keep them either at room temperature or in the fridge.
All low carb cookies freeze well. I store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Keto Walnut Recipes
Here are more keto desserts that use walnuts as an ingredient:
- Coconut Flour Banana Muffins30 Minutes
- Keto Banana Bread45 Minutes
- Chocolate Fat Bomb Recipe (Keto)30 Minutes
- Sugar Free Carrot Cake1 Hours 5 Minutes
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
★ STAY IN TOUCH on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST and INSTAGRAM for more great food and join my NEWSLETTER for the latest updates and a FREE EBOOK.★
Recipe
Keto Walnut Cookies
Ingredients
- 175 g / a generous 1 ½ cups coarsely ground walnuts
- 1 medium egg or 1 large egg white
- 25 g / 2 heaped tablespoons powdered sweetener or more, to taste
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius / 350 F electric or 160C / 320F fan.
- Beat the egg with the sweetener and cinnamon until smooth.
- Stir in the ground walnuts. Taste and add more sweetener if preferred.
- Form cookie dough balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Melinda
Delicious but would not form a ball. Just fell apart so I baked them in very tiny silicone non-stock muffin pan and they came out great!
Susanne
These cookies are quick and easy to make and they are the most flavorful, intensely walnutty cookies. If you like the flavor of walnuts you HAVE to make these! My husband is addicted to them! And as always with everything on this site, they are guilt free. What a great pleasure!
Sam
Love how quick these are to come together and cook - turned out super well and a great way to down walnuts and have a sweet treat when you've run out of almonds! Second batch I mixed in some brazil nuts and that was good too. Thank you!
Roxanne
Would I have to make any adjustments if I were to use pure monk fruit instead of one of the sugar alcohol mixes? I don’t like the sugar alcohols but not sure if I’d need to adjust for the lack of bulk. Thanks.
Katrin Nürnberger
No, only use the equivalent amount of sweetness.
Susanne
On the Keto Walnut cookies recipe, you forgot to double, or triple, respectively the number of cups of walnuts in the doubled or tripled recipe versions.
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, I know. The recipe card can only automatically scale the first set of numbers. For the second set of numbers you have to make your own calculations. I do mention this in the recipe card, but you must have missed that. Glad you picked up on it though!
Claire Worrall
Just delicious with the added butter. This is a beautiful Christmas recipe or special treat for us on the carnivore diet. Thank you again Katrin! xo
Cherry O
A successful recipe! Well, mine was a bit too watery because I didn't want to grind the walnuts to powder. So I added some almond flour like you said. Turned out great! Perfect snack. Thank you Katrin!
Carol
How do you get them to bake/crisp evenly. Just the bottom of mind browned and a little too much
Katrin Nürnberger
Ovens can be capricious. If yours browned at the bottom and not the top, you could try baking them on a higher shelf = more heat at the top.