These are the best Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies!  I have several taste testers who cannot stand healthy gluten free desserts and they always go back for seconds with these cookies.  These Paleo chocolate chip cookies have crispy edges, a soft warm center and an abundance of dark chocolate chips. Let’s get baking!

A stack of the best Paleo chocolate chip cookies on a white plate.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This is truly the best Paleo chocolate chip cookie recipe! Here is why you will love them:

  • These paleo healthy cookies taste like classic chocolate chip cookies.
  • The edges are golden crispy.
  • The centers are soft and warm.
  • Dark chocolate chips add a touch of richness and intensity.
  • These best Paleo cookies have a thick and chewy texture.
  • They are made without almond butter, without cashew butter, without tapioca flour and without brown sugar.
  • The sea salt sprinkle on top adds the perfect hint of saltiness!
  • These paleo chocolate chip cookies are paleo, grain free, gluten free and delicious!
  • If you prefer cassava flour, these Cassava Flour Cookies will blow your mind!
Paleo chocolate chip cookie dough.

Ingredients & Substitutions

These are the main ingredients and substitutions for easy paleo chocolate chip cookies. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Almond flour is the base of these cookies.  Almond flour, made from ground up almonds, is a great Paleo and gluten free flour for baking because it adds a hint of nutty flavor.  It is lighter in absorbency and weight than wheat flour. I usually use Bob’s Red Mill blanched almond flour.

Coconut flour is extremely absorbent and best used in small quantities.  Used in combination with almond flour, it adds just the right amount of sweetness to these paleo chocolate chip cookies.

These coconut and almond flour chocolate chip cookies have the perfect texture. Do not use other flours.

Room temperature eggs lead to a more consistent dough. I do not recommend using flax eggs, chia eggs, or a Vegan egg replacement.

Just a teaspoon of vanilla extract is needed here. 

Grass fed butter is the perfect cooking fat for Paleo baking.  In addition, it adds a slight buttery flavor to these cookies.  Ghee works just as well. If you’re looking for a dairy free recipe, check out these Gluten Free Dairy Free Cookies!

Coconut oil is another great Paleo baking fat. It is used in tandem with butter for the best chocolate chip cookies!

Coconut sugar is great for Paleo baking. It is made from coconuts and less processed than white sugar.  For cookies that appear lighter in color, use the same amount of maple sugar. Use brown sugar if needed.

What is Paleo?

Paleo is a diet that mimics the way our ancestors ate during the Paleolithic time period. This was from as far back as 2 million years ago.

A typically paleo diet consists of meat, fish, eggs, fruits, veggies, seeds and nuts. It is grain free, gluten free, mostly dairy free, and sugar free.

In the past, people hunted, fished and gathered for their food. This led to consuming all natural, locally grown food.

A modern paleo diet consists of the same foods. There are many products today that were not available years ago.

Things like almond flour, coconut flour, and coconut sugar exist today. These natural alternatives to white flour and white sugar are suitable for the paleo lifestyle. Although they are not considered a hunter gatherer diet, they are much healthier alternatives.

Paleo chocolate chips on a silver grater.

Refrigerating the Dough

This step is not to be missed.  Refrigerating the paleo chocolate chip cookie dough for at least 2 hours (up to 48 hours) is imperative for achieving the right consistency. 

With gluten free baking, the dough takes longer to “marinate”.  The longer this dough is refrigerated, the better the outcome will be.

If you are unable to resist eating the cookie dough, check out my Edible Cookie Dough or check out these Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Baking With Almond Flour

Almond flour is the base of this grain free chocolate chip cookie recipe. It is made from ground up blanced almonds.

This grain free flour is slightly different from white flour and all purpose flour. Almond flour is great for healthy baking. It contains more protein and healthy fats than traditional flour.

In this paleo chocolate chip cookies recipe, it is used in combination with coconut flour to give these almond flour chocolate chip cookies the best texture!

Check out this Guide to Gluten Free Flours and Gluten Free Baking for more information.

How To Make

Step 1

First, add ghee, coconut oil, and coconut sugar to mixing bowl or KitchenAid.  Mix for 2 to 3 minutes or until light and frothy.

Step 2

Once combined, add all remaining ingredients except chocolate chips.  Then, gently fold in chocolate chips. 

Step 3

Place dough in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours up to 48 hours.

Step 4

When it’s time to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 5

Next, use a cookie scoop to scoop out batter.  Roll dough between hands to create a ball that’s about 1.5 inches in diameter. 

Cookie dough scoops

Step 6

Place balls of dough at least 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheet. 

Step 7

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 8

Garnish paleo chocolate chip cookies with sea salt if desired.

Grain free chocolate chip cookies with sea salt.

Expert Tips & Tricks

Refrigerate the Dough

Like mentioned above, having the dough chill for a few hours leads to a more consistent cookie.

Uniformly sized cookies cuts down on baking issues.  Different sized cookies bake at different rates.

Do Not Skimp on Chocolate Chips

These are Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies after all!  Feel free to be a little heavy handed when it comes to the chocolate chips… and sea salt.

Healthy cookies on a white backdrop.

How to Store & Serve

Serve paleo chocolate chip cookies warm from the oven! Allow them to cool on baking pan for a few minutes before placing on cooling rack.

Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.

These Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies are a great pairing!

Store in fridge for up to 5 days.

These almond flour paleo cookies freeze well! Thaw before consuming.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you have chocolate chips on Paleo?

There are several brands of Paleo chocolate chip cookies. These brands include Enjoy Life dark chocolate chips, Hu Kitchen, Lily’s and Pascha.

Can I use different flours?

Unfortunately no. These paleo almond flour cookies have the perfect texture and would be dramatically altered with different flours.

Can I make these cookies without eggs?

This recipe requires eggs. I do not recommend using an egg replacement.

Can I use brown sugar?

Sure! Use brown sugar in place of coconut sugar.

Can I make these dairy free?

Yes, these can be made dairy free. Replace butter with coconut oil. Instead of 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup coconut oil, it will be 1/2 cup coconut oil total.

Can I make these Vegan?

No, these cookies need the eggs.

Do these cookies contain almond butter?

There is no almond buter in this recipe.

Are these cookies Whole30 approved?

No, these are not Whole30 approved cookies. They contain coconut sugar and dark chocolate chips. They are grain free sugar free chocolate chip cookies, but not Whole30 cookies.

If you make this Paleo chocolate chip cookies recipe, I would love to see it! You can find me on InstagramFacebook, and Pinterest. I would love for you to follow along! Join my exclusive Facebook Group for a behind the scenes look. I would love for you to follow along!  For more ideas, check out these Dessert Recipes.

A stack of the best Paleo chocolate chip cookies on a white plate.

Get the Recipe: The Best Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies

These Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies have crispy golden edges and a soft warm center. They have all the flavors and textures of a classic chocolate chip cookie but they're made with ingredients you can feel good about. The perfect dessert for any occasion or rainy day!
5 from 51 votes

Ingredients

Instructions 

  • Add ghee, coconut oil, and coconut sugar to your mixing bowl or KitchenAid.  Once combined, add all remaining ingredients except chocolate chips.
  • Once mixed, fold in chocolate chips.
  • Add dough to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.
  • When it’s time to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Use a cookie scoop to scoop dough.  Use your hands to roll dough into balls that are 1.5 inches in diameter.  Place balls of dough at least 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Next, bake for 9-11 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cookies cool for 3 minutes on pan before removing to a wire rack to cool.
  • Lastly, sprinkle cookies with sea salt if desired.

Notes

  • Grass fed butter can be substituted for the ghee.
  • Refrigerate cookie dough overnight for best results.  Refrigerate for 2 hours minimum.
  • Use a cookie scoop to ensure evenly sized cookies.
  • Bake until middles of cookies are just set.  Do not over bake!
  • Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.  They will be slightly soft at room temperature.
  • Store in fridge for up to 5 days for a firmer cookies.
  • These cookies freeze well!  Thaw before eating.
  • I have had success using Beth’s Blends Grain Free Flour Blend in place of both the almond flour and coconut flour.  I used 1.5 cups total.  Use code ORGANICALLYADDISON for 10% off!
Calories: 263kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 37mg, Sodium: 136mg, Potassium: 106mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 41IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 74mg, Iron: 1mg

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