Growing up, Chocolate Crinkles were a favorite in our house– the rich, chocolate cookies that are smothered in powdered sugar.
Naturally, I needed to try making a grain-free version this year. If you ask me, the main requirement for Chocolate Crinkles is that they are chewy and chocolate-y, almost like a brownie. They also tend to be drenched in powdered sugar!
Sadly, I have yet to find a suitable substitute for refined powdered sugar. Coconut sugar can be ground in the Vitamix to create a “powdered sugar,” but the flavor is rather strong and it doesn’t seem to work in the same way that traditional powdered sugar does. Trust me, I’ve tried!
Luckily, these double-chocolate cookies don’t need a coating of powdered sugar to be delicious. They are rich in chocolate flavor, and have the brownie-like texture my family loves. I hope you and your family enjoy them, too!
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Double Chocolate Cookies (Grain-Free)
makes 2 dozen
Adapted from Elana’s Brownies
Ingredients:
1 cup creamy almond butter
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup honey
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or a Silpat. Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl, and mix until a smooth and sticky batter is formed. Drop the batter by tablespoons onto the lined baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.
(If you’d like, you can add the chocolate chips on the top of each cookie, rather than mixing them into the batter. They look a little more decorative that way!)
Bake for 8-9 minutes at 350F, or until firm.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes on the pan, before removing to cool completely.
Serve warm, or at room temperature, with an ice-cold glass of homemade almond milk!
Double Chocolate Cookies (Grain-Free)
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy almond butter
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or a Silpat. Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl, and mix until a smooth and sticky batter is formed.
- Drop the batter by tablespoons onto the lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. (If you'd like, you can add the chocolate chips on the top of each cookie, rather than mixing them into the batter. They look a little more decorative that way!)
- Bake for 8-9 minutes at 350F, or until firm.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes on the pan, before removing to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition
Calories per cookie: 113, Fat: 7g, Carbohydrates: 10g, Fiber: 1g, Protein: 3g
Notes:
- When shopping for dark chocolate chips, look for chips with 60-70% cocoa content, to avoid too many additives. I like the 70% dark chocolate chunks from Whole Foods, but when those aren’t available, I’ll use the Ghiradelli 60% chocolate chips. Sunspire also offers fair-trade and organic 65% chocolate chips that are fantastic.
- Use raw almond butter, rather than roasted, for best flavor.
- For vegans, a flax egg will probably work as a substitute for the egg, and try using maple syrup as a replacement for the honey.
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Reader Feedback: Are you a fan of Chocolate Crinkles? Any ideas on a good substitute for powdered sugar?
these look so yummy! for me, missing that little “dusted” topping so maybe since they are chocolate use sifted cocoa powder since it has the same texture as powdered sugar.
p.s. so happy i have found your blog! you are truly changing the way i eat AND my family has enjoyed a few of the recipes too. thanks! 🙂
Can i use peanut butter instead of almond butter
Yes, I think that would add a nice peanut butter flavor!
These look yummy .. a nice little twist to blondie bars which I make All The Time. And by far, my favorite chocolate chips are Guittard. They make a 63% dark chocolate, but even semi-sweet taste better than most other chips. Not a big fan of Ghiradelli chips.
The Ghiradelli chips do have a different flavor, which my husband doesn’t care for either. I’ll have to try the Guittard brand!
These look amazing and I love the great quality of ingredients in them. I love anything chocolate so these are perfect!
I think I’m going back to good old wheat flour…all these nut cookies have given me a serious muffin top and I’m embarassed to make any more sweets around my family because they are mocking me for being such a health nut but getting fat. Detox fail.
Just like any cookie, these grain-free cookies aren’t meant to be eaten in abundance. I share these nut-based recipes with the intention that they’ll be enjoyed as a special treat, in the overall context of a detox-friendly diet. If you’re consuming mostly green juices, smoothies and salads, and vegetable-based meals throughout the day, a couple of these cookies shouldn’t leave you with a muffin top!
These are dangerously DELICIOUS. Thank you!
We have allergies to nuts in our family. In most of your recipes with nut butter, can we substitute for peanut butter? Obviously we are accustomed to the peanut flavor.
Yes, definitely!
Super excited to try these, and I know they will be great as I’ve loved just about every recipe of yours I’ve tried. My favorite cookie is the gf ginger cookie. The comment about weight gain baffles me. In March, I eat a “clean” diet yet enjoy baked goodies on occassion. Each time I bake a batch of something, we each eat one of whatever it is, and then we freeze the rest to eat over the next couple of weeks. Anyway, the real reason for my comment…out of curiosity, what cocoa do you use? Also, I’ve seen cocoa powder and cacao powder. Do you know if there is a difference?
Thanks, Laura! I usually use raw cacao powder for everything, but cocoa powder should work for most of my recipes, too. I’ve heard that cacao powder is usually the “raw” version, and cocoa powder is roasted before being ground into powder. The flavors are pretty similar, though!
I’m going to pick up some raw cacao powder for when I make this recipe! Sorry for my choppy sentance up there. Keep posting! Your recipes are great, yet practical.
omg. those. look. amazing. did you use sweetened almond butter or plain?
I always use plain almond butter, preferably raw for its mild flavor.
Have you tried Swerve Megan? It has ingredients that are GMO free, doesn’t affect blood sugar, zero calories and gluten free. Swerve has two primary ingredients, Erythritol and Oligosaccharides. Erythritol is made by fermenting glucose with Moniliella pollinis (a natural microorganism found in honeycomb) which breaks down the glucose and yields erythritol. Erythritol also naturally occurs in many fruits and vegetables like melons, grapes, asparagus as well as fermented foods. It is classified by the FDA as a zero calorie, 4-carbon sugar alcohol that does not affect blood glucose. Oligosaccharides are sweet, non-digestible carbohydrates extracted from fruit and vegetable sources. They are similar to fiber and can help stimulate beneficial bacteria in the large intestine.
Sorry for all that… I haven’t tried it but I see people singing its praises… any thoughts?
I haven’t heard of Swerve before, but I have tried products made with Erythritol before… and I’m afraid that particular sugar alcohol doesn’t agree with my body. It gives me chills just thinking about it. Sugar alcohols can affect people differently, so it may not have a negative impact for you like it did for me– but, just beware that it’s possible, and start with a small quantity to test the waters. 🙂
These look awesome – I’ll have to try them; chocolate crinkles are my hubby’s favorite 🙂 Oh and have you tried CCK’s sugar-free powdered sugar? I have yet to do so myself, but it looks pretty good and easy to make!
http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/01/22/sugar-free-powdered-sugar/
A tip I learned for the powdered “sugar” is to grind xylitol in a coffee grinder. Xylitol is my favorite sugar-free sweetener. It does not have a bitter aftertaste like stevia/truvia, and it does not have that “artificial” taste like splenda/sucralose can have. Xylitol is all-natural and not an artificial product, but has 40% less calories than sugar. It is digested in the small intestine instead of the stomach, so it causes only a miniscule rise in blood sugar levels. I order a 5lb. bag of xylitol online and add about 1/4c at a time to my coffee grinder. This results in the fluffiest clouds of powdered “sugar” you could ever want. You could do this with any granulated sweetener however, and grind it in a food processor or blender if your machine is powerful enough.
Thanks for the tip! I don’t keep Xylitol in my house because it is so poisonous for dogs (I’m imagining how powdered sugar gets EVERYWHERE!), but I’m sure it will be helpful for many dog-free families. I bet it does get nice and fluffy!
You’re absolutely right–you wouldn’t want to risk it if there are dogs in the home. I’m betting this would work with granulated stevia or Truvia as well.
Can’t wait to try these cookies!
Hi!
Xylitol is also my favorite sweetener. It is an anti-fungal, so is very good for yeast sufferers.
I have purchased it in powdered form. I never thought of making it myself. Would definitely be cheaper! Do you think the Vitamix would do the same job? Thanks for the tip!
I’m betting a vitamix would work swell! You could try it out and let us know how it turns out. 🙂
I just made these. These are my husband’s favorite store bought cookies.
Unfortunately I had to make some alterations:
1) I didn’t have almond butter so I used peanut butter. I probably had about 1/4 cup so I added 1 stick of butter.
2) I then added almond flour (my own) but only had 1/2 cup. So I added 2 T of whole wheat flour. (I am wheat free but my kids are not 100% yet).
3) I used 1/2 c of sugar instead of honey.
They turned out beautiful and so yummy!!! It was a success. Next time I will have enough almond flour to make them without any wheat.
thanks so much. 🙂
Ps I have sent so many people to your blog. And I feature you in my Learning Log too. http://creatingtreasures.blogspot.com/2012/12/learnig-log-of-november-2012.html
Made these last night and they were SO good! I cant stop eating them! 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Megan, I have a question about some of your recipes (which are becoming fast growing all-time staples in our home! thank you!!!)If I do not have access to almond flour, can I usually substitute whole wheat flour straight across? We are not gluten free (like for 1 cup almond flour, could I just sub 1 cup whole wheat flour?. Thanks again for your wonderful work, you have made healthy eating so much easier for us!
Hi Leanne! Unfortunately, you can NOT sub wheat flour for almond flour 1:1. They have very different results. I have heard that you can sub for the weight, though. One cup of almond flour typically weighs 4 ounces, so you could try measuring 4 ounces of wheat flour as a substitute.
I haven’t tried this myself, so you will definitely be acting as a guinea pig! But, if you try it, please let us know how it works out for you. 🙂
Megan, just curious….could you use peppermint extract to make it holiday-ish? If so, how much do you think?
I’ve had varied experiences with peppermint extracts, so I think it depends on the brand. I’d start off with maybe a 1/4 teaspoon and taste as you go? It’s pretty strong, so you don’t want to overdo it!
Please come back and leave a comment if you have any success!
Hey, I did it and it worked! (Left you a comment on the Raspberry choc chip muffin page).
I am going to add these to my list of Christmas cookies this year! I was also going to recommend trying guittard chocolate. My dad works for them so I grew up eating that chocolate! It is the absolute best! I promise you will love it! They also have a new EGuittard line that has higher dark chocolate percentages. You can find it at Williams Sonoma!
These are seriously a gold mine find for me. I am following the LEAP program and can’t have wheat – these are my #1 treat and I am just so grateful to you for having LEAP friendly recipes, I have shared them in my own blog! These are super super yummy!
I added chopped walnuts to these and they were even better. Love, love love this cookie!!
Just made these and they are AMAZING!!!!! Can`t believe they don`t have any sugar, flour, or butter, and I used agave instead of honey. Thanks Megan!
Thank you for this recipe- these were really tasty! I made them with cashew butter since that’s all I had on hand, and loved them. I’m excited to try other recipes on your site too!
Made these this afternoon & holy cow, they are AMAZING!! one question-do you think you could cut the honey to 1/4c & add some liquid Stevia like you did w/t/PB Choc Chip cookies?
It sounds like it should work, but I can only comment on things I’ve tried myself. Please let us know if you give it a shot!
Hi Megan,
I just love your site! I was wandering if you could substitute the almond butter for another nut butter, maybe hazelnut? We have an allergy to almonds.
Hi Megan,
Just wanted to let you know how much my boyfriend & I love this recipe! I just made some recently & decided to try using chia as an egg sub. ( Chia seed whole has worked well in a majority of baking recipes I make. For anyone interested, to sub 1 egg, use 1 Tbs of Chia combined w/ 3 Tbs. of water- let sit for a couple min. & it gelatinizes as your “egg”!) These cocoa crinkles turned out just as awesome as when I previously used an egg. Great for those looking for another egg alternative besides flax! Thanks for posting such yummy, simple recipes!
Oh my, Megan, these totally satisfy this choco-holics sweet tooth. I did use coconut sugar instead of honey & they were still delicious & formed perfectly.
I’ve been doing the Fast Metabolism Diet & your recipes are a life saver! I’m actually a pastry chef, so it’s gosh dang hard to eat right! Thank you for this!!!
Hi, I have tried making almond flour from both whole almonds with skins (it was too grainy) and slivered with no skins (but it turned kind of moist and balled up), I could not ‘pour’ it out to the container but had to scoop it. Is this how it is supposed to be or am I doing something wrong?
It sounds like with the slivered almond batch it was processed too long– you don’t want the oils to release, or it starts to become almond butter. (The balling up is one of the stages of making almond butter.) I’d recommend using the “pulse” function on your blender or food processor, so it doesn’t over-process. I’d err on the side of grainy, so it stays dry and flour-like, and just keep practicing until you get a result you’re happy with!
I see you are using dark chocolate chips, do those have sugar in them? I can’t use refined white sugar so I’m just curious.
Thanks
The brand I usually use does include a small amount of sugar, but there are a variety of brands that use sugar alternatives or no sugar at all. Just read the labels!
Have you tried xylitol for a sugar substitute? I’ve thrown it in a blender to powder it & use for garnish.
As a person with more allergies and intolerances than I care to think about, I just want to say thank you for all the wonderful recipes. I had to tweak it a bit because I couldn’t get some of the ingredients, but even replacing almond butter with peanut butter and chocolate chips with slivered almonds these turned out just perfect. I stay away from starches and flours as best I can and recipes like these inspire me to keep eating as healthy as possible while still enjoying what I eat.
Thanks again!
I love this recipe & have made it three or four times now, the last time I made it without choc chips as a tray-bake to make brownies instead of cookies and it works brilliantly. The only commercial almond-butter I can get here in the UK is Meridian which is roasted and quite coarse, but I rather like the flavour so I’m continuing with it. I do need something to make the mix a bit wetter and the finished product a bit more gooey though. What do you advise? butter? another egg?
I have made these several times including for my boyfriend this past weekend – he ate all of them in one sitting he loved them so much! We call them “crack cookies” because they are addictive!!! These will be my contribution to Christmas treats this year.
These are the best!! You would never know that they have no refined sugar or flour. I accidentally bought crunchy raw almond butter, and we loved the small pieces of almond-it saved me the trouble of adding chopped nuts. Great chocolate flavor! Also, one of the easiest recipes! I can’t thank you enough, we have stopped using refined sugars and most items that contain wheat, but my husband still wanted some dessert items. This is just perfect.
These are unreal!!! So fudgey and amazing!!! My grain-free / sugar-free diet is cake with these 🙂
I added 1 tbs of maple sugar as well and a little extra cocoa powder!
Thanks for these …
5 stars. forgot to rate 🙂
I made these for the first time today and kept going back to the recipe to see if I missed something. The recipe as stated above had no nut flour. When I mixed all the ingredients my cookie dough was more like cake batter. I didn’t see anyone else say they had the same issue so was wondering what I might have done wrong. I added almost 2 cups of Almond flour to get a stickier dough I could drop by spoon. This also made them less sweet, they were still good, but would like to know what I can do to make the original recipe. Thanks…
The almond butter acts as the flour, and the resulting batter is runnier than traditional cookie dough– but when you bake them, they become a brownie-like cookie!
Can we substitute whole wheat instead of almond butter?? I really want to try out this recipe but almond butter and almonds are pretty expensive here in India.
Well just made this using peanut butter instead and WOW! They taste like a super decadent reese’s in cookie form. I topped one pan with chocolate chips and another pan with mini marshmallows (totally worth it). So chocolatey and soft moist and chewy–and gluten free too! Thank you for all of your brilliant recipes I seriously try a new one everyday. 🙂
I made these tonight exactly as stated in the recipe, and they are SOOO good! Especially right off the pan, nice and warm. I don’t understand how something so simple can be so yummy. The batter is pretty runny and very sticky – just go with it! They will bake up into perfect cookies. Yum!
i’m thinking of making these for a church bake sale next week! can someone tell me about the texture… does it break easily? 🙂
These are the best gluten free cookies that we’ve ever tried. If you didn’t know, you would never guess that they’re gluten free. They are absolutely delicious! Very rich, chocolaty flavor, delicate brownie-like texture, and just enough sweetness. Thanks for the recipe!
@Rania – yes, these cookies have a rather delicate texture and may break easily. I’m not sure though because they’ll be eaten so quickly by my family that we won’t have a chance to try packing them in lunches. 🙂
Wow wow wow! I made these for the Holiday potluck and people were begging me for the recipe. They were incredible. Thank you for finding a healthy ish cookie recipe that actually tastes like the real deal. Yummy!
Question: how would my recipe differ if I use cacao powder instead of cocoa powder?
Not at all– they taste the same to me.
We were introduced to this website and I am very excited to try it! One thing though, we are allergic to nuts in our family, which includes almond butter and peanut butter. What could we substitute for them? I am just barely starting to learn how to cook without most ingredients but still am learning!
Sunflower butter usually makes a good substitute for other nut butters. (But be aware that baked goods can turn green when sunflower butter and baking soda are combined! They are still safe to eat, they just look weird.)
These are amazing! They don’t last a second in our house. I have made them several times. I find they are different depending on whether I use the electric mixer or just mix by hand. I like the electric mixer because they are fluffier.
Can I use Carob powder in place of cacao. Love you recipes. Thank you.
These cookies were a hit with my pickiest eater. Thank-you for reliably having quality, gluten-free recipes.
Wboa my gosh!!..I just ate the entire batch of cookies!..lol!
I use applesauce in place of the egg – makes them fudge-like AND You can eat the batter!