These paleo chocolate cookies are ultra rich, soft and chewy and taste just like traditional chocolate cookies! This recipe has a vegan option and they’re also grain-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
The only thing that’d give these cookies away as not being made with all-purpose flour is the little specks of almond flour. And I don’t think most people would even notice!
This recipe uses a mix of almond flour and coconut flour, but I also now have an all coconut flour version of these cookies. Check out these → Chocolate Coconut Flour Cookies if that sounds interesting!).
I adapted this recipe from my Perfect Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies. Mr. Texanerin thinks it’s kind of funny how many variations of this cookie I intend on posting.
I don’t think it’s funny at all. I think to not post all the versions I can think of would just be stupid. ;)
To come up with the original recipe, I made them at least 2-3 dozen times – usually half batches. And I baked them up one cookie at a time, adding more flour or oil or whatever until I was closer to what I was going for.
It was actually kind of fun because of the almost constant stream of fresh cookies coming out the oven. So after that labor of love, I feel like posting several variations is totally acceptable. :D
But none of the recipes are just calling for different add-ins! Different types of nut butters and flours have different fat contents and that requires adjustments to the recipe. If you use peanut butter in this recipe without making any other changes, it wouldn’t come out very well (I’ve tried).
These Paleo Oatmeal Cookies, which are a variation on the original, are a reader favorite. So are these Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies.
If you use hazelnut butter and meal here, the batter is weirdly wet and so that requires some adjustments, too. This double chocolate version differs from the original in that I decreased the almond flour by 1/4 cup, added 1/3 cup + 4 teaspoons cocoa powder, and a little more oil.
These cookies are huge. Some commenters in the original recipe, which yields 8, said that they got way more than that. If you want normal-sized cookies, you can get about 16.
But I wanted big bakery-style cookies! I just like how they bake up that way. If making smaller (more reasonably-sized) cookies, be sure to adjust the baking time as necessary.
I always use Dutch-process cocoa powder because I like the darker, chocolaty taste and I recommend you do the same, at least for these cookies! If you can’t find it, Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder should do the trick.
Looking for more delicious paleo treats? Try these Gluten-free Dairy-free Chocolate Candy Cookie Bars!
I hope you’ll enjoy these cookies if you try them out! I’d love to hear your thoughts below. :) Thanks!
Almond Flour Chocolate Cookies
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: 8 large cookies or 16 regular-sized cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (75 grams) blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup (32 grams) coconut flour
- 1/3 cup + 4 teaspoons (48 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder1
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 7 tablespoons (98 grams) refined coconut oil,2 not melty3 or for non-paleo/vegan, unsalted butter,4 room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) coconut sugar (or brown sugar for non-paleo)
- 6 tablespoons (98 grams) natural almond butter, room temperature5
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature or 1 chia egg for vegan6
- 1 cup (170 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided (use paleo/vegan chocolate, if needed)
Directions
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, 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 and sugar at medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute.
- Beat in the almond butter and vanilla extract on medium speed and mix until combined. Beat in the egg on low and mix until well incorporated.
- Stir in the flour mixture until well combined.
- Then stir in 3/4 cup (128 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 (93-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.
- Place 3" 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 12-15 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 5 days. They can also be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen up to 3 months.
Notes
- Using regular natural cocoa powder instead of Dutch-process may result in cakey cookies.
- I used refined coconut oil. If you use unrefined, these cookies may have a little coconut taste to them.
- 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.
- Butter works in these cookies but they're fudgier and in my opinion, better, with coconut oil.
- The almond butter shouldn't have any added fat or sugar.
- To make a chia egg, mix together 1 tablespoon of ground chia seeds and 3 tablespoons water. Let sit for 1 minute or until goopy like an egg.
Adapted from my Perfect Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies
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179 comments on “Paleo Chocolate Cookies” — Add one!
7 comments are awaiting moderation!
I am going to comment and say about the chickpea chocolate chip cookies recipe that you talk about here…to me they were best straight out of the oven. Not one of those cookies you leave laying around for a day or two and they are still good. They do not age well. And I will also say I have had that issue with gf cookies/brownies in general. They are just not that good after the first day.
These cookies here look good but because I made your buckwheat double dark chocolate brownie cookies from your cookbook and I thought they were too rich for me, I am not going to attempt this recipe. However, I made that recipe for others and they loved them so it is totally a me thing.
This recipe looks awesome but because I know it is totally rich, I will stay away. But I love that almond/coconut flour combo!
I honestly think the chickpea cookies are gross when not warm and gooey! But I’m happy the others liked them that way. I made those brownie cookies just yesterday (and just had one!) and think it’s a good call to not make these if you found those too rich! I hope to post some less rich recipes soon that may be more your style. :)
Do you have any suggestions for subbing out the coconut flour? What can I replace it with? We have a grandson who is anaphylactic to coconut.
Coconut flour is unfortunately not interchangeable with any other flour as it absorbs so much more liquid. I’ve tried these cookies without the coconut flour and they just don’t work. Sorry about that! You could try these gluten-free double chocolate brownie cookies. It’s a recipe that another blogger posted from my book and they’re also delicious. :)
These cookies would have a 100% chance of not making it to the next day. I would eat them all in one day :) I’m not sure if I should be proud of that or not but it’s true…haha.
Haha. I know how you feel. :D
I have a very similar recipe and you’re totally right – most people would never guess these cookies are grain free! Your photos are stunning, as always. Makes me want to whip up a batch right now!!
Thanks, Rose! If only I could have made these nut-free, too. Then we could have a big cookie fest. :D
Pass me two cookies and a tall glass of milk. These double chocolate cookies look amazing! Can’t wait to try them.
I hope you’ll enjoy them! :)
They look AMAZING! You keep posting those variations…we’ll keep making and eating! :)
Haha. Yay! Thanks. :)
Oh my gosh, these look amazing – so chocolatey! I dont mind little flecks of almonds one litle bit. Now, a stack of these cookies warm from the oven and a cold glass of milk sound like just what the dotor ordered.
*doctor (doh!)
Haha. Yes. Doctor-approved cookies! :D
These look so amazing! I love how healthy and decadent they are!
Thanks so much, Angie!
You had me at double chocolate
I’m all for 2x the chocolate! These look incredible!
Thanks so much, Jessica!
These look divine!
Thanks!
These look absolutely heavenly! I dabble in Paleo, too, so I MUST try these!
I hope you will! They’re really SO good. :)
Gorgeous!! These are absolute perfection. I love the addition of coconut flour and coconut oil, it’s such a great flavor combo with chocolate.
Except the chocolate kills all the coconut flavor in these! ;)
Mercy me, what a tasty looking cookie. Sure doesn’t look GF. YUM!!
Thanks so much, Charlotte! I bet your husband would like it. ;)
I just took these out of the oven a few minutes ago. I have been trying to leave this message but it kept saying something about an error and no data base connection. Finally I got it to work.
I used coconut oil that has a coconut taste and I only had sunflower seed butter. I had to use mini choc. chips too. They did not spread at all. I was shocked how thick they stayed. My husband did like them and I only tasted them and they were good.
By the time I got them cooked I was too tired to enjoy much of anything. I made boil custard and whole wheat cranberry, orange, white choc. chip and dark choice. chip cookies too.
Hi, Charlotte! I’m so sorry about the error messages. :( My husband has been working on fixing this issue for the last week or two and I’m hoping it’ll be fixed very soon! I haven’t tried these with sunflower seed butter and have no idea how they come out with it, so I’m happy to hear that you and your husband liked them! But I hope you get a chance to try them with almond butter because I’m betting they’re even better that way. ;) I’d never heard of boiled custard before but after you had mentioned it, I looked it up. Sound so yummy! I hope you get a chance to rest now and enjoy your goodies later. :) Thanks a bunch for your comment!
I would love to have one of these cookie now. They look amazing.
I wish I could have one, too! ;)
Oh you wonderful, rich, chocolate-y, dreamy cookies, you! Where have you been all my life? Outstanding recipe – so decadent yet so much healthier, too! Perfect! (That last shot with the little bite out of it and the wonderfully enticing little smear of chocolate? Oh.my.goodness!!!)
Thanks so much for your nice comment! :)
These are absolutely stunning, Erin! Double chocolate is always the way to go ;)
Thanks, Alexa! :)
With cookies that look like this I wouldn’t mind any variations you can provide us with!! :)
Oh, thank you! :D
YES!! My chocolate dream come true! :)
Haha. Same here! :)
These look like healthy eats perfection!! Are you coming back to the states any this summer?! I know you were just here, but I had to ask :) We are going to meet up on day!
We are going to meet up one day! But unfortunately not this summer. That would be so nice, though! :)