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This recipe for Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies is my go-to cookie recipe! No one believes 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 from my website they should try, 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 are the BOMB! Not only are they one of my favorite recipes, but they’re also one of your, 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 healthy, gluten-free desserts, Paleo, or any 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 instead 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! If you don’t need these cookies to be paleo, you can substitute half white sugar and half brown sugar as well.
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 refrigeration for at least an hour. The chill helps the cookies stay thick and allows the flavors to develop.
- Use a flax egg. This will keep the recipe vegan, and you can eat all the dough you want without eggs.
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 u003cstrongu003eGluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookiesu003c/strongu003e – 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 u0026amp; 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
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, any granulated sugar will work here
- 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 oz) chopped dark chocolate, or chocolate chips
- 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.½ cup (100g) refined coconut oil, ⅔ cup (96g) coconut sugar, 1 large egg or flax egg, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the almond flour, salt, and baking soda to the wet ingredients. Mix until well incorporated. Fold in the chopped chocolate.½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon sea salt, 2¼ cups (220g) blanched almond flour, 1 cup (6 oz) chopped dark 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 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.Flaky sea salt
- 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!).