Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pillowy-soft Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies, made in a few simple steps with no chilling required! They’re incredibly moist and light, thanks to the almond flour. Flaxseed meal binds the dough and gives them a chewy texture so good you’ll never miss the eggs! They’re naturally gluten-free, lower in carbs, and plant-based and vegan. Let’s bake!

Are you ready for the best almond flour chocolate chip cookies?! I sure am! Baby J and I have been snacking on these buttery, rich, and nutty cookies all week and we don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

They’re incredibly soft, chewy, and light — thanks to the combination of almond flour and flaxseed meal — and better for us because of the almond flour’s healthy fats, plant protein, and fiber.

Most importantly, these chocolate chip cookies with almond flour taste like traditional (dare I say, even better!!). They’re super decadent, chocolatey, and buttery. They have it all — nutrition, flavor, and easy prep (ready in 30 minutes with no stand mixer or chilling required).

They’re most definitely the type of treat I am more than happy to sign up for! I hope you love snacking on them as much as we do. 🙂

For more recipes with almond flour, check out my Almond Flour Banana Bread and Almond Flour Pancakes.

Ingredients

Blanched Almond Flour: This type of almond flour is made with blanched almonds (that is, without skins) so it is ultra-fine and soft and isn’t as dense as almond meal. You can find it in the baking aisle of most well-stocked grocery stores or online.

Flaxseed: When mixed with water, flaxseed helps to bind the cookies (eliminating the need for eggs) and makes the cookies delightfully chewy. Use freshly ground flaxseed or pre-ground flaxseed meal with a good expiration date (you will know it has gone bad if it smells acrid).

Brown Sugar: For sweetness and a light caramel flavor, characteristic of classic chocolate chip cookies. I recommend using light brown sugar, though you can use dark brown sugar if you prefer a deeper molasses flavor. Pack the sugar tightly to measure. Don’t have brown sugar? You can substitute the same amount of organic cane or coconut sugar.

Vegan Butter: Melted vegan butter adds buttery richness. Melt it on low heat in the microwave to prevent splattering. If preferred, you can also use melted coconut oil.

Vanilla: Adds sweet warmth! Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.

Chocolate Chips: Bittersweet chocolate chips make the chocolate chip cookies almond flour next-level decadent. If needed, you can substitute vegan chocolate chips. If using semi-sweet chocolate chips make sure they’re vegan (Enjoy Life makes allergen-free chocolate chips that are super good).

Baking Powder and Salt: One teaspoon of baking powder helps the dough rise as it bakes, making the gluten free chocolate chip cookies exceptionally light. Salt seasons it, enhancing all the flavors!

How to Make Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

Come with me and make this almond flour chocolate chip cookies recipe! It’s straightforward and easy, and I guide you through the whole process with illustrated steps:

Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseed and water. Stir to combine and set aside to thicken for at least 5 minutes.

Combine Dry Ingredients. Add the almond flour, baking powder, and salt to a mixing bowl. Whisk well to combine and break up any chunks.

Add Wet Ingredients. Make a well in the center of the almond flour. Add the melted butter, vanilla extract, and flaxseed mixture. Whisk to blend the wet ingredients, then use a spatula or wooden spoon and stir until well incorporated and the batter is smooth.

Stir in Chocolate Chips. Add the chocolate chips and stir to incorporate.

Scoop Cookies. Use a medium cookie scoop to form about a dozen cookies, transferring each to the baking sheet and leaving 2 inches between each scoop. Add any stray chocolate chips to the tops of the cookie dough balls.

overhead cookie dough balls on baking sheet

Shape Cookies. Use the back of a spoon or damp hands to gently flatten the cookies to about ½-inch thickness.

close up of cookie dough on baking sheet

Bake the healthy almond flour chocolate chip cookies for 13 minutes, or until the bottoms and edges are golden.

Cool. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire cooling rack and cool the cookies on the sheet completely before enjoying.

Jenné’s Recipe Tips

Use blanched almond flour. Natural almond flour is made with skin-on almonds, making it more coarse and giving the cookies a heavy and dense texture. For light, soft, and moist cookies, use blanched almond flour.
Stir the batter well. Understirring can result in uneven-textured cookies. Once you’ve added the melted butter, flaxseed “egg,” and vanilla extract, stir the mixture very well until it is completely combined and smooth, and no dry pockets of almond flour remain.
Press down the scoops of cookie dough. Unlike traditional dough, this cookie dough doesn’t naturally spread while baking. The shape it will be when it goes into the oven will be very similar to when the cookies come out. Gently press down the cookie dough balls into 1/2-inch thick rounds before baking.
Cool the cookies completely. As tempting as it is to grab the chocolate chip almond flour cookies straight from the sheet while hot, they need to cool to room temperature to set up properly. Any earlier, and they will easily fall apart and crumble.

Recipe Variations

Add 1/2 cup of any of the following to make your own take on these almond chocolate chip cookies:

Dried Fruit: Stir in chopped dried cherries or cranberries for a decadent fruity twist.
Almond Slivers: Add slivered almonds with the chocolate chips for an extra nutty, crunchy element.
Coconut: Sweetened dried coconut gives the cookies a flavor similar to Almond Joy candy bars (while being much healthier)!

stack of almond flour chocolate chip cookies

Storage Directions

Storing: Once cooled completely to room temperature, transfer the cookies to an airtight container where they can be stored for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the fridge.
Freezing: For extended storage, place the cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are almond flour chocolate chip cookies vegan? Low-carb or keto?

Though not all chocolate chip cookie recipes with almond flour are vegan, this recipe is! It’s made with flaxseed instead of chicken eggs, vegan butter, and bittersweet chocolate. Since the recipe is made with naturally gluten-free almond flour, it also makes vegan gluten free chocolate chip cookies.

The cookies are not keto, but they are much lower in carbs than traditional cookie recipes, thanks to low-carb almond flour substituting for all-purpose flour.

Can I make these ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the cookie dough up to 3 months ahead of time. Prepare it as directed, scoop the dough onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours until firm. Transfer the frozen cookie dough balls into a freezer-safe container and freeze for extended storage. Bake the cookie dough balls from frozen, adding an extra 2-3 minutes of baking time as needed, and using the back of a spoon to flatten 10 minutes in.

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseed and water. Stir to combine and set aside to thicken for at least 5 minutes.
Add the almond flour, baking powder, and salt to a mixing bowl. Whisk well to combine and break up any chunks.
Make a well in the center of the almond flour. Add the melted butter, vanilla extract, and flaxseed mixture. Whisk to blend the wet ingredients, then use a spatula or wooden spoon and stir until well incorporated and the batter is smooth.
Add the chocolate chips and stir to incorporate.
Use a medium cookie scoop to form about a dozen cookies, transferring each to the baking sheet and leaving 2 inches between each scoop. Add any stray chocolate chips to the tops of the cookie dough balls.
Use the back of a spoon or damp hands to gently flatten the cookies to about ½-inch thickness.
Bake for 13 minutes, or until the bottoms and edges are golden.
Transfer the baking sheet to a wire cooling rack and cool the cookies on the sheet completely before enjoying.

Storage Directions

Storing: Once cooled completely to room temperature, transfer the cookies to an airtight container where they can be stored for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the fridge.
Freezing: For extended storage, place the cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipe Pro-Tips

Use blanched almond flour. Natural almond flour is made with skin-on almonds, making it more coarse and giving the cookies a heavy and dense texture. For light, soft, and moist cookies, use blanched almond flour.
Stir the batter well. Understirring can result in uneven-textured cookies. Once you’ve added the melted butter, flaxseed “egg,” and vanilla extract, stir the mixture very well until it is completely combined and smooth, and no dry pockets of almond flour remain.
Press down the scoops of cookie dough. Unlike traditional dough, this cookie dough doesn’t naturally spread while baking. The shape it will be when it goes into the oven will be very similar to when the cookies come out. Gently press down the cookie dough balls into 1/2-inch thick rounds before baking.
Cool the cookies completely. As tempting as it is to grab the cookies straight from the sheet while hot, they need to cool to room temperature to set up properly. Any earlier, and they will easily fall apart and crumble.