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.
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🌟 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!
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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.
Liz
Soooo Delicious!
I made these cookies for the first time and my goodness, it is hard to leave them alone! I ran out of walnuts so had to use a 1/2 cup of pecans. Then my mixture was too wet, (probably because I grind nuts to a flour because of my diverticulosis) so I added some almond flour to stiffen things up. I added a dark chocolate chip to the tops of each (not sugar free but one chocolate chip comes out to a small of carbs). Anyway, so good for a treat! So good for you as well! My cardio doc told me that walnuts are good for reducing cholesterol, so it's a great excuse to keep these cuties around!
Susan Grace Millett
These were scrumptious and extremely satisfying, as well as LEGAL for a diabetic. YUMMY! I did add one heaping tablespoon of almond flour, simply because I couldn't roll them--too sticky. Excellent, kind of life-saving recipe. I will try the suggested cardamon next time. Thank you!
dezi
Hi Katrin,
These are really good. Thank you for developing this recipe. We liked your suggestion of using just the egg white for a crunchier texture. Thank you, again!
Valerie Williams
Delicious and so simple. I made them with just egg white and used brown swerve to sweeten them. Made them about half the size of the recipe to create really small bites. Thanks for the recipe!
myriam
Hello,
Thanky you! These look delicious. Do you think that I could make these without sugar at all? Would they hold their shape?
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, the sweetener is not essential to the recipe. It's the egg white that keeps the cookies together.
Stacy
These were delicious. I don't love walnuts in all preparations but I had a huge back of them. These are perfect! Thank you! I made 12 cookies.
Mitzie
Loved it. It wasn't too sweet and didn't take long to make. Goes well with coffee.
andrea
is 72kcal for one 16g cookie?
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, that is correct. I always calculate the nutrition per portion/serving
J
Just made these with allspice and they are sooooo good! Mine were slightly soft on the inside though, I wonder if i should cook them longer (but that might burn the top)?
Also, any idea how long they can be kept for at room temperature in a glass jar?
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi there, if you're eating these straight from the oven, they might crisp up more as they cool down. Or they are simply a little larger than mine and therefore need to stay in the oven a bit longer. Place aluminium paper on top so they don't burn and just put them in for another 5 minutes or so.
J
Hi Katrin, thanks for the tip! Gonna try them later.
Also, any idea how long can these cookies last in a jar in room temperature conditions? Or is it necessary to keep them in a fridge?
Thanks!!
Katrin Nürnberger
I think they're definitely fine for a few days. Probably even a week or longer. There's nothing in there that would go of quickly.
Charlotte
Just made these! Followed the recipe to the letter, made in mini muffin pan and made 22 cookies. They are delicious!!! So easy to make too!! Thanks for the recipe. I make the peanut butter cookies all the time, but will be making these as much. Going to try with different nuts. Delicious!!!
Katrin
What a great idea to make the mini mini muffin pan! Glad you like the recipe-it would work with any kind of nut