With millions of page views and over one hundred 5-star reviews, the internet agrees that these truly are – The BEST ever almond flour chocolate chip cookies. Paleo friendly, grain free, and gluten-free. Perfectly soft and chewy on the inside, and crisp on the edges. These are not just great “gluten-free” chocolate chip cookies, they can rival the best chocolate chip cookies out there!
I love this recipe so much I've also made a Pumpkin Chocolate Chip version and a Cut-Out Sugar Cookie Version!
Reader Love ❤️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “The absolute BEST chocolate chip cookie I've ever made” – Stacy
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “We can't get enough of these cookies in my house! These are the the only cookies I'm making from now on!” – Niik
I’ve spent the better part of six months testing this recipe—tweaking, adjusting, and baking batch after batch—until I landed on the BEST EVER almond flour chocolate chip cookies.
As a nutritionist, my recipes are born from both the needs and cravings of my clients. If someone finds out they have to go gluten-free, that shouldn’t mean giving up their favorite foods. Absolutely not. I will work tirelessly to recreate a version that’s every bit as good as the original—because life should keep on life-ing.
Here’s the truth: most gluten-free cookies (both store-bought and many online recipes) miss the mark. They can be sandy, gummy, or just… off. But these? These are the cookies I’m most proud of. They’re soft, chewy, perfectly rich, and have been unanimously declared “the best chocolate chip cookies ever” by gluten and non–gluten eaters alike.
So let’s get to it—you’ve got cookies to bake.
I Have No Doubt You Will Discover Chocolate Chip Cookie Perfection!
- Perfectly chewy with a crisp outer edge
- Loaded with chocolate chips
- The perfect balance of salt and vanilla
- Bursting with flavor (seriously white flour will never compare to almond flour)
Ingredients You Will Need
See the full recipe below for ingredient quantities.
- Almond flour – Almond “meal” will work but almond flour works better. My preferred brand is Bob's Red Mill
- Coconut Palm Sugar – Brown sugar will also work
- Butter – I use salted butter, I know this is blasphemous in the baking world, but trust me when I say it is the right choice here. Coconut oil will work, but you will taste the coconut.
- Large Eggs – I have not found flax eggs or chia eggs to produce the same luscious texture.
- Vanilla – Good Madagascar vanilla is my first choice but any pure vanilla extract will work.
- Salt – Do not skip this ingredient!
- Chocolate Chips – Dark chocolate chips are my preference.
- Baking Soda
Tools You Will Use
Tips to Make the Best Ever Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
I'm obsessed with this recipe, not only because it's delish but also so crazy easy. Here are a few tips I learned that made the recipe even better.
- Use salted butter – I love the added salt in this recipe.
- Melt your butter and then chill the dough– I tested this recipe with melted butter and with softened butter and had 6 people blind taste test the cookies, the melted butter version won. Honestly, I couldn't decide which I liked better so if the melt and chill step is too annoying you could easily use softened butter.
- Take the cookies out of the oven way before they seem done! – This is not uncommon for cookie recipes, but even more so in this recipe. When you remove the cookies from the oven they will be completely soft. They firm up and harden as they rest and cool. You will not be able to pick up a cookie right out of the oven, they are that soft.
The Recipe That Will Convince You to Add Almond Flour to Your Pantry!
I am not a newbie to the wonder that is almond flour, you can try my almond flour strawberry cake, almond flour banana bread, chewy molasses orange cookies, paleo cherry crumble, and upside-down blueberry bundt cake.
Almond flour is nothing more than ground almonds, full of nutrients, fiber, fat, and protein. Almonds are not only nutrient-dense they are also flavor dense, but this also makes almond flour the perfect baking pantry staple.
Can you substitute “regular” flour for almond flour?
No, almond flour is its own thing. It is denser than white flour and requires a different ratio of wet ingredients.
Is almond flour expensive?
It is more expensive than white flour for sure, after all, it is ground almonds. I find recipes made with almond flour are more satisfying (most likely due to the protein, fiber, and fat that almonds provide).
The Difference Between Almond Flour and Almond Meal
Almond flour tends to be more finely ground than almond meal. I find in most recipes they are interchangeable but in this recipe, I prefer the texture of almond flour to almond meal.
I used Bob's Red Mill Super-Fine Almond Flour for this recipe. I tested the cookies with 4 different brands of almond flour and found Bob's Red Mill to be the superior choice, hands down.
Dietary Modifications for Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe is gluten-free and paleo-friendly.
- Paleo – Technically butter is not a paleo-friendly ingredient, but “ghee” is. Ghee is clarified butter, in the “clarification process” the milk solids (non-paleo) ingredients are removed. You can easily substitute butter for ghee in this recipe I love Fourth and Heart vanilla ghee (SOOOO GOOD!). Coconut oil is another paleo-friendly substitute for butter.
- Keto – To make this recipe keto, you would have to use a non-nutritive sweetener. I wouldn't recommend it.
- Dairy-Free – Replace butter with coconut oil and use a dairy-free chocolate chip like Enjoy Life.
- Vegan – Replace the butter with coconut oil, use a dairy-free chocolate chip and replace the eggs with a flax or chia egg. This will change the texture of the cookie.
- Low Fodmap – This recipe is low fodmap friendly if you tolerate coconut palm sugar.
Your turn, get baking! I'd love to hear how this recipe turns out for you, comment below or shoot me a message on social.
MORE HEALTHY BAKING RECIPES
The BEST Almond Flour Sugar Cookies
Almond Flour Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
SOUR CREAM BLUEBERRY THYME SCONES
For similar tasty dishes, check out my healthy chocolate dessert recipes roundup!
I can’t wait for you to try this Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe! When you make it, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram @abrapappa or use the hashtag #abraskitchen so I can feature your photo!
Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter melted
- 3/4 cup coconut palm sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium bowl combine almond flour, salt, and baking soda. Whisk to combine, set aside.
- In a large bowl cream together melted butter and coconut palm sugar using an electric mixer. Beat for 1-2 minutes until slightly frothy. Add egg yolk, full egg, and vanilla, mix until well combined.
- Combine reserved almond flour with wet ingredients. Stir well using a wooden spoon. Add chocolate chips and stir well to combine.
- Dough will be quite soft. Cover dough with wax paper and place in refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 325°
- Remove dough from refrigerator. Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop drop batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Alternatively, form the dough into 1/2 inch balls.
- Press the dough down gently with your fingers to flatten the balls slightly. Do not flatten all the way.
- Bake for 9-12 minutes.
- Remove from oven (the cookies will appear very soft) and place tray on a cooling rack. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. They will harden as they rest and cool.
Video
Notes
- You can use softened butter rather than melted butter in this recipe. The dough will still be quite soft and the recipe will perform better if you chill the dough
- Melted butter results in a slightly crispier edge on the cookie, whereas softened butter is a more soft and chewy all around cookie
- In testing this recipe (over 20 times) I found that 9 minutes in my small apartment oven was the perfect cook time, however since moving to a house I find that my larger oven takes 14 minutes to produce a soft chewy cookie with crisp edges. Please note: The cookies coming out of the oven will be soft and then firm up as they sit, so don't be too alarmed if they seem soft at first.
- According to other rock star cookie testers, the cooking time may be longer depending on your oven. I recommend checking your cookies at 9 minutes, the bottom of the cookie should be slightly browned, but they will be soft to the touch.
Flor says
What dovyou mean by soft? I touchvthem and it gets dented. Thank you!
AbraPappa says
Yes, when you touch them they will dent and even appear slightly undercooked. I know mine are done when the bottoms are slightly browned but the top is very soft.
Vanessa says
Hi! I did these cookies. They turned out really good, but I had to leave them longer in the oven. Like twice the time you say. At 9 minutes they were still pale . I am sure they will not last very long! Can the sugar be replaced by maple syrup? Thanks
AbraPappa says
Hi Vanessa,
I prefer the cookies soft and chewy at 9 minutes they are perfect for me. However, I will say that annoyingly ovens vary, I made these at my Moms last week and had to bake them for 12 minutes to get to my perfect texture. If you like a firmer crunchier cookie then you can bake them longer.
I tested this recipe with maple syrup and it worked, but I preferred the taste and texture of coconut palm sugar.
Amanda says
These cookies are so so good!!! I was shocked! I love chocolate chip cookies and ended up having to switch to a gluten free diet. These taste so wholesome and 100% cookie! I used Swerve brown sugar and they turned out perfect. Thank you for your hard work to get this recioe just right!
AbraPappa says
Yay!!! I’m so so happy you loved them Amanda!! Thanks so much for taking the time to come over and comment.
Jamie says
Can the dough be frozen? I’m imagining freezing the individual balls of raw cookie dough to cook a few at a time, or take on a road trip to cook at the destination.
AbraPappa says
Absolutely. I’ve frozen the dough many times it works perfectly.
Chrissy says
Is the egg at room temperature or cold out of the fridge?? This recipe looks divine and I can’t wait to make it!
AbraPappa says
Egg is room temperature, if the eggs are super cold the butter will begin to harden. I can’t wait for you to try!
Riley J says
Hi! I absolutely Loved this recipe, it is amazing! My go to chocolate chip cookies from now on. Do you recommend refrigerating them? What’s the best way to store them in your opinion? Thanks:)
AbraPappa says
Yay, so glad you loved them Riley!! So… storage is a great question. Almond flour baked goods get quite soft when they are stored in a sealed container. We don’t typically have leftovers for many days around here but I tend to leave them on a plate loosely covered with parchment paper. The fridge will change the texture, you will lose the crispy edges.
Jillian says
I love these cookies so much! Do you have the nutrition information by any chance?
AbraPappa says
Yes, the software was down when I posted thanks for the reminder I’ll go back in and calculate!
Susan Ashley says
I have tried 10 different “ the best chocolate chip ever recipes” this summer making cookies for friends. I even tried the Double Tree hotel cookie. I must say this by far is the best. I browned my Melted butter and refrigerated the dough over night, This is the one!
AbraPappa says
Best news ever! Thanks so much for taking the time to come over and comment. Nothing makes me happier than knowing my recipes bring a smile to someone’s face.
Browning the butter is a GREAT idea!!!
Bozenna says
Excellent recipe. Decreased sugar to 1/2 cup and it was still pretty sweet due to seeetness from chocolate chips.
How many cookies the recipe should yield? Needed for more accurate calorie count.
Thank you.
AbraPappa says
Hi Bozenna,
The recipe yields 24 cookies, you can always find that information at the top of the recipe card. Nutrition facts are for 1 cookie. Glad to hear the recipe worked out with less sugar!
Cassandra V says
I have made this now 4 times, I use brown sugar, Costcos brand of almond flour, butter and seminsweet chocolate chips, name brand artifical vanilla flavor, and low sodium salt. I mixed and added everything via the mixer with the beater attachment. The dry ingredients I mixed in a measuring glass, and adding using the beater attachment, same with the chips. I don’t like having to do extra dishes.
The last two batches I have added 2 cups of chocolate chips, and these are super wonderful. Taste a lot better than store bought soft chewy cookies.
I’m full after like 4 cookies compared to wheat flour cookies, and I don’t feel as guilty compared. My husband doesn’t like things like peanut butter, but really enjoys these and requests them again right he is done sneaking all the cookies. I can’t leave him alone with these things or they end up disappearing within one hour. At this point my treadmill is going to be in use for awhile.
My last batch I think I added to much butter or I whipped something too long so my cookies turned to a bit darker. Which the results came in handy since I had left them in the refrigerator for 18 hours uncovered and was still able to form them into balls.
I have taken photos and people have requested the recipe and asked how they are. I wish I could jave people o er right now so they could try these things.
AbraPappa says
Hi Cassandra!!!
Yay!! I am so happy to hear of your cookie success! “I can’t leave him alone with these things or they end up disappearing within one hour” – I have the same exact problem in my house! hahahah, hide those cookies 🙂
Eden Lasala says
can i add oatmeal to this recipe?
AbraPappa says
I’ve never tried, let me know how it turns out.
Jereny says
What can you tell me about the ratio of wet ingredients when you use almond flour? I have a chocolate chip cookie recipe that partly uses cake flour. I would like to substitute some of that for almond flour but if I have to add or increase something wet I’d like to know
AbraPappa says
There isn’t an exact formula that I’ve found to work i.e. regular flour to almond flour 1:1. However, I tested this recipe with a wide variety of flours and did do one test with 50% almond flour and 50% oat flour (which is “usually” a 1:1 with other flours) and it worked well. You should be able to add some cake flour without a problem.
As for almond flour and liquid, it doesn’t require more liquid but does better with more egg as a binder.
Cher says
Hi. This recipe really looks awesome. I was wondering if is possible to cut the recipe to half, maybe using an small egg? We are just 2 at home and 24 cookies sound like a lot!
AbraPappa says
You can, but you can also freeze half the dough to cook at a different time.
Sandra Buck says
Made the cookies for the first time. They turned out great. I have been eating more Keto style of foods,
have not ever made cookies with Almond Flour, but again they turned out great. My husband printed the recipe for me. I did use sugar free dark chocolate chips. Do you have a nutritional value for the cookies?
Thank you,
Sandra
Tara Bryan says
I’ve made two batches now and I’m obsessed! Couple of questions: 1) Do you have to cool the melted butter before creaming w/the sugar? 2) If I use a fork instead of a hand mixer to cream, is it normal for mixture to separate at first? I’m new to baking so….. Thanks for your help!
AbraPappa says
Yay!! I am also obsessed 🙂 The butter shouldn’t be piping hot, but it should still be in a liquid state and yes it is totally normal for the mixture to separate at first. The velocity of the electric mixer will prevent this from happening but you can also use a whisk and vigorously whip it!
Barbara says
These are absolutely delish
AbraPappa says
Yay!! I happen to agree 🙂
Dana Suss says
Made these tonight for my family. Wow. Heavenly!
Thank you for sharing this Abra. Some much needed sweetness 🙂
Michelle says
The first time I made these with brown sugar and used softened butter and they turned out great. The 2nd time I made with melted butter and coconut palm sugar and they started off a good texture but once cooled they became really soft and almost rubbery. Any idea what went wrong?
AbraPappa says
hmmm… Did they become soft just sitting out in the open air or were they soft after you stored them in an airtight container? They will become softer once stored, but I’ve never had them turn out rubbery? Did you allow the dough to chill for several hours before baking?
Michelle says
Can’t remember if they became that way before I stored them. And I think I only chilled them for an hour. I was wondering if the coconut palm sugar caused it…. It was almost like they needed to cook longer.
Terri Potter says
I agree, Abra – these are some of the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever made. I was using the GF recipe on the Trader Joe’s almond flour bag, and those were pretty good – but there are great. No reason to make white flour chocolate chip cookies ever again!
AbraPappa says
Yayyyyy!!! Terri, I couldn’t agree more 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to comment, I’m so glad you loved the cookies!
JOSEPHINE CONER says
What, if anything, can be used in place of Coconut Palm Sugar?
AbraPappa says
You can replace coconut palm sugar 1:1 with granulated sugar or brown sugar. I would recommend 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup white sugar.