Preparation Steps

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside.
• Make the flax egg: mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl, stir, and let it thicken for 8–10 minutes while you assemble the rest.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond butter and sugar. Use a sturdy spoon or spatula and beat vigorously until the mixture becomes creamy and homogeneous (about 1–2 minutes).
• Add the thickened flax egg (or a beaten large egg), finely ground espresso, baking soda, vanilla, and the sea salt to the bowl. Fold everything together until the dough is smooth and slightly glossy.
• Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes — this helps control spread and improves texture.
• Using a 1-tablespoon scoop (or two spoons), portion rounded balls of dough onto the prepared sheet about 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each ball with the tines of a fork, creating a shallow criss-cross pattern.
• Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven for 9–11 minutes, until the cookies’ edges are set and the tops show small cracks. If baking more than one tray, rotate the sheet halfway through baking for even color.
• Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 4–6 minutes so they firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt over each warm cookie if you like a contrast of flavors.
• Once fully cooled they will be slightly crisp on the outside and chewy inside. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or freeze for longer storage.