These Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies are the perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth! Made with nourishing almond flour, they take just minutes to stir together and will quickly become one of your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This gluten-free cookie recipe is made with blanched almond flour, which means the skin has been removed from the nuts before they were ground into flour.
Your cookies will have a crispy, buttery texture when you use this type of grain-free flour, but you can use almond meal (made with whole ground almonds) if that’s what you have. Desserts made with almond meal tend to be denser and not quite as crisp, so just keep that in mind.
Maple syrup and coconut oil help to bind this recipe without using an egg or flax egg, but if you prefer to use coconut sugar as the sweetener, check out my classic almond flour cookie recipe instead. They taste like the Tollhouse cookies, only made with almond flour!
Using coconut oil keeps this recipe dairy-free, but if you’d prefer to avoid any coconut flavor, look for refined or expeller-pressed coconut oil which has zero coconut taste. You can also use your favorite vegan butter, or real butter if you don’t need a dairy-free cookie.
Use dark chocolate chips to keep this recipe lower in sugar, or try adding dried fruit for another variation. I like to use mini chocolate chips to distribute the chocolate flavor even more.
How to Make the Best Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies
1. Mix.
In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt. Stir well until a thick cookie dough is formed. (Because this recipe is not made with traditional flour, there’s no need to whisk the dry ingredients together before adding in the liquid ingredients.)
Fold in the chocolate chips, being careful not to stir too much. Almond flour cookie dough can become oily when overmixed.
2. Bake.
Prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350ºF. Use a 1-ounce cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop the dough onto the prepared pan, about 2 inches apart from each other. You should get roughly 19 to 20 cookies from this batch.
Use your hands to gently flatten each cookie mound, as they won’t spread much on their own. Sprinkle a little sea salt on top, if you’d like a sweet and salty cookie, then bake at 350ºF for 9 to 10 minutes, until the edges look lightly golden.
3. Cool.
Once the cookies are done baking, let them cool on the pan for at least 10 minutes. They will firm up as they cool.
The finished cookies will have a crispy edge and a slightly chewy center, reminiscent of a shortbread cookie studded with chocolate chunks.
Serve these paleo cookies warm or let them cool completely on a wire rack. They can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container, but they do become softer and less crispy in that case.
For crispier results and longer shelf life, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nope! Coconut flour is unlike any other flour on the market and needs a totally different ratio of ingredients. Check out my coconut flour cookie recipe for guidance.
I love Hu brand, which is naturally sweetened if you can find it at your local store. Otherwise, dark chocolate chips make a great lower-sugar option, or you can chop up your favorite chocolate bar. For a sugar-free option, try using crunchy cacao nibs instead.
Looking for more paleo cookie recipes? Try Almond Butter Cookies, Almond Flour Sugar Cookies, or the Healthiest Cookies Ever.
The Best Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour
- ¼ cup coconut oil , melted
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup (at room temperature)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips (or cacao nibs, for sugar-free)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut oil, maple syrup, salt, baking soda, and vanilla extract. Stir well, then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Use a 1-ounce cookie scoop or tablespoon to drop the batter onto the prepared baking sheet. Use your fingers to flatten and shape the cookies to your liking; they will NOT spread when baked, so make them the shape you want.
- Bake at 350ºF for 8 to 9 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The darker they get, the crispier they will be.
- Let the cookies cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then serve warm or at room temperature. These cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. They will soften if stored at room temperature, so for the crispiest results, store them chilled.
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Notes
Nutrition
If you try this paleo chocolate chip cookies recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them.
Could I use stevia or xylitol in place of syrup? If so what ratio?
I have no idea, as I can’t use either of those sweeteners. Let us know if you experiment with it! You might need to add extra oil or something to help bind the dough, too.
These are this paleo gal’s new favorite cookie! So easy to make and SO GOOD! Made for my small group the other night and they didn’t even notice they were paleo! 🙂 Thank you!!!
These turned out perfect. Thank you!
Love these! They are my go g to cookie now! I added cinnamon to the dry ingredients and split th12 cup chocolate chips with 1/4 chopped walnuts and 1/4 chocolate chips, no nut allergies at my house. I keep them in the freezer. Love this recipe b/ c I usually have all the ingredients st hand and it is consistent in the cookie outcome! Thanks!
Amazing! You did it again, another great cookie recipe. These cookies are simple and perfect to make…much healthier than regular chocolate chip cookies. My kids love them.
These were incredible with almond flour. But I substituted the almond with coconut flour for a second time and they were so weird. So DONT make that mistake haha! But honestly these were great. Just don’t use coconut flour.
These are amazing!! Such a hit with my family- even the super picky eaters. Must try, super easy and super delicious!
I was so excited to find this recipe because I have so many food allergies. However I made them tonight and they didnt flatten at all…they stayed in the shape of a ball so the center is still kind of raw and they are falling apart 🙁 Help! What did I do wrong? I followed your recipe…I was a little short on Vanilla Extract but that was it. Any ideas or suggestions?
Thank you
Sorry, this is an old recipe and needs an update because my directions aren’t clear enough– you need to flatten the balls with your hands before baking because they don’t spread much without eggs. That way they get a little dry and crisp on the outside and still are tender on the inside, but it’s not a big ball of dough on the inside. Sorry for the confusion!
These are amazing! I like sweet and salty, so sprinkled a little bit of sea salt on top of the cookies as they were almost done baking. So delicious!
This recipe is a godsend for someone with multiple food restrictions and a sweet tooth! I’ve made these cookies dozens of times. There’s only a few ingredients, you need only one bowl, they come together easily, and bake quickly. You can satisfy a cookie craving with warm, homemade cookies in a half hour, tops…AND they are paleo and vegan! I make the recipe just as written except for one small change: I cut the coconut oil down to 3T. Even with less oil, they are just the best. Thank you so much for this recipe.
These came out great. I adjusted the recipe by adding 2 flax eggs and also used stevia instead of maple syrup. These were great treats for my grandma who is diabetic.
So amazing and easy to make. Made them for Thanksgiving and had to make a 2nd batch since we ate the first batch!! I made the vegan version and ended up using Miyoko’s Vegan Butter since I happened to have it on hand! (wanted that little bit of saltiness.)
Whole family hooked, cookies devoured so quickly!
Thanks for the recipe!
How can I substitute coconut sugar for the maple syrup?
I wasn’t impressed with these, but I’m thinking it’s because I subbed regular chocolate chips for lily’s Stevia chocolate chips. Will be trying again this week with normal dark chocolate!
THIS is my go-to recipe. I add one flax egg to make them bind better and they are delicious.
I just tasted the cookie after coming out of the oven! It is delicious! Also, my three year old son was able to help me because the recipe is so simple. We ate the batter which was guilt free since there is no egg in the recipe. Thank you so much! I look forward to trying more of your recipes
Woo hoo! These cookies are delish!!! So quick and easy! Love, love, love! <3 Thank you for this recipe!!!! My new fav!!!
Hello. Delicious recipe! My family likes the white chocolate chip cookies at Subway restaurants and we eat too many of them. So, I went hunting for a healthier homemade option and came across your website and this recipe fit the bill! I just swapped out the dark chips for white. Cookie came out soft, chewy, and perfectly delicious! Better than Subway’s, actually. 🙂
Amazing and delish!!! Thank you!
Can you add walnuts or pecans and if so, how much.
Made this recipe the other night for family and friends — delicious and chewy! Worked well with homemade pumpkin seed flour 🙂
I made these with my 5yr old. Followed recipe to a “t”. turend out delish. They taste way better if you can wait until the fully cool ie 1hr. Pair it with a tall glass of almond milk.
Thank you!
mama approved, kid tested.
I have tried it slightly differently and it was just gorgeous ❤️I changed almond flour with whole wheat flour and maple syrup with honey. I also added cinnamon and dates instead of chocolate chips!! It was the most healthiest cookies that I have ever made. If I have a chance to buy almond flour and maple syrup, I will try the original recipe too!! Thanks again, you made my tummy feel great.
I have now made several of your recipes and all have been great. I followed this recipe using butter since I don’t follow any specific diet. Best cookies ever! Also love your almond butter balls, spinach muffins, chocolate zucchini muffins and probably more! We are definitely on same taste patterns!
Amazing! I followed the recipe closely–only substituting the coconut oil for ghee. These are chewy, almost caramely. My 7 year old ate them, even with dark chocolate chips–woah!
Amazing! I was shocked at how great these taste! Mine turned out rounder and even prettier than the ones in the photo…also a nice surprise. I rolled a tablespoon of dough by hand and then lightly pressed it down. Also, when I measured the almond flour, I fluffed the flour first then measured, not packing it in at all. I also used Lilly’s brand dark chocolate mini chips. Seriously good cookies!!!!!
If I use cacao nibs instead of choclate chips can I pulse or blend the nibs to make them a smaller consistency before adding them to the recipe. ive never worked with nibs before but i have to cut back on sugar.
We love these cookies, they’re a hit anytime I make them! My daughter has an egg, rice, gluten and coconut allergy so I use spectrum palm in place of the coconut. My question is, has anyone made a cookie cake with this recipe? Do you think it will still work? She’s dying for a cake for her bday party, and this is the only recipe that works w her allergies.
So easy and delicious!!
I just made these cookies and they were awesome…I didn’t have afy coconut oil so I used veg oil instead and they turned out great…I did add a half teaspoon on almond extract too as we love almond flavor and it paired well with the almond meal…thank you for a great recipe…
Baked these last night. Had to add an egg and tapioca flour to get the dough to stick together…they came out good and were GREAT the next day. Also I find 1/2 cup of chips to be a lot. This recipe only made a dozen cookies for us. Maybe 13 lol. But I will make them again. And double i
These are so delicious! Another fantastic recipe 😊. They are crisp, light, super easy and quick to make. Even my sweet tooth, not-super-health conscious friends love them 💕
does the maple syrup have to be room temp? what happens if you use it cold from the fridge?
I use it cold from the fridge for your coconut chocolate chip cookies and never a problem…which by the way are delicious and I would make right now but I am out of eggs!
Hello Megan, I often read ‘maple syrup’ among the ingredients you use. Do you think agave or rice syrups would work too? That’s what I usually use as a sweetener substitute. But I’d like to know what you think both as to their function in the recipe – taste, texture etc. and as to their content – nutrients. Thanks a lot!
Rice syrup is less-sweet than maple, so you’ll need to use more to achieve a similar sweetness level, and that extra moisture might affect the results in recipes. Agave is very high in fructose (more than high fructose corn syrup), so I don’t typically use it, but it is very sweet and has a relatively neutral flavor for recipes.
Thanks! Well since we dont like very sweet things I think I’ll give the rice syrup a try – and stop using the agave one! Let you know after I try.. 🙂
I love these and they’re so simple😊
Love love these cookies! I made them into lactation cookies and they are awesome. I tend to remain sugar free. Does anyone have any ideas on how to take out the maple syrup and use stevia or Erythritol instead? How much would I use to make that happen? Thanks so much.
I don’t know how old this recipe is or if you will see this comment. But I wanted to share with you that I made these cookies in preparation for a trip. I tasted one in the car and had to do a doubletake to make sure my nondiet hubby hadnt bought store cookies and mixed them with mine. Literally could not tell the difference. Sweet, crunchy and so delicious. Crumbly like a regular store-bought cookie but not overly so. Hubby who isnt crazy for chocolate chip cookies stole some of mine. I’m making another batch as I type this. This will be my go-to from now on.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
OMG these are so good!! I cannot believe how easy and delicious they are. I made them, ate one and then immediately made another double batch. New go-to. Thank you!!!
Love this recipe! My 6 year old son is gluten intolerant and he looks forward to having his own special treat. I love how easy they are to whip up. My favorite way to eat them is straight out of the freezer! Thank you for sharing this great recipe.
I love these cookies and make them all the time. Do you have any suggestions (ie bake time) if I want to try and make this into a giant cookie, kindof like a cake?
So yummy! I made one batch with applesauce instead of butter amd another 1/2 butter and half applesauce and they were both pretty tasty! Added a little almond extract. Yummmm!
Omg! I just made a batch of these and they are delicious! Thank you for making a “sweet dream” come true!
Can you substitute Erythritol for the maple syrup if so how much and would I need to add more of some liquid? On candida diet right now but really wanted to try these.
Love all your recipes!!
Thank you
I’m afraid I have no idea! Erythritol makes me very sick, so I can’t experiment with it. But please share if you try it, in case other readers have the same question! I definitely appreciate your feedback.
I don’t usually comment, but yum. These are really terrific. Thanks for sharing. 5 stars for sure.
very good! just made them and i love them!!
This is my first time leaving a review for a recipe, and I am doing so because these cookies are PERFECT! They remind me of traditional chocolate chip cookies my mom would make me when I was young! I took one bite and was instantly transported back to a time when I could eat chocolate chip cookies any time I wanted. Maybe that day has come again for me and my family?? They are delicious, and I will be making them many more times! Thank you so much for mastering the Paleo chocolate chip cookie. FYI, I followed the recipe 😉
I can’t say enough good things about this recipe!!! Discovered it several years ago when we were eating more paleo, and my husband prefers these to “regular” chocolate chip cookies and would ask for them all the time. I would often make a double batch to keep in the fridge and make a few at a time. I lost my written copy when I reorganized the kitchen and had to look this up again, and just had to say thank you for such a good favorite that we’ve enjoyed for a few years now and made often. (Almost too often!)
Aw, thank you so much for the comment and letting me know! I’m glad they’ve been such a hit!
These are great! I made them with brown sugar and butter. How would you recommend storing them if you make a lot at one time? Can you freeze?
Yes, I would freeze them! We even like to eat them directly from the freezer later– they are crunchy that way!
I’ve been making these for years and somehow just realized they’re kosher for Passover! It’s a quarantine miracle!
Just kidding, these probably aren’t kosher for Passover cause of the baking soda 🙁 Still 5 stars though!