Almond flour chocolate chip cookies are entirely gluten free, and easily made paleo, too! These small batch chocolate chip cookies made with almond flour and almond butter are so good. No one will know they're not regular cookies!
I do this thing with chocolate chip cookies where I make them completely irresistible. Chocolate chip cookies with almond flour are the one thing that absolutely nobody can resist. I have some people in my family that say they’re not ‘dessert people,’ or that they find desserts ‘too sweet.’ While the genetic testing results come in (surely I can’t be related to these people), I created this recipe to woo them.
These almond flour chocolate chip cookies contain almond butter.
I really want to mention this early on, because you might not expect your typical chocolate chip cookie recipe with almond flour to contain a nut butter. But I can assure you that this is exactly what makes these cookies so rich and almost identical tasting to regular chocolate chip cookies.
You can sub another nut butter if you’re out. I use regular almond butter from Trader Joe’s that lacks salt and requires a good stir before using.
This recipe contains both the measurements by weight and standard U.S. cups, because I’ve been baking by weight lately. I love that I don’t have to wash measuring cups when I’m done baking; instead, I just tare out my scale as I go. This is the scale that I’ve used for years and love.
Why I love almond flour so much:
These almond flour chocolate chip cookies also happen to be gluten free. I’m not one to delve into gluten free baking too much, though I do have a gluten free baking recipe collection if that suits you, but I do openly love almond flour. Yes, it’s gluten free and that’s awesome, but it’s so much more than that, too! Almond flour is chewy, high in protein and just downright delicious. A lot of gluten free flours are sad substitutes for the real thing, but in my opinion, almond flour deserves a special place in the kitchen, whether you eat gluten or not.
I first discovered almond flour in cooking school where I was making a pear frangipane tart. The subtle almond flavor and crumbly texture over creamy frangipane made me a believer. And if a French recipe uses almond flour and regular flour, you know that almond flour is really bringing something to the table.
Another favorite way to use it is in my almond flour banana muffins.
I make quite a few recipes with almond flour, because I rely on it to make super chewy cookies. If you like cookies with crisp edges and thick, chewy centers, don’t miss these cookies! These are what I call ‘bakery style’ cookies because they spread on the sheet, crackle as they cool, and are irresistibly chewy.
Other almond flour recipes here on this site to use up the bag: almond horns, Whole30 meatballs, Whole30 salmon cakes, vegan chocolate chip cookies, and jam bars. Don’t miss my small batch macarons and matcha cookies either!
Are these paleo chocolate chip cookies good?
Besides the resounding yes I’m currently screaming at you, I’d like you to check the comment section below. Then, make them for yourself and address all fan mail to me.
I bring these chocolate chip cookies with almond flour to book club nights frequently, and I absolutely love to see the look on someone’s face that can’t eat gluten when they find out these cookies aren’t off-limits! And then I stick around to hear the magical phrase ‘these don’t even taste allergy-friendly!’ Gosh, that phrase makes me so happy. Food should be good and enjoyed by all, no matter what it lacks or contains.
I happily eat gluten daily, but I adore these cookies so much. I’m calling these paleo because quite a few of my paleo friends enjoy butter. You’ll also need to check your chocolate chips and sub coconut sugar for the brown sugar. I'm pretty sure white sugar isn’t paleo-approved.
Coconut sugar is amazing stuff, and you should make my coconut sugar cookies with the rest of the bag.
How many cookies does this gluten free chocolate chip cookies recipe make?
As you know by now, small batch cookie recipes are my game. All of my small batch cookie recipes typically make one dozen cookies or less. This is the perfect amount in a small household—plenty to enjoy today and tomorrow, or some to enjoy today and share with others.
Honestly, I don’t understand what people do with most other cookie recipes that make 4 dozen cookies.
I also have some gluten free chocolate chocolate chip cookies that are TOTALLY worth checking out, just in case you might be a chocoholic. I sense you might be—you and I are very similar.
Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
One dozen almond flour chocolate chip cookies are gluten free and have easy paleo options.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (156 grams) almond flour*
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup almond butter (no salt preferred)
- ¾ cup + 2 TB (6 ounces) dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350, and line two large cookie sheet pans with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add the softened butter and almond butter, and beat until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the brown sugar and beat for another 2 minutes to combine.
- Add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture, and beat just to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet and stir to combine everything; finally, stir in the chocolate chips.
- Using a cookie scoop, portion out 12 dough scoops onto the baking sheets.
- Bake, rotating the pans half way through for 10-11 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges start to turn golden brown. As they cool, they will deflate.
- Let cookies cool for 1-2 minutes on the cookie sheet before moving them to cooling rack. Enjoy immediately, or keep covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
*I'm referring to almond flour, not almond meal or simply ground almonds. Almond flour is finely ground blanched almonds and has a pale yellow color. Look for it in the gluten-free baking section of your store.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 228Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 202mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 3gSugar: 11gProtein: 5g
Rea Richardson says
I've been searching pinterest for two days looking for a choc chip recipe that uses both almond flour and almond butter. I finally found you! I can't wait to try them. The reviews are great! I'm off to the store!
Eva says
These are great, do you know if i can substitute coconut sugar and if so, how much? Thanks!
Christina Lane says
Coconut sugar should be a one-to-one substitution. I love coconut sugar :)
Amani says
This recipe was DELICIOUS! I made these cookies for my friend (who has a gluten problem) and she loved them. I honestly thought they tasted better than real chocolate chip cookies. However, the only changes I would make would be to use around 3/4 cups of chocolate chips instead of 1, and I would cut the amount of brown sugar in half. Other than that, it was truly amazing!
maryo says
TL;DR - You need these cookies in your life. Immediately.
I never rate recipes that I try. I know, I know! It's a horrid habit and I feel like a bit of a thief, especially because I rely on comments and ratings when searching for recipes, but usually recipes are just OK and nothing terribly special. These cookies though? These cookies are life altering. I have a heckin sweet tooth in a household that has recently become gluten free. I try not to bring any glutenous treats home so as not to taunt my poor GF housemate but have had the biggest hankering for cookies lately. I have a feeling this recipe will be directly to blame for the massive amounts of weight I'm about to gain because I'm about to make my second batch already. I'm glad your notes point out the flexibility on nut butters; I don't usually keep almond butter (super expensive where I live) so I subbed in chunky peanut butter. Chocolate and peanut butter belong together and I'm always happy to enable that relationship, but the extra chunk helped give this cookie a special dimension that I'm glad was explored. I bumped the vanilla a tad as well. Likely because the oven is a moody teenager (or perhaps because I'm that guy who goes off book and changes a recipe before ever making it as stated) I had to extend the cook time by a couple minutes, but when I opened that moody oven's door, even she sang with the angels from above as I delicately removed my wee chunky cherubs. A simple "thank you" can never be sufficient for what you have gifted this world in this recipe, but that's all I've got for now. Thank you thank you thank you thank you. Now where are my stretchy pants?
JR says
These are incredible! Best gluten-free cookies I've made. Crispy on the outside, chewy everywhere else. Highly recommended and I will be remaking these again and again.
Ruchi says
These cookies are AMAZING!!! Even the whole house smells delicious when these are baked. They are so easy that my 10 year old could do it all. I have no reason to go back to the traditional CCC coz these are just phenomenal. Thanks for such a great recipe!!!
Martha G says
Wonderful cookies!! I made them without any changes to the recipe and the are great. I might try using sugar-free chocolate chips and stevia or monkfruit sweetener next time to try to bring the carbs even lower. Thanks for a great recipe!
Diana says
These were great!
David Jeffrey says
We just made a batch using Peanut butter instead of almond butter and these cookies exceeded all our expectations. Absolutely delicious.
Thank you
Grace says
Hi! Can I ask about the shelf life? How long can I keep it in room temperature? Also if it’s in the fridge how long is the shelf life of the cookies?
Can I also make the cookie dough first and put it in the fridge? What’s the shelf life of the cookie dough too? Thanks!
Christina Lane says
Cookie dough: up to 3 days;
Baked cookies: fridge up to 5 days/ counter up to 3