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Here they are folks, the most Perfect Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies! I have to say, it took me about 15 attempts and a lot of failures, but they are here and I absolutely cannot wait for you to make them.
For me, warm chocolate chip cookies — with a touch of flakey sea salt — are my favorite dessert ever. Fresh out of the oven and still warm, it’s a classic staple that you just cannot beat! For me, I like a chocolate chip cookie that is not super chewy, and definitely not fully crunchy. I like it somewhere in the middle. You know, like the texture you get when you bake a batch of Tollhouse cookies! Golden brown edges with a perfectly soft, and only slightly chewy center.
That is exactly how these cookies turned out. My own husband — a very tough critic when it comes to paleo baked goods — said they tasted like the ‘real deal.’ Cady, who works on my team, said they tasted so much like Tollhouse and it would be very hard to tell the difference. My kids devoured them and my neighbors sent rave review texts when I dropped them off on their doorstep. A total win!
Here are some of the key ingredients that are inside this cookie and why I chose them:
- Coconut Sugar and Maple Syrup– these two together really help sweeten the dough and add that delicious caramelized flavor you want in a cookie.
- Liquid Coconut Oil– a great sub to butter here in this recipe to add fat. I like to use liquid coconut oil (as opposed to traditional melted and cooled coconut oil). I find it is more neutral in flavor and does not make the cookies taste like coconut. You can sub avocado oil here if you need to, and I am sure melted and slightly cooled butter would work, also, but I have found this works best.
- Almond Flour and Tapioca Flour– these two grain-free flours come together to really give these paleo cookies the perfect texture. With almond flour alone, they taste slightly grainy and have some grit to them which I know many people do not like. With the addition of tapioca flour, it softens the texture for a soft and chewy center and smooth texture that doesn’t taste grainy at all — just perfectly crumbly.
Other helpful tips for baking the Perfect Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies:
- Waiting for your dough to chill is quite frankly, the most frustrating part; however, it is essential in this recipe! Not only does it make the paleo dough easier to work with, but it also helps the flavors to mend.
- Paleo cookie dough is a bit more wet/sticky than traditional cookie dough. Using a cookie scoop helps tremendously when forming the cookies; however, if you don’t have one on hand and end up having to use your hands to help form the cookies prior to baking, damp hands work best! This way the dough will not stick to you.
- Just like all cookies, these are best served fresh out of the oven. I provided some tips below on freezing your cookie dough into pre-portioned balls so that you can have fresh cookie dough in your freezer at all times for a bake-as-you-want-it experience. Don’t worry, they still taste great for about 3 days…but as I said before, fresh. out of the oven cannot be beat!
Also, be sure to try my Brown Sugar “Pop-Tart” Cookies!
Perfect Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Wet:
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup liquid coconut oil can also sub avocado oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup
Dry:
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups super-fine almond flour (from blanched almonds) *I use Bob's Red Mill
- 3/4 cup tapioca flour *I use Bob's Red Mill
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips use dairy-free dark chocolate to keep paleo, I also like to use a mixture of mini chocolate chips and regular sized!
- Maldon salt optional for topping
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the vanilla extract, egg, coconut sugar, coconut oil, and maple syrup. Whisk until very well combined.
- Add the cinnamon, almond flour, tapioca, baking soda,and kosher salt. Using a rubber spatula, stir until just combined and smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably 2 hours (I know it’s hard to wait, but it really helps the flavors mend and the grain-free dough to thicken/harden a bit, making it perfectly delicious and easy to work with!)
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. When the dough is ready, scoop dough by rounded 1 – 1.5 tablespoon onto the prepared baking sheet(s), placing at least 2 inches apart. I really recommend using a cookie scoop, since paleo dough is a bit more difficult to work with. If you don’t have a cookie scoop and you may need to use your hands to shape into balls, damp hands work best!
- Transfer to the oven and bake until the cookies are golden brown on the edges, yet still soft in the centers, about 8 minutes. Don’t over-bake your cookies or they will be too hard!!
- Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets before serving.
Notes
To bake from frozen- just set the cookie dough out on the counter while your oven heats. Then place the dough on a baking sheet and bake for 1-2 minutes longer than the recipe directs, keeping an eye on the cookies during those last few minutes so that you can see when they are ready to go.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Eat Love Eats.
After scoping the dough, are we to flatten it or keep them round humps before going in the oven? My cookies came out cakey and I’m trying to figure out what I did wrong. Your muffins were phenomenal so I bummed when I failed at the cookies.
I love these!! I hate that most paleo baked goods taste like almond butter. I used avocado oil and they turned out great!
I just made these today and they are seriously SO GOOD. I was a little hesitant because the dough I licked off my fingers didn’t taste like what I’m used to, but trust me. The baked cookies are the best. And I would consider myself a chocolate chip cookie snob!
Wow! How do these taste buttery?!! These are amazing!! Will be making on repeat. Alex the Baker : )
hehe, thank you SO MUCH. Made my morning.
I have been “Paleo” for 10 years and these cookies are some of the best I have ever had!!! I reduced the coconut sugar a little and used avocado oil and they are soooooo tasty!!! I am not a fan of the dough (I can taste the tapioca powder), but totally digging the finished product 🙂 Thank you for such an easy and delicious recipe!!
I’m trying this recepie for the first time and I’m not good at baking, so I have a question. If I want to freeze them to bake next day do I still refrigerate the dough for the hour or two before freezing them for 15 minutes? Thanks for the help!
yes! you’ll need to chill to roll into balls to chill first!
Can you just melt solid coconut oil or is there something different about the properties of it when you buy it already liquid? Thanks!
That should work fine! Just let it cool a tad after melting
THESE ARE AMAZING! I am not gluten free or paleo but these will still be a new go to! And so easy!
Ok these were too good to not give 5 stars. I will definitely be making these again and I think it’s safe to say that Alex, you should definitely stop saying you are not a baker because these are everything!
Yay thank you! After these cookies and the banana muffins, I’ll never say I’m not a baker again lol! ❤️ Glad you love
Dear Alex, These cookies are truly life changing- on a scale of one to good they’re insane. I don’t think I’ll ever bake another chocolate chip cookie recipe other than this one again. Thank you!!
Ps- friends- don’t skip the maldon salt on top!
Emi,
you’re my new bff thank you for this lovely review. ILY
Do you put the Maldon salt on before baking or after?
Before!
I just recently went GF, but am obsessed with chocolate chip cookies, so of course I had to make these!! They are SO good and don’t feel like you’re missing out on anything. So yummy and will def be making again in the future!!! Thanks Alex 🙂
yipee!!!
I took these cookies out of the oven, stood there…ate 4 in a row. That’s it. That’s all you need to know! 😂