Healthier Almond Financiers

These French almond financiers are so easy to make and super delicious! They are moist, fluffy, and full of amazing almond flavor. Plus, they looks so cute! Compared to traditional financiers, these are made with less butter and sugar. They’re also made with nutritious ingredients like almond flour and egg whites. These financiers make the perfect breakfast, snack, or dessert!

What are financiers?

Financiers are delicious French teacakes made with a nut flour, browned butter, and egg whites. The egg whites gives the financiers a slightly crisp outer shell while having a super springy and moist interior. These financiers are super fluffy and moist. They are traditionally baked as little rectangles or ovals, but I like to use the mini muffin pan that I already have on hand!

Why I love these healthy almond financiers:

These almond financiers have the most amazing flavor! The almond flour and browned butter are the perfect combination – nutty, sweet, toasty. I also love how these financiers are lightly sweetened. This lets the delicate, complex notes of the other ingredients shine without being overpowered by sweetness.

I also love the texture of these muffins. They are slightly crisp on the outside, with a super moist and fluffy interior. The egg whites also give these an addicting spring.

Another advantage of these almond financiers is how easy they are to make. They take less than 30 minutes and all the ingredients come together in one bowl.

Finally, I love how these financiers are made with less sugar and butter than traditional teacakes. They are tender and light, which is perfect for breakfast or snack! The almond flour and egg whites also add some extra protein.

Key ingredients in healthy almond financiers:

• Unsalted butter – Unsalted butter gets browned for the most amazing nutty flavor.
• Powdered sugar – Powdered sugar dissolves much more quickly for a super smooth batter. If you don’t have powdered sugar, you can try blending granulated sugar in a blender or food processor until it forms a fine powder.
• Almond flour – Almond flour is key to the rich flavor and super tender texture of these financiers. Make sure you are using almond flour and not almond meal, which is coarser. You can also try substituting other nut flowers, like hazelnut flour.
• All purpose flour
• Egg whites – This recipe calls for 8 egg whites, which gives the financiers a crisp outer shell with a springy inside. If you don’t feel like separating 8 eggs, you can use liquid egg whites from a carton. Simply substitute 1 1/4 cup liquid egg whites.
• Unsweetened applesauce – Unsweetened applesauce is the secret to extra moist baked goods. If you don’t have applesauce, you can substitute plain yogurt, oil, or melted butter.

What to do with all those egg yolks:

• Homemade ice cream
• Homemade mayo
• Homemade dressings and hollandaise sauce
• Custard/flan
• Crème brulée

Tips and notes for making these healthy almond financiers:

• Greasing the pan – Make sure to grease the pan with lots of butter to prevent the financiers from sticking. You can also dust the buttered pan with flour for extra protection.
• Browning the butter – Browned butter goes from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds. Make sure to go slow over medium-low heat. If you get burnt/black bits at the bottom of the pan, simply transfer the butter to a separate bowl and leave the burnt bits in the pan.  
• Egg whites – 8 egg whites may seem like a lot to separate. If you prefer to use liquid egg whites from a carton, substitute 1 1/4 cup. 
• Mixing the wet ingredients – The applesauce will not fully combine with the rest of the wet ingredients. Simply beat it in until it is well incorporated.
• Serving and storage – These financiers are amazing at room temperature or warm the day they are baked! If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in the oven or microwave before enjoying. My favorite way to enjoy these financiers is warmed with a little bit of jam.

Variations and ingredient substitutions for these healthy almond financiers:

• Almond flour – Almond flour is key to the rich flavor and super tender texture of these financiers. Make sure you are using almond flour and not almond meal, which is coarser. You can also try substituting other nut flowers, like hazelnut flour.
• Egg whites – This recipe calls for 8 egg whites, which gives the financiers a crisp outer shell with a springy inside. If you don’t feel like separating 8 eggs, you can use liquid egg whites from a carton. Simply substitute 1 1/4 cup liquid egg whites.
• Unsweetened applesauce – Unsweetened applesauce is the secret to extra moist baked goods. If you don’t have applesauce, you can substitute plain yogurt, oil, or melted butter.
• Toppings – For fancier financiers, try adding a berry on top of the batter before baking, like blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries. You could also add sliced fruit like strawberries, figs, and peaches. You could also add nuts or chocolate on top.

If you liked these healthy almond financiers, you might also like…

• Healthier Cinnamon Roll Muffins
• Maple Donut Muffins
• Snickerdoodle Amaretti Cookies

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Healthy Almond Financiers

These mini almond financiers are made with almond flour, egg whites, and less butter and sugar than traditional cakes. They are so fluffy and tender – perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert! Best of all, they're so easy to make.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time9 minutes mins

Total Time24 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Keyword: almond, cake, healthy, muffins

Servings: 24 financiers

Author: Half the Sugar Baker

Ingredients

• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter plus additional for greasing pan
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup almond flour
• 2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 – 1 teaspoon almond extract depending on how strong you prefer the almond flavor
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400ºF. Grease a financier pan or a mini muffin pan very well with butter.

Brown the butter:

• In a small pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Let it cook until it turns brown and stops sputtering. Immediately pour into a bowl to cool. Do not scrape in any of the burnt bits.

Mix the batter:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, almond flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat in the egg whites until the dry ingredients are completely moistened. Add the browned butter (do not pour in any black bits that have sank to the bottom of the bowl) and beat on high speed until the batter is smooth and light. Beat in the vanilla and almond extract.
• Divide the batter among the cups of the greased pan using a spoon or piping bag. Optionally top the financiers with slivered almonds. Bake for 9-13 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the financiers cool in the pan on a wire rack.
• Once cooled, run a small knife around the edges of the muffin cups to help release the financiers. Remove the financiers and enjoy at room temperature or warmed. I recommend serving with a little butter or jam!

Notes

Greasing the pan: Make sure to grease the pan with lots of butter to prevent the financiers from sticking. 

Browning the butter: Browned butter goes from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds. Make sure to go slow over medium-low heat. If you get burnt/black bits at the bottom of the pan, simply transfer the butter to a separate bowl and leave the burnt bits in the pan.  

Egg whites: 8 egg whites may seem like a lot to separate. If you prefer to use liquid egg whites from a carton, use 1 1/4 cup. 

Serving and storage: These financiers are amazing at room temperature or warm the day they are baked! If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in the oven or microwave before enjoying.

Nutrition facts (per financier): 107 calories, 7 grams fat, 9 grams carbs, 5 grams sugar, 3 grams protein.