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.
Susan says
I like my cookies a little bit crunchy and a little less cakey.. Can these be made that way? Difference in temp, cooking time, water??
Carolyn says
Please click on the link for the other cookie recipe I mention in this post… it’s more what you are looking for.
Cathy says
Great cookie.
I had Splenda brown sugar so I used it,
And Vanilla bean paste.
I let the dough sit as suggested but put it in the fridge which helped it firm up. Chewy and crispy.
They are gorgeous and taste great.
Fonda Carver says
I just finished making these cookies. They have cooled and just right to try one with my cup of coffee. Oh my gosh! They are the best chocolate chip cookies I ever had. The only thing I did differently was leave out the walnuts since I didn’t have any of those. Thank you so much for all your wonderful recipes, Carolyn. You don’t know how much I appreciate all the hard work you do to help keep me on track!
Kimberly says
Serving size is one cookie. Can you tell me how much dough for one cookie? 1 tablespoon of dough for 1 cookie? How many grams in weight for one cookie?
Thank you.
Carolyn says
I cannot, because I didn’t weigh mine (and it’s an unnecessary step). But you simply roll the dough into 18 even balls and there you go! The balls are about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
You can also make them smaller, get 24 of them, and have two for a slightly higher carb count.
Kimberly says
Thank you. My daughter is diabetic, so all measurements help.
Jill says
Tried these cookies a second time using only 1/3 cup butter. They turned out much better than the first time. First time they were really flat. They tasted fine, but they were flat. This time they are perfect. Can hardly wait for them to cool so I can eat one! I did add anther 1/2 tsp vanilla since I had omitted some butter. Thanks for the yummy recipe!
Carolyn says
You didn’t have enough flour, the first time… if they flattened that much. Are you measuring by weight?
Pan says
These are delicious! I love the slightly chewy inside and the slightly crisp edge. Your chocolate chip cookies that used coconut for the chew factor were my favorite for many years. This might’ve eclipsed those! I guess I’ll have to make another batch to find out.
Victoria M. says
This recipe was absolutely delicious! Came out soft & chewy, just how I like them. My kids love them as well. Will be making these from now on. Thank you for sharing!
Judy says
These are just about our favorite cookies, and I always make a double or triple batch.
Since we eat a lot of bacon, I always have lots of bacon fat. Whenever I make cookies, including these, I sub half the butter with bacon fat. That makes the dough pretty loose, so to firm it up, I add a tablespoon of coconut flour per single batch. Perfection!
Annie S. says
Oh my gosh I love all of your recipes!! I also have a blog where I post healthier desserts with gluten free, low sugar, and plant based options. It’s so cool to see other peoples recipes, and you truly have a gift for photography. Thank you so much for posting this.
darlene says
we made them and they came out perfect, just like your picture. they did have a bit of that cooling taste still but I don’t think there will ever be a way to get rid of that without using real sugar, but that’s ok. these were as delicious as could be.
the recipe was so easy to follow, my 10yr old grandaughter made the second batch all by herself. thank you!
Amy says
These are good. Small amount of cooking sensation from the swerve but it’s good regardless
Marla says
I’m not sure what happened with this recipe, but it sure didn’t look like the picture. It was not thick and chewy, it was somewhat flat and grainy / gritty. Taste was not all that great either. I think this is the first of your recipes that was disappointing to me.
Carolyn says
Sounds like not enough flour. And if it was grainy, I wonder what almond flour you used… that may have been the culprit.
Marla says
Maybe I will try again in this time weigh the almond flour, next time I buy a new package of it and make sure it is a finely ground one. I think it is that I used, but I put it in a large Ziploc bag and threw away the original packaging because it wouldn’t seal correctly
Amy Burke says
Mine came out the same and I used superfine almond flour. Melted and cooled the butter.
Carolyn says
All almond flour calls itself super-fine… but many brands are not.
Donna says
OMG the best keto chocolate chip cookies!! I’m not a fan of soft cookies however these are honestly the best cookies I’ve ever made for a keto recipe. You must try these! Love you recipes Carolyn!
Amy says
Tried this recipe last night. This was my first keto/low sugar dessert try since finding out I am diabetic. Four thumbs up at our house! These melt in your mouth. So good!
Carolyn says
I am so glad, and thrilled it was your first go and you found it so successful!
Misty says
These cookies are absolutely delicious! And turned out beautiful! Thank you! I am new to gluten free sugar free baking Can they be frozen after baking? I did not read the comments before I made them to freeze the dough. I am the only one eating gluten sugar free and probably should not eat 18 cookies!
Leah says
I have been eating low carb food for over 20 years and have tried many chocolate chip cookie recipes believe me. And I am so impressed with this recipe! The cookies are crispy and so tasty! They are the best chocolate chip cookie I’ve ever had on low carb or before low carb
Carolyn says
So glad you enjoyed them!
Helen J says
This was my first attempt and I am very pleased with the results. More importantly, the directions were clear especially the almond flour, swerve mixture tip (i probably would have skipped over this if it wasn’t pointed out).
I do wonder if I made them too thick as when I broke the first open, it seemed maybe less cooked than the outside. The taste is lovely though! Thank you so much! I enjoy baking, making etc and your blogs have given me such hope that I would be having to eat of if prepackaged food, that I can enjoy homemade again!
Jo says
I gave them a 3 only because the time of cooking was way off. Yes I know ovens vary and I should be more Mindful of what’s baking in my oven. I was trustful that using the minimum time was appropriate. The cookies burned. I will make these again and cook for 10 minutes . It also does not state if the swerve brown should be packed or loose 3/4 cup. Those are my only vices.
Carolyn says
It’s not actually off at all. If you read the comments, you will see that most people have made these without any issues.
Kerry says
I apologize about a question already. If I freeze them prior to baking do I need to thaw them before I bake them? If not, what temp is best for baking frozen dough?
Carolyn says
Yes, always thaw them first.
Maryjane Burton says
Hello Carolyn…
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your time and effort in creating and perfecting these incredible Keto recipes for the rest of us! I tell EVERYONE I know about your recipes and I share your videos. When I share, I say, “You gotta try Carolyn’s recipe for…”, so I think my friends think you and I are real life friends.???? Anyway, I’m a busy theatre arts teacher trying to eat right and make better, healthier choices…and your recipes are helping me make that much easier and tastier!
Carolyn says
I love it! thank you.