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My kids think these almond flour cookies are some of the best I’ve ever made. While you might not expect it, these taste remarkably like the real thing. They are naturally gluten-free, grain-free, Paleo-friendly… and totally delicious.

I originally shared an egg-free version of these cookies, with a shortbread-like texture, back in 2012. Now that my kids are older, they want a version that tastes more like classic Toll House cookies.

That’s where this recipe comes to the rescue! They have the classic flavor, without using white flour or sugar in the cookie dough. You can stir the dough together in one bowl, so it is ready to bake in just about 10 minutes.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review

“I usually never rate or comment on recipes, but this was SO good I just had to. It honestly tastes better than a bakery cookie and I’m not exaggerating. Thank you so much for this recipe I will be using this one on repeat.” -Mia

close up of an almond flour chocolate chip cookie.

Ingredients For Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • Almond Flour. This recipe calls for blanched almond flour, which means the almonds’ skins have been removed before they are finely ground. I don’t recommend using almond meal (ground whole almonds), as the cookies will be much softer. Try my Almond Meal Cookies for a tested option, instead.
  • Coconut sugar. This sugar has a slightly lower glycemic index than white sugar. Granulated sugar helps cookies spread, so if you reduce the sugar in this recipe, don’t be surprised if they don’t spread as well.
  • Butter. I use butter in this recipe for a classic flavor, but you can substitute it with coconut oil if you need a dairy-free option. Be sure to read the recipe notes for the correct amount. I use salted butter for the extra boost of flavor.
  • Egg. When working with gluten-free recipes, eggs help bind and lift. If you need an egg-free recipe, I don’t recommend using a flax egg here. (The cookies will be too gooey.) Try my Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies for an egg-free alternative.
  • Baking soda. This ingredient helps the cookies spread and rise slightly. If your cookies don’t budge, your baking soda might not be fresh enough. (Butter and granulated sugar also contribute to spreading, so keep that in mind if you are making adjustments.)
  • Vanilla + Salt. These two additions boost the flavor. While vanilla can be omitted in a pinch, I don’t recommend leaving out the salt. It balances out the sweetness and makes cookies taste better.
  • Chocolate chips. You can use any variety of chocolate that you prefer. Semi-sweet chocolate chips will provide a classic flavor, but darker chocolate can be used, too. I sometimes use mini chocolate chips for better chocolate distribution.
almond flour, coconut sugar, chocolate chips, and egg labeled in bowls.

How to Make Almond Flour Cookies

Step 1:

To get started, preheat your oven to 350ºF and line a large baking sheet (or two) with parchment paper. Be sure to let your oven preheat for at least 15 to 20 minutes to ensure it reaches the proper temperature.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, coconut sugar, egg, and vanilla. Mix well with a spatula or an electric mixer. My butter wasn’t quite soft enough to use a spatula this time, so I used an electric mixer in the photos.

Add in the blanched almond flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir well until no visible flecks of almond flour remain. The mixture should be thick and slightly sticky.

almond flour cookie dough mixed in 4 stages in a glass bowl.

Step 2:

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Fold in the chocolate chips, then use a cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto the prepared pan. I can usually fit 12 cookies onto one half-sheet pan, so you might need to bake these in two batches. Or, use a second pan to bake them all at once. You’ll get about 24 cookies in total.

Bake the cookies at 350ºF for 9 to 12 minutes, or until they have spread out and look lightly golden around the edges. They will be very soft when warm, so let them cool completely in the pan. 

Once they are firm enough to handle, you can transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling while you bake the remaining cookie dough.

Storage Tip: Store almond flour cookies in the fridge or freezer for firmer, chewier cookies. My family likes to eat them chilled straight from the fridge! These will soften if stored in an airtight container overnight (not in the refrigerator). This is simply the nature of almond flour, so keeping these cookies chilled is best for storage.

chocolate chips added to cookie dough and baked on a pan.

You may have noticed that I suggest baking these for 9 to 12 minutes, and that’s because everyone wants something a little different with cookies. If you like cookies with almost-gooey centers, 8-9 minutes of baking should do the trick.

If you prefer cookies that spread out a bit more, flatten as they cool, and get crispy around the edges, you’ll probably want to bake these for 10-11 minutes instead. I cooked half of the batch each way, so you can visually see the difference below. (I think 10 minutes would be perfect in my oven, as I prefer something in the middle of these two options.)

Pro Cookie Tip: Did you know most food photographers press a few chocolate chips into cookies AFTER they are done baking? The cookies are still soft from the oven, so it’s easy to press the chocolate chips exactly where you want them, making the cookies prettier. Give it a try if you see some spots that are missing chocolate chips!

cookies baked for 9 minutes versus 11 minutes side by side on a pan.

Almond Flour Cookies REcipe FAQs

Can I use almond meal instead of almond flour?

Almond meal is made with ground almond skins, so it makes cookies less crispy. Try my Almond Meal Cookies if you want to get better results with it.

Can I reduce the sugar?

Granulated sugar makes cookies spread as they bake. So, if you reduce the sugar in this recipe, your cookies will likely spread less during baking. For a maple syrup version, try vegan almond flour cookies.

Can I freeze the cookie dough?

Yes! If you prefer eating a freshly baked cookie, you can scoop the cookie dough onto a lined baking sheet, as you would for baking, but place the pan in the freezer instead. Once the cookie dough balls are frozen solid (about 1 hour), transfer them to an airtight container and keep them frozen for up to 3 months. To bake a frozen cookie dough ball, place it on a parchment-lined pan and bake at 325ºF for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cookies have spread and look lightly golden.

close up of an almond flour chocolate chip cookie.

Almond Flour Cookies (Taste like Toll House!)

4.88 from 65 votes
If you grew up eating Toll House cookies, you're going to love this almond flour cookie recipe. I tweaked the classic recipe from the back of the chocolate chip bag, using almond flour instead of white flour, so they have the flavor you love, but are naturally grain-free and gluten-free. My kids think these are some of the best cookies ever!
prep10 mins cook10 mins total20 mins
Servings:24

Ingredients
 
 

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. (This recipe makes 24 cookies, so you'll need to bake in 2 batches on 1 pan, or use 2 pans to bake them all at once.) In a large bowl, combine the butter, coconut sugar, egg, and vanilla. Use a spatula or electric hand mixer to cream them together.
  • Add in the salt, baking soda, and almond flour. Stir until a thick, sticky batter is formed. Then fold in the chocolate chips.
  • Scoop the dough using a tablespoon or 1-ounce cookie scoop. Drop the dough onto the lined baking sheet, then bake at 350ºF for 9 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies spread and the edges look lightly golden. (I think 10 minutes is perfect, but ovens will vary.) Let the cookies cool on the pan for 10 to 15 minutes before eating one warm, so they firm up a bit.
  • These cookies have the best texture at room temperature the same day you bake them. If you need to store them, don't keep them at room temp, because they will soften over time. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. They are even crispier when they are cold!

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 of 24 cookies. This is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.
Dairy-free Note: If you prefer a dairy-free cookie, try using 1/4 cup melted coconut oil instead. For zero coconut flavor, use refined or expeller-pressed coconut oil rather than virgin or unrefined coconut oil.
Egg-Free Note: Check out my Vegan Almond Flour Cookies if you need an egg-free & dairy-free cookie recipe. (That one is sweetened with maple syrup, too!)
Tips for Measuring Almond Flour: Scoop the measuring cup into your container of almond flour, then swipe off the excess with the back of a knife. I’ve included the weight in grams if you prefer. (Just click the Metric button in the recipe card!)

Nutrition

Calories: 128kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 43mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 92IU | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: paleo
Keyword: almond flour cookies

More Recipes to Try

If you try these Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies, please leave a comment below letting me know how they turned out for you.

Megan Gilmore leaning on her white countertop.

Megan Gilmore

Hi, I’m Megan. A former fast food junkie turned best-selling cookbook author. As a Certified Nutritionist Consultant (CNC), I love to make healthier food using simple ingredients. I test these recipes multiple times in my kitchen to make sure they will turn out perfectly for you.

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Comments

  1. Bought coconut sugar and almond flour awhile ago, but everything made with it never tasted good. I really wanted to use it up after spending the money on them, so I started looking for recipes. These are the BEST cookies I’ve had! My family and I almost ate the whole batch after letting them cool! They are crisp around the edges and gooey in the middle!

    1. I’m so happy to hear that, Katana! Glad you found a cookie recipe you can enjoy with the almond flour and coconut sugar.❤️

  2. Hi Megan, I love the flavor of these cookies they are so delicious. I make them fairly often and I go a little lighter on the coconut sugar as I don’t like them too sweet. My issue is that they never flatten out into the shape of a cookie. They come out in the same ball shape I’ve formed them in, even though they are cooked. Any thoughts as to why they are not melting down into cookie shapes?

    1. Hi Jen! I think cutting back on the coconut sugar could be the reason why they aren’t spreading. (Granulated sugar usually makes cookies spread.) However, if you prefer the flavor that way, I would just flatten the dough into the shape you want before you bake them. I do that with my Paleo almond flour cookies all the time, since those are made with maple syrup. Hope that helps!

  3. These do taste a lot like Toll House cookies! We used Lakanto golden sweetener instead of coconut sugar and 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. Thank you for the recipe, they are really good!

  4. Sounds great, especially for a pot luck where someone may be gluten intolerant. How do you know if almond flour is blanched? I like to buy ingredients in the bulk aisle to save a little money and the signs don’t say anything except almond flour and the price.

    1. Hi Terri! Typically if something is called “almond flour” it will be made with blanched almonds, especially if you don’t see brown flecks in the flour (which would be from the almond skins). These days it seems like most companies will call the product “almond meal” if the almonds are not blanched. Hope that helps!

  5. These cookie are my go to. They are so simple to make and taste absolutely delicious. They are easily modified to suit all tastes eg cranberry or ginger in place of the chocolate chip.