Following a keto lifestyle but can’t give up cookies? No worries! You can make these easy coconut flour chocolate chip cookies and stay on plan.
Of all the low carb recipes I’ve made over the years, one of my favorite treats to make is chocolate chip cookies with coconut flour. Although they are gone in a few days, being able to eat my favorite cookie without jeopardizing my health is awesome.
But in order for the cookies to turn out great, I needed to perfect the art of baking with coconut flour. Making these cookies takes a different skill-set than baking with typical white flour. I’ve made dozens of recipes with coconut flour and I’m excited to share with you some tips I’ve learned over the years.
Before I share the recipe for my coconut flour chocolate chip cookies, perhaps you have some questions about using this low carb flour. It can be tricky if you’ve never used it before. If so, go ahead and ask in the comment section below the recipe.
What’s the difference between coconut flour and regular flour?
For starters, I strongly believe coconut flour is far better for your health than regular baking flour. Regular white flour is mostly just quick-burning starch (sugar). Whereas coconut flour is high in fiber and protein.
Take a look at the nutritional difference between the two. White flour is listed first.
- Net Carbohydrates (carbs minus fiber): 92 grams (1 cup) white flour vs 24 grams
- Fat: 1 gram vs 16 grams
- Protein: 13 grams vs 16 grams
Can you see why eating baked goods with white flour over many years can easily lead to weight gain? And not only can white flour lead to weight gain, it can lead to inflammatory diseases. Although the protein is almost the same, in white flour, it’s mostly all gluten.
Another great thing about baking with coconut flour instead of regular flour or even almond flour is that you use much less of it. That’s because coconut flour is similar to a sponge and expands as it soaks up liquid.
Can You Safely Eat More Cookies Made With Coconut Flour?
Yes! Because of the fiber and protein in coconut, my keto chocolate chip cookies will make you feel full faster. In comparison, white flour doesn’t contain enough fat or fiber to satiate you. That’s why you need to keep eating more and more because you don’t get full with white flour. It’s like pouring high-octane fuel in a 4-cylinder car; the fuel burns up too quickly.
Coconut is perfect if you’re not eating grains like me. It’s Paleo-friendly and doesn’t contain gluten. But you could make Paleo flourless chocolate chip cookies or flourless peanut butter chocolate chip cookies instead. However, nut and peanut butters are more inflammatory than coconut flour.
Do you make cookies the same way with coconut flour?
No. Coconut flour acts like a sponge. It soaks up lots of moisture. Therefore, it has the potential to make your cookies have a mouthfeel similar to a spoonful of Sahara desert sand if there isn’t adequate liquid.
In order to make chocolate chip cookies with coconut flour turn out great, you have to use other moistening ingredients. That’s precisely why I use two eggs and lots of butter or butter flavored coconut oil.
Although the ingredient ratios may differ, the process is basically the same. Sweetener, butter, vanilla, and eggs are mixed in a large bowl (photos 1 & 2). Then, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt are mixed in to form the dough (photos 3 & 4). Finally, chocolate chips are folded in (photos 5 & 6).
The dough is then dropped by tablespoon sized scoops and flattened out (photos 7 & 8). Next, they are baked at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes until they turn golden brown (photo 9). Finally, they are allowed to cool in on a wire rack.
What if I’m Allergic to Eggs?
No problem. You can substitute eggs with ground flax seeds, chia seeds, or psyllium and a bit of water. In addition, you can also try tapioca starch. The downside to using tapioca starch is that it’s relatively high in sugar. In fact, one cup of it has about 15 grams of sugar. If you’re keto or low carb, that might be too much for you. Although, you can safely eat one cookie without the guilt from time to time.
Another egg alternative and one that’s lower in carbs is arrowroot powder, which is similar to yucca. Arrowroot is paleo-friendly and is a healthy alternative to cornstarch. However, it has more carbs than flax, chia, and psyllium which are the options I prefer.
Do I use the same amount of coconut flour as almond flour?
No! Never use a 1:1 ratio. If you do, the cookies will be too dry. That’s why you will use less of the coconut than you would almond flour. And more eggs are typically added for moisture. To make this same recipe with almond flour, you’d need to use 3-4 times as much.
Why use baking soda in coconut flour chocolate chip cookies?
I use only a half-teaspoon of baking soda. But that little amount helps give the cookies a little rise. Keep in mind that baking soda is not the same exact thing as baking powder.
Cookies are flatter than other baked goods so you don’t need the added rise that double acting baking powder provides. That’s why baking soda is better for cookies. It allows the dough to spread out more evenly. As a result, the cookies will have a thinner, crispier edge. But the center will be more tender.
Why do I use Parchment Paper?
Parchment paper or a silicone-line mat cookie sheet ensures that the cookies remove easily from the baking pan. This in turn will help your cookies turn out perfectly browned without worry of sticking.
Another reason is that the parchment paper acts as a buffer. Without the paper, the cookie dough that you form will get soaked by melted butter. This will cause the cookies to spread too much. That’s why I never put hot cookie dough directly on pans.
Chill out! Allow Your Cookies To Cool!
Why do I remove the treat from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack before removing them from the pan? One obvious answer is that I don’t want to burn my mouth. But another reason is that if you remove them from the pan too quickly, they may crumble and fall apart.
So let your coconut flour chocolate chip cookies chill before removing. Sometimes, I even set them in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling!
We hope you enjoy these classic cookies in a healthier version. And if you do give them a try, let us know what you think in the comment section below.
If you want more cookies make with coconut flour, be sure to check out our low carb peanut butter cookies and basic coconut flour cookies. There’s even an egg-free cookie recipe!
Low Carb Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup low carb golden sweetener
- 1/2 cup butter softened (or butter flavored coconut oil)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sugar free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Mix the sweetener, butter, vanilla, and eggs in a large mixing bowl.
- Stir in the coconut flour, baking soda and salt. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Form dough into tablespoon size scoops and drop onto parchment or silicone mat lined cookie sheet.
- Flatten each dough ball out with your fingers.
- Bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes or until cookies are golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool on wire rack before removing from pan.
Notes
Nutrition
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Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Mark says
Hi, they turned out great! I used eurthrytol as sweenter and 1/4tsp xanthan gum (because I had it)
Jeff S says
You mention cooling the cookies, on a wire rack, prior to removing them from the pan.
Do you happen to mean cooling the cookies prior to removing them from the parchment paper? It seems that the heated pan would continue to bake the cookies slightly, unless the parchment paper is set on the wire rack.
Lisa MarcAurele says
I allow the pan with the cookies to cool on a wire rack while still on the lined pan. They may cook slightly more, but I haven’t really seen that.
Tara says
Made these for my husband this evening and he loved them. I did 1 batch with semisweet chips and 1 batch with dark chocolate chips.
Both are delicious
Michelle says
Delicious and easy to make. I’ve also used this recipe as a crust for my no bake low carb cheesecake. Yum!
Marie says
This is the ultimate keto replacement for Keebler deluxe coconut chocolate chip cookie. Love it, love it, love it. I made these and they are delicious!
Nicole says
I kept “tasting” the dough as I was mixing the ingredients…. and it seemed like it was missing something (maybe just me and my sweet tooth). I added a bit more sweetener, a TB of natural peanut butter, 1/4tsp cinnamon, 1/8c hwc, and 1TB cream cheese. Gave them a richer taste. Perfect crispy edges and soft crumbly inside! Yum!
Lisa MarcAurele says
Thanks for sharing your tweaks!
Helen says
Hey! What is 1/8 cup hwc, please?
Lisa MarcAurele says
That would be 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream (HWC).
Ashton says
These were so good! I used Sukrin Gold for the sweetener. Very tasty with a chewy center and golden brown edges.
Karen says
Thank you for sharing the recipe. We don’t have the low carb Golden sweetener in Manila but I substituted it with stevia powder. I used just 10 packets since I felt 12 packets might be too sweet. The cookie flavor was good. I jist wanted to confirm if the final cookie texture is really like a little fluffy?
Lisa MarcAurele says
Yes. It should be a bit cake like and not crunchy. If you want a little of that golden flavor, you can add a small amount of blackstrap molasses if that’s available there. It is a sugar so I don’t any more than a teaspoon (usually less).
Eli says
They are delicious!! I did not add any salt, and added 1/2 tsp of cocoa powder to combat any acidity that the baking soda might provoke. I also substituted the butter with vegan margarine. Amazing!!
Amy says
I made these cookies today exactly as written. They are great! Even my very picky husband and my teenage son loved them!
Keesha Persad says
Followed recipe but topped with a little pink sea salt! These cookies are amazing! I’ve been on Keto for 6 weeks and this recipe is a great find!
Michelle says
This was much better than I anticipated. I am doing the keto diet and I was going crazy wanting sweets and tried this recipe. The cookie has a consistency I want expecting, kind of crumbles apart but I actually like it once I was used to it. I am going to try this recipe again today with cacao nibs for even less carbs 😊
Lisa MarcAurele says
Great idea!
Nicole says
Ok, thank you so much! I am definitely going to give this a go!!
Nicole says
Could almond flour be used instead?
Lisa MarcAurele says
You are better off using an almond flour specific recipe as you likely need to change other things in the recipe.
Nicole says
Ok, thank you so much! I am definitely going to give this a go!!
Jess says
I love this recipe so much! I make these cookies every week, and they are my go to sweet snack! I use less sweetener though, but that’s just a personal preference.
Lennon says
How do i substitute the 1/2 cup low carb golden sweetener with Stevia sachets? Should i use a 1:1 ratio? Thanks for the recipe!
Lisa MarcAurele says
It’s typically 12 packets for a half cup.
Becky says
Best cookie recipe yet actually tastes like a regular choc chip cookie I’m impressed I will deffanintly make them again
Lisa MarcAurele says
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed these low carb cookies. 🙂
Donna L. says
Made these yesterday with Swerve & they were delicious! Definitely satisfies my sweet tooth even though they are sugar free. Thanks for posting this recipe! I will definitely make them again.
Lisa MarcAurele says
I’m happy the recipe was a hit with you!
Hannah says
Could I add some cocoa powder to make them more of a “chocolate chocolate chip cookie”? Or would it mess up the cookie? I have finally perfected the recipe but I’ve been craving something more of a chocolate cookie
Lisa MarcAurele says
It’s hard to say without making them. You may need to add more fat or liquid to the batter.
Gaby says
I really really want to try this recipe! Will it be okay if I use Erythrol instead of low carb golden sweetener?
Thank you for sharing !!! <3
Lisa MarcAurele says
It should be fine but you won’t get the brown sugar taste.
Sue Cole-O'Dwyer says
I made these and they’re really good! I didn’t have parchment paper or silicone mats so I just greased the cookie sheets with butter. I also used Swerve instead of monk fruit since that’s what I had in the house. I added walnuts also (enfolded them in with the chocolate chips). I’m going to try to put them in little baggies in the freezer like I did with the almond flour cookies I made before and see if they’re just as good that way.
Lisa MarcAurele says
Nuts are always a good add to chocolate chip cookies. These cookies should freeze well too.
Kim says
What can i use instead of golden sweetener?
Lisa MarcAurele says
You can just use regular white sweetener or some white sweetener with a touch of molasses (preferably blackstrap) which barely adds any carbs.
Yaimee Herrera-Stacy says
OMG! I just made these!! Made them exactly to the T other than using SWERVE sweetener rather than Monk fruit since I do not like the after taste of Monk fruit sweetener. These are divine! Oh- and the chocolate chips I used are “Lily’s Dark Chocolate Stevia Sweetened Chips” — Will add this to our sweet treat file! Best part is it doesn’t leave you (or at least me) craving for more.. Maybe it’s the dark chocolate or the SWERVE. Nonetheless, served it’s purpose and than some! Thanks for sharing!
Lisa MarcAurele says
You’re welcome. I’m so glad these coconut flour chocolate chip cookies worked out for you!
Jenn says
Great and easy recipe! I added about 1/3 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut (bc I had it). The cookies set up so well and aren’t crumbly like other keto cookies I have made. Thanks!
Lisa MarcAurele says
Coconut sounds like such a wonderful add to the cookies!
Jessica says
I just made these. We have been on the keto diet for 2 weeks and with Christmas coming we have been craving cookies. I had tried another recipe using almond flour and libbys chocolate chips but they were so gritty and bitter. These are absolutely amazing. Followed the recipe exactly. Thank you so much! Now our christmas will actually feel like christmas!!!
Lisa MarcAurele says
You’re welcome Jessica! Enjoy your new Christmas cookies!
Laila says
Hi there! I have been having trouble baking with the low carb sweeteners as they always cause tummy upset. Is there one that tastes good that doesn’t upset your tummy? I’ve used Erythrol, Xylitol, Stevia, Monk’s fruit. I’ve tried using coconut sugar in some recipes but it’s not too sweet. Thanks.
Lisa MarcAurele says
The only two that don’t bother me are pure stevia and monk fruit in the concentrated forms.
iris wolfson says
What in the world is “low carb golden sweetener”?? You don’t mention it anywhere but in the recipe!
Lisa MarcAurele says
Sorry. I forgot to include a link. It’s just a low carb brown sugar substitute. I find it gives a better taste than a white sweetener.