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.
Video
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.
My family likes them. I used the landmark I used about 1/3 less sweetener. I a heaping tablespoon of espresso powder too.
What grade of Maple Syrup did you use, grade A or B?
Thank you.
I love the darker one, Grade B.
These are the best chocolate chip cookies ever! They are just as good as the regular ones. I let them cook for 45 minutes because I like crispy cookies. Also, I added extra chocolate chips, and about a teaspoon more of coconut oil and maple syrup. I will never have to make traditional cookies again!
This recipe looks great! Can I substitute baking powder for the baking soda and carob chips for the chocolate chips? If so would I need to make any other changes?
I think you’ll probably need to double the amount of baking powder you use compared to baking soda, but otherwise I think that should work!
i tried these and added protein powder, made them more dry but still good. any ideas on how to make this high protein too? instead of adding all the almond meal, i added two scoops of vanilla protein and then the rest was almond meal, making the whole 2 cups. would love your advice!
Delicious! I used honey instead of maple syrup and then added a bit of water because it seemed so dry, which I think made them a bit too moist. But they were super quick and tasty 🙂
These are delicious cookies! They are also practically a copy of Sweet Laurel’s vegan chocolate chip cookies, my favorite grain-free bakery! Yum.
i’m sure you loathe these types of questions! i’m sorry! but can i sub coconut SUGAR instead of maple syrup?
WOW! Just made these for the whole family and my picky 4, 8, and 31 year old loved these!!! Cannot believe how good these are and so easy to make!!!!
This recipe is a bomb!!!! My goodness…never before had such a gooey chocolatey cookie ever. And I just can’t stop eating them…hehe!!! Love love loved it!!! And the fact that it’s such a healthier recipe too…awesome!!!
Sorry, I had no success with this recipe. I added more oil and eventually some water to make the batter begin to stick together. I’m an experienced cook, and want to know what I did wrong. I followed the recipe exactly as written. HELP!
Thank you very much for sharing this recipe. I will be using this regularly.
Absolutely delicious! Great flavor and chewy consistency. Thank you for the recipe!
I want eat it and I made it, so sweet, thank you for recipe!
I just made these and can’t believe how yummy they are! Also so easy.
Hey! We were super excited to try this recipe and the 2 cups of almond flour left our dough very crumbly and completely unable to hold together for a cookie. We added additional coconut oil (an additional 1/4 cup twice) and some molasses. The results were not great… and we are disappointed that something in this recipe does not seem accurate.
So delicious!!! Making them for the second time in a week!! Thank you!
I love these. These are the best almond flour cookies I’ve ever had and I love that I had every ingredient in my pantry already. Thank you so much for sharing!
These are delicious!!! I used avocado oil instead of coconut oil as my daughter doesn’t like the flavor of coconut oil, but other than that, I followed the recipe exactly. So yummy!!! Thank you for the awesome recipe!!!
Best paleo chocolate chip cookies I’ve tried.
These are literally the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever had. I also love that they are extremely easy to make. I make these often for company and someone has asked me for the recipe every single time.
I have made these cookies so many times thank you. I usually use olive oil because I cannot have coconut I tried avocado oil this time & they were super crumbly. Do I need to add more oil? Thanks for any help
These are delicious! Thank you! One question: I was looking at the nutrition information and was wondering what the serving size was? One cookie? Thanks for your help!
WE LOVE THESE COOKIES! They’re great as written but I started making them with instead of 1/4 cup maple syrup, using 2 tbsp pyure stevia and 1/4 cup oatmilk. Half the calories and only 4g sugar per cookie. (It makes 20 cookies this way). Just as good!
Thank you Megan!
These are fantastic.
I am a picky chocolate chip cookie eater and I only eat the recipe from the name brand” TH”, with all the sugar. I decided to make these for our health plus our daughter is vegan.
I made them with plant butter and used 1/3 C chopped 88% dark cocoa bar. One recipe made 20 cookies, cooked 10 min.
the paleo choc chip cookies used king arthur paleo flour a combo of almond flour cassava flour organic coconut flour the cookie dough was not moist enough to gather together to form a cookie so, i added a bit of oat milk to form a ball to place on the cookie sheet the cookies never did brown and needed extra time to bake. the feel of the cookie on the tougue felt grainy was it the flours being of various types ? i need to use up coconut flour and almond flour they are both red mill that may make a difference yes?
Yes, this recipe only calls for almond flour, so that’s what is meant to be used. Coconut flour and cassava flour are both very different. I have a recipe for coconut flour cookies if you want to try those next, and cassava flour will require its own recipe, as well.
These are surprisingly good! I don’t really have any dietary restrictions but I’m always looking for healthier options, as I have a crazy sweet tooth. These cookies (while not as good as the Toll House Chocolate Chip cookies) satisfy my sweet tooth and fill me up. I love the texture and they’re not overly sweet. I would make these again in a heartbeat! Thanx for sharing this recipe.
I followed this recipe exactly and oh my goodness it is so good! My cookies turned out so chewy, tasty and rich in flavour! Also thank you for all the tips and notes it was very helpful. Everyone who had a cookie asked for the recipe!
If I needed to omit the chocolate chips, would the recipe still be good? Any other changes I’d need to make if I omit the chocolate chips? Thank you!
Did this recipe used to have apple cider vinegar and baking soda in it?
I’ve been making then as my ONLY go to cookies which everyone LOVES, and wondering when the change happened and why. The crumbly factor took some trial and error, but I got it!! And no one ever noticed the cider or soda flavours.
I think you’re thinking of this recipe: https://detoxinista.com/vegan-almond-flour-chocolate-chip-cookies/ It’s similar, but my Vegan Almond Flour Cookies call for apple cider vinegar and baking soda.
New favorite chocolate chip recipe! I subbed palm shortening for the coconut oil and they turned out so darn good!
These are so very delicious! I first had them at a friend’s house and she sent me the link, so I came home and made them the next day! I will be looking at more recipes on this website!
My go-to dessert is an orange followed by a fresh date. Dates taste like nature’s caramel to me!) I usually always have these on hand in the fridge.
These cookies are incredible. I’m wondering what one might substitute for the oil, if needed. Could nut butter be used?
Excellent!! So tasty without the guilt. My kids lived them too!
I am eating a square of chocolate probably using cacao, that is sugar free and does note spike the glucose, I figure they are using dried organic blueberries to slightly sweeten it.
Have you ever tried such a recipe/ I have not yest, but I will be checking it out. It seems many are using things in powder form. Thanks, take care.
I should have mentioned the term, “blueberry powder”.
These cookies are awesome! I was craving chocolate chip cookies, and I used your recipe because I had all the ingredients in my house. They are superb. I’m eating one as I type this! I cooked mine until they were brown on the bottom because I wanted both crispy and chewy cookies. I also used butter instead of coconut oil. They came out perfectly. I will definitely make these again because they are so easy to make and they taste wonderful. Thanks for the great recipe!
I love this recipe! A friend made them for me and I was in love! I just had a baby last week so I made these and added flax seeds, walnuts, replaced 1/4 cup of the almond flour with 1/4 cup of old fashioned oats to promote lactation. They are amazing!!
Megan, I have been a fan of your blog for YEARS and I’m SO HAPPY you love our bakery!!! It’s an absolute honor that you were inspired by our CCC recipe. Please let me know next time you stop by in LA and I would love to meet up. xoxoxo, Laurel
This is my go-to cookie recipe and I hate baking lol. I use avocado oil instead of coconut oil and make the size bigger, but I’m obsessed!
This is my go to recipe for postpartum mamas! I sub a 1/2 cup of the almond flour with 1/4 cup flax seed and 1/4 cup milled oats. I also love the recipe as is. I double the salt and add flaky salt to the top.
this is my go-to chocolate chop cookie recipe!! I’m allergic to dairy and sensitive to gluten, and this recipe is my all time favorite. I often find vegan recipes too elaborate and since I can eat eggs I really enjoying baking with them. I love this recipe’s short ingredient list, and how simple and perfect these cookies are. The nutty flavor of the almond flour is delightful. I’ve been making them for at least 4 years now (I found this when I was in college, and now im out of grad school- wild!) and for the first time I accidentally grabbed the orange extract instead of vanilla! The difference was immediately obvious, so I pivoted to adding pistachios and it really saved the day! (I think cranberries would have been good, too, if anyone else ever makes the same mistake.) The liqueur flavor of the orange extract was a little strong but the cookies tasted wonderful the next day 🙂 These cookies are genuinely fool proof!