The BEST Soft Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

The best almond flour chocolate chip cookies are soft and nutty and portable with just a hint of cinnamon. And I am thrilled to tell you that I finally perfected this paleo and gluten-free cookie recipe for the most perfect almond flour cookie you’ve ever had!

I lightened the sometimes gritty texture of almond flour with the addition of tapioca starch to create the smoothest texture. Then I added paleo-friendly maple syrup and coconut sugar for a healthy chocolate chip cookie that tastes like a real treat. If you're like me, you'll have a hard time sharing. But fortunately, the recipe makes about 20 cookies so there are a few to spare for really good friends.

If you love making gluten-free cookies, you will not want to miss our Gluten-Free Monster Cookies, Coconut Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies.

And if you're here on the holiday baking train, check out our BEST Gluten-Free Gingerbread Loaf Cake, Cozy Spiced Molasses Cookies (with almond flour), Almond Flour Pumpkin Muffins, and Unforgettable Christmas Rocky Road.

This recipe was inspired by Pinch of Yum’s best soft chocolate chip cookie recipe. I was jealous that I couldn't eat it myself, so I set to work on a gluten-free version.

With my partner on a Paleo diet, we just had to hack it. More than eight recipe trials later, we finally got it just right. 

Why you’ll love these Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

• they have a nutty, roasty ‘hug in a bite’ flavor after baking
• just a hint of cinnamon and vanilla 
• refined sugar-free and paleo-friendly
• naturally gluten-free and dairy-free
• healthy fats and protein so it counts as a snack! 

How healthy are these chocolate chip cookies? 

Let me be straight with you, this is still a cookie. Meaning it has coconut butter, maple syrup, and coconut sugar. BUT it also has almond flour, which adds protein, healthy fat, and decreases blood sugar spikes. Coconut butter is dairy-free and the sugars are unrefined. 

With nutrient-dense swaps and healthier sugars, these can pass as a reasonably healthy snack compared to most cookies. Give them a try yourself and see if you can tell the difference!

These cookies are gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, and dairy-free.

What does almond flour do to cookies?

In cookies, almond flour adds a slightly nutty taste as well as healthy fats and protein. It can make a cookie gluten-free, grain-free, or paleo. Almond flour also helps to prevent blood sugar spikes since the human body digests it more slowly than all-purpose flour. 

Are cookies made with almond flour better for you?

Cookies made with almond flour are better for you in the sense that they balance out the sugars with protein and healthy fats. White flour is digested more quickly, resulting in a blood sugar spike followed by a crash. With almond flour, the energy is more sustained without the crash. They also have more protein and fiber than cookies made with all-purpose flour.

Can almond flour be substituted for all purpose flour?

You cannot substitute almond flour 1 to 1 for all-purpose flour. The grains of almond flour are much larger than those of all-purpose flour. Therefore, a direct substitution will be too little flour and the cookie will spread out on the pan like a bubbly taffy. Any substitution of almond flour for all-purpose flour requires experimenting to get the right texture.

You also cannot substitute all-purpose flour for almond flour in a 1-to-1 ratio. In this case, there is too much flour and the cookies will be too dry. 

Let’s make almond flour chocolate chip cookies

With these photos and instructions, making the perfect almond flour chocolate chip cookies will be a breeze on the first try!

Ingredients

You need these 10 ingredients: almond flour, tapioca flour, granulated sugar (I used coconut sugar), baking soda, salt, cinnamon, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, 1 egg, and chocolate chips.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. 

Add wet ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon. You do not need to mix the wet ingredients separately first.

Add chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed.

Roll into balls of 1 ½ inch diameter (3.8 centimeters) and place on an ungreased cookie sheet with room to spread. If refrigerating the dough first, allow it to warm up on the counter for 30 minutes before making balls.

Flatten the balls slightly with your palm until they lose about ⅓ of their height.

Optional: Gently press 2-3 chocolate chunks into the top of each cookie.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are slightly browned.

Use this photo as a guide for the perfect cookie! While both are delicious, I prefer the taste and texture of the 'perfect' cookie at home. The slightly over-baked one (about 11 minutes of baking) is more portable for lunch boxes and trips.

Allow to cool for 30 minutes before removing cookies from the pan.

Should I sift the flour when making these chocolate chip cookies? 

The most accurate baking measurements are always by weight, so using a scale means you do not need to sift the flour.

If measuring in cups, spooning the flour into the cup rather than making one big scoop is enough to keep the flour light. You do not need to sift the flour for these cookies.

Other Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes to consider...

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Enjoy my favorite healthier twist on a classic!

xo, Jamie