Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix the dough: In a medium bowl, stir together the almond flour, peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract (if using), and salt (if using) until a smooth dough forms.
Shape the cookies: Scoop 1–2 tablespoon portions of dough and roll into balls. Place on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each cookie. Use a fork to gently flatten each cookie, creating a criss-cross pattern. Sticky dough? Dip your hands / the fork in water.
Bake: Bake for 9–10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The cookies will be soft when they come out of the oven, but that's what we want!
Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. They'll continue to set as they cool.
Video
Notes
Use natural peanut butter: A drippy peanut butter made with just peanuts (and salt) gives these cookies the best texture. Thick, no-stir peanut butters can make the dough dry and crumbly.
Flour swap: I haven't personally tested other flours, but some readers have had success using ¾ cup oat flour in place of almond flour. I don't recommend coconut flour or all-purpose flour, as they will change the texture.
Sticky dough? Wet your hands (and your fork) before rolling the dough and creating the criss-cross pattern to prevent things from sticking.
Don't overbake: They won't look completely done when you take them out of the oven, but that's what keeps them soft and chewy! 9 minutes is usually the sweet spot in my oven.
Want perfectly round cookies? Once they're baked and still warm, use a round cookie cutter (or cup with a wide mouth) to swirl around the edges. It creates perfectly round cookies!
Let the cookies cool: I know it's tempting to dig in right away, but this step matters! Since they're made with almond flour, they'll be very soft when they come out of the oven, but will firm up as they cool.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days or freeze for up to 2 months.