This is the only keto chocolate chip cookie recipe you will ever need. These tender low carb cookies are so good, no one will believe they are completely sugar-free. With only 2g net carbs per serving.
Rest assured, my friends, that I don’t dare call these the best keto chocolate chip cookies without good cause. I have been working behind the scenes for a long time to perfect this recipe.
And I am finally satisfied enough to share these amazing almond flour cookies with you. They have quickly become one of my favorite keto desserts and I think you will feel the same way.
Why you will love these keto cookies
It’s true that I have quite a few keto cookie recipes, including another for low carb chocolate chip cookies. And it’s a very good one, that has a wonderful crispy, chewy texture thanks to the inclusion of shredded coconut.
Why did I feel compelled to create a new recipe? Well, times have changed and so have keto sweeteners. And sugar-free chocolate chips have some a long way as well. We have much more choices for ingredients than we used to.
So I played around and experimented, and I hit upon the perfect ratio of butter, almond flour, and sweetener. These gluten-free cookies are so soft and tender, with a slight chewiness. They are sweet without being too sweet, and they use standard keto pantry ingredients.
And they take only 35 minutes total time, start to finish!
Ingredients
The base recipe for these keto chocolate chip cookies is quite similar to my keto snickerdoodles, with a few notable exceptions. It doesn’t take any collagen or gelatin, and yet still ends up soft and chewy. Here’s what you will need:
- Almond flour
- Swerve Brown
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Egg
- Butter
- Vanilla extract
- Sugar free chocolate chips
- Chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
How to make perfect keto chocolate chip cookies
I worked hard on this recipe and tested it multiple times. Here are my best tips for getting it right:
- Start with good almond flour: This recipe won’t work with coconut flour, and you need a finely ground almond flour for the best consistency. You may be able to use other nut or seed meals but the texture won’t be as fine.
- Weigh the flour if possible: In testing this recipe, I found that right around 200g of almond flour was just right.
- Use Swerve Brown: This is hands down the best brown sugar replacement and critical to the cookies. I make note of alternatives in the Frequently Asked Questions but I can’t guarantee the same taste or texture with other sugar substitutes.
- Baking soda, not baking powder: This makes a big difference, as it allows the cookies to spread more during baking. They also brown more nicely and become softer and puffier.
- Add melted butter: Rather than creaming the butter with the erythritol, you stir melted butter into the dry ingredients. It’s easier but it also gives them a chewier texture.
- Make them a little bigger: You can make smaller cookies and get 24 (serving size is 2), but they aren’t quite as impressive looking. I found that making 18 larger cookies (serving size = 1) made them deliciously soft and satisfying. It also allowed me to add more sugar-free chocolate chips and some chopped nuts.
- Bake until just golden: The cookies will be very soft when you take them out of the oven, but they will firm up as they cool.
- Let them cool completely: Do not even THINK about picking them up until nice and cool, or they will be a hot mess. Delicious, but a mess nonetheless!
Frequently Asked Questions
As I mentioned above, you can’t use coconut flour, but other seed meals may work out alright. Sunflower seed flour is your best option, but you will need to add a tablespoon of lemon juice to offset the green reaction.
You can but you need to understand that it will change the outcome. If you can’t get Swerve Brown, then I recommend using granulated erythritol with two teaspoons of molasses to get the right flavor. It will only add 0.5g of carbs to each cookie.
If you wish to use allulose or BochaSweet, your cookies will come out much softer and more like cake. And allulose has a tendency to brown very quickly.
Read more about keto sweeteners and how they differ.
These are big, thick keto chocolate chip cookies, so yes, a serving is only one. If you wish to make them smaller so you can enjoy two, please do so. But keep your eye on them as they will bake more quickly.
I really love the dark chocolate chips from ChocZero, but Lily’s are great too. You can also use mini keto chocolate chips to get better distribution, if you prefer.
Store your cookies in a covered container on the counter for up to 5 days, or in the fridge for up to 10.
You can also freeze them, both before and after baking, for up to 2 months. Make sure they are tightly wrapped up to avoid freezer burn.
More delicious chocolate chips recipes
- Keto Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Homemade Sugar Free Chocolate Chips
- Keto Cookie Dough Easter Eggs
- The Best Keto Blondies
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Pecan Bars
- Easy Chocolate Chip Mug Cakes
Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour (200g)
- ¾ cup Swerve Brown
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup butter melted and cooled
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sugar free chocolate chips divided
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F and line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. (Use 2 baking sheets if yours are small, don’t crowd the cookies).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, Brown Swerve, baking soda, and salt.
- Stir in the egg, butter, and vanilla extract until the dough comes together. Stir in half of the chocolate chips and the walnuts, if using. Roll into 1 ½ inch balls.
- Press the balls down to about ¾ inch thick with the palm of your hand. Don't press down too much as these cookies will spread a bit on their own. Press the remaining chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies.
- Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until puffed and golden brown around the edges. They will still be very soft. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the pan.
Alison L Goheen says
These are the best keto cookies I have ever baked. Taste like the real thing! Are you sure they are low carb? Easy to follow recipe too!
Julie Y says
So buttery crispy good, though not really chewy. I did not use Swerve brown, but Lankato. I can’t thank you enough for providing the “metric” measurements. I much prefer to weigh out my ingredients, to the point where I was doing the calculations for cups to grams myself. Silly me. All I had to do was click on the metric option. What a time saver!!! Keto Jambalaya with a cookie chaser. Perfect end to a hard day. Really appreciate your recipes!
Susan Molyneux says
These were just Ok for me. Of course, anything homemade is better than store bought. I followed the recipe exactly but they came out really dark brown. They started turning brown early in the baking session and I even pulled the second batch out early. Very small cookie only about 1 1/2 inches. Probably won’t make again.
Carolyn says
You used Swerve with the allulose in it? That would be why they darkened so much…
Julie J says
I reduced the baking time to about 10-12 minutes and no browning but baked through
MaryEllen Zimmerman says
I followed your recipe exactly. My dough is runny and should be called batter. I checked the recipe again…. what’s the problem?? I’m going to pour it in a pan to cook it….
Carolyn says
Runny? Batter? Something went VERY wrong for you but without more information, I can’t say what. I have made these multiple times, as have many readers. The dough is in no way runny. Did you watch the video?
Shannon says
these cookies are fantastic and super easy to make! I love your recipes.
thanks for making eating low carb taste so great
Diana says
Oh, wow! These are the best low-carb, sugar-free cookies of any variety I have made yet! I followed the recipe distinctly and my dough came out gooier than yours look in the video, but the end product was the same and the taste and texture are perfect! Thank you Carolyn.
Kat says
Amazing cookies! Delicious and low-carb. Thank you!
Laura says
These are amazing!! I think you could serve these to non keto guests and they wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. I made these together with my 4 year old. They were easy to make and turned out soooo good. Mine were done around 12-13 minutes, I think 15 would have burned. Definitely 5 stars and my new go to recipe for CC cookies.
Vee Perez says
Wow!!! I was skeptical that these cookies will taste so delish– I made these cookies last night. These keto cookies are awesome! I’ve made other keto chocolate chip cookies but this takes top place!! These cookies taste like you are eating regular chocolate chip cookies, and the cooling sensation is a bonus!! Thank you so much!!!
Carolyn says
I love when I win over the skeptics! 😉
Cathy Bock says
Love this recipe. I got 24 largish cookies from it. I used chopped pecans instead of walnuts and white granular erythritol with a tsp of molasses in place of the brown sugar type. Full 18 minutes to be properly cooked. Will make again.
Carolyn says
Excellent!
Kymberly Bartlett says
I’m just learning how to cook keto and I absolutely love this site and all the recipes. My husband’s a letter carrier and you wouldn’t believe all the sweets he gets for gifts. He was good and gifted them all to his postal buddies and I made these cookies, and he was delighted.!
Carolyn says
That’s fabulous! Welcome, Kymberly.
Lia says
I just made these cookies today and they turned out delicious! I’ll add them to the rotation! I also make the sour cream coffee cake often, as well as some muffins. I made these cookies a bit too thick this time, next time I’ll make sure I make the balls smaller but they are still yummy.
Fonda Carver says
I would like to freeze these cookies. Do you recommend freezing them in the balls or the flattened cookie?
Tia Bidlack says
I freeze mine forever, it takes less time to thaw then it and they stay more consistent. That’s my experience.
Fonda Carver says
To freeze these do you recommend freezing the balls of cookie dough or the flattened cookie?
Dawn Sprouse says
I made these for Thanksgiving and my husband had been asking continuously for them again for about 2 weeks. I made them at the beginning of the week. He shared them with a coworker who said they were the best cookies he ever had. So, I’m making him some for Christmas.
Candice says
Excellent recipe..thank you!
Carolyn E says
When I was finally able to assemble ingredients I was richly rewarded with these delicious cookies. I have yet to be dissatisfied with one of your recipes. Thanks so much.
Peggy Harris Willcuts says
Because erythritol is a huge problem for my gut, I decided to use allulose and give it a try. I kept everything the same, except using one full cup of all allulose instead of the 3/4 cups Swerve brown. They were seriously delicious.
Because allulose had a tendency to brown rather rapidly, I cut the time back to 14 minutes and they came out with just the right amount of color. you are a genius!
Carolyn says
Great to hear! I want to experiment with reducing the oven temp by 25 degrees when using allulose. I’ve observed that it seems to be better for the browning issue but I haven’t put it to the test as yet…
Jeanie says
I have just one question. In your intro for this cookie recipe you mention the texture of the cookies due to the addition of coconut flakes, yet, the recipe does not have coconut flakes listed in the ingredients. What amount of coconut flakes do you add?
Carolyn says
I think you need to re-read the post here… you are looking at the wrong recipe. This has no coconut flakes, never has had them.
Laura Caballero says
Hi Carolyn!
In Germany, we don’t have Swerve products or Allulose/Bocha Sweet. Would Sukrin Gold be a good substitute for Swerve Brown? Yes, we do have Erythritol and Xylitol and use these frequently for most recipes.
Carolyn thank you for your delicious recipes, and this recipe was delicious! I used 1/4 cup Sukrin Gold plus only 1/2 cup powdered Xylitol. They were delicious, but they stayed soft not crispy. Hubby and I don’t mind as the taste was spot on.
Happy Holidays!
Laura
Carolyn says
Yes, it’s a pretty good option. It’s the best replacement for Swerve.