Why You’ll Love This Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Naturally Gluten-Free & Grain-Free. Thanks to almond flour, these cookies are a wonderful option for anyone avoiding gluten, without any weird aftertastes or complicated flour blends. They stand proudly on their own delicious merits.
• An Unbeatable Texture. This is the real star of the show. Almond flour creates a cookie that’s beautifully soft and chewy, with a delicate, almost melt-in-your-mouth quality that’s honestly hard to achieve with regular flour.
• Deep, Rich Flavor. Almond flour isn’t just a neutral base—it adds a lovely, toasty nuttiness that complements the chocolate so well. It makes the cookie taste more complex and satisfying, like a gourmet bakery treat.
• Incredibly Simple to Make. You don’t need a mixer or any special skills. It’s a straightforward, one-bowl situation. The dough is forgiving and comes together in minutes, meaning you’re never far from a warm cookie.

Ingredients & Tools

• 2 ½ cups blanched almond flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• ⅓ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly (or unsalted butter)
• ⅓ cup maple syrup or honey
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bar

Tools: A medium mixing bowl, a whisk, a spatula, a baking sheet, and parchment paper.

A quick note on the ingredients—the quality really shines through here. Using a good blanched almond flour (not almond meal) gives you that lovely light texture and color. And for the chocolate, don’t be shy—a high-quality dark chocolate bar, roughly chopped, will create amazing pools of chocolate, but standard chips work perfectly too.

Serves: 12 cookies | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10-12 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes

Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes

• Why blanched almond flour? Blanched almond flour is made from almonds with the skins removed, resulting in a finer, lighter texture and a more neutral color. Almond meal (with the skins) will work, but your cookies will be denser, darker, and have a more pronounced gritty texture.
• Is your coconut oil or butter cool enough? This is crucial! If your melted fat is too hot, it can start to cook the egg when you mix it in, which we don’t want. Let it cool until it’s warm to the touch, not piping hot. This ensures a smooth, emulsified dough.
• The importance of room temperature eggs. A room temperature egg blends much more evenly into the batter, creating a smoother consistency. If you forgot to take your egg out, just place it in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes before using.
• Don’t skip the chilling time. I know, it’s the hardest part. But chilling the dough for just 30 minutes firms up the fat, preventing the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. It also allows the flavors to meld together beautifully.

How to Make Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

Serving Suggestions

Complementary Dishes

• A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream — placed on a warm cookie for an instant, decadent ice cream sandwich. The contrast of temperatures and textures is pure magic.
• A small bowl of fresh berries — like raspberries or strawberries. Their bright, tart acidity cuts through the richness of the cookie beautifully for a more balanced treat.

Drinks

• A tall glass of cold milk — it’s a classic for a reason. The creaminess is the perfect partner for the chocolate and nutty flavors.
• A cup of black coffee or espresso — the bitterness of the coffee highlights the deep notes of the dark chocolate, making for a very sophisticated pairing.

Something Sweet

• A simple fruit sorbet — like mango or lemon. It’s a light, refreshing way to end a meal after the rich, nutty cookies.
• A few pieces of dark chocolate-covered orange peel — this continues the chocolate theme but adds a zesty, bright note that cleanses the palate.

Top Mistakes to Avoid

• Mistake: Using hot melted fat. If your coconut oil or butter is too hot when you add the egg, it can start to cook it, creating little scrambled egg bits in your dough and throwing off the texture. Always let it cool first.
• Mistake: Skipping the chill time. I’ve messed this up before too, thinking I could save time. Almond flour cookies are prone to spreading, and a firm, cold dough is your best defense against flat, greasy cookies.
• Mistake: Overbaking. These cookies won’t look fully set when you take them out of the oven, and that’s the point! They firm up as they cool. Overbaking leads to a dry, crumbly cookie instead of a soft, chewy one.
• Mistake: Using almond meal instead of blanched almond flour. While it will work in a pinch, the texture will be much denser, grittier, and the cookies will be darker. For the best result, blanched is the way to go.

Expert Tips

• Tip: Weigh your almond flour. If you have a kitchen scale, use it! Measuring by weight (about 250 grams) is far more accurate than using cups, as almond flour can be packed down differently. This ensures consistent results every single time.
• Tip: Add a pinch of flaky salt on top. Right when the cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle a little flaky sea salt over them. It enhances every single flavor and takes them from great to absolutely unforgettable.
• Tip: Freeze the dough for future you. Scoop the dough balls onto a parchment-lined tray, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. You can bake frozen dough balls straight from the freezer, adding a minute or two to the baking time. Instant fresh cookies anytime!
• Tip: Experiment with mix-ins. While chocolate chips are classic, feel free to add ½ cup of chopped toasted walnuts or pecans, or even a sprinkle of cinnamon to the dry ingredients for a warm, spiced variation.

FAQs

Can I use a different liquid sweetener?
Absolutely. Maple syrup and honey are my top choices for flavor, but agave nectar will also work well. Just note that honey has a stronger flavor that will come through in the final cookie. The liquid content is what’s important here for the right texture.

My dough is really sticky, is that normal?
Yes, almond flour dough is typically sticker and softer than traditional cookie dough. That’s exactly why the chilling step is so important—it makes the dough much easier to handle. If it’s unmanageably sticky after chilling, you can wet your hands slightly to help you form the balls without sticking.

Can I make these cookies vegan?
You can certainly try! For a vegan version, use maple syrup instead of honey, and substitute the egg with a “flax egg” (1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tbsp water, let sit for 5 minutes). The texture will be a bit more delicate and cakier, but still delicious.

Why are my cookies cakey instead of chewy?
A cakey texture usually points to two things: either the dough was over-mixed (which can incorporate too much air), or too much flour was used. Make sure to spoon your almond flour into the measuring cup and level it off instead of scooping directly from the bag, which packs it down.

How should I store these cookies?
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. They also freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Just let them thaw at room temperature, or pop a frozen cookie in the microwave for 15 seconds for a warm, gooey treat.