Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies are slightly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside with a buttery melt in your mouth taste! Naturally gluten free and grain free, these will be your new favorite dessert.
Other family favorite healthy cookie recipes include these healthy chocolate chip cookies and oat flour chocolate chip cookies.
Table of contents
Healthy almond flour chocolate chip cookies come out thick, a bit chewy/crispy outside, soft baked inside with no high amount of oil/butter or sugar because I believe it is not necessary as baking with almond flour is high in fat.
This is such a simple recipe with no bringing to room temperature butter and eggs, or chilling the dough. I make these gluten free almond flour cookies whenever kids demand “Cookies!”.
Why Make Almond Flour Cookie Recipe?
- 5 star reviews: The best almond flour chocolate chip cookies on the web, I promise!
- Tested multiple times: I made this almond flour cookie recipe in multiple ovens, pressing the dough more at times and less at others, to deliver you the best results.
- Versatile: Make with coconut oil or butter, your favorite chocolate chips and even add in dried fruit or nuts!
- Diet friendly: Gluten free, grain free, paleo, vegetarian and even dairy free when using coconut oil. They can even be made sugar free (suitable for keto).
- No empty calories: Most often cookies are deemed off limits because of the large amount of processed white flour, sugar and butter in them! These cookies are made with almond flour, rich in vitamin E and lower in carbs, just enough butter/coconut oil and organic cane or coconut sugar.
Ingredients
- Almond flour or almond meal: I use Kirkland almond flour. It can be pricey but Costco “fixes everything” or make almond flour at home with this easy tutorial. A few readers have reported successfully making these cookies with all of almond meal or most (75%) almond meal. So, I am pretty sure you can. Maybe, just maybe, the look will be a bit different.
What is the difference between almond flour and almond meal? Almond flour is made from blanched peeled almonds and has a fine texture, almond meal on the other hand has a coarser texture as it is made from raw unpeeled almonds.
- Eggs: Don’t skip. Almond flour needs “glue”.
- Cane or coconut sugar: Has to be dry sweetener, cookies need sugar. But erythritol will also work as I have tested it.
- Coconut oil or butter: General rule is that cookies with coconut oil come out more crispy and softer with butter. In this particular recipe I prefer coconut oil!
- Chocolate chips: I use dark chocolate chips as they have less sugar than semi-sweet. I also prefer to use mini chocolate chips. You get more chocolate with each bite but with same calories. Any chips will work though!
- Baking staples: Salt to taste and baking soda for lift.
How to Make Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F for soft cookies or 375 degrees F for more crunchy outside. Line 2 cookie sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Make dough: First beat the eggs with sugar, vanilla, baking soda and salt. Then add melted coconut oil and beat more. Then incorporate almond flour and chocolate chips.
If your oil was hot it means it has been overly melted and your dough might be too greasy. Stick it in the fridge for a few minutes, so it is easier to handle.
- Shape cookies: Use small cookie scoop, shape balls and flatten lightly with your fingers.
- Bake: For soft baked cookies, bake at 350 degrees F for 20-23 minutes. For more crunchy on the outside but soft inside cookies, bake at 375 degrees F for 15 ish minutes. Last is my favourite!
- Cool: After removing from oven, let cool on baking pan for 10 minutes then remove to bakers rack.
Oven Tip: Recipe tested and recommended cooking time is for regular oven. I have 2 ovens and they bake differently! Also convection oven bakes twice faster which is a common default mode for new ovens. Check which one you have before baking. Keep an eye on cookies after 12 minutes because almond flour browns fast.
Coconut Oil vs. Butter
These cookies were made with coconut oil vs. butter. As you can see from the texture in the pictures they are more cake like when using coconut oil. And bonus, using coconut oil also makes these cookies dairy free! Use refined coconut oil as it has a neutral taste. 
Optional Tips and Variations
- Optional mix-ins: Pecans, raisins, dried cranberries, walnuts, or cacao nibs.
- Zest: A small amount of orange zest with the dried cranberries would be a gluten free almond flour only version of my popular healthy oatmeal cranberry cookies.
- Brown sugar: Could be used in place of cane or coconut sugar.
- Extract: Try pure almond extract for a nutty taste to your almond flour cookie recipe!
- Crushed candy canes: Would be perfect during the holidays during healthy christmas cookies baking sprees!
- Rainbow sprinkles: So fun for kids!
- Mocha cookies: Add a small amount of ground coffee or instant espresso into your dry ingredients.
- Chocolate chunks: Chop up your favorite chocolate bar and fold them in.
- Sprinkle of sea salt: Flaky sea salt and chocolate, yum!
Tips for Best Results
- Flatten cookies: The more you flatten your almond flour cookie recipe, the more smooth and less prickly they will be on top. Just looks wise and kids like the look.
- Melted butter/coconut oil: You want just the right temp for the ‘fat’ in your cookie. Melted, but not hot.
- Cookie scoop: I like a 1 Tblsp cookie dough scoop to easily portion out the dough.
- Don’t over bake your cookies: The cookies will continue to firm as they cool. I take mine out at 15 minutes, although you can bake them up to 23 minutes. Size of cookie and oven could make your cookie vary when it’s done!
- Oven temps vary: My almond flour cookies with chocolate chips are perfect when baked at 375F degrees. Some readers have best results at 350F degrees.
FAQs
Unfortunately not. Almond flour is essentially finely ground blanched almonds. Any wheat flour contains gluten which makes it rise and absorb liquid differently than any other flour. These 2 flours are not interchangeable.
No. Because coconut flour is extremely “thirsty” and dough will be crumbly. Instead, try these paleo chocolate chip cookies that incorporate coconut flour.
I have tried to make many-many cookies with maple syrup or honey and they just don’t come out the same. Sugar is dry and when baked it produces chewy almond flour chocolate chip cookies outside and soft baked inside.
No. Because ratio of wet and dry ingredients will be offset. Dry sweetener and liquid fat are what makes cookies “cookies”. I have not tested these cookies, but granulated sugar free erythritol or monk fruit works well in my almond flour shortbread cookies and could be used here.
Almond flour cookies do not spread much in general. I would say 20%. Leave about 2″ between each cookie. Therefore it is important to flatten the balls of dough on a baking sheet a bit.
By all means, yes! I never have time for that, but if you want to chill them, you can for at least 30 minutes.
Avocado oil or olive oil might work, although I have not tested the recipe with them.
How to Serve Cookies with Almond Flour?
- Hot chocolate: Is anything better than cookies and cocoa on a winter day?
- Cookie platter: During the holidays, I make a cookie platter with healthy gingersnaps, oatmeal cookies and healthy pecan pie bars.
- Game day: I rotate between making these and almond flour brownies for the big games!
- Lunchbox: As a treat, I often include these in the kids lunchbox for a surprise.
Shipping: Bake and cool. Place 2 cookies back to back and wrap with plastic wrap. Then place in a plastic container with a lid, stuffed with tissue so no empty space, inside shipping box and voila. You may want to include some almond flour snowball cookies and healthier shortbread cookies! Read more about best shipping tips on Sally’s Baking Addiction.
How to Store Gluten Free Almond Cookies?
Storing: Keep cookies in a cool dry place uncovered or in a container with some ventilation. If you put them into covered container they soften.
Freezing: Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw on a counter for a few hours before enjoying again. huge chance your kids will love these cookies! I usually double the recipe. We eat half over a course of few days, and I freeze the rest for next time “Cookies!”.
More Favorite Almond Flour Recipes
Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 eggs large
- 1/3 cup cane or coconut sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup coconut oil or butter melted and cooled a bit
- 3 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips I like to use mini
- Pecans, raisins, dried cranberries, walnuts, cacao nibs Optional mix ins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, baking soda and salt. Beat with an electric mixer until well combined, about 3 minutes.
- Add coconut oil and beat a bit more to incorporate. Add almond flour and using a spatula (mixer in the beginning and then spatula at the end), mix until the dough forms. Add chocolate chips and give a few more stirs to incorporate.
- Using small cookie dough scoop, place small balls of dough on a baking sheet pressing with your hands to flatten them a bit. Leave about 2″ between the cookies – cookies spread a bit but not much.
- For more soft baked with a bit of chew outside almond flour chocolate chip cookies, bake at 350 degrees F for 20-23 minutes. For more crunchy on the outside but still chewy inside almond flour chocolate chip cookies, bake at 375 degrees F for 15 ish minutes. Time is for regular oven. Convection oven bakes twice faster. Check which one you have before baking.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing onto cooling rack to cool a bit more.
Video
Notes
- Store: Keep in a cool dry place uncovered or in a container with some ventilation. If you put them into covered container they soften.
- Freeze: In an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- Almond flour or almond meal: I use almond flour, almond meal may work, but the look will be a bit different.
- Coconut oil or butter: General rule is that cookies with coconut oil come out more crispy and softer with butter. You could also use avocado oil or olive oil.
- Chocolate chips: I use mini dark chocolate chips Enjoy Life as they have less sugar than semi-sweet and you get more of them in each bite as cookies are smaller.
- Other flours: No other flour can be used, this includes gluten free, coconut flour, or any other wheat type of flour.
- Other sweeteners: Liquid sweeteners such as maple syrup, honey, or liquid stevia can be used. Granulated erythritol can be replace sugar 1:1.
- Do cookies spread? Not much. I would say 20%. Leave about 2″ between each cookie. Therefore it is important to flatten the balls of dough on a baking sheet a bit.
Hello Olena! I’m Brenda from Cebu, Philippines. I have two grown boys and one 3 year old granddaughter. I’ve been baking these cookies but using butter instead of coconut oil. Is there any difference in taste?
Hi Brenda. Coconut oil makes cookies more crispy and crunchy where as butter makes them more softer an a bit chewy.
Delicious!
Thanks Olena for this easy, and yummy recipe. They are our favorite. Hi from NS.
Hi Anna! Happy to hear that you enjoyed my recipe!
These cookies are delicious. I followed the recipe, and used avacado oil instead of coconut oil. They looked beautiful and taste so healthy, were gone in a moment. Will do more. Love your recipes Olena! You are a great cook!
I’m so happy to read this! Thanks for your positive feedback, Maya!
how about some more cookie recipes using almond flour especially for Christmas?!
🙂 Have you seen these almond flour cookies?
Turned out pretty good. I used agave syrup as opposed to sugar. A bit dry but still overall tasty.
Cookies were dry because you replaced sugar with agave. In baking, you can’t replace dry ingredient with wet and vice versa. It throws off entire recipe. Almond flour is so moist from all that fat, cookies would be so moist. Next time.:)
I originally went for the baking option that says to bake for 15 minutes on 375. The cookies were wayyyy overdone. The only variation I had made was to use old-fashioned granulated sugar, so maybe that led to the overcooking. If anyone out there uses regular old white sugar, you might consider baking for 15 minutes on 365 and not letting the cookies cool on the tray more than 2 minutes before moving them to the rack.
I just made them, don’t know how they will turn out. Made lot of adjustments cos I didn’t have some ingredients. Making use of the Costco bag of almond flour too..lol. Your banana almond flour muffins were great. Thanks for sharing your recipes
The cookies are fabulous! Our guests enjoyed them; they were still warm from the oven. Baked them 350- perfect. My wife didn’t like the coconut flavor. Refined coconut oil is a possible option. Canola oil is not genetically modified. It used to be called rapeseed oil.
Hi Bert. That’s awesome! You can use avocado oil next time. It’s very mild. Or even olive oil.
Unfortunately canola oil is GMO. Rapeseed was genetically modified to withstand Roundup application. Please read more here https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_canola Be healthy!:)
Just took my first pan from the oven and let them cool a bit. Using almond flour makes for a different texture. Very tasty and easy to make. I did add some sliced toasted almonds. Will make again.
I agree about the texture but I love it. Happy to hear you liked it too.