These perfect paleo chocolate chip cookies are thick, chewy and have the perfect texture. Many of the reviewers have called these the best cookies ever and said that nobody had a clue that they were paleo (or even gluten-free)!
This recipe also has vegan and keto options. Thanks to Bob’s Red Mill for making today’s post possible!
I first posted this recipe four years ago and am reposting it today with new photos and more tips. Since I posted it, it’s been my most popular recipe and the photos just didn’t do it justice.
All almond flours are not created equal
When I first made these paleo chocolate chip cookies, it’d been quite a while since I last posted some grain-free recipes. I had run out of my favorite Bob’s Red Mill Super-Fine Almond Flour months before and was so frustrated with the brands of almond flour available here in Germany since they’re so inconsistent.
Because I didn’t want to deal with the hassle of ordering flour from the US, I thought I’d wait it out until Christmas when I’d be back in the US and could buy all the Bob’s Red Mill I want.
But then I got a hankering for chocolate chip cookies. And I really wanted to make paleo cookies.
So I went to work and while every batch tasted amazing, the appearance and thickness was different every single time. The only variable?
The almond flour. The almond flour I’d been buying varies from brand to brand and even within the same brand.
Variation in baking = bad
They come in tiny 1-cup bags here so I go through a load of them when recipe testing. I’d open up one bag and find some finely ground almond flour, then I’d open up another bag from the same company, and it was overall coarser with bits of sliced almonds.
Sliced almonds! In my almond flour. That was the final straw.
So to save my sanity, I ordered myself some Bob’s Red Mill almond flour. By the way, if you have Bob’s Red Mill in a retail store in your area, you can use one of these $1 coupons.
Consistency matters a lot
The cookies made with Bob’s Red Mill came out thick, chewy and just as delicious and magical as all-purpose flour chocolate chip cookies. I doubt that anyone would be able to tell that these are paleo cookies! And the 750+ reviewers agree with me.
And every batch comes out the same. I can say this very confidently as I’ve made these cookies over 100x in the last 4 years (yes, that’s about 2x a month!). Hooray for consistency!
Some of the reviewers have mentioned the same issues with random brands of almond flour vs. Bob’s Red Mill. And homemade almond flour? The cookies definitely won’t come out the same! This has been confirmed by several commenters.
So the almond flour obviously plays a huge role in the final outcome of these paleo chocolate chip cookies. Another thing that will affect the cookies is the temperature of the coconut oil.
Pay attention to the coconut oil
If you make these in the summer when room temperature coconut oil means melted coconut oil, you’ll need to refrigerate the coconut oil until it’s firmer, like softened butter.
If you make these dairy-free cookies with melted coconut oil, the dough will be very greasy and the chocolate chips will be hard to incorporate into the dough.
It doesn’t work to use melted coconut oil and then just chill the dough. I don’t understand why but it doesn’t work!
Coconut sugar (for paleo) vs brown sugar
You’ll also need to chill the dough if you use coconut sugar rather than brown sugar. I made one version with brown sugar and one with coconut sugar at the same time and the brown sugar cookies were nice and thick while the coconut sugar version spread flat and was super thin.
I refrigerated the remaining coconut sugar dough until firm and that resulted in nice and thick cookies, just like the brown sugar version! Just a little darker colored.
Size also matters
If you can’t tell by the pictures, these paleo chocolate chip cookies are huge. Instead of making 8 cookies, you can make 16 to get regular-sized cookies.
I just prefer how they bake up with gooier and chewier centers when they’re larger! Several of the commenters have said that they make them half that size and enjoy them and other commenters have said that they agree that the key to making these cookies so perfect is to make them huge.
Variations of this recipe
If you’ve had enough chocolate chip cookies lately but like this sound of this recipe, I’ve got you covered! I’ve made several variations of these cookies over the years:
- Coconut flour cookies – they don’t use any almond flour, in case you need a nut-free version! And they’re somehow every bit as delicious as the version below.
- Paleo “Peanut Butter” Cookies – these use sunflower seed butter in place of peanut butter for a version that tastes super similar to real peanut butter cookies.
- Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies – they also only use coconut flour. I spent 4 years trying to make the below paleo chocolate chip cookie recipe with peanut butter. I didn’t like the results. But I finally nailed it and they are the best peanut butter cookies I’ve ever had!
- Paleo Double Chocolate Cookies – So. Much. Chocolate!
- Paleo “Oatmeal” Cookies – these cookies taste really close to traditional oatmeal cookies!
- Paleo Peppermint Cookies – so perfect for Christmas!
Have you made one of them? Or the original? Which one is your favorite?
Substitution questions for these paleo chocolate chip cookies:
- Can I use something instead of almond flour?
Almond flour is only really interchangeable with other nut flours so cashew or hazelnut meal would likely work. I’ve heard of some people using sunflower seed meal as a sub for almond flour but I haven’t tried it myself.
- Can I use something instead of coconut flour?
Nope! There isn’t a really good sub for coconut flour. A few people have mentioned using oat flour (for a non-paleo version) with success but I haven’t tried it.
- Can I use something instead of almond butter?
I’ve tried using peanut butter but didn’t like the results. So I really don’t recommend using peanut butter.
Using it in the all coconut flour version? Amazing! It’s linked to above. If using sunflower seed butter, you need to make a few changes (see the Paleo “Peanut Butter” Cookies linked to above).
Hazelnut butter would probably be awesome in this original recipe! Reviewers have used cashew butter but the cashew butter I get and make is SO much firmer than almond butter, I can’t imagine the cookies coming out the same as with almond butter. - Can I use something instead of coconut / brown sugar?
Subbing in a liquid sweetener won’t work. There’s no liquid to reduce to make up for the added liquid, so it’d make the cookies cakey. Any other granulated sweetener would probably work.
- What can I use instead of the egg or chia egg?
I’ve tried flax eggs but I don’t like the taste (people say that flax eggs don’t taste like anything but I think they do). Others have used it with success in this recipe. I haven’t tried it, but Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free Vegan Egg Replacer would probably work.
- Can I make these cookies smaller?
Yes, but I think they have a better texture when they’re baked as huge cookies.
- Can I bake these cookies as bars?
You can make them in an 8″x8″ pan. I’m super forgetful and never remember to write down the baking time but I recommend to start checking around 15 minutes.
- Do you have nutritional info?
There are loads of free online nutritional calculators online. I’m not a dietitian and not legally allowed to post this info. Sorry about that!
If you try these paleo chocolate chip cookies, I’d love to hear how they come out!
Thanks again to Bob’s Red Mill for sponsoring this post! Be sure to check out some of their other gluten-free flours if you’re into gluten-free and paleo baking. :)
And here are some resources if you’re new to the vegan or gluten-free diet:
- Are Chocolate Chips Vegan?
- Are Chocolate Chips Gluten-free?
- Is Baking Soda Vegan?
- Is Baking Soda Gluten-free?
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, see my disclosure.
Perfect Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies (vegan, keto options)
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: 8 huge bakery-style cookies or 16 regular-sized cookies
Please read the notes at the bottom before beginning!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (100 grams) blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup (32 grams) coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons (84 grams) coconut oil1 or unsalted butter, room temperature but NOT melted (if your coconut oil is a little melty, put it in the fridge for about 10-20 minutes or until firmer, like softened butter. If you use slightly melted coconut oil, the dough will be greasy and the chocolate chips will be hard to incorporate.)2
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) coconut sugar, very tightly packed for a paleo version (it's best to weigh this!) OR brown sugar OR for keto, use 2 ounces (57 grams) xylitol + 1.5 ounces (43 grams) erythritol + 1/4 teaspoon powdered stevia3
- 6 tablespoons (98 grams) natural almond butter (the kind with just almonds in it and no added fat / sugar), room temperature (here's how to make almond butter)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature (or 1 chia egg4 for vegan)
- 1 1/4 cups (213 grams) paleo chocolate chips or chopped paleo chocolate chunks, divided
Directions
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer or using a stand mixer, beat together the fat, sugar, almond butter and vanilla extract at medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute. If you use coconut oil, it may not come together easily. If that's the case, use your hands to combine it and then beat another 20 seconds.
- Beat in the egg on low and mix until well incorporated. Stir in the flour mixture until well combined. Then stir in 1 cup (170 grams) chocolate chips. If you used brown sugar, skip to the next step. If you used coconut sugar, place the bowl in the refrigerator for about 1 hour or until the dough is firm.
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
- Roll the dough into 8 (75-gram) balls and place the remaining 1/4 cup (43 grams) of chocolate chips on the top and on the sides of the dough balls. You can also roll them into 16 smaller balls but then you need to adjust the baking time (a few minutes less than recommended below). Place 4" apart on the prepared baking sheet. Press the cookies down lightly with the palm of your hand.
- Bake for 11-14 minutes (if using coconut sugar or the keto version) or 14-17 minutes (if using brown sugar) or until the surface of the center of the cookies no longer appears wet. They'll be very soft but will continue to cook as they sit on the cookie sheet.
- Let cool completely on the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
- If you use unrefined coconut oil, the cookies will likely have a slight coconut taste. I prefer refined coconut oil for absolutely zero coconut taste (but most reviewers have used unrefined and are happy with them!)
- I haven't tried these with ghee or shortening or anything other than coconut oil and butter.
- The sweeteners I used were 100% xylitol, 100% erythritol and 100% stevia. If you don't have a scale, then this is about 1/4 cup + 3/4 teaspoon xylitol, 3 tablespoons + 3/4 teaspoon erythritol + 1/4 teaspoon stevia.
- To make a chia egg, mix together 1 tablespoon of ground chia seeds and 2.5 tablespoons water. Let sit 5-15 minutes or until goopy like an egg.
- For paleo: use coconut sugar, coconut oil, and paleo chocolate (some consider Enjoy Life to be paleo, some don't. If you really don't want to use cane sugar, try Pascha's 100% cacao chocolate chips.
- For dairy-free / vegan: use coconut oil and dairy-free chocolate.
- For keto / low-carb: use the keto option. Some consider it paleo, some don't. I had previously listed Lakanto but this other mixture works much better! Also use sugar-free chocolate chips, such as Pascha 100% cacao chocolate chips (paleo) or Lily's Chocolate Chips (not paleo, due to soy).
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1632 comments on “Perfect Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies (vegan / keto options)” — Add one!
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My future son-in-law has decided to go Paleo, so I made these last night for dessert and they turned out great. I made them smaller so I ended up with about a dozen cookies but the texture was crisp yet chewy in the middle. I will definitely be making these again. Thanks
That was nice of you to make cookies he could eat, too. :) I’m happy to hear that you liked them enough to make them again! Thanks for your comment.
Made this cookies a week or so ago and they were a big hit with my kids and their friends at school. I personally would reduce the amount of sugar as they were overly sweet for me, but still delicious. Thanks for a beautiful recipe
I’m happy that they were a big hit with the kids! I’d be interested to hear how they come out for you if you try reducing the sugar. :) Thanks for your comment!
These are my favorite cookies! Even compared to the cookies I made before I became Paleo. Thank you so much for sharing. These cookies have made so many people happy and they have even turned paleo haters into believers! Thank you!!!
Aww, yay! Thanks so much for your nice comment. :) I’m thrilled that you like them so much and that you were able to turn a few paleo haters. ;) That’s awesome!
Has anyone made these using Swerve for the sugar? Thanks for sharing this recipe. They look beyond wonderful!
Thanks! And I have. They came out terribly. They fell apart (because they were so dry, I’m guessing) and tasted pretty bad. One guy did some experimenting with low-carb sweeteners and posted his results here. Hope that helps!
I just made these cookies with 1/2 the amount of coconut sugar the recipe calls for, and I replaced the other half with an erythritol sweetener similar to Swerve. They turned out great. I didn’t notice any difference from when I made them with all coconut sugar.
Awesome! That’s very helpful. :) Thank you for the tip!
A few questions… Could I use ghee instead of butter? I’ve also seen almond meal and super fine almond flour. Which do you recommend?
I’ve never used ghee but I often see it as a butter sub so I’m guessing it’d work here. I used Bob’s Red Mill Super-fine Almond Flour and recommend using that but commenters have used other types of almond flour with success. :)
Can these be made without coconut flour?
I’m sorry but that won’t work! There’s no sub for coconut flour.
If you cook them half the size , what should I adjust the cooking time to?
It depends on what combination of ingredients you use and what size you make them. If you make them half the size (about 37 grams), I’m guessing you should bake them for 8-12 minutes (if using coconut sugar) or 11-14 minutes (if using brown sugar) or until the surface of the center of the cookies no longer appears wet. Enjoy! :)
Can I substitute coconut sugar with honey? Don’t have the sugar
That’d totally change the texture and make the cookies cakey. Do you have brown sugar or any kind of granulated sugar on hand?
I made these cookies tonight and followed your instructions concerning the coconut oil and coconut sugar and they came out perfectly. They were delicious and I will definitely be making these again. Thank you so much for the recipe!!
That’s great! I’m happy they came out well and that the coconut oil instructions were helpful. :) Thanks a bunch for your comment!
This recipe is great! My first successful baking experience doing Paleo. I used trader joes almond meal and sunflower seed butter. They are delicious, chewy, and fluffed up nicely. I actually froze the dough for 15 mins before shaping and baking. Wonderful just wonderful, thank you!!!
That’s great that they worked out well with sunflower seed butter! I’ve been making them that way recently and love them. :) Thanks a bunch for your comment and good luck with going paleo!
Have you tried making this with cashew butter instead of almond butter? I only have cashew butter so will give it a go.
I haven’t but other commenters have with success. :) Enjoy!
Aah-mazing cookies! I had 1/3 cup coconut sugar left then i mixed with 1/4 cup raw honey. i guess It turned out so well! This is the best one of this recipe. 5 stars!
I’m happy it worked out well with some honey! Thanks a bunch for your tip and the feedback. :)
These look incredible! Any idea what the calories are per cookie? Thanks!
Thanks! And I don’t have that info but you can copy and paste the recipe here for the nutritional profile, if you’d like. :)
Has anyone come up with a way to make them a bit more crispy? I like soft, but was wanting a bit more bite…
The only thing you could do without reworking the recipe would be to bake them a little longer.
LOVED these cookies!!! Even my fiancé wrote a note on the container telling me not to bring any to work cause he wanted them all for himself! hehehe Excellent cookies, will keep this recipe and make again (many times) in the future :)
Haha. I love that he added that note. :D I’m happy you two enjoyed the cookies! Thanks a bunch for your comment. :)
I made these last week and ate them in three days. I miss them and can’t stop thinking of them so will make two batches today. Thanks for the vitocost and almond flour tip. I’m an American overseas too. These cookies are so filling too which helps on the portion control since they are so yummy. I’ve tried other recipes and this one hands down is the best. You are right about the chips not adhering to melted coconut so will have to experiment with that. Need to try more of your recipesThanks for your recipes!
Haha. I love your comment. I can totally relate to missing baked goods and not being able to stop thinking about them. ;) I’m happy the Vitacost tip was helpful! It’s amazing to have access to American ingredients again. And I’m thrilled that you enjoyed the cookies and hope you’ll like the other recipes, too! Thanks a bunch for your comment. :)
What is the nutritional values in these cookies? They look amazing , but I’m pre diabetic and need to watch carbs.
Thank you
I don’t have that info but you can copy and paste the recipe here for the nutritional profile, if you’d like. :)
I have made these several times before and they’d came out fantastic. My neighbors went crazy for them. Well this time I made them with 8 tbls of cocoanut oil and 4 tbls of butter before I always made it half butter and half cocoanut oil but they are falling apart. I don’t know what I did different except I used a different cocoanut oil. Still unrefined and organic. Every time I try to make a scoop they fall apart. Help !!!!
I’m happy they came out well and that your neighbors enjoyed them! :) Did you double the recipe this time? Because the recipe calls for 6 tablespoons of coconut oil or butter and you used 12. If you did double the recipe, then that’s the right amount – but did you see the note about the coconut oil temperature? It sounds like you might have used melted coconut oil.
These cookies were just as described, chewy, chocolately, and absolutely delicious. I made them with butter instead of coconut oil and they were just amazing! Thank you for this recipe!!
Awesome! I’m happy they came out well. :) Thanks a bunch for your feedback!
Love, love, love these! I have tried so many recipes for chocolate chip cookies without using flour, and they are mediocre at best. I had almond flour I needed to use so I decided to try yours. These are winners! I am making another batch today…and that’s saying something for me! I used butter instead of coconut oil, but I did use almond butter and coconut sugar. I have NEVER commented on a recipe before, so I give you high marks. Thank you!!
Aww, thanks! I’m honored that you felt compelled to comment on this one. :) I’m with you on the mediocre flourless cookie thing. It’s hard to find good grain-free dessert recipes! Thanks a bunch for your feedback. :)
Omg these are the best !
Yay! I’m happy you like them. :)