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Tiramisu cookies give you all of the amazing flavors and textures of tiramisu in a grain-free, gluten-free cookie form! They have a coffee caramel drizzle over vegan cream cheese in each bite. And they’re so easy and fun to make!
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I’ve been thinking about making some kind of tiramisu-inspired cookies for a while, and these turned out amazing!
I use my almond flour cookie base, add some coffee to the cookie dough, and then make some sweetened cream cheese mixture. Then, you make this incredible, coffee-brown sugar-coconut-caramel.
All that gets stuffed into the cookie, and it oozes out during baking. It adds so much flavor and texture to the cookies. It’s fantastic!
These tiramisu cookies do take a little bit of time to make, with all the stuffing and everything. But believe me, they are worth the effort. They are very addictive and delicious! You will want to double triple the batch!
For quicker option, make it into cookie bars. Press half the cookie dough in a pan, then top with the vegan cream cheese mixture and the caramel. Then press the remaining cookie dough on top!
Why You’ll Love Tiramisu Cookies
- all of the flavors and textures of tiramisu in cookie form!
- tender, gluten-free cookie base
- creamy, vegan cream cheese filling
- gooey, coffee-date caramel drizzle
- naturally gluten-free and grain-free
More Almond Flour Cookies
Tiramisu Cookies (gluten-free)
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 1 cup blanched almond flour
- 3 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet ingredients
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tablespoons melted coconut oil, , I use refined for no coconut flavor
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, or vanilla powder
- 1 teaspoon prepared coffee, or espresso
Cream cheese stuffing ingredients
- 2 tablespoons non-dairy cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon powdered sugar, or regular sugar
Coffee-caramel syrup ingredients
- 2 tablespoons prepared coffee, or espresso
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon coconut cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 335° F (168° C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Make the cookie dough.
- In a small bowl, add all of the dry ingredients — that’s the almond flour, starch, baking soda, and salt — and mix really well. Press and mix to break all the almond flour lumps, because those lumps don’t break down easily once you add the wet ingredients.
- Then, add in the maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and coffee, and press and mix really well. The cookie dough will be pretty sticky, but you’re going to chill it, so mix it really well, and put it in the fridge to chill for 20 to 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the fillings.
- Take the cream cheese out of the fridge, if you haven't already, and measure it out. Add the sugar to it, mix well, and let that cream cheese filling sit on the counter to soften a little bit.
- Make the coffee-caramel syrup: In a small skillet over medium heat, add the coffee and brown sugar, and mix well. Bring it to a good boil, and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Then, mix in the coconut cream, and continue to cook until the mixture starts to thicken. Depending on your skillet and the stove, this will take anywhere from 4 to 6 minutes. Once the mixture is starting to thicken up like maple syrup, switch off heat and let it cool. It will thicken more as it cools.
Assemble and bake.
- Take the cookie dough out of the fridge. If the cookie dough is still very sticky, mix in an additional tablespoon of almond flour.
- Use a spoon or cookie scoop to measure out about 2 tablespoons or more of the cookie dough and place on the baking sheet and wet your hands with water or oil. Using your wet or greased hand, press the cookies down to flatten them out into a 2 1/2” wide cookie, then scoop 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each cookie.
- Drizzle the cooled coffee-caramel syrup over the cream cheese in the middle of each cookie. Repeat for all the cookies, then fold those cookies over. The cookie dough is going to be soft and somewhat sticky and very easily pliable, so just bring it all together over the cream cheese and caramel mixture. It’s okay if it doesn’t completely seal. You just want to bring the dough over enough so that the fillings don’t completely leak out of the cookie during baking. See pictures for reference, and repeat for all of the cookies.
- Bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes. The baking time depends on your oven, the baking dish, etc. Check in at the 12-minute mark. If the cookies are browning on the edges, then they're done. Otherwise, let them continue to bake for another 2 minutes or so, then remove the cookies from the oven. Let them sit on the baking sheet for another 2 minutes, then carefully transfer the parchment off to a cooling rack and let them cool completely. The caramel is still setting at this point, and cookies will be soft in the middle when they first come out. They will firm up a bit once they cool, if you can wait for them to cool down, that is!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- almond flour – This is the base for your cookie dough.
- tapioca starch – Acts as a binder for the dough.
- baking soda for rising
- salt to balance flavors
- maple syrup – For moisture and sweetness.
- coconut oil – For moisture and texture. Use refined coconut oil, if you want less of a coconut flavor in the finished cookies.
- vanilla extract and coffee – Adds such an amazing flavor to the cookies and to the syrup!
- non-dairy cream cheese – For the creamy filling. Use soy-free, if needed.
- powdered sugar – To sweeten the cream cheese filling. You can use granulated sugar, if you’d rather.
- brown sugar – To sweeten the caramel.
- coconut cream – To make the caramel creamy.
Tips
- Make sure that when you’re mixing the dry ingredients you press out as many clumps as you can. It will be much easier now than once you add in the wet ingredients.
- The coffee-caramel syrup thickens some as it cools. You just want to cook until it reaches a maple syrup-like consistency.
How to Make Gluten-Free Tiramisu Cookies
Make the cookie dough and chill it first. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Preheat the oven to 335 deg F.
In a small bowl, add all of the dry ingredients — that’s the almond flour, starch, baking soda, and salt — and mix really well. Press and mix to break all the almond flour lumps, because those lumps don’t break down easily once you add the wet ingredients.
Then, add in the maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and coffee, and press and mix really well. The cookie dough will be pretty sticky, but you’re going to chill it, so mix it really well, and put it in the fridge to chill for 20 to 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the fillings.
To make the cream cheese filling, take the cream cheese out of the fridge, if you haven’t already, and measure it out. Add the sugar to it, mix well, and let that cream cheese filling sit to soften a little bit.
Also make the coffee-caramel syrup while the cookies cool.
In a small skillet over medium heat, add the coffee and brown sugar, and mix well. Bring it to a good boil, and continue to cook for two minutes. Then, mix in the coconut cream, and continue to cook until the mixture starts to thicken. Depending on your skillet and the stove, this will take anywhere from four to six minutes.
Once the mixture is starting to thicken up like maple syrup, switch off heat and let it cool. It will thicken a little more as it cools.
Assemble the tiramisu cookies and bake.
Take the cookie dough out of the fridge. If the cookie dough is still very sticky, mix in an additional tablespoon of almond flour.
Use a spoon or cookie scoop to measure out about two tablespoons or more of the cookie dough and place on the baking sheet and wet your hands with water or oil. Using your wet or greased hand, press the cookies down to flatten them out into a 2.5” wide cookie, then scoop 0.5 to one teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each cookie.
Drizzle the cooled coffee-caramel syrup over the cream cheese in the middle of each cookie.
Repeat for all the cookies, then fold those cookies over. The cookie dough is going to be soft and somewhat sticky and very easily pliable, so just bring it all together over the cream cheese and caramel mixture.
It’s okay if it doesn’t completely seal. You just want to bring the dough over enough so that the fillings don’t completely leak out of the cookie during baking. See pictures for reference, and repeat for all of the cookies.
Bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes. The baking time depends on your oven, the baking dish, etc. Check in at the 12-minute mark. If the cookies are browning on the edges, then they’re done. Otherwise, let them continue to bake for another 2 minutes or so, then remove the cookies from the oven.
Let the tiramisu cookies sit on the baking sheet for another two minutes, then carefully transfer the parchment to a plate or cooling rack and let them cool completely. I usually use a wooden board to cool the cookies because the caramel is still setting at this point, and cookies will be soft in the middle when they first come out. They will firm up a bit once they are a little cooled, if you can wait for them to cool down, that is!
Frequently Asked Questions
These tiramisu cookies are naturally gluten-free and grain-free. They’re soy-free as long as you use soy-free vegan cream cheese.
The base of the cookies is almond flour and changing that with a different flour would need many changes in the recipe. Instead use a shortbread or chocolate chip cookie recipe you like and use that dough for Nutfree
Store on the counter for the day. If you want to store them for longer, refrigerate them, because they have cream cheese in them.
For a more shelf stable option, omit the cream cheese.
Help Richa! I want to make this as a bar cookie, but could you offer a few tips? I press half of the mixture down, then put the cream cheese, then the syrup, then the other part of mixture. OK. But before that, do I need to refrigerate? And after I put it all together, how long should I bake it? How will I know it is done?
I am doubling the recipe, mixing, and chillingโeverything except for the syrup and assembly, which I will do after I hear your advice.
Last question: I was going to dust the top with cacao powder. Do I wait until after it bakes? (I assume.) Or before?
Thanks, Richa!
No need to refrigerate. Bake 17-19 mins depending on your pan. Yes dust after baking.
Thank you! Trying it today.
I cannot find tapioca starch. Can I use cornstarch instead or minute tapioca?
Yes
Hi Richa,
This looks yummy. Two questions
– can I sub almond flour with all purpose?
– any alternative to coconut cream. I donโt want to open a whole can for a few teaspoons. Can I blend some cashews instead?
Yes use cashew cream.
Canโt substitute with all purpose flour as it would need 3-4 times the moisture.
Just made these and they taste heavenly! Eating them warm right now. Mine looked like yours going in the oven but stayed a bit more parcel-like even when they came out ie did not flatten as much. Don’t think it matters really! Great festive treat!!
So happy you liked them!
Add a smidgen more coconut oil and theyโll spread more! Since the liquid is in tablespoons and measuring error or some stuck to the spoons will reduce the moisture in the dough. Slightly moist dough spreads well!
Can I make it gluten free but with regular dairy products? So it’s not vegan
Sure
Can the almond flour be subbed ? Maybe cassava flour?
It will alter the recipe significantly. Youโll need more liquid and moisture and the texture will be very different tok
My family will love these!!! Thanks Richa.
awesome! ๐