Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies (without butter)

These chewy gluten free cookies have the perfect texture. They are the Best chocolate chip cookies out there and are the answer to anyone's sweet tooth craving! Serve them at your next holiday get together and I promise EVERYONE will be asking for this healthy cookie recipe!

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First of all, these almond flour cookies are considered gluten-free chocolate chip cookies and they are the perfect treat to bring to a holiday party this season.  The kosher salt sprinkled on top is the perfect touch.  Salt enhances and intensifies food's other flavors, even in sweets, such as these cookies 🙂  When it comes to salt my taste buds are sticklers and usually I find myself over indulging with the salt. So, needless to say I probably ate about half of this batch of cookies 😉  I have zero guilt on my end though! If you like these cookies then you MUST TRY my Healthy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies or my Chocolate Chip Butterscotch Cookies!

They were also super easy to whip up.  Every ingredient is basically thrown into a mixture a little bit at a time and then scooped out and placed on a cookie sheet.  In the past I've realized that the chocolate chips tend to sink in with this recipe, so I pressed some extras on top of the dough once it was placed on the cookie sheet.  Also, who doesn't love extra chocolate?  

What you will need to make these cookies?

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You will need these simple ingredients for this recipe!

• 2 ½ cups almond flour - I have always been a big fan of Bob's Red Mill products. Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour is my favorite almond flour to use.
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 ½ cups light brown sugar - this recipe uses both sugars because white and brown sugars are often combined to create the best flavor, color, and texture.
• ½  cup granulated sugar - this can also be referred to as white sugar or, "regular" sugar.
• 2 whole large eggs and 1 egg white - This recipe uses an extra egg white.  I usually would only use 2 eggs, but I found that using 1 extra egg white moistens up the dough and makes the cookies more moist themselves.  The moisture amounts from the eggs and also effects the texture of the cookies.  Egg yolks make for a richer and softer baked good, while egg whites will give you a lighter and airier product. 
• 8 tbsp. ghee - melted
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• kosher salt - you can also use sea salt in place of the kosher salt when topping your cookies.
• semi-sweet dark chocolate chips

Equipment you'll need!

You'll also need some parchment paper and a kitchen aid stand mixer. I've linked the one I have here!

Kitchen Aide 5 QT. Stand Mixer

Here are a few less expensive options!

Cuisinart Stand Mixer

Kitchen Aide Hand Mixer

Dash Stand Mixer

If you don't own any of the above get ready to mix mix mix using a whisk and rubber spatula and some old fashioned elbow grease 😉

How do you make these chocolate chip almond flour cookies?

First, Preheat oven to 350  degrees.  Next, in a stand mixer add dry ingredients minus the flour. Add baking soda, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Next add in the ghee and mix until well combined.  Gradually add in eggs and vanilla extract. 

Then, gradually mix in flour until well combined.  Fold in chocolate morsels with a spatula. 

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and scoop out the chocolate chip batter using 2 spoons or a small cookie scoop and place on the prepared baking sheet. Each scoop will be about 1 tablespoon of cookie dough. Sprinkle the top of each with kosher salt and top with more chocolate chips. 

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown around the outsides. Remove cookies from the oven and place on a cooling rack until fully cooled.

Tip: When baking I like to use a measuring cup instead of eyeballing my measurements, like I sometimes do when cooking. Baking is way more precise than cooking and you need to have the measurements exact.

Substitutions for the ingredients

Here are a few swaps you can make with the ingredients above and still have the same end result.

almond flour - yes these are considered almond flour cookies, but if don't want to use almond flour you can use whole wheat flour, coconut flour, all-purpose flour, or there are a variety of gluten-free flours out there that would work, as well.

light brown sugar - if you want a good substitute for brown sugar a combination of white sugar and molasses works the best. Mix 1 cup of white sugar and 1 tbsp of molasses to make your own light brown sugar.

ghee - you can totally swap ghee out for unsalted butter if you prefer. The end result will be the same texture.

What exactly is ghee?

Ghee is a clarified butter, which is butter that has been simmered and strained to remove all water. It actually tastes pretty similar to butter, but it's way healthier for you. Ghee contains healthy vitamins and healthy fats that butter does not. When substituting it for butter use it as a one to one ratio. If you aren't on board with using ghee for this recipe then use it next time you bake and let me know what you think.

Tips and FAQ's

Other dessert recipes you will enjoy!

1. Healthy Peach Crisp
2. Strawberry Coconut Poptart
3. Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Brownies
4. Almond Cookie Dough Bites
5. Healthy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies