Keto Chocolate Sugar Cookies in fun shapes for any holiday! I cut mine into shamrocks and decorated with minty green frosting to celebrate March and St. Patrick’s Day.
When I told my husband that I wanted to make some shamrock shaped cookies, he though I said “shamrock shake cookies”. I laughed, but then I realized that these adorable keto cookies really are reminiscent of Shamrock Shakes.
I waffled back on forth on the name quite a bit. What these really are is a chocolate version of my keto sugar cookies. And, as such, they are perfect for any kind of holiday. Or no holiday at all, if you simply want some delicious cookies.
It’s a delicious cut-out cookie dough that’s both tender and crisp, with rich chocolate flavor. Perfect for decorating with keto frosting, and maybe a few sugar-free sprinkles too.
Minty green keto treats
It’s funny that we seem to associate minty green recipes with March 17th. I blame McDonalds for what I will now refer to as The Shamrock Shake Effect.
But since both shamrocks and mint are green, and we love to dye food green for this particular holiday, let’s just go with it. So here are a few other mint green treats to try:
- Keto Mint Chocolate Bars
- Mini Thin Mint Cheesecakes
- Mint Chocolate Chip Donuts
- Keto Grasshopper Brownies
- Copycat Andes Mint Chocolates
Ingredients
This cut out cookie recipe takes basic keto ingredients.
For the cookies, you will need:
- Almond flour
- Swerve or another erythritol sweetener
- Cocoa powder
- Espresso powder – optional, helps intensify the chocolate flavor
- Salt
- Egg
- Butter
- Vanilla
For the frosting, you will need:
- Cream cheese
- Butter
- Powdered sweetener
- Heavy cream
- Vanilla extract
- Mint extract – optional, you can do other flavors
- Natural food coloring
How to make keto chocolate sugar cookies
- Prepare a work surface: You need to dust the work surface with almond or coconut flour to keep the dough from sticking. I like to use a large silicone mat for rolling out the dough.
- Make the cookie dough: Whisk the dry ingredients first, then add the wet ingredients and mix until the dough clings together.
- Roll out the dough: Use half the dough at a time to make it easier to work with. Cover with parchment paper and roll out to about ¼ inch thick.
- Cut out to desired shapes: You can have so much fun with these keto chocolate sugar cookies and make any shapes you want!
- Freeze the cookies: Place the cookies on the prepared baking pans and freeze at least 30 minutes before baking, to limit spreading.
- Bake: Bake for 15 minutes, then turn off the oven and let them sit inside for another 15 minutes or so. This helps them crisp up properly.
- Make the frosting: I wanted a creamy, rich frosting so I used a combination of cream cheese and butter, then thinned it out with some cream. Use a little natural food coloring, if desired.
- Decorate as desired: Have some fun! You can pipe the frosting or spread it, and then add sprinkles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Try using sunflower seed flour. It’s mostly a one-to-one replacement with almond flour but you may need a few extra tablespoons to make the dough the right consistency. It shouldn’t be too soft or hard to roll out.
The only sweetener that results in a crisp cookie is erythritol. Any amount of allulose, xylitol, or BochaSweet will make the cookies too soft.
No, absolutely not. You can switch it up any way you like. Add more vanilla, or perhaps try some orange extract. Anything that goes with chocolate will be great.
I love the sprinkles from The Sprinkle Company on Etsy. She also has sanding “sugar” and edible glitter and I used some of both on these keto chocolate cookies.
A little espresso powder helps intensify the chocolate flavor, without making it taste like mocha or coffee. It’s a little trick I learned from Cook’s Ilustrated and I highly recommend it. But you can skip it if you want.
Storage Information
These keto chocolate sugar cookies are a great make-ahead recipe. Store the unfrosted cookies in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 7 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Then frost and decorate as desired closer to the time you plan to serve them.
Keto Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Chocolate Sugar Cookies
- 2 cups almond flour
- ⅔ cup Swerve Granular
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup butter melted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoon butter softened
- ½ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 4 to 5 tablespoon heavy cream room temperature
- 1 teaspoon mint extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Natural green food coloring
Instructions
Chocolate Sugar Cookies
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners. Dust a work surface lightly with some almond or coconut flour.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt. Stir in the egg, butter, and vanilla extract until the dough comes together.
- Gather the dough into a ball and divide in half. Working with half the dough at time, place on the prepared work surface.
- Cover with a piece of parchment paper and roll out to ¼ inch thick. Using cookie cutters of choice, cut out as many cookies as you can and place on the prepared cookie sheets.
- Gather up the scraps and re-roll to cut out as many cookies as possible. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Place the cookie sheets in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 325F. Bake the cookies 15 minutes, switching and rotating the pans halfway through baking. Then turn off the oven, prop the door open with a wooden spoon, and let sit inside another 15 minutes, or until firm to the touch.
- Remove and let cool completely on the pans.
Frosting
- In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Beat in the sweetener, then beat in enough cream to create a pipe-able consistency.
- Beat in the extracts and food coloring until a light green is achieved. Pipe or spread onto the cooled cookies and decorate as desired.
katerina @ diethood.com says
I love these Keto shamrock sugar cookies! They were so delicious!
Taylor says
These were so easy and delicious! They had great chocolate flavor and were tender with crisp edges. Will definitely make again!
Kathyr says
I can’t wait to try these!
I was searching today for a shamrock cookie cutter, without success!
Pam B says
I always look at your storage tips ,because only I ,eat the food. Hubbby won’t try any of it. I was wondering why refrigerator storage was recommend for the unfrosted cookies .
Carolyn says
It’s not unless you’re trying to make them ahead by a week. You can keep them on the counter for up to 5 days, like most cookies.
Nathalie says
Hey Carolyn, your espresso powder: is it regular espresso Lavazza coffee grinds OR instant espresso coffee? Does it make a difference which one is used? I have both on hand. Thank you!
Carolyn says
Instant espresso powder. I think the ground espresso would still be too coarse, even as fine as it is.
Nathalie says
Thanks for the info! I’ll be sure to use instant. You’re the best????