Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies
When I Crave Cookies but Can’t Deal With Sugar
Alright, can we just acknowledge how ridiculously hard it is to skip cookies when you start craving something sweet on keto? One time, about a year ago, I found myself standing in front of the pantry at midnight, convinced I could just eat regular cookies and somehow it wouldn’t count if it was technically tomorrow (spoiler: it counted). Anyway—these keto chocolate chip cookies were born out of a desperate late-night experiment and, honestly, became something even my skeptical cousin Mike admitted tastes “almost real” (which is the highest praise coming form him). And who says you can’t have your cookie and eat it, too?
Why You’ll Want to Make These Again (and Again…)
I whip these up whenever I hit that post-dinner snacky wall—my family always seems to develop sudden interest in the kitchen when they smell these baking (especially my teenager, who pretends not to care). I love how they’re just sweet enough to trick my brain into “treat mode” without making me feel like I’ve tanked my whole diet. Sometimes I make them when friends come over; nobody guesses they’re keto until I blurt it out. My only beef is when the almond flour explodes everywhere. Honestly, cleaning that up is the hardest part of this whole thing.
What You’ll Need (And What You Can Swap)
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour (sometimes I use hazelnut flour if I have it—adds a nutty twist, but gets a bit crumbly)
- 1/3 cup powdered erythritol or monk fruit sweetener (use whatever low-carb sweetness floats your boat; my grandma swears by Swerve, but I’m not fussy)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (coconut oil is okay too if you’re dairy-free, but the flavor gets a bit coconutty—love or hate it)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (sometimes I forget to measure, so “a splash” works too)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 cup sugar-free chocolate chips (Lily’s or whatever brand’s on sale, or just chop up a bar, honestly)
How I Usually Pull These Together
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. I always forget this until I’m halfway through mixing. If that happens, just give the dough a minute to chill in the fridge.
- In a bowl, toss together your almond flour, sweetener, baking soda, and salt. Try not to create an almond flour dust storm (I fail about 40% of the time).
- Pour the melted butter in; stir it up with the egg and vanilla. It’ll look odd at first—sorta lumpy and not quite right, but trust me, it comes together.
- Fold in those chocolate chips. This is where I usually sneak a chip or two, just to make sure they “taste okay.” Quality control, right?
- Scoop tablespoon-size blobs onto a parchment-lined baking tray. The shapes don’t really matter (unless you’re trying to impress someone, and then maybe use an ice cream scoop or something fancy).
- Bake for 10-12 minutes; they’ll look golden around the edges. They might seem too soft—you gotta let them cool. (I burned my mouth more than once because patience isn’t my strongest suit.)
Some Notes (That Cost Me a Few Batches to Learn)
- If your cookies fall apart, let them sit longer; they firm up as they cool (found this out after trying to eat molten crumbs straight off the tray—oops).
- You can mix in a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts—makes them feel a bit fancier, if that’s your thing.
- Egg size actually matters—one time I used a tiny backyard egg and wound up with dough that wouldn’t stick; not ideal.
Variations I’ve Tried (or…Shouldn’t Have)
I added unsweetened coconut flakes once; it made them extra chewy, which my mum loved. Also, tried peanut butter instead of butter—don’t, unless you really want peanut butter cookies. Oh, and I swapped in stevia drops once; too bitter, at least for me. Live and learn.
Stuff You’ll Need—Or Not
A mixing bowl, spoon (honestly, your hands work), baking tray, some parchment paper (if you don’t have any, just well-greased foil is “okayish” but the bottoms can stick a bit). Don’t panic if you’ve lost your measuring cups—just eyeball it; I have, more times than I’m willing to admit here.
Storing These Cookies (If There Are Any Left)
In my house, these barely make it to the storage stage—but when they do: stash in an airtight container, room temp for 2-3 days. They also freeze pretty well, although they taste best thawed overnight. If you do leave them out uncovered…well, you may end up with crunchy mini frisbees.
Serving Ideas (We All Have Our Odd Rituals)
Honestly, these are a late-night treat for me, but my sister loves dunking them in almond milk. Sometimes I crumble a couple over keto ice cream—the chocolate chips get all melty…so good. My youngest once tried one dipped in black coffee, and now that’s “her thing.” Families are weird.
Lessons Learned (So You Don’t Have To…)
- Don’t skip chilling the dough if your kitchen’s hot. One time, my dough spread like lava and I ended up with one giant cookie slab. Fine for me, but not what I planned!
- If you rush the mixing step, the sweetener stays grainy. Actually, I find it works better if you give it an extra minute to really come together; I discovered this after being impatient…as usual.
Real Q&A (Yes, I Get These at Least Once a Month)
- Can I use coconut flour instead of almond flour?
- Short answer: Not really. The texture gets all weird and dry; you have to mess with the eggs a lot. I wouldn’t—I tried it once and nobody ate them, not even the dog.
- Why are my cookies crumbly?
- Ah, story of my life—they almost always are if I bake too long or skip the cooling. Patience, grasshopper. Let ’em cool (or add a tiny splash of extra butter next time).
- Are sugar-free chocolate chips worth it?
- Kinda depends—some brands are better than others. Sometimes, I just chop up a good dark chocolate bar (like 85% or up) instead.
- Do they really taste like normal cookies?
- Okay, I’ll level with you—they’re close, but not twins. Think second cousins at a family reunion; familiar, but with a few quirks. I like them better on day two—maybe that’s just me.
So, that’s my best shot at keto chocolate chip cookies—imperfect, but real. Let me know how it goes (or doesn’t). Oh, and if you find a trick for keeping almond flour off the ceiling, please share. Cheers!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup sugar-free chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup erythritol or preferred keto sweetener
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
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1Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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2In a medium bowl, mix together almond flour, erythritol, baking soda, and sea salt.
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3In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth.
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4Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until a dough forms. Fold in the sugar-free chocolate chips.
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5Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
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6Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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