The BEST Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies with Walnuts are so addicting! Perfectly crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside, you’d never guess these paleo chocolate chip cookies are grain-free and sweetened with just a touch of pure maple syrup for a healthier cookie recipe.
You may have read in my post for The BEST Giant Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies that I take my cookies pretty seriously, and their size even more so.
The crispy edge? The molten inside? There’s nothing that compares to that buttery chocolate-studded melt-in-your-mouth perfect bite!
These almond flour chocolate chip cookies with walnuts are exactly that – texturally pleasing with that incredibly soft inside, perfectly sweet with just the right amount of chocolate, the delectable crispy edge, and livened up with crunchy walnuts.
I totally understand why some folks prefer their treats nut-free (my brother and a good friend of mine won’t touch walnuts with a 10-foot pole), but after making these cookies, I’d be hard pressed to choose cookies without walnuts.
That poppy little crunch with the rich nearly indescribable flavor adds a unique essence and makes the cookies that much more enticing!
I found this to also be the case with pecans in my Keto Cowboy Cookies.
One of the many reasons I love this recipe is you can whip it up at a moment’s notice without needing to refrigerate the dough. It’s already ready to pop in the oven!
And let me just tell you…these cookies are absolute heaven when they’re fresh out of the oven!
Let’s give into the details on these paleo almond flour chocolate chip cookies!
Ingredients for Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Butter or Coconut Oil: The fat portion of the recipe that makes all our dreams come true. I’ve made this recipe dozens of times using butter OR coconut oil, and both are amazing! I have a slight preference toward butter, but coconut oil makes an incredible dairy-free option.
Egg: The egg ensures the cookies fluff up and stay together.
Pure Maple Syrup: In keeping the cookies refined sugar-free and paleo friendly, I use pure maple syrup to sweeten them.
Vanilla Extract: Adding warmth and depth of flavor, vanilla extract is one of those iconic ingredients that enhances a cookie. If you don’t have any on hand, you can skip it and the cookies will still be amazing.
Almond Flour: The star of the show here! Can you make chocolate chip cookies with almond flour? Yes, absolutely! In fact, the texture turns out exquisite with the perfectly crispy outside and amazingly soft and gooey inside.
Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Our leavening agents! Baking soda and baking powder ensure the cookies don’t spread while baking. They help keep the cookies held together nicely so that they can rise and form delicious domes of bliss.
Sea Salt: A touch of sea salt goes a long way in making a cookie taste incredibly rich!
Ground Cinnamon: A touch of ground cinnamon brings a unique warmth that levels up the whole experience.
Chocolate Chips: The YUM factor of the cookies which brings that molten goodness! Select your favorite chocolate chips to make these radical cookies.
Walnuts: A supporting actor that you support to win the big award! Walnuts not only bring a nice little soft crunch to cookies, they also contribute a nutty richness that is difficult to describe. They’re like a solid version of nature’s tree butter. You can quote me on that.
How to Make Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies with Walnuts:
This recipe is a little different than your standard chocolate chip cookie recipe, because we melt the butter (or coconut oil) before mixing it with the other ingredients. Trust me, it’ll all work out and you’ll be left with the BEST almond flour cookies!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Melt the butter (or coconut oil) in a microwave-safe mixing bowl (avoid bringing it to a boil). Whisk in the egg, pure maple syrup, and vanilla extract until creamy.
In a separate bowl (or measuring cup), stir together the almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and cinnamon until combined.
Pour the flour mixture into the mixing bowl with the wet mixture and stir until a thick dough forms.
Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts until they’re well-incorporated into the cookie dough.
Scoop mounds of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Note that the cookies won’t spread or shift form while baking very much, so form the dough into the final shape you’re going for.
Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 8 to 12 minutes (I do 10).
Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for 15 minutes before diving in!
If you love these almond flour chocolate chip cookies, also try my Paleo Double Chocolate Chip Cookies, Paleo Morning Glory Cookies, or my Paleo Espresso Chocolate Chunk Cookies.
Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies with Walnuts
Ingredients
- 1½ cups almond flour/meal
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- ¼ cup unsalted butter or coconut oil melted
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 2/3 cup raw walnuts chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Stir together the almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and cinnamon in a bowl (dry ingredients).
- Whisk together the egg, coconut oil, pure maple syrup, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl (wet ingredients).
- Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir until combined. The dough will be very sticky. This is normal!
- Stir in the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts until they are well-incorporated throughout the dough.
- Scoop heaping mounds of cookie dough onto a non-stick baking sheet. Note: The dough will not spread much during the baking process and will maintain the same shape throughout. For this reason, form the dough into the shape you would like to end up with.
- Bake 8 to 12 minutes (I do 10 on the dot), or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool a couple of minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
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It’s been a cloudy and cooler day here in SE Alabama than it’s been since May. Hubby was craving chocolate chip cookies- 🍪. He took me to lunch and to my favorite clothing store with the hope I would return the favor by baking him the cookies he craved. Of course I did!!! I would have done it even without being treated like Queen for a Day!!
Smelling the cookies I can no longer eat-I jumped into this website- my go to place for recipes since I was diagnosed with several wheat and grain allergies. I didn’t want to be deprived!! Julia didn’t let me down!!
These Almond Flour chocolate chip walnut cookies are fast and easy to whip up. The batter on the stirring spoon is delicious and tastes nothing like the baked cookie- to my delight and surprise. I wondered about the heavy almond taste of the batter.
I don’t understand the chemistry of it all- but dang- these cookies are nutty, chocolaty, light and delicious. These are so good I don’t miss or want the Tollhouse cookies my hubby eats. Being diagnosed with food allergies that turned my life upside down at age 70 – I am eating better- but memories of delicious things of years gone by still intrude – but thanks to Julia and The Roasted Root- I am less likely to “cheat” and make myself sick because I have lots of delicious and good for me choices. Even hubby is trying the recipes and enjoying the wonderful food from Julia’s Paleo Power Bowl’s cookbook. Easier for me- better for him.
Do try this recipe- these cookies are FABULOUS!!! You will not be sorry!!!
Anne, thank you so much for your sweet and thoughtful words, as always! Your comments always brighten my day and I’m constantly amazed and warmed by your poetic way! I’m happy you and your husband enjoy the cookies – they never last in our household because we just can’t seem to stop at one…or three! xo
Could almond butter replace the butter? I can’t have dairy. Thank you.
Hi Samantha! I haven’t tested the recipe using almond butter as a replacement for butter, but I have tested it using coconut oil, and the cookies turn out great. I would recommend coconut oil or a vegan butter spread rather than using almond butter 🙂 Happy baking!
Just made these exactly as is! So so good! Gonna make again and again and again!
Wahoo! I love hearing that! Thanks for sharing, Lisa!
Wow… these sound really good!
I have really enjoyed all of your recipes- this one is next!
I can’t use butter or coconut oil… should I try avocado oil?
Yummm!
Hi Maggie! I haven’t tested a cookie recipe using avocado oil, but it’s possible it could work. My concern is that because the fat in avocado oil isn’t saturated (like it is in butter or coconut oil), the cookies may crumble easily. Let me know if you give the recipe a try with avocado oil – I’m curious about how it would turn out too 🙂
This is my favorite grain-free cookie. I added dried cranberries and coconut as well. The taste and texture is perfect.
Dried cranberries and coconut sound like amazing additions! Thanks for sharing, Veronika! I’m thrilled you enjoy the cookies 🙂
Just made these cookies and they are absolutely delicious! I love how quick and easy this recipe is to make. The only problem I see is that it only makes 12 cookies…😂 Thanks for the recipe!
LOL, I actually feel the same way – I like making smaller batches to avoid eating too much, but I also miss them when they’re gone. 🙂
I was out of walnuts so I used sunflower seeds and they’re so good.
I love hearing that! Thank you for sharing!
These are wonderful and very easy, thank you for a great gluten free chocolate chip cookie!
My pleasure, Sheila! Thanks for the sweet note! xo
Pleasantly surprised! This is actually a very tasty Paleo cookie and I’ll be adding it to my “Safe to eat” cookies file. I’ve been Paleo/Keto for 5 yrs now plus have a cottage kitchen bakery, so it’s tremendously difficult to stay low carb while baking traditional cookies. One question I have is “best way” to store these cookies? Thank you for this great recipe
Aww I’m thrilled to hear the recipe is suitable for your dietary needs! I always love hearing when a feel-good treat also fits seamlessly into someone’s lifestyle. Thanks, Veronika! xo
Hi, I haven’t made these yet, as I have a question as far as the recipe goes, Is it possible to use ripe/very ripe bananas INSTEAD of the maple syrup ?? the maple syrup tends to spike my blood sugar….
Thx
Hi Joyce! I haven’t tested this recipe using ripe bananas, but I do have an almond flour banana cookie recipe that is primarily sweetened with ripe bananas: https://www.theroastedroot.net/5-ingredient-paleo-banana-bread-cookies/ Omit the pure maple syrup and see what the consistency of the dough is like. If it seems like it needs some liquid, add 1 to 3 tablespoons of some form of milk like almond milk, oat milk, etc. If the dough seems like a normal consistency without the pure maple syrup, I wouldn’t make any further adjustments. Let me know how it goes! xo
These are delicious and easy to make. I reduced maple syrup to 2.5 T, used pecans instead of walnuts, and Lakanto keto chocolate chips. They’re wonderfully not sweet, which, unfortunately, makes me eat more. Yum. Easy to eat these instead of dinner, but they’re mostly nuts, so they’re a good snack. Thank you so much for sharing a great recipe!
Thanks so much for sharing, Elaine! This is super helpful to others who want to try the same changes. I appreciate the sweet words and feedback! xo
Just made these cookies and they are delicious! I chose butter over coconut oil and used black walnuts. Yummy! Thank you for posting!
I’m so happy to hear it, Sheila! Thanks so much for reporting back! xo