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These almond flour chocolate chip cookies are chewy in the middle, a little crisp at the edges, and loaded with melty chocolate chips. No flour blend and no gluten, just almond flour and 9 simple ingredients.
They’re a big favorite in my house. My kids love them, and my husband eats one every single morning! He likes that almond flour gives his breakfast some fiber and a little iron (I’ll be honest about what that really means further down). I started making them a few months ago because one of my kids has a gluten sensitivity, and I wanted desserts we could all enjoy without worrying about gluten. Now they’re in the school snack box most days, too.
I’ve made these almond flour chocolate chip cookies both with the 20-minute chill and without it (usually when my husband is standing in the kitchen, waiting). The chilled ones win every time. I’ll show you why, plus the little tap-and-wait trick that keeps them from breaking when they come out of the oven.
At a glance
| Makes | 12 cookies |
| Prep | 15 minutes, plus 20 minutes chilling |
| Bake | 13 to 15 minutes at 350°F (175°C) |
| Texture | Chewy center, slightly crisp edges |
| The trick | Chill the dough, then let the cookies cool 15 minutes on the pan before moving them |
Can you make chocolate chip cookies with almond flour?
Yes, and they’re really good! Honestly, these are the best gluten free chocolate chip cookies almond flour has ever given me. But you can’t just swap almond flour into a regular cookie recipe. Almond flour has no gluten and very little starch, and it’s full of natural fat. Put it in a classic recipe cup-for-cup and the cookies spread flat, brown too fast and crumble.
That’s why this almond flour chocolate chip cookie recipe is built differently from the start: less butter, an extra binder and a short chill.
The secret to baking with almond flour
There isn’t one secret. There are four small ones, and they all matter.
- Measure the flour lightly. Spoon the almond flour into the cup and level it with a knife. Don’t scoop straight from the bag, because that packs it down and you end up with dense, dry cookies. A kitchen scale is even better: 2 cups is about 200 g.
- Use less butter than you think. Almond flour already brings a lot of fat. This recipe uses 7 tablespoons, not a full stick, so the cookies keep their shape.
- Give it something to hold on to. Without gluten, the egg and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch do the binding. Don’t skip either one.
- Keep the dough cold and the cookies still. Chill the dough before baking, and let the baked cookies firm up on the pan before you touch them.
Get those four right and your almond flour chocolate chip cookies will come out soft, chewy and just like the real deal.
Ingredients you’ll need
Here’s everything that goes into these almond flour chocolate chip cookies, and why each one matters.
Blanched almond flour: This is the whole base of these cookies, and it’s what makes them chewy and keeps them moist for days. Make sure the bag says blanched almond flour, which is pale and finely ground. Any brand works, and super-fine almond flour gives the smoothest cookies.
Cornstarch: Just 1 tablespoon. It soaks up extra moisture so the cookies don’t spread, and it gives them a more classic cookie texture. Tapioca starch or arrowroot works the same way if that’s what you have.
Butter: 7 tablespoons, softened. Cut 1 tablespoon off a stick and you’re there. Measure it carefully, because almond flour cookies are sensitive to extra fat.
Light brown sugar: Keeps the centers soft and chewy and adds a little caramel flavor.
Egg: One large egg, the main binder. A room-temperature egg mixes in more smoothly.
Vanilla extract: 2 teaspoons. It sounds like a lot, but almond flour has a mild nutty taste and the extra vanilla makes the cookies taste like a classic chocolate chip cookie.
Baking soda and sea salt: Half a teaspoon of each. The baking soda helps the cookies spread just enough and turn golden.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips: The classic choice. Dark or bittersweet chips work, but the cookies taste less sweet and a bit more bitter. Any brand of semi-sweet chips works. For dairy-free cookies, use chips labeled dairy-free, like Enjoy Life.
How to make almond flour chocolate chip cookies
The full almond flour chocolate chip cookie recipe is in the card below. Here’s what to watch for along the way.
Cream the butter and sugar. Beat the softened butter with the brown sugar for about 30 seconds, until it looks smooth and a little lighter. If your butter is straight from the fridge, 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave softens it. Don’t let it melt.
Add the egg and vanilla. Beat until you can’t see any streaks of egg.
Add the dry ingredients. Almond flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt go in together. Mix only until there’s no dry flour left. The dough will be soft and a little sticky. Then fold in the chocolate chips with a spoon.
Chill for 20 minutes. Please don’t skip this one! I have, more than once, because my husband didn’t want to wait. Those cookies broke apart as soon as I tried to move them. Cold dough holds its shape in the oven, so you get thick, chewy cookies instead of thin ones. Turn the oven to 350°F (175°C) while you wait.
Scoop, but don’t flatten. Use a medium cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) and leave the dough balls round. They’ll spread just enough on their own.
Bake 13 to 15 minutes. Pull them when the edges are golden but the centers still look a little soft and underdone. They keep cooking on the hot pan.
The tap-and-wait trick (don’t move them yet!)
Right out of the oven, almond flour chocolate chip cookies are very soft. They haven’t set into one piece yet, so if you try to lift them now they’ll stick to the spatula and break apart.
Here’s what I do. As soon as the pan comes out, give it one gentle tap on the counter. That settles the cookies so they don’t stay puffy and sticky. Then leave them alone on the pan for 15 minutes. After that, slide a thin spatula under each one, slowly and carefully, and move it to a wire rack to finish cooling.
It’s hard to wait. I know! But those 15 minutes are the difference between a whole cookie and a pile of crumbs.
Chewy or crispy? How to get the texture you like
These almond flour chocolate chip cookies lean chewy, but small changes move them either way. Bake time does most of the work.
| You want | What to do |
|---|---|
| Extra chewy, soft center | Chill the full 20 minutes. Bake 13 minutes, until the center still looks a little raw. Cool on the pan. |
| Chewy center, slightly crisp edge | Bake 15 minutes. This is my favorite. |
| Crispier all over | Bake 16 to 18 minutes, until the edges are deep golden. Watch closely, because almond flour browns fast. |
| Crisp outside, big batch | Make the bigger-batch version under Variations below. It uses coconut oil and two eggs. |
One honest note: if you want cookies that are crunchy all the way through, like the boxed almond flour cookies at the store, this isn’t that recipe. These are soft-baked, bakery-style cookies.
Why are my almond flour cookies flat? (And other fixes)
Most problems with almond flour chocolate chip cookies come down to butter, temperature or measuring. Here’s how to spot each one.
| Problem | Why it happens | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Flat, thin cookies | Too much butter, dough too warm, or too little almond flour | Measure 7 tablespoons of butter exactly, chill the dough 20 minutes, and spoon and level the flour |
| Still flat after all that | Old baking soda | Replace it if the box has been open for more than about 6 months |
| Cookies fall apart | Moved while still hot | Tap the pan, then wait 15 minutes before lifting them |
| Crumbly dough | Missed the egg or cornstarch, or packed in too much flour | Use both binders and measure the flour lightly |
| Dense and dry | Flour scooped straight from the bag | Spoon it into the cup, or weigh it |
| Dark bottoms | Dark baking sheet, or baked too long | Use a light-colored pan with parchment and check at 13 minutes |
| Gritty, darker cookies | Almond meal used instead of almond flour | Use blanched almond flour for this recipe |
If a batch comes out flatter than you wanted, don’t throw them away! They still taste great, and they’re perfect crumbled over ice cream.
Are almond flour chocolate chip cookies healthy?
Looking for healthy almond flour chocolate chip cookies? Here’s my honest answer: they’re still cookies, with butter, brown sugar and chocolate. But compared with a regular chocolate chip cookie, they do have a few things going for them.
Almonds naturally contain fiber, protein, healthy fats, iron, magnesium and vitamin E, and almond flour is just ground almonds. That’s why almond flour has more fiber and protein and far fewer carbs than wheat flour, and these cookies do too. That’s what my husband likes about his morning cookie.
What they’re not is low in calories. Almond flour is richer than wheat flour, so a cookie can have just as many calories as a classic one, sometimes more. And the sugar is about the same.
By my estimate from the ingredients, each cookie has about 260 calories, 4.5 g of protein, 2 g of fiber, 18 g of sugar and about 1 mg of iron.
So if you want healthy almond flour chocolate chip cookies, think of these as a better-for-you treat, not a health food. If you’re watching your blood sugar or following a special diet, keep in mind they still have real sugar, and check with your doctor or dietitian about what fits your plan.
One more thing: these are naturally gluten-free, but they’re not nut-free. Tree nuts like almonds are one of the major food allergens, so keep that in mind for school lunches and parties.
Swaps and substitutions
Some swaps work well in this dough and some really don’t. Here’s the list.
Swaps that work
| Swap | How to do it | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Coconut oil instead of butter | Use 7 tablespoons of refined coconut oil, soft but still solid. Measure carefully. | Refined coconut oil has no coconut taste. Unrefined will taste a little like coconut. |
| Coconut sugar instead of brown sugar | Same amount, 2/3 cup | The cookies come out darker and a little less sweet |
| Tapioca or arrowroot instead of cornstarch | Same amount, 1 tablespoon | Almost no difference |
| Dairy-free | Coconut oil or a dairy-free butter stick, plus dairy-free chocolate chips | Very close to the original |
| Paleo | Coconut oil, coconut sugar, arrowroot or tapioca instead of cornstarch (corn isn’t paleo), and paleo-friendly chocolate chips | Darker cookies with a deeper caramel flavor |
Swaps I don’t recommend
Almond meal: It works in a pinch, but the cookies come out darker, a bit gritty and denser, because almond meal is made from unpeeled almonds and ground coarser. For this recipe, stick with blanched almond flour.
Other flours: Coconut flour, oat flour and gluten-free blends behave completely differently. They’re not a cup-for-cup swap here.
Maple syrup or honey: A liquid sweetener makes the dough much wetter, so the cookies spread and turn cakey. I haven’t made a maple syrup version of this recipe yet.
Egg-free or vegan: The egg does most of the binding, so a flax egg will likely make the cookies more fragile. I haven’t tested it.
Keto or sugar-free: Granulated sweeteners change how these cookies spread and set, so it really needs its own recipe.
Variations
Bigger batch with crispier edges
This is the other almond flour cookie we make at home. It makes about 24 cookies, uses two eggs and a mix of butter and coconut oil, and has no cornstarch. The edges come out crispier and the inside stays soft and buttery. In our house, everyone has a favorite, so I end up making both!
- 1/2 cup (113 g) butter, softened
- 1/4 cup (56 g) coconut oil
- 3/4 cup (160 g) brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cups (300 g) blanched almond flour
- 1 1/4 cups (213 g) chocolate chips
- 2/3 cup (87 g) toasted walnuts, optional
Cream the butter, coconut oil and sugar, then beat in the vanilla and eggs. Mix in the baking soda and salt, then add the almond flour one cup at a time. Fold in the chips and walnuts. Scoop tablespoon-size balls about 3 inches apart and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are golden. Chilling the dough for 30 minutes first helps if your kitchen is warm. Let them cool on the pan just like the main recipe.
Almond flour oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
Want some oats in there? My gluten free oatmeal cookies include an almond flour option, and you can add chocolate chips to that dough.
Peanut butter lovers
If you’d rather have peanut butter than chocolate chips, try my gluten free peanut butter cookies.
How to store and freeze them
Room temperature: Let your almond flour chocolate chip cookies cool completely, then keep them in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Almond flour keeps them soft, so they don’t go stale as fast as regular cookies.
Freezer (baked): Freeze cooled cookies in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Warm them at 300°F (150°C) for a few minutes, or just let them thaw on the counter.
Freezer (dough): Scoop the dough into balls, freeze them on a tray until firm, then move them to a bag. Bake straight from frozen and add 2 to 3 minutes to the bake time. It’s an easy way to have one warm cookie ready every morning.
Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies FAQ
Can chocolate chip cookies be made with almond flour?
Yes, but chocolate chip cookies with almond flour need their own recipe. Almond flour has no gluten and lots of natural fat, so it needs less butter, a binder like egg and cornstarch, and chilled dough to keep its shape.
Is almond flour good for making cookies?
Yes, very! It makes cookies chewy and moist, gives them a mild nutty flavor, and keeps them soft for days. The downsides: it browns faster, the cookies are fragile while warm, and it isn’t nut-free.
How do you make almond flour cookies chewy?
Chill the dough, use brown sugar, and take the cookies out when the centers still look a little underbaked, around 13 minutes. Then let them finish setting on the hot pan for 15 minutes.
Do I have to chill the dough?
You can skip it, but I don’t recommend it. Unchilled dough spreads more, and the cookies are thinner and harder to move without breaking. Twenty minutes is enough.
Can I use almond meal instead of almond flour?
In a pinch. Expect darker, slightly gritty, denser cookies. Blanched almond flour gives the classic look and texture.
How do I make 3-ingredient almond flour chocolate chip cookies?
Most 3-ingredient versions mix almond flour with a liquid sweetener like maple syrup and chocolate chips. They’re soft and cakey rather than chewy, and they don’t taste like a classic chocolate chip cookie. I haven’t made one I’d share, which is why my almond flour chocolate chip cookie recipe uses 9 ingredients.
Can I make them without baking soda?
I wouldn’t. Baking soda helps the cookies spread a little and turn golden. Without it they bake up paler, puffier and denser.
Are these cookies gluten-free?
Yes, almond flour chocolate chip cookies are naturally gluten-free. If you’re baking for someone with celiac disease, check that your chocolate chips, vanilla and cornstarch are labeled gluten-free, since some brands are made on shared equipment. In the US, a gluten-free label means the product has less than 20 parts per million of gluten.
How do I make 3- or 5-ingredient almond flour chocolate chip cookies?
Most short versions mix almond flour with a liquid sweetener like maple syrup and chocolate chips, and some add an egg, coconut oil or baking soda. They’re quick, but they bake up soft and cakey rather than chewy, and they don’t taste like a classic chocolate chip cookie. I haven’t made one I’d share, which is why my almond flour chocolate chip cookie recipe uses 9 ingredients. The cornstarch, brown sugar and vanilla are what make it taste like the real thing.
Do I need baking powder for almond flour chocolate chip cookies?
No. This recipe only uses baking soda, and that’s on purpose. Brown sugar is slightly acidic, so it activates the baking soda, which helps the cookies spread a little and turn golden. Baking powder would make them puffier and more cake-like.
Can I use less sugar in almond flour chocolate chip cookies?
You can cut it a little, but I haven’t tested a lower-sugar version of this recipe yet. Brown sugar does more than sweeten here: it keeps the centers soft and chewy and helps the cookies spread. If you try it, start by taking out just 1 to 2 tablespoons. With much less sugar, expect drier, puffier cookies.
Can I use brown butter in almond flour chocolate chip cookies?
I haven’t tried brown butter in this recipe yet. It adds a toasty, nutty flavor that goes really well with almond flour. Just know that browning cooks off some of the water in the butter, so the dough will be a little drier. Let the brown butter cool until it’s soft and solid again before you cream it with the sugar. If you try it,
More gluten-free cookies to try
If you need a nut-free chocolate chip cookie, my gluten free dairy free cookies use a flour blend instead. For the holidays, try the gluten free sugar cookies or the gluten free gingerbread cookies. You’ll find the rest in my gluten-free cookies collection.
If you make these almond flour chocolate chip cookies, I’d love to know how they turned out! Leave a star rating in the recipe card, and tell me in the comments whether you’re team chewy or team crispy.
Recipe card: Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
Soft, chewy almond flour chocolate chip cookies with golden edges and lots of melty chocolate. Naturally gluten-free and made with just 9 ingredients.
