Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten Free and Paleo Friendly)

Chocolate chip cookies really are one of life’s simple pleasures. Few things are more comforting than a warm, freshly-baked cookie.

These Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies continue to be one of the most popular, and simple treats at my house! I have tested many gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipes, and this one is a winner! It’s very simple, quick and easy to make, and it hits the spot. 

My friends and family love these! With this recipe you can easily substitute chocolate chips for raisins or nuts, and even add icing, depending on your preference. The kids also love to make them in all sorts of shapes, especially for holidays. 

These Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies are:

•  Gluten-free and grain-free
•  Egg-free, without using an egg replacer
•  Naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup
•  Higher in protein and healthy fats (each cookie has 4 grams of protein!)
•  Vegan and Paleo friendly

Baking with Almond Flour

It’s safer to heat certain nuts, including almonds, at lower temperatures to prevent acrylamide formation. (A potential cancer-causing substance.) That’s why I’ve started baking with almond flour at a lower temperature than most recipes calls for, using a temperature of 250ºF.

Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten Free and Paleo Friendly)

These are the best Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies! They are gluten-free, vegan, and paleo friendly. They are made without eggs, dairy or grains. They are naturally sweetened with maple syrup for a healthier cookie, and will keep you feeling satisfied! 

PREP TIME 8 minutes  COOK TIME 12 minutes  TOTAL TIME 20 minutes  SERVINGS 12 

Ingredients

• 2 cups blanched almond flour (or almond meal)
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (at room temperature)
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 250ºF. 
2. In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, oil, maple syrup, salt, baking soda, vanilla, and vinegar and stir well to create a uniform, sticky dough. (It's important that your maple syrup is at room temperature, otherwise the coconut oil will solidify and the mixture will be more difficult to stir.) Fold in the chocolate chips.
3. Drop the dough by heaping tablespoons onto the baking sheet, then use your hands to gently flatten and shape them. (They won't spread a lot with baking.) Get your fingers wet with water to help prevent sticking while you work with the dough. 
4. Bake until the cookies are firm to the touch around the edges, about 30 minutes at 250ºF. (If you are in a hurry, you can bake them for just 12 minutes at 350ºF, if you're not concerned about the acrylamide formation I discussed earlier in this post.) For a more crispy and crunchy cookie, you can bake them up to 45 minutes at 250ºF. Because of the low temperature, these cookies will not turn golden brown around the edges, so don't be alarmed by their pale color. 
5. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the pan for at least 10 minutes before attempting to remove them. They will firm up more as they cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. These cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days, but they will have the best shelf life and texture when stored in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. 
   

NOTES

Storage - These cookies tend to get softer when stored in an airtight container at room temperature, so I highly recommend you store them in the fridge or freezer. They may last indefinitely in the freezer, but they rarely last more than a month in our home before we eat them all. They have a very crunchy texture when served directly from the freezer, which is what my kids prefer!

Substitutions - You can use almond flour OR almond meal in this recipe with just slightly different results. Also, in most cases, real butter (or ghee) works well as a substitute for coconut oil if you don’t need this recipe to be dairy-free or vegan.

If you try this recipe, please leave a comment below letting me know how you like it!