These flourless chocolate cookies are rich and chocolatey, with soft centers and plenty of melted chocolate chips. Almond butter holds everything together, so you don’t need any flour, not even almond or coconut flour.
If you love my keto brownies, these cookies have that same chocolate-filled appeal in a smaller, easy-to-share treat. They’re mixed in one bowl, and the hardest part is letting them cool before picking one up.
I used to bring my weekend baking experiments to work, and my coworkers always wanted to know what I’d made. These chocolate cookies were the kind I had to set a few aside from before sharing, or they’d disappear before I got one!
My flourless peanut butter cookies are another favorite when I want something simple. But when I’m in the mood for chocolate, this is the batch I want next to my afternoon coffee.
Why You’ll Love These Flourless Chocolate Cookies
- No flour needed: Almond butter forms the base, so there’s no almond flour or coconut flour to measure.
- Double the chocolate: Cocoa powder flavors the dough, and chocolate chips give you little pockets of melted chocolate.
- One bowl: Everything mixes together without a complicated method.
- Soft, chocolatey centers: Let them cool on the baking sheet so they hold together when you pick them up.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Almond butter: Use smooth almond butter and stir the jar thoroughly before measuring, especially if the oil has separated. You want an even, creamy consistency rather than an oily spoonful from the top or dry almond butter from the bottom.
- Powdered sweetener: Allulose is my go-to because I like its flavor, but pure allulose is less sweet than a monk fruit and allulose blend that measures like sugar. Check which product you’re using before swapping. Avoid concentrated monk fruit drops as a direct replacement for the powdered sweetener.
- Cocoa powder: I used unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa for the darker cookies shown in the photos. Natural cocoa gives a lighter color and a slightly different chocolate flavor.
- Eggs: Use two large eggs. They help hold the cookies together since there’s no flour in the dough.
- Chocolate chips: Sugar-free chocolate chips add sweetness and little pockets of chocolate. Chopped dark chocolate can also be used, but it will change the nutrition depending on the bar you choose.
- Butter: Melt the salted butter and let it cool slightly before mixing it in. If you use unsalted butter, add a small pinch of salt as well.
- Almond milk: Use unsweetened almond milk. You only need two tablespoons, so measure it rather than pouring straight from the carton.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla brings the cocoa and chocolate flavors together.
- Baking powder: This gives the cookies a little lift. Make sure you’re using baking powder, not baking soda.
How to Make Flourless Chocolate Cookies
Mix the Dough
Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Stir the almond butter well before measuring it. Add it to a large bowl with the powdered sweetener, cocoa powder, eggs, melted butter, almond milk, vanilla, and baking powder.
Mix until evenly combined, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. A sturdy spatula works well, or use a hand mixer on low speed if the mixture is difficult to stir.
Add the Chocolate Chips
Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula. The dough will be thick and sticky, so use a cookie scoop or two spoons rather than trying to roll it between your hands.
If it’s too loose to portion, refrigerate it for about 30 minutes, then check it again.
Portion the Cookies
Divide the dough into 12 equal portions on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between them. Use a second sheet if needed rather than crowding the cookies together.
Bake
Bake for 10–12 minutes, checking at the earlier end of the range. The edges should look set, while the centers should still look soft rather than wet.
Don’t wait for the cookies to feel firm all the way through. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool.
Let Them Cool
Leave the cookies on the baking sheet until they’re firm enough to lift with a spatula, then transfer them to a wire rack. They’re delicate straight from the oven, so give them time before moving them.
Tips for the Best Flourless Chocolate Cookies
- Stir the almond butter first. Separated oil can make the dough behave differently from one batch to the next.
- Use a scoop for the sticky dough. You don’t need to roll these cookies by hand.
- Start checking at 10 minutes. Look for set edges and soft centers rather than waiting for a firm cookie.
- Let them cool before moving them. Warm flourless cookies can break apart even when they’re baked properly.
Storage and Make Ahead
Storing the cookies: Let them cool completely, then keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Place parchment paper between layers so the cookies don’t stick together.
Freezing: Freeze the cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag, with parchment between the layers. Thaw them in their container before serving.
Making the dough ahead: Prepare the dough the day before, cover, and refrigerate. If it’s too firm to scoop, let it soften just enough to portion. Chilled dough may take a little longer to bake, so check the edges and centers rather than relying only on the timer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use peanut butter instead of almond butter?
Yes. A reader made these with peanut butter and enjoyed the result. Use smooth peanut butter, stir it well before measuring, and expect a more noticeable peanut flavor. The nutrition will depend on the product you use.
Why is the dough so sticky?
This is a soft, flourless dough, so it won’t feel like a dough you can easily roll by hand. Use a cookie scoop or two spoons. If it’s too loose to portion, chill it for about 30 minutes before scooping.
I used Dutch-process cocoa, which gives the cookies their darker color. Natural cocoa produces a lighter cookie, so a color difference doesn’t necessarily mean anything went wrong.
Can I use an electric mixer?
Absolutely. Use a hand mixer on low speed if the dough is too thick for a whisk. Scrape down the bowl as needed, then fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.
The sweetener and chocolate both make a difference. Pure allulose is less sweet than a blend that measures like sugar, and unsweetened chocolate is much more bitter than sugar-free sweetened chocolate chips. Check the products you’re using before adjusting the next batch.
More Keto Cookie Recipes
- Coconut Flour Cookies
- Keto Pecan Cookies
- Keto Crinkle Cookies
- Keto Oreo Cookies
- Thick & Soft Keto Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Best Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Keto Gingerbread Cookies
Flourless Chocolate Cookies
Description
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond butter room temperature
- 2/3 cup powdered sweetener like erythritol or allulose
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup sugar-free chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp melted salted butter
- 2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, combine together the almond butter, powdered sweetener, cocoa powder, eggs, melted butter, almond milk, vanilla, and baking powder until smooth.
- Fold in the sugar-free chocolate chips using a spatula. The dough will be thick.
- Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. This recipe makes about 12 cookies, but you can make smaller ones if you'd like more.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the tops look set, glossy, and begin to show small cracks.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack. They’ll firm up as they cool. Enjoy!
Notes
- Serving size: This recipe makes 12 cookies. One serving is one cookie. Making smaller or larger cookies changes the nutrition per cookie and may change the baking time.
- Sticky dough: Use a cookie scoop or two spoons. If the dough is too loose to portion, chill it for about 30 minutes first.
- Cocoa: Dutch-process cocoa gives the darker color shown in the photographs.
- Cooling: Let the cookies firm up on the baking sheet before moving them.
Nutrition information is shared to make meal planning easier. Values are estimates and can vary depending on the ingredients, brands, and serving sizes used. Learn more in my nutrition policy.
I don’t have any almond butter can I trade for Peanut Butter?
You can definitely use peanut butter instead of almond butter. Let me know how they turn out!
I just made these and they are absolutely delicious! Mine didn’t turn out as dark as the photos but still wonderful! Definitely a keeper! My kids won’t keep away 🙂
So glad you liked these cookies, they are one of our favorites and we make them super often. The cookies look darker because I used Dutch Processed Cocoa powder.
These are fluffy, moist, and chocolatey. They are slightly less sweet than I expected (I used Allulose). My only issue was how sticky the batter was, it was very difficult to work with. I used Good & Gather brand Almond Butter, not sure if that is sticker than other brands. The taste is good though for a keto cookie, so it will probably get added to the rotation despite the batter being so sticky.
Also this made 14 cookies for me instead of 12 which is nice. 🙂
Hi, Jessica! I’m so happy you made this cookie recipe work for you. Have you tried refrigerating the cookie batter before shaping it into cookies? Hope this helps!
No, I might try that in the future! Otherwise I will suffer through, as the reward of delicious keto cookies is worth it! ;D
Just made these with 1/2 tsp of peppermint extract and they turned out great!
I didn’t have almond butter so I used my low-carb peanut butter… Also no almond milk used regular milk so I’m sure it changed the carb count, but I made smaller cookies and ended up with 18 cookies. They were very light and fluffy .. not too sweet, which was perfect for me Will try again with almond butter. Great recipe all in one bowl… That’s a plus! Thank you for the recipe
Can I use an electric mixer instead of a whisk? It was hard to mix the ingredients with the whisk. I also forgot to put the chocolate chip in the center but no worries they are still yummy!
Absolutely! You can definitely use an electric mixer instead of a whisk—especially if the batter feels a bit thick. It makes things so much easier and helps get everything nice and smooth.
And no worries about the chocolate chips—so glad they still turned out yummy!