Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies (with a Vegan Option)
This recipe for Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies is my go-to cookie recipe! No one guesses that these cookies are gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, and refined sugar-free! This is one of my most popular recipes. You can easily make the cookies vegan.
When anyone asks me which recipe they should try from my website…one recipe comes to mind. It’s the same recipe my boyfriend begs me to make almost nightly, partially so he can eat the dough and partially so he can devour the warm cookie. Any guesses??
These Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies! They are the BOMB and not only are they one of my favorite recipes, they’re also one of you, the readers, favorite recipes on the site. You guys seriously LOVE this one and I don’t blame you. They’re so good. Obviously, all of these gluten-free cookies and vegan cookie recipes are also favorites, but this one is such a winner!
I hear all the time how you guys “tricked” your family and friends into believing they were “regular” cookies and were met with disbelief upon telling them these cookies were free of gluten, dairy, and refined sugars.
Let’s talk about making these irresistible Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies!
One of my favorite descriptions of these cookies comes from my college friend and roommate, Mariah, right after I first developed this recipe in 2014. She does not seek out desserts that are healthy or gluten-free or Paleo or any of the other things that these cookies are; she just cares that they’re delicious. This is what she thinks about these cookies:
“Once you get past the crispy exterior, it’s so chewy and moist and wonderful. And OMG the chocolate chunks…they are like fudge put in cookie form. I want these always and forever. They’re little pillows of happiness.”
This is the common reaction to these paleo chocolate chip cookies. To develop this recipe, I took the traditional butter-and-flour chocolate chip cookie recipe I had spent years developing and switched out the key ingredients with paleo counterparts. Goodbye went the butter in favor of coconut oil, and coconut sugar in place of brown and white sugars.
I loved how much puffier the coconut oil cookies were than the ones I made using butter! Coconut oil was a definite success. I also tested the recipe using a flax egg to keep them vegan and the recipe turned out just as scrumptious. In fact, I normally use a flax egg when making this recipe so that I can eat the dough.
What you need to make gluten-free vegan chocolate chip cookies
Coconut Oil: you can also use butter or vegan butter. Make sure it has a soft texture to help it incorporate most easily with the sugar.
Coconut Sugar: I’ve also used date sugar with great success! You can substitute half white sugar and half brown sugar as well, if you don’t need these cookies to be paleo.
Flax Egg or Regular Egg: I make flax eggs with 1 tablespoon flax meal and 2.5 tablespoons water. Whisk together and let gel for 5 minutes before using. This keeps them vegan! A regular egg also works.
Vanilla Extract: a must in all baked goods!
Almond Flour: I prefer to use blanched almond flour in these cookies. They turn out best with almond flour. You can try different gluten-free flours at your own risk, but the amount may need to change depending on their absorbency.
Sea Salt & Baking Soda: these give flavor and lift to the cookies.
Chocolate: I love using a chopped chocolate bar, but good quality dark chocolate chips work great too.
How to make the best gluten-free chocolate chip cookies
Cream the coconut oil and coconut sugar together in a mixing bowl. The coconut oil should be the consistency of softened butter.
Once mixed, add in the flax eggs and vanilla extract. Stir until completely incorporated.
Add in the baking soda, salt, and blanched almond flour. Mix until completely mixed in.
Mix in the chocolate! Refrigerate the dough and then bake.
These Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies just might be one of the best chocolate chip cookies you’ve ever had, paleo or not!
Tips and Tricks for the Best Cookies EVER:
- Use high-quality chopped dark chocolate, which is always better than chocolate chips. It melts better because the wax in chocolate chips prevents them from getting gooey. And we all know chocolate chip cookies need to be melty and gooey!
- Let them chill! You could skip the chill if you need cookies ASAP, and I’ve done that before, but the cookies are even better after they’ve been refrigerated for at least an hour. The chill helps the cookies stay thick and gives time for the flavors develop.
- Use a flax egg. It will keep the recipe vegan and you can eat all the dough you want when there are no eggs in it.
If soft, thick, just-a-little-doughy-in-the-middle, crispy-edged chocolate chunk-loaded cookies are your thing, you’ll love these Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies. Make sure you tag me on Instagram when you make them @bakeritablog! I can’t wait to see your batch 😋
Want more cookie recipes?
Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
You’ll want to make a double batch of these Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies – one for you, and one to share! These paleo-friendly cookies are perfect for the holidays and come together quickly.
Chewy Miso Chocolate Chip Cookies
These Gluten-Free & Vegan Miso Chocolate Chip Cookies will make your mouth water! The addition of miso to the cookies adds such a delicious, subtle umami flavor that will have everyone wondering what exactly is making these cookies so extra delicious!
Chewy Gluten-Free Vegan Sugar Cookies
These Chewy Gluten-Free Vegan Sugar Cookies are quick and easy to make with just eight ingredients! They’re soft, chewy, and absolutely delightful. Perfect for the holidays, or whenever a sugar cookie craving strikes.
Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 80 minutes
- Yield: 12to 16 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This recipe for Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies is my go-to cookie recipe! My taste testers had no idea these cookies were gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, and refined sugar-free! This is one of my most popular recipes. You can easily make the cookies vegan.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (100g) refined coconut oil, softened, similar in texture to softened butter, use refined coconut oil if you want no coconut flavor
- ⅔ cup (96g) coconut sugar
- 1 large egg or flax egg, room temperature or for vegan/to eat the dough, use a flax egg: mix 1 tablespoon flax meal + 2.5 tablespoons water and let gel for 10 minutes before using
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2¼ cups (220g) blanched almond flour
- 1 cup (6 ounces) chopped dark chocolate, see Notes
- Flaky sea salt, to sprinkle on top, optional
Instructions
- Mix together the coconut oil and coconut sugar until smooth. Add the egg or flax egg and vanilla extract and stir until smooth.
- Add the almond flour, salt, and baking soda to the wet ingredients. Mix until well incorporated. Fold in the chopped chocolate.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour (or up to 48 hours). You don’t NEED to refrigerate the dough if you don’t have time, but it’s recommended for the best flavor and texture.
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Use a cookie scoop (using this size will give you 12 cookies, using this smaller size will give you about 20) to form cookies and place on a parchment lined baking sheet; press down slightly. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired. Bake for about 10 or until just beginning to turn golden brown around the edges.
- Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
Notes
- To keep completely paleo, make your own chocolate or use Santa Barbara Chocolate’s Coconut Sugar Sweetened Dark Chocolate (code BAKERITA will get you 10% off), Hu Kitchen Chocolate Bars (code BAKERITA will get you 15% off), or Eating Evolved Chocolate Bars.
These cookies look so incredible, Rachel! I love finding new ways to use coconut sugar, so I’m happy to hear everyone loved the coconut sugar in these. Good luck these next few weeks in college too, it will fly by!
I’m sorry but 21/4 cup is not 9oz?
1 cup is not 6oz?
1cup is 8 oz. Can I please correct this recipe??
Chocolate chips cookies recipe
1 cup is only 8 oz. in terms of liquids like water or milk – weights for dry ingredients vary.
No, he’s right. One cup is 8 oz for liquid measurements.
But either way, these cookies are the SH*T and I will make them again and again! Way to go!
Yummy! While my bakery is nut free, I have made these cookies twice in my own kitchen while trying to be healthy. It’s hard bc I can eat the whole pan! Lol. I can verify that a cup of a dry (not wet, the liquid conversions to ounces are totally different!) ingredient like flour weighed on a scale is around 4 oz, depending on the specific flour. Weighing your flour makes a big difference in the outcome because the way one person measures out a cup may be different depending on how loosely they pack the flour. I’ve weighed out 9 oz of the almond flour for this recipe and it’s been consistent so far in producing a chewy, nutty, buttery treat!
Awesome, thanks so much for the feedback, Simommie! So flattering coming from a bakery owner!
So I use cassava flour. It was dry on my first batch but the cookies tasted great just really dry. I think that’s because cassava flour is very absorbent. So I took some of the dough and add coconut milk to it and it totally fixed it and made a chewy soft cookies that I absolutely love and the flavors fabulous thank you so much
Hi Linda, glad you figured it out! Cassava flour is made from the super starchy cassava root, so it’s much more absorbent than almond flour. In the future, if you wanted to make these with cassava flour, I’d probably use closer to 1 1/2 cups of cassava flour. Thanks for the feedback! Glad you’re enjoying the cookies :)
I can’t get over all of the chocolate in these cookies! They look incredible, and it’s even better that they are healthier than your typical cookie. Blogging is such an important creative outlet for me, too, and life would feel so different without it!
I will be making these for a diabetic–can I use Xylitol or Splenda, or Stevia drops instead of the coconut sugar, and substitute coconut flour for the almond? Will the substitutions change the texture in any way? Also I found a recipe for making my own SF chocolate bars, which I will use in place of the dark chocolate.
Hi Brenda. I haven’t tried using a sugar replacement in these cookies, but I would definitely try a granulated sugar replacement (like Xylitol and Splenda) as opposed to the drops. Coconut flour is much more absorbent than almond flour so I would not recommend using it in these cookies. As long as the SF chocolate is OK for baking, that will be totally fine. Good luck!
I just found out that my friend has a nut allergy so I needed to alter a few recipes. After reading through a few paleo web pages, I’m finding that sunflower flour is a good 1:1 substitute for Almond flour. I’m testing that ratio with these cookies now. For a while, because of an issue with the amount of nuts that are “OK” for the diet I started substituted a home-made pumpkin seed flour and entree’s taste just as delicious!
I also just ran across a missing ingredient. 1 Egg. It’s listed in the directions but not the ingredients. :). Great photo’s and I”m a little late, but congrats on graduating!
Hi Jennifer. 1 egg is listed as the third ingredient in the directions. Thanks for the congratulations, I’m glad you like the photos!
Hi Jennifer, hope the sunflower seed flour works well in these cookies! Enjoy!
I also have nut sensitivies. Would love to know how the sunflower flour worked out for these cookies.
I just made these cookies with sunflower seed flour and they were honestly some of the best cookies I have ever eaten. Just beware how much baking soda you use, since sunflower seeds in baking tend to turn green if you use too much baking soda.
Amazing! So glad that worked well and that you’re enjoying them :)
Hi Brenda diabetics can have sugars with cookies made with mesquite flour it helps break down sugars with little to no spike i make them all the time.
Chopped chocolate forevs and evs!! This recipe sounds awesome (and I’m sending it to my GF bro-in-law immediately). I can’t believe you’re practically graduated–congratulations! Soak up these last few weeks, they are the best!
These are amazing Rachel! And so healthy! Can’t wait to make these and enjoy them guilt free : )
i will need to have like a dozen of these. I know defeats the whole point but they look so soft, chewy and perfect!!
These look great!They are my favorite cookie, only healthier. Can’t wait to try them!
Looks delicious! I already have about 10 paleo recipes in my current recipebook(this here: http://www.fitnessifying.com/paleo-recipe-book) but im definately gonna try out yours!
These are so tall, dense and loaded with chocolate that I can barely resist to head home now and just make them!
I love when people think they’re eating something so naughty when actually it’s all good!!!
Good luck for those last 6 weeks; I remember being that close (so long ago!).
Congratulations on (almost) graduating, Rachel! I’m going to be starting college soon myself, and was wondering if maybe you could give me some tips for avoiding a totally awkward freshman year??
And these cookies! Love. love. love! Your photos are stunning, too. :D
Thank you Abby!! Yes yes, of course I will! Send me an email at rachel@bakerita.com and I will share all my college know how :)
These look so amazing! I have yet to try almond flour in anything, but I’ve really been meaning to. These are just the thing! Plus, dairy-free is always good for us!
You seriously make the best cookies!!
I made a very similar recipe last week and it turned out delicious! I bet these cookies are very tasty and your pictures are gorgeous ;-)
These look awesome! I have been wanting to try using coconut sugar and this looks like the perfect recipe to see how it goes!
These cookies look amazing! They are making my mouth water! Graduating from college was a strange experience. I wish I had my blog back then. It would have been a great segway to get me started with what I want to do in the future.
I’m exactly four years behind you; I just officially decided today which college I’ll be attending in the fall!
I definitely agree chopped chocolate works much better in cookies than chocolate chips! Love the quote from your friend (“little pillows of happiness;” you got that right!)
Congrats on making a college decision!! Such an exciting time :) Thanks, Matea.
First of all, these cookies look out of control good. I love the craters of chocolate. As much as I want to take a shortcut most times, I’ve really taken to making the effort to chop up chunks of chocolate for cookies, too. Now..big congrats on wrapping up college! It was a pleasure to read about your last 4 years’ experience. And I’m so glad this blog gave you a creative outlet. You have obviously managed to do so much, so admirably well! Way to go!
As I’m at the same junction in my life, I loved reading your old college decision announcement post! Your blog is super inspiring to any pre-frosh college student and I hope I can keep mine up :) These cookies look amazing!
Thanks so much, Medha!!
YAY for you almost finishing college! so exciting!
and…again…I REEEALLY need to get some coconut sugar! These cookies are OUTSTANDING
So many congratulations!! It must feel so good to be finishing! I can’t wait to hear all about what your plans are next. These cookies look and sound totally like pillows of happiness. I wish I lived next door so I could come ask for cookies!
Thanks so much, Sarah. Ahh…I wish I knew! My life is so up in the air. I’ll keep you guys updated though :) and I wish you lived next door so I could share!
These look WAYYYYYY to good to be paleo friendly! You are a sweet genius!!! And yay for almost done with college… that’s amazing!
I literally want to make all your paleo recipes!!!!
I made your cookies and they are great!!! I have been trying different recipes and none of them were just right for me. I did everything by the recipe except one item. When I placed them in the fridge – I decided to try rolling them into a log so that I could just slice and bake and for me – they turned out great and that was so easy to do. Thanks so much for posting this recipe!
What an awesome tip – thanks so much for sharing, Nancy! Made them even easier :) I’m going to have to try that.
We have seed and nut allergy in our house, can I use white rice flour?
Hi Loki, that would change the texture pretty significantly – I would recommend a similar nut or seed flour, like sunflower seed flour, hazelnut flour, tigernut flour, etc. Some others have also mentioned that 1:1 baking flours work well. Enjoy!
How long will the cookie get harder? They’ve been out on the oven for 20 minutes already and still soft.
Made these tonight for my 4 year olds. They were soooo good! I put them in the freezer for about 3 hrs and then in the refrigerator for about 30 mins prior to baking. Baked 7 mins, took them out and let them cool for about 15 mins. Perfection!!
Don’t know if you’ll read this now but does the coconut oil give off a really coconutty smell/taste?
Every time in the past I’ve used it, its always ended up being so strong no one can stomach it! These look sooooooo good!!
Hi Cayla. I’ve never noticed coconut oil’s taste in baked goods. Be sure you’re using a good quality coconut oil meant for baking and you shouldn’t notice the flavor. Enjoy!
Made these…love these…whole family loves these, and believe me they are picky! De-lish!
So good to hear! Glad they were a hit with your family. Thanks, Tamie :)
OH MY GOSH YES! I’ve been paleo for over 6 months now and i’m IN LOVE with this recipe! Clean cheating has never tasted sweeter. In all honesty I’ve never enjoyed regular chocolate chip cookies but these are a must. Tastes exactly like the paleo cookies at my favorite restaurant- a recipe I’ve been searching for FOREVER. Thank you so much!!!
Kylie, this is the best thing to hear!! I’m so glad you love the cookies, and I hope it’s a recipe you make again and again :) thanks for sharing!
These taste amazing! Thanks for the recipe!
Hi, I just made the recipe but with a big mistake you have as quantity for almond flour 2 1/4 cups (9oz ) that is not an equivalent measurement. Thanks to update online recipe , my cookies never rose during baking
Hi Kass. Sorry you had trouble. I always use the almond flour weight of 1 cup = 4 oz. which is consistent with the recipe. I’m not sure what could have gone wrong, but if you can give me more details I can help figure it out.
Thank you for such an awesome, simple recipe! I used Trader Joe’s almond meal instead of almond flour (wasn’t sure if finely ground blanched flour was what you were calling for); regardless, they turned out great!
I also took Nancy’s tip and rolled them into a log so I only made a few (which I promptly ate! :).
Do you know if the dough would freeze well? I’m thinking these would be great to make in large batches for holiday treats!
Also – love your blog! Just discovered it by googling paleo chocolate chip cookies. :)
Thank you!
Hi Teri!
So glad you enjoyed the cookies. I haven’t tried freezing these, but like most cookies, I’m sure they do freeze well! Just make sure the cookie dough isn’t exposed to the freezer, and they should be fine. Also, I wouldn’t let them thaw before baking, just bake a minute or two longer. Enjoy :)
These cookies are amazing! Some of the best I’ve ever had. My family loved them too!
Love the way these cookies look. Great idea to go with big chocolate chunks instead of chips. I used Honeyville’s almond flour and these turned out amazing!
These were fantastic! My first Paleo cookie and it has been a huge hit with my 5 and three year old!
So glad the recipe was a hit!! :) Thanks, Annie!
Kudos! I tried 4 different paleo/grain-free cookie recipes today, plus 1 mix. For a holiday cookie party I’m attending, I’m making choc chip s’more cookies (2 cookies with marshmallow between, then dip half the “sandwich” in dark choc). I had to find a great paleo or at least GF option for the choc chip cookies. I tried a mix that worked well, so I knew I had that back up but I don’t want to spend that much on mix, plus it seems like a cop out. Hence the 4 well-rated choc chip cookie recipes I auditioned tonight…
This recipe was the hands down winner. It was contestant “D” of A-D. My husband had decided on B, I think, until he tried these and he declared this recipe the winner on the spot. I tried them and agreed. I now feel sick from trying all of these cookies, but I can give this recipe the thumbs up all around from my household! The cookie party ladies will hopefully appreciate all of my research. :) In all seriousness, if you need a low-allergen, “healthier” choc chip cookie recipe that won’t fail, this is the one. Winner-winner, choc chip cookie dinner! (Which is what I had tonight… vurp…)
For only using 1/2 c. coconut oil, it seems that there is a lot of flour in this recipe! Is 2 1/4 cups right?? I want to make these, but don’t want them to turn out dry or grainy from too much flour.
Hi Ali. I’ve made this recipe many times as is (as have many other readers) and the measurements are correct. Enjoy!
I’ve tried making this recipe 2 times now and both times the dough it produces is so dry and “sandy” that I can’t even really form cookies with it! What am I doing wrong? And what can I do to fix my problem now?
Thanks,
Dave
Hi Dave, sorry for your troubles! More likely than not, the problem is that your almond flour is too coarse. I’ve added a link in the recipe with the brand I recommend (Honeyville) – it’s blanched and very fine and acts much more similarly to a traditional wheat flour than some coarser almond flours/meals do. In the meantime, you could try baking the cookie dough you have in a pan to make blondies so it doesn’t go to waste. Hope it still tastes delicious! Happy New Year.
Rachel, you are so right! I switched from Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour to Wellbee’s Super Fine Blanched Almond Flour (only because it was a little cheaper than Honeyville) and they worked perfectly! Thanks so much for the help in getting this figured out. I love the cookies now!
Dave
Awesome!! That’s so great to hear, Dave. Thanks for keeping me (and all the other readers) updated on what worked for you. Happy baking :)
these were delicious! i substituted brown sugar for coconut sugar— only because I am snowed in and didn’t have any coconut sugar on hand. I am saving this recipe and trying not to eat the entire batch tonight :) Thanks for sharing!
So glad you enjoyed them! Thank for commenting Julie :)
So I’ve made these 2x and they don’t look anything like the photos. They look more flat like a normal cookie. Odd. Could be my almond flour is different. Regardless, OMG. Best. Cookies. Got approval from nit-picky brother and husband. They demanded more once they tasted their first cookie. I’d say that’s a solid win.
Yay so glad they turned out well, even if they don’t look like the photos! That could come down to something as small as temp of the ingredients, but either way – glad you like them! :D Thanks for sharing, Shelby.
Best Paleo Choc Chip Recipe I have found. Made the dough last night and baked this morning. Really amazing! Thank you so much for sharing. This is now my only Paleo Choc Chip recipe.
So good to hear, Judith. Thanks for sharing! :D
These cookies are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! I’ve made them for my family & given the recipe to everyone!!! I keep a batch of the cookie dough in the fridge for whenever I need a sweet snack!! My hubby even loves them!! I read through the comments ‘ didn’t see the nutritional info, can you post them?
Thanks!!
I have never ever commented on a recipe before and I am no stranger to perusing recipes online but I felt compelled to comment on this. I am new to paleo and these were SO GOOD. Amazing. I feel like a whole new world of baking has opened up for me even if I’m no longer following paleo strictly in the future. Thank you!!
Christine, your comment gave me a HUGE smile! I’m so glad this recipe compelled you to leave your first comment :) this recipe one of my favorites as well – so glad they made their way into your kitchen. Enjoy!
Hello,
Can you please make a recipe almost like this but without the sugar or any sweetener? Cacao mass for chocolate?
Hi Julie. Chocolate chip cookies without any sugar or chocolate wouldn’t really taste like chocolate chip cookies anymore…you could try substituting a calorie-free sweetener for the sugar if that’s what you’re looking for. Since cacao mass has no sweetener, I imagine it would be pretty bitter in cookies, but you could give it a shot – I’ve never used it before so I’m unsure of how it will work.
These cookies were absolutely wonderful! Recently completing the Whole 30, my major craving throughout was chocolate chip cookies so I set out to find a paleo-friendly version. I found it here! My mother-in-law, who is not a sweets fan, devoured them and raved about them. Thanks for a great recipe!
I’m so happy they were a hit and satisfied the chocolate chip cookie craving ;) thanks for sharing, Tonya!
I made this today and it was a HUGE hit with my kids. I made it in a pie pan so that it was a large chocolate chip cookie. We loved the recipe so much that I made another batch right afterwards for a friend. Thank you!
So happy to hear it was a hit, Mariuxi! Thanks for sharing how it turned out :D
I’ve recently become Paleo after doing Whole30 and loving it. These look great, but I’m confused about the dark chocolate. Doesn’t have sugar in it, therefore making these “un-Paleo”? Or is there a dark chocolate without sugar? Thanks!
Hi Cindy! I linked to my homemade Paleo chocolate recipe which is made with cocoa powder, coconut oil and maple syrup. You can find dark chocolate made no dairy and unrefined sugars, but I recommend making your own to keep it 100% Paleo friendly. Hope this helps!
These were delicious! Even my husband liked them, and he hates anything that might have a hint of a coconut flavor. He said they tasted like an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie.
I used almond meal from Trader Joes and brown sugar instead of coconut sugar because that is what I had and I really wanted to try this.
Thanks for the recipe! I will definitely make these again.
This makes me so happy, Ashley! So glad you and your husband enjoyed the cookies.
I have been wheat intolerant for 6 years and these cookies are the best and nicest thing I have eaten! Thank you! They are the nicest cookies I ever had! Perfect texture! They are gooey and crispy all at the one time! The only problem I have with them is they disappeared as quick as I made them! Thank you :-)
So happy to hear you loved the cookies, Linda! Next time you’ll need to make a double batch ;) thanks for the kind comment!
I made these and while they taste good, they expanded and became one flat cookie. I made sure to leave lots of space but they never rose.
Hi Anna – was the dough cold when it went into the oven? That can help stop the cookies from spreading so much.
These cookies are amazing. I have been paleo for a few years now and have tried many cookie and baked good recipes around the web. I have to say Rachel you truly have a gift and are an amazing baker! I made these cookies the other day and they only lasted a day in my house. I made your chocolate chunks and they are so delicious. I like them better than the enjoy life because they use sweetener of my choice. Thank you so much for sharing your amazing recipes with us. I look forward to trying many many more recipes. You truly have a special gift! It says a lot when people eat your baked goods and don’t know they are paleo. Shhh…. our little secret. Happy holidays.
These don’t taste good at all. too much coconut sugar.
Hi S – sorry you didn’t enjoy them. You can try cutting down on the coconut sugar next time if you don’t have much of a sweet tooth!
These were amazing! Do you have the nutritional info on the cookies? Thanks
Hi Jess – so glad you like them! I don’t have the nutritional info, but you can calculate it here: myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator
I love these cookies!! I was wondering if you had the nutrition facts available for them!?
So glad you like them Kristina! I haven’t calculated them because it can vary based on the specific brand of ingredients you use, but you can calculate them here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator
Can I use regular AP Flour ?
You certainly can – just sub it 1:1. Enjoy!
I made these wonderful cookies with 1/2 c. mini Nestle chocolate chips. I did let them rest in the frig for 1 hour, then made my little mounds ( with a smallish ice cream scoop) on a 1/4 sheet pan…obviously I placed them too close. Well…they joined together making one rectangular cookie! :)
They did not rise of consequence, but I’m not complaining since they tasted excellent and they were the treat I was seeking. Had never used coconut sugar and it was surprisingly good. Is it truly Paleo? It seemed a bit more sweet than the honey and agave I have used prior in muffins so that was another plus. I’m pleased I happened onto your web site and am now a subscriber. Thanks for these great cookies!
So happy to hear you enjoyed the cookies, Jane! Coconut sugar is one of my favorites, and has a very low glycemic index so it doesn’t spike your blood sugar too much. It is a bit sweet, so you can definitely cut down on the sugar next time you make them if you taste buds prefer. Thanks so much for subscribing, I hope you find lots of recipes here to love.
Hi Rachel! The cookies sound and look amazing! I’m just wondering though – is your coconut oil in solid or liquid form at room temperature? It’s pretty hot where I am, and the coconut oil is usually in liquid form. Would that affect the recipe?
Hi Cheryl – I use the coconut oil when it’s solid, but kind of soft. I’d recommend putting in the fridge for a bit before using to get it similar to the consistency of softened butter before using.
Ah-mazing recipe! Should these be stored at room temperature or in the fridge?
Either will be fine – they’ll keep a little longer in the fridge though. So glad you like them Colleen!
Congrats to you for finishing college! I’m wishing you many wonderful opportunities in the months ahead once you stop celebrating! This recipe is trending on Pinterest and I can’t wait to try it for the Paleos in my life.
They sound amazing with the coconut sugar, can’t wait to try it out.
Whoa! These look ah-mazing! Love the healthier ingredient list and all of that warm, gooey, melty chocolate. HEAVEN!
Why would you preheat the oven if you have to refrigerate the mixture for at least an hour?
You’re right, Martha! I reworded the instructions so you preheat at the right time now. Thanks.
What are the calories for these cookies?
Hi Vee, I don’t calculate calories but you can do so here: myfitnesspal.com/recipe_parser
Awesome. Thanks!
I just happened to come across this recipe after googling the best paleo cookies.
I was a bit skeptic although at first, but holy moly am i glad i made these. They taste exactly like a flour based cookie. No weird, grainy texture and the flavours are spot on.
Thank you very much for sharing this recipe. I will be using this regularly.
So thrilled to hear you’re enjoying them, T! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback :)
Can I use a flax egg as substitute?
Yes definitely!
We made these this afternoon and they were great! My husband is fond of mint with chocolate so instead of chocolate pieces or chips, we used Andes Mints pieces which I have only found at Walmart. We used a 1″ cookie scoop and came out with 30+ cookies. We wanted them a little more crisp, so we cooked them longer than the recipe’s 10 minutes. We did use the Honeyville almond flour which we always have good luck with. Thanks, Rachel–keep on keepin’ on!
So thrilled you’re enjoying the cookies, Jackie! Using Andes mint chocolate sounds absolutely delicious, too. Thanks for your feedback!
Hi Rachel, just made these cookies tonight and they are very good and so easy to make! If I wanted to use butter instead of coconut oil, is the substitution 1:1? Thanks!
Yes you can use an equal amount of butter! So glad you’re enjoying them :)
So delicious! Great flavor and texture. My husband isn’t big a chocolate chip cookie fan, but he loved these. And I loved the easy recipe and minimal ingredient list. Made a second batch with chopped pecans and coconut for a yummy twist.
So thrilled you and your husband are enjoying them, Sarah. Love the pecan and coconut addition – yum!
Just made these! I didn’t want to wait so I didn’t put the dough in the fridge. They turned out great, just not tall like yours. More regular cookie size. My boyfriend thinks they’re awesome and he is just getting used to my substitutions. Thank you!
So happy to hear that you and your boyfriend are enjoying them! Refrigerating them would have made the cookies thicker like mine, but it’s personal preference. Enjoy!
I wonder how many calories are in each cookie? I substituted 1/2 cup truvia and used lilly’s chocolate chips. Still delicious
Glad you’re enjoying them, Shell! I’ll add nutritional info now but you can calculate it yourself at myfitnesspal.com to know the calories with the low-sugar products you used.
Thanks for this recipe, really enjoyed it. The only thing for me is that the cookies didn’t hold well at room temp (probably because of the coconut oil?). I added 2 tbsp of coconut flour and they hold a bit better at room temp now. Thanks again, really tasty cookie.
Thanks so much for the feedback, Ant! Glad you’re enjoying them and found a way to keep them more stable at room temp.
I just made these, and they taste absolutely delightful. However, they all melted together– so I have just one big sheet pan of cookie! What went wrong?
Glad you’re loving the taste, Meagan. Since I don’t know what was going on in your kitchen, it’s hard for me to know! Was the dough chilled? Did you make any ingredients changes or adjustments? Usually, those are the causes of something going a little haywire…
I scrolled all the way down here to say these are the BEST choc chip cookies I’ve ever had!!! I made regular white flour choc chip cookies in the past and they turned out crispy and kind of bland. Theseare soft, chewy and taste AMAZING. Im inhaling one as I write lol
Yayay thank you SO much for the kind words Kawthar. So glad that you’re loving them :)
I *AM* IN LOVE!!! They’ve become legendary among my family and friends. my brother’s girlfriend asks for them every time. Making them today for a bake sale and doubling the batch!
So thrilled they’re a hit with the family KB! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback with me :)
I want to marry these cookies – they are so perfectly delicious. My kids like them better than my regular chocolate chip cookies. Thank you for this recipe!
That makes me so so happy to hear!!! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback with me :)
Made these yesterday with cannabis coconut oil (1/2 cup unground bud for 1/2 cup coconut oil) and they turned out delicious. Thanks for the recipe! My friends and I are enjoying them :)
Sounds like fun :) so glad they turned out well, hope you guys are loving them!!
Can I use olive oil instead of coconut oil?
I wouldn’t recommend it – coconut oil firms up at room temperature which helps provide some structure and olive oil doesn’t. You can try, the texture and flavor just might be off.
Made these cookies for a party and they were fantastic! Made them with lakanto instead of coconut sugar 1:1. These will be my go to cookies in the future. Thank you cookie goddess!
Oooh good to know they work with Lakanto too! So glad you’re enjoying them :)
Made these with my 3 year old and we loved! I substituted and used regular sugar and a cup of chocolate chips instead of chocolate chunks – not paleo but was really just wanting gluten and dairy free. I cooked them for 20 min though cause didn’t seem done but they turned out great.
So thrilled you guys enjoyed them!! Thanks for sharing Rachel.
My mixture looks like flour, what did I do wrong? I used gluten free baking flour instead of almond flour and followed your recipe exact.
Hi Janelle – it was definitely the flour then. I only test my recipes as written and every gluten-free flour mixture is different, which is why I never use or recommend them. I’m guessing there was some extra- absorbent flour in the mix that messed things up.
Just made these tonight and they are so good! I I made the mistake of using chocolate chips instead of chunks…now I know what you mean when you say the chunks make the recipe. I can’t wait to make them again! Thank you Rachel!
So glad you loved them Meaghan – you’ll love them even more with chunks!! :)
I added 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes. I don’t know if that addition is what made the cookies soft and chewy from the outside all the way through.
My husband says they’re the best cookies I’ve ever made for him, in our 26+ years of marriage.
Hi Katrina, I’m so glad you and your husband are loving them – what a compliment!! These cookies are pretty soft and chewy – you can always bake a minute or two longer for some crispy edges if you want them! :)
I used coconut flour in this recipe. The dough is dry and powdery. It won’t form a ball. Can you help ?
Hi Steve, coconut flour absolutely will not work here because it’s 3x more absorbent than almond flour. You only want to use coconut flour in recipes that call for it because it performs so uniquely. If you had to use coconut flour, you would want to use 1/3 of the amount, but I would recommend using my coconut flour chocolate chip cookies instead, which have been formulated specifically to use that kind of flour.
Hi Rachel! I have made these cookies several times and I just have to say, it’s my favorite cookie recipe EVER. Literally my go-to. I replace the egg with a flax egg to keep it vegan and sometimes I ever add a little pumpkin purée when I’m feeling festive. Thank you so much for all of your amazing recipes
Hi Emily, thank you so much for the comment! So thrilled you love the cookies- they’re my fave too :) love the pumpkin addition!
Rachel…First, I never…well VERY rarely…less than 1x a year or two…post replies or anything on sites where I find my recipes. These cookies are just delicious! I make them for my house and they are the go-to cookie for us. We never want to wait for them to chill! I roll them into a cookie log, wrap them, and then stick them in the freezer for about 15-20 and then make a few! I keep the roll frozen and cut off “slices” whenever we want them! They freeze exceptionally well! I’m not a big fan of coconut sugar, so when I first made them, I mixed in Florida organic and they were good. I also do most vanilla recipes with 2-3 different kinds of vanilla, and these are no exception. I use Wilton clear vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste and good ole’ McCormick pure vanilla extract, which throw these cookies over the top. Now, I can use the coconut sugar as written and the sweetness is perfect. All that to say Thank you for creating + sharing this awesome recipe!
Thank you so much for your feedback, Sese!! So glad you’re loving the cookies and the addition of all that vanilla sounds AMAZING!
These cookies are life changing! They are delicious and taste way better than regular/non-paleo chocolate chip cookies! Thanks for this recipe!
Yay so glad you’re a fan! Thanks for the feedback, Laura.
WOW! These cookies are absolutely incredible!!! Thank you! You should get an award for this recipe, seriously!! Yum!!
Thank you!! So glad you like them, Laura :)
Lucky Me!!! I have all the ingredients in my pantry right now!! Thanks for sharing, perfect for Valentines day (yummmmy)
Ok.. absolutely hooked on these cookies. Made a double batch for my family yesterday… had some left over dough and just popped it in the oven to make 2…. or else I will eat all 10. This is my new favorite “healthy” cookie recipe. They taste better than “bad” cookies!!! You did great. Chant wait to check out your other recipes
Thanks for sharing your awesomeness!
Yay, this makes me so happy, Sophie!! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback. So thrilled you’re loving them!
Hi. So many positive comments, I would love to try your recipe.
However, we do not use any sugar – is it possible to substitute Honey in place of the coconut sugar?
Thanks!
Hi Hank, unfortunately no – that would entirely change the consistency of the recipe since honey is a liquid sweetener and you need a granulated sweetener for this recipe. You could reduce the amount of sugar to 1/2 cup without issue, but I would stick with a granulated sweetener. Granulated honey, date sugar, or maple sugar could also work.
Hello! Im worried that this is not Paleo as Baking Soda and Vanilla extract are both not Paleo. Is there any Paleo alternitives for these two items that I could try?
Hi Adam, baking soda is indeed paleo. You’re thinking of baking powder, which is sometimes made with cornstarch (though you can buy paleo cornstarch or make it yourself). Vanilla extract is generally considered paleo as well, but if you’re super strict about the no alcohol thing, get alcohol-free vanilla extract or use vanilla bean powder.
just made my second batch last night, these are awesome!! even the kids love them, thank you. I made no adjustments to your recipe, it is perfection!
So thrilled you and your family are loving the cookies, Vanessa! Thanks for your feedback :)
Made these tonight and they turned out great! I was going to make a double batch to find that my dog sneaked the bag of almond flour I just bought and ate it in the backyard lol arg at least I had 2 cups of another bag left! The best part about these cookies is they are super easy ..
Oh no!!! So sorry about your dog, but so glad you loved the cookies :) Thanks for the comment, Nova!
Hi Rachel,
I just wanted to check, when you say almond flour is that the same as almond meal? Thank you!
Hi Kate, no, almond meal is different since it’s usually not as finely ground and typically has skins included. The recipe will still work with almond meal, but I prefer and recommend almond flour.
Cookies came out pretty grainy – is that because of the bobs red mill almond flour I used – it’s super fine
Did you use the blanched almond flour, or was it almond meal? I’ve never had the comment of graininess when using the blanched super fine almond flour!
Great recipe! We like also to do peanut butter cookies with almond flour and xylitol :-)
Thanks for sharing!! I try to keep xylitol out of my house since it’s toxic to dogs and I don’t want my pup to catch a crumb of it, but glad to hear it works well for you :)
Delicious cookies! And they look beautiful :)
Thanks so much!!
I haven’t specifically counted, but if I could guess, I’m betting I’ve made this recipe around over 20 times since discovering it last October. Every social circle I’m apart of has tried these and loves them and begs me to make them again. I am all about making friends through my baked goods and these have gained me LOTS of friends :D I’m so thankful you’re a food blogger!! Keep it up!
This comment makes me SO happy, Chelsea!! All of my friends have tried these cookies too – I’m so glad you’re loving them!! :) Thank you so very much for sharing your feedback! <3
Hi, I dont eat nuts. Is there another flour you can recommend here? We’re not Palio but we eat gluten free.
Hi Lauren, I’d recommend using this chocolate chip cookie recipe instead, which is designed to be nut-free!
I don’t know if I did something wrong but this recipe didn’t work for me at all.
I followed the instructions exactly and by the time I got to the chill step I just had a bowl of dry flour.
The liquid to dry ingredient ratio was completely lopsided and I had to add a ton of milk just so that my ingredients wouldn’t go to waste. So these didn’t end up Paleo at all.
If I did something wrong please let me know but for now I have to say this recipe was pretty useless.
Hi Kelsey, this is one of the first negative reviews I’ve ever gotten after 5 years of this recipe being posted, so I’m not sure what could’ve gone wrong. Are you sure you used almond flour and didn’t substitute a different more absorbent flour, like oat or coconut flour? Without more info it’s hard for me to know where things went wrong, but if you want to give me more details, I’m happy to help you figure it out!
I’m making these for my boyfriend’s family’s Thanksgiving this year! It’s the first time I’m meeting them…so making them these cookies seemed like an obvious choice to leave a good impression!! Seriously one of my favorite and most used recipes :)
So glad you’re loving them and I hope they’re a hit with everyone at Thanksgiving!! :D
I adore these cookies! The first time I made them, I only had coconut butter on hand, so that’s what I used. The next time I made them, I used the called-for coconut oil. I have to say, I think I prefer the coconut butter (although both were yummy). Coconut butter gave the cookies more coconut flavor and also helped the texture of the cookie – they were chewier and didn’t melt as easily. Either way – these are the beat paleo cookies I’ve made! Very delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Ooooh you’re making me want to try them out with coconut butter – I’ll have to try that next! Thanks so much for your feedback, Leslie.
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!!!
So glad you’re loving them!! Thanks so much for the feedback, Roshni!
Hello Rachel!
I love the cookies! However, I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, because mine are coming out from the oven with very thin and crisp edges. Even though I take them out one minute before. I followed the instructions to the core.
Hi Ana, it’s hard to know what’s going on with just that information! Is it possible your oven temp is off (some ovens run hot or cool)? Are the cookies fully chilled? Are you using a little too much coconut oil by accident? Without information, I’m just guessing, but feel free to provide more details if you can think of anything that may help me help you!
I’ve been paleo for two months and basically gave up on baking since everything I’ve baked tasted like almond flour and coconut oil. It became a waste of ingredients to bake stuff I ended up throwing
Away. I only tried baking these because the recipe used coconut sugar and I like coconut sugar. Sounded promising. Boy am I glad I did. I love them! I’m going to make them again soon minus the chocolate since I love chocolate chipless cookies
So happy to hear this, Lucy!!! I have lots of paleo recipes on my site so I hope you find so many that you love :D
Hello!
My cookies were great after about 15mins from the oven. But after an hour or so at room temp, it became oily and very soft, i think its because I live in a tropical country. I decided to store it in the refrigerator instead. Should
I warm the cookie before eating? Im looking into ways how I can make this more stable at room temperature.
Hi Kan! Yes, I would guess being in a warm climate is why they got soft! It’s totally personal preference if you want to have them cold or warmed up. I love them warm and melty, but some people in my life put them in the fridge because they like them hard. Whatever tastes best to you!
Hi Rachel,
I love this recipe but for some reason its ever turns out as they should for me. The coconut oil always forms small clumps no matter how long I mix/squish them, and the cookies always flatten out immediately in the oven until it looks like a strange pan cookie. They taste good, if a bit coconut-y. I refrigerated the cookie dough for 24hrs this time and used brand new baking soda and almond flour, but still flattened out. Any advice?
Thanks!
Hi Monica, do you mean the coconut oil forms small clumps in the dough? I always mix the coconut oil and sugar until they’re totally smoothed out, which should get rid of any clumps. I’m not sure why they would be spreading so dramatically if you’re following the recipe exactly. Does the dough seem soft? You can try adding a bit more almond flour to make a firmer dough. Also, as mentioned in the recipe, use refined coconut oil if you don’t want the coconut flavor from the coconut oil!
LOVE this recipes! It’s my go to and everyone who tries them want the recipe!
Quick question tho. I recently made a batch and had some dough left over and kept it in the fridge, how long do you think it would keep? It’s been nearly a week
Hi Jen! I’ve definitely kept this dough for about a week in the fridge and it’s been fine. In the future though, I recommend scooping any extra dough into balls and keeping in a freezer bag, so you can have on-demand cookies whenever you want :) so glad you’re loving them!
this is hands down my FAVORITE chocolate chip cookie recipe. I’ve made it multiple times… both with egg or flax egg and everyone LOVES them. I always get requests to share your awesome recipe. I’ve also used tiger nut flour when I know I have someone with a nut allergy and it substitutes beautifully
Love these cookies, but the measurements in grams seem to be off. 2/3 cup of coconut sugar should be 128 grams, and the almond flour seems a bit short too. Did you test this recipe by weighing the measurements or using cups? Just want to make sure I’m using the correct amount!
Hi Sara, I always do this by weight, except coconut sugar which I usually measure by cups for some reason, haha. The almond flour measurement is definitely correct and consistent with all of my recipes (including the ones professionally recipe tested in my book). The coconut sugar weight is based on my own measurements by weighing out the measurement. Sources I’ve seen vary for coconut sugar weights (between 96g per 2/3 cup, to around 120), so it may vary slightly based on brand. Hope this helps!!
These are absolutely the BEST cookies I have made since going gluten/sugar/dairy free many years ago. They are reminiscent of Toll House cookies and if you like those you will love these! Perfect texture, perfect flavor. I subbed half the coconut oil with Miyokos vegan butter and added some chopped walnuts. The only downside is not eating too many in one sitting!
I made these exactly as written (other than using chocolate chips because I was too lazy to chop bars), and they are perfection! Thank you so much for doing the extra work to include weights in your recipes. It takes the guess work out of measuring techniques (is it weird that that makes me anxious?).
So glad you’re loving Jenn! I totally get the weight thing – especially when the ingredients are more expensive, it helps to take the “how firmly do I pack this flour?” guesswork out of it :) enjoy!!
These look amazing and I will be getting the ingredients out as soon as I am done this comment. could you put the nutritional info with the recipe? I have looked but cannot find it. After reading the comments below I am going to try this with cassava flour.
Love your recipes. thanks
I was so excited to try this recipe after reading so many nice reviews but my dough was very dry and it didn’t spread out in the oven at all, came out just like the scoop shape. Don’t know what went wrong because I followed exactly and I even have a oven thermometer… :’(
Hi Lee, how odd! Any chance you packed the flour in and it was overmeasured? Too much flour is usually what causes a drier cookie. Using “low fat” almond flour can also make that happen. It also helps to press the cookies down a bit to help them spread.
So yummy! I did half teaspoon of salt and sprinkled sea salt on top. I also added pecans and did one teaspoon vanilla and one teaspoon of almond extract. I have been trying to avoid dairy for medical reasons and I didn’t miss the butter at all. Will definitely make again!
So glad you loved them, Serene!! Adding pecans and almond extract sounds like a fabulous addition.
These are so good! Has anyone tried to figure out about how many calories are in each cookie?
Hi Jacqueline, I just added nutritional info for the cookies!
Hi! These cookies turned out sooo good! I was just wandering if you flatten them with a spatula or something? Mine didn’t melt as normal cookies do.
Hi Clara, I press them down a bit with my palm but not fully flattened, just a little bit!
Thanks for sharing this post. After a long time, such a post has been seen, it is a very interesting subject, people like it. When someone shares this kind of article, the mind is happy The
I subbed half monkfruit sweetener and half brown sugar (didn’t have coconut sugar on hand) and they turned out soooo good and gooey delicious!
So glad you loved them, Katie!!
These are delicious! I think they’ll be my go-to cookie recipe from now on. So glad I finally tried them!