There are only so many ways to bake a cookie. Whether using wheat flour or grain-free options, there's no need to reinvent the wheel chocolate chip cookie. These paleo chocolate chip cookies are as close to the classic as you can get, and a great way to begin your paleo baking journey.
Grain-free + paleo-style baking
If you've landed here, you are most likely in search of a recipe sans processed flours and refined sugars. This is where we begin: replacements for wheat flour.
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My favorite easy-to-find grain-free flour options
Thanks to the movement toward a less-processed life, bakers have a plethora of gluten and grain-free flours to choose from nowadays. Cassava, sorghum, tigernut flour - the list goes on and on.
However, many are only available online, and cost a pretty penny at that. Here are my favorites that can be found in most nationwide grocery stores:
- Fine-ground almond flour
- Coconut flour
- Tapioca flour/starch (not modified)
- Arrowroot starch
For a great paleo chocolate chip cookie, start with the classic
If I'm craving a chocolate chip cookie, I want it to taste as like my great-grandmother's cookies. AKA in the vain of the beloved, original recipe from Nestlé Tollhouse. Coconut flour lends a lovely flavor and is great for structure. But personally, I don't want it dominating my numero uno comfort food.
In baking too many batches, I found tapioca flour to provide the best copycat texture as traditional cookies. While not necessarily hard-core paleo, I love the crumb and texture it creates, and its lack of strong flavor.
How tapioca flour is made
Tapioca flour is a product of the cassava root. The root of the cassava plant is peeled, chopped, washed and spun until it becomes a starchy pulp. The pulp of the shredded root is dried, and that is tapioca flour.
Yes, still processed. But a much less inflammatory ingredient than conventional white wheat flour. And you're using MUCH less here, compared to a recipe that calls for wheat flour only.
Baking paleo chocolate chip cookies with less sugar
White sugar as we know it earned the nickname "white death" for a reason. It's inflammatory, and it spikes insulin levels in healthy people, let alone those who struggle with obesity. Consuming it in excess can lead to a host of chronic illnesses, Type 2 Diabetes the most common.
For all these reasons and more, I shun conventional white sugar on principle. If you do need it on occasion (and who doesn't), organic is my recommendation. And for routine baking - especially when my kids will partake - I use coconut sugar or honey.
Any form of sugar is broken down to the same basic molecules by your body. But the less refined and chemically-processed, the better.
Paleo chocolate chip cookie ingredients
- Fine-ground almond flour
- Tapioca or arrowroot starch (or a smaller amount of coconut flour)
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Avocado oil or ghee (or simply butter if the small amount of milk solids don't bother you)
- Coconut sugar or honey
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract (can't forget vanilla!)
The role of eggs in any chocolate chip cookie recipe
Many high-ranked recipes for grain-free cookies are lacking in the eggs department. The protein (albumin) in the egg white coagulates at oven temperatures, and provides amazing structure to baked goods. #bakingisscience
When baking with less starchy flours, structure is a hot commodity. In any classic cookie recipe, standard, proven ratios call for one egg per cup of flour. This is true for paleo-style, gluten-free and grain-free recipes. So use one egg for every cup of flour of any kind.
Any chef's secret for great cookies every time
For any cookie, pie crust or shortbread, you won't meet a chef who will mix the batter and bake straight away. See: The Great British Baking Show. So much drama about dough not getting cold enough in the time allotted.
Especially if you choose avocado or coconut oil for dairy-free cookies, chilling the dough before scooping and baking is non-negotiable. Cold, solid butter and oil will melt slower, and prevent a super-spreader event in your oven. And help give you a glorious crumb akin to grandma's.
Because there's no need to reinvent the chocolate chip cookie here. Just a few of the ingredients.
Yours in cookies,
Christina
📖 Recipe
Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
Naturally gluten and dairy free, these chocolate chip cookies can take you back to your childhood. Almond flour adds a nutty flavor and a bit more protein than the original.
- Total Time: 25 minutes (active)
- Yield: About 24 cookies 1x
Ingredients
- 1½ cups of finely-ground almond flour
- ¾ cup of arrowroot or tapioca starch
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1 teaspoon of flake kosher or sea salt (½ teaspoon if using table salt)
- 3 ounces of unsalted butter, softened (for true "paleo" cookies, use ghee or coconut oil chilled to the texture of room temperature butter)
- ¾ cup of coconut sugar or ⅓ cup of honey
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups of dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flours, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
- Beat together the sugar and butter (or oil). In a separate large bowl, beat the butter, ghee or coconut oil with coconut sugar or honey on with a hand mixer on medium speed (or use your stand mixer). Beat until the sugar dissolves a little and the mixture lightens. Beat in the eggs one at a time, and then the vanilla extract.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture a little at a time, beating on low speed until the dough is homogenous.
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips. Fold in chocolate chunks or chips with a spatula or wooden spoon.
- Chill the dough until hard, or overnight. Chill the dough until it's cold and hard, at least two hours. You can bake room temperature dough, but the cookies will spread in the oven.
- Preheat the oven and scoop the cookies. Preheat the oven to 350° F. With an ice cream scoop with a release or two spoons, scoop same-sized balls of dough onto a greased, non-stick or parchment-lined cookie sheet. Space them two inches apart.
- Bake until lightly browned. Bake cookies 8-10 minutes at 350° F, just until set and beginning to brown around the edges. For a crispier cookie, bake a few minutes longer. Cool a couple minutes on the baking pan, then transfer to a rack or plate. Store covered as long as they last, or freeze.
Notes
For homemade dark chocolate chips...
- Line the bottom and sides of a 9" x 13" baking pan with parchment paper.
- Chop two 4-ounce bars of unsweetened chocolate.
- Combine chocolate with 4 ounces/about ¾ cups of coconut sugar in a small pot over low heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.
- Pour into baking pan, spread it smooth, and chill. For the fastest chilling, you can pop the pan in the freezer if it fits.
- Lift parchment with sweetened chocolate from pan, and chop chocolate into small chunks.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Keywords: paleo chocolate chip cookies, grain-free chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chip cookies with almond flour, paleo desserts, GAPS cookies
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Please, Mom.
N
These are so delicious! Made a batch and refrigerated the rest of the dough- do you know long the dough can be stored in the fridge?
Thank you! Really yummy and very informative recipe which I love!
Christina
So glad you enjoyed them, thanks for reading! I typically keep any raw cookie dough refrigerated for a week or two. Or even freeze it, and it will keep much longer than it ever lasts:)
Nicole S.
This paleo chocolate chip cookie is seriously as delicious as the original! Best paleo cookie I’ve ever made hands down!!!! And I have tried many many over the years. I love that it is refined flour free and refined sugar free. This one is light, fluffy and delicious! Not dense like many others. Christina’s tips and culinary experience and knowledge sure shines through! A new staple in my house as a healthier and tasty chic chip cookie! Will be making again and again! Highly recommend! Thanks Christina!
Christina
My pleasure! Glad to hear you enjoyed them so much.???? I'm very particular about my chocolate chip cookies!
Winnie
i enjoyed reading this. I have been to Rhinebeck many times as I live in NY and my folks live upstate in the Catskills. I must read more about the raw milk. I have heard it is great for you, but thought you couldn't purchase it.. Your pictures are great and I will try those cookies...Thanks for the food for thought.
edibletimes
Thanks for reading! The Sepascot Farm is a cow share program, but it's not expensive at all, and the milk is so incredibly fresh and always available. Take care!
Joan W
Do you know how hard it is to read your blog when I am on a diet?
edibletimes
Didn't you know? The extra nutrients in the raw milk negate the bad calories in the cookies.
Heather@Creative Family Moments
I've heard once you go that route it's hard to go back. That's how I feel once I started drinking organic milk... so much creamier. Yum!