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.
Jas says
I have tried several recipes and this was by far the best one. Made them for a friend whose diet requires sugar free treats, but I’ll use this recipe for myself moving forward! They are that good and easy!! Thank you.
Carolyn says
Thank you!
Ian says
I’ve made these many times and they came out perfect. One question, does refrigerating the dough make the final product better like with normal cookies or are the ingredients different enough that refrigeration has no effect?
Carolyn says
I haven’t bothered to try because it’s unnecessary for these.
Ruth says
Hi Carolyn,
I’m wondering if you have an article where you share how much cups, tablespoons, teaspoons are? I live in the UK and I’ve noticed the measurements are different over here. The 2 cups equaling 200g made me realised that 🤯
Carolyn says
So I think you are misunderstanding a bit… 2 cups is volume so it’s not always the same amount in grams for every ingredient. Almond flour is about 200 to 220g for 2 cups. But peanut butter and water and other things would weigh differently. Hence, I cannot possibly tell you how much they weigh. And that’s why I give metric equivalents in the recipe itself.
Monica says
The best keto dessert I’ve ever had & I’ve made, tasted, and wasted many ingredients & products in the last 5 years. The texture, flavor, and look of the cookie is perfect. I use some coarse salt & really like the crunch and flavor. Well done! This will be my go to chocolate fix. I don’t miss a “normal” chocolate chip cookie at all. Thank you!
Melinda says
Is it possible to change the flour???
Carolyn says
Please read the blog post.
Bonita vanPopta says
love these! Bought your book of Amazon! so nice to munch on these cookies while perusing your book :).
thanks so much!
Bonita
Carolyn says
Thanks so much!
Lee Ann says
Hi Carolyn! I have been following your website for years, and since my husband was just diagnosed with diabetes recently, decided to make these cookies as a treat for the Oscars tonight. They are delicious! I made them exactly as the recipe was written. Used Sukrin Gold brown sugar alternative, since that’s what I had. I did not weigh my Bob’s Mill almond flour, which I will, in my next batch. I also decided not to make any altitude adjustments and I might do that next time too. I’m at 6200 feet. The cookies spread like crazy and it was hilarious! The taste and texture were spot on. Yum Yum. Yum!
Carolyn says
So glad you like them!
Sobey says
Mine spread like crazy too lol I didn’t melt the butter first. Maybe I crowded them too much.
Carolyn says
You didn’t have enough flour.
Kathy Schweikert says
I made these today, my store didn’t have Swerve brown, but used Lakanto monkfruit sweetener (golden). Delicious cookies, and hubby who rarely eats sweets and thought these would be terrible said they tasted just like regular chocolate chip cookies. I declare a winner recipe for someone watching sugar and carbs, but still desires a sweet now and then!
Sylvie R says
I made these for my “keto” husband and he loved them. I had a taste and they are delicious. I was wondering if the butter could be replaced with something with less cholesterol. I have to watch mine and would love to be able to enjoy this sugar free cookies. Thanks for your time
Carolyn says
I wouldn’t replace all of it, but you could maybe do half butter, half avocado oil. You might also like these blondies made with walnut oil! https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/keto-walnut-blondies/
Dana says
So happy that these came out delicious! i watched the video and followed the instructions exactly. These are going to keep me sane, so hard finding good keto sweets!
Carolyn says
Thanks!
Julie J says
I just made these. I had to make them a little different like I used golden monk fruit and no nuts. I also reduced baking time. They came out more flat and spread out, possibly from the sweetener change but they are really excellent. A few months ago I had to watch my diet to help lower my sugar and have been watching my carbs. I have been trying out various recipes with almond flour and these are the first cookies. I adore cookies and tried low carb ones on the market and they were not very good and extremely expensive. I will look for the recommended sweetener but I so appreciate that I can have a cookie or 2 with my coffee and a low impact on my blood sugar
Tom says
At last my best cookies ever but really impossible to form 18! I put the exact amount and made same size as you ten times and max 11 cookies but never ever 18!
Becko says
These are awesome! It works perfectly well with coconut oil, and they come out softer. i’ve made it both ways and it is delicious!
Patrice says
This keto chocolate chip cookie is the BEST, hands down! Don’t bother trying a another recipe, this is the winner. I am (was) a life long toll house cookie making’ girl, this is the closest I have come to that cookie! Thank you for another amazing recipe! You are a keto queen! Ps my brown sugar I use is wholesome yum besti monk fruit allulose blend. I know there is always the great sugar debate and curiosity. Thanks!
Teresa says
Very very good. Always looking for healthy recipes especially since I was diagnosed with diabetes 2 months ago. I was wondering if you can tell what I can or can I substitute the almond flour with since my husband is allergic to almonds?I noticed most diabetic desserts consist of almond flour
Shannon Mack says
Excellent cookies! Even my husband likes them and he’s usually not a fan of any of my gluten free & sugar free baking goods. I didn’t add the walnuts, but sugar free coconut flakes instead and oh…my!!! Yum!! Thanks for a recipe that makes more then just a handful. 🙂
Kate says
Do you find the recent changes in swerve especially the swerve brown have affected heath like insulin increases? I love swerve products but since they added certain ingredients I’m at a quandry about how it impacts the body. This recipe looks delicious but I’m curious.
Carolyn says
I have seen no change in blood sugar impact. The addition of allulose is unlikely to spike anyone, as is not metabolized into the blood stream.
Shelley says
These make the perfect chocolate chip cookie – keto or not! I added some sugar free peanut butter chips also and made them even better! Super easy ingredients and love that there is no baking powder in them that seems to leave a bitter taste sometimes! Delicious!!
Tammie says
Dear Caroline,
These cookies are wonderful!! We did wait a full 15 minutes for them to cool down even. They are addictive and will be made many times in this household!
Thank you for all your hard work on our keto behalf.
Shannon says
What kind of a recipe doesn’t list measurements! a bad one!
Carolyn says
You aren’t scrolling down far enough to the ACTUAL recipe. Before you start blasting people, you may want to have all the facts.