This easy almond financiers recipe are are the perfect mixture of sweet and buttery with almond flour, egg whites, sugar, and nutty browned butter. These small, French almond flour cakes may easily be made gluten-free with a simple adaptation.

Best recipe for almond financiers
Financiers are a small French almond cake made of butter, almond flour, egg whites, a small amount of flour, and sugar. Similar to almond flour biscotti, they are traditionally served as a small bite of sweet after dinner or with tea. They have a crispy, chewy exterior with a soft, spongy inside.
Typically these pastries are made in a small rectangular molds, resembling a brick of gold. This is how they got their “financiers” name, which is french for finances or banker.
However, no special equipment is required for this recipe! If you do not have a financier mold, simply use a mini muffin pan to produce the perfect two-bite dessert!
Ingredients notes
The beauty of financiers is such a simple list of ingredients can yield a highly addictive infusion of flavor! I dare you to only pop one of these browned butter beauties into your mouth!
- Unsalted butter – If you use salted butter, omit the salt from the recipe
- Almond flour – Use finely sifted blanched almond flour, not almond meal. For more almond flour recipes, check out this valuable, free resource! Some financiers recipes use alternative nut flours, such as hazelnut flour.
- Granulated sugar
- Flour (regular or gluten-free) – For gluten-free financiers I recommend using Cup4Cup gluten-free flour
- Egg whites – Makes the small cakes light and airy. Leftover egg yolks may be frozen or use to make a lemon curd to dollop on top!
HOW TO MAKE almond FINANCIERS recipe
(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
- First, preheat the oven to 375ºF and liberally grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin with baking spray.
- Next, brown the butter (step-by-step-directions below) in a small saucepan. Immediately pour the melted butter into a small bowl so the residual pan heat does not burn the butter.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the dry ingredients – almond flour, sugar, flour, and salt. Stir in the egg whites and then browned butter.
- Distribute the batter into the mini-muffin pan, filling up each tin about halfway. To do this quickly and evenly, use a small cookie scoop, which holds about 1 tablespoon dough.
- If desired, top with sliced almonds, chopped chocolate, sliced fruit, or a berry. Bake for 14 minutes, or until tops are golden. Cool on a wire rack.
HOW TO brown butter
Although you can skip the step of browning the butter for the recipe, it does add a caramel, nutty taste to pair nicely with the almond flour. Plus, it is as easy as melting butter on the stovetop!
- In a small skillet melt the butter over medium heat.
- Once the butter is fully melted watch carefully and stir occasionally so butter doesn’t burn. First the butter will foam, then the white milk solids will start to settle at the bottom.
- Watch for the milk solids to turn brown. Once that happens, immediately remove from heat.
- Pour browned butter into a bowl so it doesn’t cook more and burn from residual heat of pan.
can I make my own almond flour?
Yes. If you have blanched (slivered almonds without skins) and a food processor you can make your own almond flour in seconds. For more detailed instructions and pictures, go to my almond flour recipes post.
pan options for financiers
They are called financiers because they were baked in a mold pan shaped like a bar of gold. To avoid buying another pan, a non-stick mini muffin pan works great!
gluten-free modification
A couple tablespoons of flour is added to help bind together the ingredients. Since it’s such a small amount of flour, swapping it out gluten-free all purpose flour, does not affect the recipe at all.
So make gluten free financiers with ease and no one will recognize any difference in taste or texture!
additions and variations
After dividing up the batter in your baking pan, you can place a variety of flavor enhancers on top. For classic French financiers sprinkle with turbinado sugar to enhance the chewy crust, but below are some other flavor options!
If adding anything to the tops, be sure to rest it right on top, without pressing down. As the financiers bake, the toppings will sink down slightly into the middle.
Alternatively, for chocolate lovers, try chocolate financiers, which taste like irresistible brownie bites!
- Fresh berry, such as blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries
- Silvered almonds
- Chopped stone fruit, such as plum, nectarine, peach, or apricot
- Chopped chocolate or chocolate chips
- Mix in 1 teaspoon orange zest to the batter
storing tips
Almond financiers will stay good in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week. To store leftovers longer, wrap the small cakes securely with plastic wrap and transfer to a zip close freezer bag. Freeze up to 2 months.
Click here to see the
step-by-step web story instructions for this recipe!
More almond flour recipes
- Almond Flour Pancakes
- Almond Flour Oatmeal Cookies
- Almond Flour Zucchini Bread
- Almond Flour Banana Muffins
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Almond Financiers (Easy French Dessert!)
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons (71 g) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup (85 g or 3 oz) finely ground almond flour
- ½ cup (113 g or 4 oz) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten free flour, (I recommend Cup4Cup GF flour)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup (75 g) egg whites
- (optional) turbinado sugar, chopped chocolate, raspberries, blackberries, or slivered almonds, for tops
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF and liberally grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin with baking spray.
- To brown the butter, in a small skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter is fully melted watch carefully and stir occasionally so butter doesn't burn. First the butter will foam, then the white milk solids will start to settle at the bottom. Watch for the milk solids to turn brown. Once that happens, immediately remove from heat. Pour browned butter into a bowl so it doesn't cook more and burn from residual heat of pan. Set aside.5 tablespoons (71 g) unsalted butter
- In a medium bowl whisk together the almond flour, sugar, flour, and salt. Stir in the egg whites, making sure there are no clumps of flour. Stir in the browned butter, mixing well.¾ cup (85 g or 3 oz) finely ground almond flour,½ cup (113 g or 4 oz) granulated sugar,2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten free flour,,⅛ teaspoon salt,⅓ cup (75 g) egg whites
- Distribute the batter into the prepared pan, filling up each tin about halfway. To do this quickly and evenly, use a small cookie scoop, which holds about 1 tablespoon dough.
- If desired, sprinkle turbinado sugar on top then place sliced almonds, chopped chocolate, sliced fruit, or a berry gently on top. Do not press down because it will sink down as it bakes.
- Bake for 14 minutes, rotating pan halfway through, until the tops are golden brown. Run a small knife around the outside of each tin and invert onto a wire cooling rack. Turn cakes right side up and cool slightly before serving.
- DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?? DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE FEEDBACK AND RATE BELOW!
Equipment Needed
Recipe Notes
How to Store:
These almond flour cakes will stay good in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week. To store longer, they may also be wrapped securely and frozen up to 2 months.Additions / Variations:
After dividing up the batter in your baking pan, you can place a variety of flavor enhancers on top. I sprinkled the tops with turbinado sugar to enhance the chewy crust, or place a fresh berry, slivered almonds, sliced stone fruit (peaches, plums, cherries), or chopped chocolate on top.If adding anything to the tops, be sure to rest it right on top, without pressing down. As the financiers bake, the toppings will sink down slightly into the middle. Recipe adapted from Cook’s Illustrated
Nutrition
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Robert says
Very tasty and easy to make. I didn’t have anything to put on top before baking, so I added a bit of almond extract. I’m on a low carb diet, so substituted a granulated sweetener for the sugar. Will definitely make them again.
Melissa Erdelac says
Glad to hear that worked out, Robert! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know!
Best,
Melissa
Merr says
Really perfect, and the brown butter takes the flavor to a new level of richness and depth. I am gf but my family is not; and they actually ask me to make these. Thank you!
Melissa Erdelac says
These are some of my favorites! My non-gf family equally loves them. I’m glad you enjoyed them as well!
Best,
Melissa
Merredith says
Delicious! I love Financiers as a gluten-free treat, and the brown butter takes it to another level. Although my batch was done in about 11 minutes… I think the mini-muffin pan was “mini-er” than normal. I made a second batch with 1/8 t. almond extract, just to try it. Was also fantastic. Thank you for the recipe!
Melissa Erdelac says
Thank you, Merredith! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Best,
Melissa
Anonymous says
How long would you recommend baking using a regular (not mini) muffin pan?
Melissa says
I haven’t done this, but I would guess about 3-5 minutes longer than the recipe calls for.
Best,
Melissa
Anonymous says
Additional 3-5mins worked great!! Will definitely be making these again. Thank you for the awesome recipe!
Melissa says
Yay! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Best,
Melissa