It took me ten tries to get this cookie recipe just right, but it was worth the effort! These gluten-free chocolate chip cookies are made with just one wholesome flour—almond flour. They’re also sweetened with maple syrup instead of brown sugar, although you likely wouldn’t guess it. I love to use natural sweeteners when I can.

These cookies are golden and lightly crisp around the edges, and tender and chewy in the middle, which is exactly how I want my chocolate chip cookies to be. If you’re looking for a gluten-free cookie or a healthier take on a classic Tollhouse cookie, you’ve found a winner here. As a bonus, they’re remarkably easy to stir together by hand, with no chilling time required!

4 Reasons to Bake with Almond Flour

I’ve been having so much fun playing around with almond flour lately, and for good reasons! Here’s a rundown on why it’s become one of my favorite ingredients.

1) Better flavor

Compared to regular flour, which dulls the flavors of the other ingredients, almond flour lets them shine. That’s the beauty of almond flour—the end result doesn’t taste overtly of almonds, but it is extra delicious.

2) Less sugar required

Since almond flour doesn’t dull the flavor of your sweetener, you can typically use a little less. That’s a win for our health.

3) Easier than conventional recipes

Almond flour is so easy to work with. It’s perfect for beginner bakers, baking with kids (my four-year-old loves to make these with me), and seasoned bakers who want a simple project that yields stellar results. Since almond flour is gluten-free, there’s no worry about overmixing the dough. Some chocolate chip cookie recipes recommend a 24-hour refrigeration period to hydrate the dough—no need in this one!

4) Lower carbohydrate content

Almond flour is significantly lower in carbohydrates than all-purpose or whole wheat flour, which has become more important to me after two bouts with gestational diabetes. My almond-flour baked goods typically contain about half as many carbohydrates as those made with regular flour (partly due to the reduced sugar), and these cookies follow the same pattern.

Key Ingredients for Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

You’ll find the full recipe below. Here’s a rundown of what you’ll need to make these cookies and why, plus options to tailor them to your preferences.

Almond flour: Use fine blanched almond flour for the best texture. I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill and Whole Foods 365 brands (affiliate links). Other brands don’t mill the almonds as finely and yield a more rustic result.

Baking powder: Baking powder provides some much-needed loft. Without it, these cookies have a more shortbread-like texture.

Butter: Butter contributes richness and tenderness, key elements in a chocolate chip cookie. Use unsalted butter for classic chocolate chip cookie flavor, or try coconut oil for a dairy-free option. Choose virgin coconut oil for a subtle coconut flavor, or refined coconut oil for a flavorless option.

Maple syrup: Instead of brown sugar, real maple syrup offers a similar flavor and helps these thick cookies spread to normal proportions (you’ll still need to help them out with the back of a spoon). One-third cup yields the most classic flavor—sweet but not cloying. However, if you’d like to reduce the sugar content for healthier cookies, you can use as little as 3 tablespoons.

Egg: Incorporating one egg makes a world of difference in this gluten-free recipe by binding the ingredients together. Without the egg, the cookies are too tender and fall apart soon after cooling (I don’t recommend an egg substitute like flax eggs here, unfortunately, because it doesn’t offer as much structure).

Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet chocolate chips are classically sweet. I prefer dark chocolate, though, so I use bittersweet chocolate chips to maximize the chocolate flavor, such as Guittard or Ghiradelli’s 60 percent cacao options.

Watch How to Make Them

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More Gluten-Free Cookies

Here are a few more treats to try next! You can also browse all gluten-free recipes or find more almond flour recipes.

• Coconut Macaroons
• Maple Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
• Monster Cookies
• Peanut Butter Oat Cookies
• Thumbprint Cookies