Primal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Primal. Paleo. Specific Carbohydrate. GAPS. Call it what you want. I began the grain-free diet in 2001. I have adhered to it religiously ever since. When I began, I followed the Specific Carbohydrate Diet; since then, although I’ve used various sweeteners and oils, I have not veered from grain-free. This is not a fad for me. It’s not even something that really has a name. When I started my grain free diet, people thought the gluten free diet was freakish.
Now there’s lots of us. We’re gluten free. Some of us are even grain free. We’re definitely not freaks. Now we’re merely a bit ahead of the curve. It wasn’t always like that.
The almond flour cookie recipe that I share with you today for a Paleo chocolate chip cookie reminds me of the way I used to bake a decade ago. When I used honey quite often in my recipes. Call them what you want. Argue with what they’re called. It’s all semantics anyway. And I promise you. I won’t argue back. I have a teenager and a tween. So why would I look for more arguments here? Just enjoy the cookies.
Primal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 2 cups blanched almond flour
- ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup vegan palm oil shortening
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks
- Combine almond flour, salt and baking soda in a food processor
- Pulse in shortening, honey and vanilla until dough forms
- Remove blade from processor and stir in chocolate chunks by hand
- Scoop dough one level tablespoon at a time onto a parchment lined baking sheet
- Press balls of dough down gently
- Bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes
- Cool for 15 minutes (do not handle prior or cookies will break)
- Serve
Makes 18 cookies
If you want to make changes to them, do. Just leave a comment below to let us know how your substitutions and alterations turn out. I can’t do the testing for you –remember, I’ve got a tween and a teenager, and they keep me real busy. And they like to eat cookies that I bake from scratch. These cookies. Gluten free cookies. Easy chocolate chip cookies. It just seems that all is right in the world when young men sit at the table eating cookies. So go ahead, like I said, enjoy the cookies!
What changes and substitutions will you make to these cookies to custom tailor them to your special diet needs? How do you think they’ll turn out?
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I’d like to hear from anybody who baked these cookies that has substituted something for “¼ cup vegan palm oil shortening” successfully. I don’t use this, but I do use Ghee and olive oil and wonder if these will work. Thanks.
I have used butter and virgin coconut oil as successful subs for the palm oil shortening.
In what proportions?
I’ve used the same proportions to sub coconut oil or butter for the vegan palm shortening.
Me too…coconut oil or butter 1 to 1.
Thanks all! I’m ready to bake them tomorrow!
I have used half butter and half coconut oil with excellent results.
Is there a substitution for almond flour? I have an intolerance (low) to nuts.
I have heard of other recipes subbing in coconut flour instead of almond…I haven’t tested it, but others have commented that it works.
Hello there,
I just want to mention that Almonds are not nuts. A lot of people who have an intolerance to nuts are able to eat almonds.
See wikipedia he almond fruit measures 3.5–6 cm (1–2 in) long. In botanical terms it is not a nut, but a drupe. The outer covering or exocarp, fleshy in …
Hope it helps.
Elle
If you sub coconut flour, use 1/3 cup for each 1 cup of flour in the recipe. Coconut flour is VERY absorbent and will leave you with a dry finished product if used in a 1:1 ratio.
I am about to try eliminating wheat products from my life, due to osteoarthritis and allergies, and am researching different gluten free ingredients for cooking & baking.
I have an aversion to the smell & taste of coconut, but just purchased some coconut oil & was surprised that it has no odor!
Does coconut flour smell or taste like coconut? If it does, can rice flour be used instead?
Thanks.
Judy
I usually use coconut butter in place of the shortening. It makes the dough a bit more dry and firm and at the same time just as delicious!
What about virgin organic coconut oil? It smells and tastes wonderful. I use it for my cooking needs, and virgin cold pressed olive oil for uncooked applications.
I used coconut oil today and they were terrific!!
I have combined a couple of different recipes together to get my paleo chocolate chip cookies. Kindof even funny using paleo and chocolate in the same name. Anyways, I one time used 1/4 cup coconut oil and another time used 1/4 ghee both came out really good. I also use coconut palm sugar instead of honey. And use Enjoy Chocolate Chips (which are soy free, dairy free, wheat free etc)
How much coconut palm sugar did you use?
i used 1/4 cup of coconut oil and have used it in the past for other recipes works perfect for me. the cookies are chewy but not gooey once they cool. love them!
I use coconut oil :)
I take her original vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe and use 1/4 c. coconut oil, 3/4 c. water, and 1/4 c. palm sugar in place of 1/2 c. agave and 1/2 c. grape seed oil. In my opinion, they are best frozen!
ohhh…I also take 90% dark chocolate bars and chop them up for the chocolate chips!
I also used Grape Seed oil, and I substituted agave with Yucon Syrup (very low GI natural sweetener) and also used unsweetened Carob chips instead of chocolate chips – they were amazing!!
I substituted the ¼ cup vegan palm oil shortening for coconut oil. It is similar and is a very stable oil. It still tasted great!
I used a 1/4 cup of butter. They turned out perfect. I’m sure ghee would work just as well :)
Are these cookies chewy or crispy/crunchy? We’re a chewy chocolate chip cookie kind of family. And thanks for a new recipe to test out!
chewy!!! sooo good!
I love it. I have been on Specific carb (for a year, nearly a decade ago) and GAPS (last year as a family of four) and now I simply don’t have a label for how I eat. We’re 92% grain free, low complex carb, no refined (and low any) sugar, low nut/seed, happy-belly eaters I guess. Looking forward to trying the recipe.
do you have enough energy? i am wondering why i am so lethargic. my doctor says it’s because i don’t eat enough grains (even though i feel better if i eat a minimal amount of them)
Maybe add more healthy fats to your diet? I don’t eat grains at all, above ground veggies only, and grass fed proteins- but I also eat lots of fats. For me, the fats are key for feeling satisfied and having plenty of energy
Have you ever looked at Paul Jaminet’s website http://perfecthealthdiet.com/? He talks about adding back in some complex “safe” carbohydrates. After years of eating low carb/gluten free/paleo, I found adding a bit of rice, tapioca/cassava, or soaked buckwheat has helped with my energy levels and concentration. I guess we have to remember that everyone is unique and has a unique metabolism; thus, strictly paleo and grain free might not work for everyone.
you could try adding some fruit. That would be a way to add carbs without adding grains.
Zosia, That’s an unfortunate comment from your doctor. You can get plenty of carbs from fruits and veggies. I tend to need proteins and some fat to feel satisfied.
I’m also still healing and have some deficiencies that haven’t been defined- except bloodwork is “a little low on D and B vitamins”. I can’t take a B vitamin complex (lips swelled and started peeling after a gluten free supplement), but fermented foods and drinks have helped with energy. Kombucha, kefir, live sauerkraut/kimchi/cortido, homemade coconut yogurt help and they are much cheaper than probiotic and supplements. I try to have 2-3 fermented foods a day. (When I don’t my digestion also doesn’t work as well…nuff said)
I also can’t eat ginger. Weird food intolerance. It’s inconvenient because I love the stuff in Asian food or Fall baked goods.
If any of that sounds vaguely familiar, than I’d highly recommend getting NAET allergy testing to make sure you aren’t dealing with other food allergies. I eat grain free because even prolamines in corn, quinoa, buckwheat, sorghum bother me…and they aren’t even all grains.
Remember not all items of a certain brand are gluten free. For example, I accidentally bought some Bob’s Red Mill Chia seeds without really looking at the label. It’s not gluten free and doesn’t claim to be. Me culpa entirely. Double check the label, call or email manufacturer before buying and then check again before eating.
Final item we are working on here is going entirely sugar free. Sugar can cause mineral deficiencies, lethargy and fatigue…plus it weakens the immune system up to 6 hours. Yeesh!
Did you say ‘homemade coconut yogurt’? I have problems with dairy and I really miss yogurt! I’d like to hear more about that! Tabitha T? Elena?
thank you so much. i am going to look into NAET and your other suggestions <3
The firsat thing I’d check out is magnesium levels. After 20 years of low energy my energy levels soared when I started taking a magnesium citrate supplement (nothing but magnesium and citrate) If that doesn’t suit your eating plan you can always have epsom salt baths or eat foods high in magnesium – but most of themm are grains and nuts and that didn’t suit my diet. If you don’t eat grains or take a supplement then you pretty much need to eat a lot of almonds or cashews in order to maintain magnesium levels.
What considerations do you do for baking theses at altitude? Above 6,000 ft.
I’m at 7000…no changes necessary.
does someone mind chirping in on this question:
for a while now i have noticed that i feel better when i only eat a little bit of grains (mainly quinoa, teff, buckwheat); however, i am experiencing fatigue and weakness and my doctor says that i am malnourished despite the fact that i eat adequate amounts of fat, protein, vegetables, and fruit. it’s only grains that i don’t eat a lot of (maybe 4 servings a day).
could it really be the minimal amount of grain that it causing me to be lethargic? after all – they are one of the densest providers of carbs = energy…
any thoughts? i’d appreciate any input.
thanks,
zosia
Yes. My spouse has a similar experience. Any grain = inflammation, swelling, less energy.
Buckwheat is commonly referred to as a grain, but it is a fruit seed:
“Despite its unfortunate (for celiacs) name buckwheat is a fruit. It’s a dicot in the polygonaceae family, which also includes rhubarb and sorrel. All known toxic grains are monocots.”
from: _The Basics of Buckwheat_, Copyright 1999 by Gluten-Free Living
http://www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/buckwht.html
Buckwheat is commonly cross contaminated with gluten-containing grains, via shared processing equipment. So if you eat Buckwheat, check for the “certified gluten free” mark.
Oops – also from the same article:
“Third, buckwheat is known to cause allergic reactions. Dr. Skerrit concluded, Severe clinical sensitivity to buckwheat has been noted in several patients, but it is of an allergic nature rather than an enteropathy such as celiac condition. This would indicate that those who react, whether celiac or not, should not eat buckwheat.”
from: _The Basics of Buckwheat_, Copyright 1999 by Gluten-Free Living
http://www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/buckwht.html
As well, check your nightshade family. Tomatoes, potatoes, peppers of any kind, eggplant, arrowroot.
Daughter and mother-in-law cannot have these. They cause pain and swelling in their joints, headaches, sleepiness, general discomfort.
I would ask your doctor what research (s)he is basing those recommendations on. You might just know more than your doctor when it comes to nourishing your body. I’d be thinking more about potential thyroid issues, especially if you have been eating gluten for many years.
Have you had your thyroid checked?
Maybe you’re not getting quite enough of the fruit and veggies in… a great website is http://www.incrediblesmoothies.com I started drinking smoothies to get more fruit and veggies in and have so much more energy than I used to have and I thought I was eating enough fruit and veggies before too :)
There are a multitude of reasons why you might suffer from fatigue. I have found less grains, not more, definitely helps my energy levels. I also take a thyroid support which helps fatigue and mood swings due to medication. If you are on any meds, check them as a possible cause for fatigue. You could also be anemic, low Vit. D, or have other food intolerances. As I said, many, many possible reasons. Good luck teasing it out.
which thyroid supplement do you take?
i, too, have thyroid issues and would like to try something new.
thanks for chirping in ;)
I take armour thyroid, by Forest Labs. The does is prescribed by an MD or ND and filled at a local compounding pharmacy.
How about adrenals? There’s a good book called Adrenal Fatigue that could be helpful if you suspect that. You also could experiment — no grain and more grain — see how you feel.
i have experimented…the only difference is that my digestion is better with less grains…but fatigue/weakness the same :(
thanks :)
i have that book!
i do indeed have adrenal burnout/fatigue syndrome and am taking adrenal glandular concentrates…haven’t noticed a change yet…granted it’s only been about 3 weeks since i have been on them
zosia- I eliminated grains because I it made me feel tired and lethargic. I feel way better without any grains than I did before.
Also, “adequate” fat, protein, and carbs is all subjective. Most of my calories come from good fats. How much is considered “adequate” in your doctor’s opinion with respect to fats and protein?
my doctor (like most it seems) follows the food pyramid…and tells me to aim or about 6-8 servings/day…
the odd thing is…it is under the recommendations of this food pyramid that we are seeing rises in obesity, diabetes, heart disease, autism, and other diseases/syndromes, etc…
It could be due to aspect of your diet that is not respecting your blood type. After 30 years of live cell analysis, we Physicians recognize that Dr. D’adamo was pretty bang on. No blood type should eat wheat, but if you’re an “O” blood type, you need your animal protein for the proper uptake of iron and to bolster strong immune function. If your weakening is from other sources such as genetic miasms (like Cancer or Psora), then best if you seek out a Heilkusnt Physician who works at root cause prescribing on the basis of safe, homeopathic law.
I am indeed “O” … Thanks for chirping in <3
Zosia,
I too have this problem.
Things that have helped. Eating more frequently. Taking stress
“B” complex. Cutting back on fluids. I tend to enjoy drinking
water/coffee/tea. Drinking too much dilutes the solutes in your
blood. This can cause hypoglycemia symptoms. Note “symptoms” not
true hypoglycemia. Of course it can lead to hypoglycemia in some.
If with your low energy you are urinating frequently and, wanting
to drink often this could be the issue.
It has been a tough go for a year. I am now doing much better.
One thing that has helped too. A refractometer. This is a tool
used to measure the solutes in fluids. If you purchase one you
would use it to check the solutes in your urine. You want the
reading to be between 1-2. Below one means your fluids are diluted.
I used this tool daily for almost a year. I found that many foods
dropped my solutes too. I don’t know why, perhaps some type of
inflammatory response to these foods. Anyway, I have so much more
energy now. I don’t do well on grains. I am gluten free.
I am inclining the heart of the issue to be an intolerance to
histamine. You might look into that too.
Wow – thank you for replying. I do, indeed, drink a lot! I have hot cocoa, then tea, then water, then more cocoa, then more tea, then more water…more tea, tea, tea, tea, tea…all herbal…very little caffeine…but…
the odd part is that i consume A LOT of salt on top of this…I CONSTANTLY crave salt. there is no such thing are OVERsalting in my food :(
THANK YOU so much!
Can you recommend any reading I can do?
I will DEFINITELY look into your recommendations.
All the best <3
Zosia,
OH YES! The excess fluid is enough to set you up for lethargy!
The fix will still take some time. Too, if you aren’t careful
you will continue to drink more than you need.
Here is a blog that I gleaned useful information from.
http://180degreehealth.com Now be careful here too. He offers
all kinds of advice. He has definitely helped me. However, his
take is far different from most “health” practitioners. I don’t
follow/do all the things I read on this site. Meaning in some
ways I am hesitant to recommend him. I trust you have a good
foundation of health knowledge and will weight everything you
read from that base.
In his search engine type in key words. Refractometer, low metabolism,
hypothyroid, hypoglycemia etc…. You can also type in RBTI.
RBTI is a health program that he followed for a time. RBTI is
where I found out about excess fluids and, the refractometer.
I don’t follow RBTI. I just used their teachings on fluids and,
the refractometer. Reading about RBTI you will feel compelled
to try it out. I don’t recommend it. Just the refractometer.
As for histamine intolerance you can just google this and, search
for lists of foods high in histamine.
I wish you health.
Your salt craving struck a chord with me. I also had this problem (plus the fatigue and attraction to buckwheat) and discovered a few months back that there’s a link there to problems with oxalates. Oxalates are poisonous to our bodies but most of us just expel them from our bodies before they can do much damage. However some of us don’t. The oxalate builds up in our bodies. If we cut down out intake of a high oxalate food – such as buckwheat then we start feeling ill as our bodies start detoxing from the oxalate. However, just having oxalates in our body also damages us with symptoms such as chronic fatigue. To cut down on oxalates with the minimum side effects it helps to add calcium and magnesium to your diet. These minerals are used up by the body whilst it gets rid of the oxalate There’s a yahoo group called trying low oxalates that can give you a lot more info about this than I can. One of their members runs http://www.lowoxalate.info
Have you checked if you have parasites? I had them last year w. similar symptoms, I am since, grain, dairy & sugar free (starve the suckers). Good luck.
These cookies were so yummy and easy to make! I subbed the shortening with earth balance soy free buttery spread successfully. I, however, should have measured the celtic sea salt exactly, because I ended up putting a little too much in making my cookies a salty bunch. Also, the recipe says it makes 30 cookies, but it only made about 14 cookies for me. I’m assuming the 30 cookies would be correct if I doubled the recipe. Overall, this was an amazing cookie recipe! The next time I’m craving a chocolate chip cookie, I’m going straight for these! :) Thank you!
Same here! I only made about 15 cookies but I ended up just picking at the dough while I baked a dozen. 30 cookies would be really small cookies I’m assuming.
I’ve made many of Elana’s cupcake recipes and none of them are ever the amount she said they would be, always less. Maybe we need to make them smaller, I don’t know.
hi elana! im writing you from argentina. i love your recipes! i read that you dont answer nutrition questions but i will be very grateful if you can answer my question.. i’ve read lately information about phitic acid in almonds and its pretty shocking! but its so hard to find good information on the web so i wanted to know if you have investigated the issue with medicals opinions. thanks a lot
I’ve heard similar claims about phytic acid that is in grains and nuts, but most nutritionists say that a balanced diet wouldn’t lead to significant calcium and iron deficiencies from phytic acid, meaning that unless you only eat foods made from grains and nuts (like these cookies) you will be fine.
Maia, Phytic acid can be removed from grains by soaking them over night or at least a few hours (you should find info about soaking the grains, oatmeal, etc on the net).
The main concern about phytic acid, is that it binds to the zinc in the body and it pulls it out, supplementation with zinc is important specially for guys since it’s needed for prostate and reproductive system. I’m in nutrition school right now and that’s where I learn all this, never heard about phytic acid before, either.
Hope this helps.
WWhere are you in nutrition school? I’m looking at various options and trying to decide!
I went to Institute for Integrative Nutrition and they talk about this in the first few weeks. feel free to message me with any questions :-)
I just made these and they were amazing! I used expeller-pressed coconut oil instead of palm oil because that’s what I had on hand. I also used sun chips (less bad for you m&ms) and they were delicious! Question: I thought chocolate was illegal on the GAPS diet?
YAY! Thank you! Thank you, Elana! I have been craving chocolate chip cookies, but I am in the process of cutting out all grains. I’m so excited!
Yum! These look delicious. I cook and bake gluten-free and sometimes grain free. I feel better on a reduced-grain diet, but not 100% grainless. I think it’s so important for people to realize that there is not a one-size-fits-all diet, but rather that our bodies require different diets based upon our bio-individuality.
Whatever diet/eating style people follow, I’m sure they’ll appreciate these cookies!
~ Kilee
I have adapted Elana’s Chocolate Chip Scones from her cookbook to make Chocolate Chip Cookies and they are delicious. They are big, soft and cakey, so if you don’t like that kind you may want to pass, but we love them. Here is a link to the recipe and I make no claims to anything except they are grain-free: http://julieswallowtail.blogspot.com/2012/03/grain-free-chocolate-chip-cookies.html
As far as phytic acid goes, I think that’s not an issue since almond flour is made with BLANCHED almonds, correct?
This is similar to my favorite recipe, the vegan dairy free choc chip cookie recipe on your site, and I have to say, I’ve subbed the agave for 1/4 cup applesauce to make them completely sugar free (they are amazing with toasted pecans instead of choc chips, too!) which would make that delicious recipe Whole30 compliant, as well ! (well, I always sub coconut oil for grapeseed oil, too.)
Keep up the amazing work. I can’t wait to try these!! <3
Actually, you can buy almond flour OR almond meal.
Almond flour = blanched almonds
Almond Meal = not blanched almonds
Almond meal leaves the ‘skin’ on the almonds and then it is just ground very fine. I use the Almond Meal myself because Almond Flour is very expensive.
dina
Snicker … good post.
Beautiful recipe! I love how you use Celtic sea salt in your recipes. It contains all of the 84 beneficial live elements found in sea water, which makes it the healthiest.
I have found after an endoscopy, that there is a lot of inflammation in my stomach and small intestine. I had been totally gluten free for 9 months by then. That was shocking to me! NOW I find that I can’t eat grain at all without issues, mostly pain. I do so much appreciate those who have commented on the grain issues. I thought I was crazy! My biggest concern though, is not the fact that my allergist told me that almonds were a HUGE allergen for me (I eat them all the time) but if we can’t eat grains, and for me fruit as I am allergic to that too, what really is left? Meat is contaminated with anti-biotics, vegetables are sprayed with chemicals. I truly fear what comes next! Does anyone else have these issues? Thanks so much!
You aren’t alone. I’m grain free 99% of the time. On occasion, I will make a gluten free (but not grain free) treat for the rest of the family and sometimes I eat just a little. As long as I don’t do it often, I seem to have no problems. Last Christmas, I could tell that I had overindulged and it wasn’t worth it. I’ve recently learned that I’m also allergic to milk, casein, walnuts, eggs, watermelon, peaches, cumin, paprika and more. My doctor said that if I will avoid these foods for 3 months, I could probably add them back in small quantities, so we’ll see. Good luck to you!
Not sure if this helps, but it sounds like you might want to invest a little time and effort into growing your own food. A couple of chickens can give you eggs every day, you can feed them healthy food, and you can keep them in most cities (check for yours before you install your girls – and remember, NO ROOSTERS). Veggies and herbs can be grown pretty easily from heirloom seeds (cherrygirl.com, ohioheirloomseeds.com, anniesheirloomseeds.com are all good sources) and almost anything can be grown in a container, even in a tiny apartment or dorm. We have a nice yard with raised beds, but I know we’re lucky. Lots of places have local beef/sheep/pork that is pricey, but organic and grassfed.
Does anyone know if choc chips made with honey exist? I would love to find them, or chunks. The only choc made with honey I have found are the honey peppermint patties.
For chocolate chips, I use the “Endangered Species” 72% dark bars (just chop it up). They are very low sugars/carbs and are sweetened with beet sugar, which I find that I tolerate much better than other sweeteners, including honey.
Thanks, Elana, for another great one!
I believe beet sugar is mostly if not all GMO so will not use it.
Me,too.
I’ve found Lindt Excellence 85% Cocoa bars. They are dairy free, sweetened with Demerara sugar, and only 5g sugar per 4 squares. Lindt also makes 70% and 90% bars that are dairy free. I did find the 90% bar uses sugar but only 3g per 4 squares of chocolate. I substitute 1/4 C chocolate (about 4 squares) and 1/4 walnuts for the 1/2 C chocolate. I found them at Walmart but I’m sure they’re available elsewhere.
Lindt chocolate is not gluten free, though, so be careful if you are celiac. All Lindt chocolate contains barley.
Thanks Stephenie, that’s good to know so I don’t recommend it to or offer it to someone with celiac. I was told that the 85% bar does not have barley in it but it is run through the same line so there could be some cross contamination. Do you have any suggestions for chocolate that is dairy free, gluten free, and lower sugar/higher cacao content?
you could melt some UNsweetened chocolate and add honey, then pour it into a pan (so that its thin) and put it into the freezer…once it is hard – break it into piece…they won’t be CHIPS…but they’ll be honey-sweetened chocolate chunks :)
Elana, I LOVE the simplicity of your recipes. I always have what I need on hand. That’s what keeps me coming back. I don’t bake sweets a lot, but when I do, your blog and books are where I tend to go first. This cookie is a winner.
I love it when you share your recipes for meat and vegies too.
: )
Noel
Another amazing recipe. Thank you Elana. Can I ask how these keep without going soft? Other biscuits & scones I’ve made if stored in a glass air tight or plastic air tight container, they’ve still gone soft?
I agree that Elana’s recipes are simple but still taste fantastic. These cookies look great. Thanks Elana!
You came to mind yesterday when I read the NYT contest winner’s essay on the ethics of eating meat. Perhaps it’s more accurate to say when I was reading the comments accompanying the article. I was stunned when you received a less than supportive comment a few weeks back. It was pretty benign compared to some on the NYT piece, but fairly negative all the same. I think people lose sight of the fact that we are all on our own health journeys and each of us makes choices based on what works for our bodies and lifestyles. That doesn’t make it a personal affront to someone with a different path to follow. Unless, of course, as you allude in your post, they’re a teenager or tween. Based on my experience with my teenager, at times my very existence is a personal affront. :-)
thanks elana for all your wonderful recipes!
you are an inspiration. i’ve included you and your site in my links list, please let me know if that is ok with you. i have many cients that are pursuing gluten/grain free diets and your recipes are so very helpful!
thanks,
melissa
I like the blurb before the recipe! I’m in the same boat as to feeling like I don’t want to label our diet. I read lots of “Paleo” things for inspiration, but I like to just say we eat for nutrient density. I feel like when I label things, or say we don’t eat grains, that someone will point fingers and say I’m wrong when something doesn’t line up with their theories.
In any case, our family has been feeling much better, been less sick, and is very healthy after cutting out grains and choosing foods with the greatest nutrient density! I’m so excited to give them a treat for making the change. These cookies are going to be a big hit! I’m off to start making them now.
Thanks again!
Thank you so much for this recipe,Elana. My own path to wellness has taken from gluten free to paleo. I so appreciate your new recipes that are paleo.
one can’t really go wrong with almonds and chocolate (and honey)! I am with ya, sista, on the teenager + the tween. Sounds like you and I may need a weekend, Spa getaway!
stupid question everyone but i will make it.when you mean food processor..is it the one that we mix for breads or the mixer where we chop stuff??can i stir them in with a spoon or sth??thanks and sorry for my fool question
Demi, it’ll mean the machine that chops. But yes, since nothing actually needs chopping, you should be able to make this sort of thing equally well stirring it in a bowl with a spoon. Just make sure the bowl’s big enough, or you’ll end up with the mixture everywhere (voice of experience speaking)! :-)
thank you!!i always confuse the mixers with blenders but i guess stiring them is good too!!haha.thanks
I just used an 8 cup mixing bowl and a wooden spoon and they turned out great! I should say what was left to bake after several of my boys and husband tested out the cookie dough!
I’m going to make these with coconut oil as soon as I am home – they look fab.
Thank you, Elana for yet another yummy recipe. We always have a treat from your blog sitting around. I am going to try using coconut oil instead of the palm shortening and coconut palm sugar instead of honey. My husband eats grain-free and sugar-free so honey is not allowed in our treats and he will occasionally eat the 76% dark chocolate, but that’s more for my sweet-tooth.
I absolutely love your recipes – always a hit with my family! My food processor isn’t cooperating with me…can I use my stand mixer instead?
I used my pastry knife, a fork and my hands to form the dough. They turned out well.
Did anyone else’s cookies turn out too baking soda-y? If anyone experimented with less please let me know your results. Thanks!
I made them, :D they are mighty fine!
I used homemade almond flour though (complete almonds ground in robot)
I used Coconut butter, such a decadent taste
and 100% chocolate…
all in all tasty and nutritious!
thanks for the cookie recipe!
Just wondering if anyone substitute the honey with stevia or another natural sweetner (I’m allergic to honey)- go figure!
THANK YOU Elana for sharing this chocolate chip cookie recipe – can’t wait to try it!
If you are allergic to bees it would figure.
comment
I need to use honey b/c we are on the GAPS diet….any ideas?
I mean for the chocolate chips….so I’m wondering if there are GAPS diet chocolate chips out there using honey….
Just made these using coconut oil, and substituting shredded coconut for the chocolate (I didn’t have any in the house)
Made 14 cookies, and I may eat them all tonight :-)
how did you know! I came to your website looking for a chocolate chip cookie recipe and there it was, the latest picture and recipe on the website. Thanks for all of the tasty treats.
i see that many talk about the baking soda…so coudl we add baking powder instead?and how much?or it wont be the same?thanks again!
Baking soda and baking powder provide different chemical reactions so they can’t be substituted for each other.
Looks great, Elana! Reminds me of my recipe for coconut flour chocolate chip cookies:
http://www.tiltedskillet.com/blog/2010/07/cakey-chocolate-chiptoasted-walnut-cookies-that-just-happen-to-be-glutenfree-and-vegan.html
Delicious!
Elana, your intro to this recipe made me chuckle. “Just eat the darn cookies, wouldja?”
So, these just came out of the oven about 10 minutes ago. I love how simple this recipe is. The dough tasted great and they smell wonderful. I added an egg (duck egg) because the dough was not holding together at all. This could have been due to the fact that I used Trader Joe’s Almond Meal instead of the brands of blanched almond flour that you use. Then I sweetened it with agave instead of honey and used butter instead of shortening, because these were the ingredients I had on hand.
And I just tasted one! So good! I need to leave and eat more. :) Thanks!
And now I have made them several more times. The second time, I actually chopped some of the choco chips into the dough in the processor: chocolate chocolate chip cookies!
Then I used almond extract instead of vanilla and those were tasty too. I am think that this is a great basic recipe that can be turned into all sorts of cookies. Next I am going to try the almond extract thing again, but leave out the chocolate and add a dollop of jam on top: raspberry thumbprints!
All the times I have made it, I have added a duck egg and used butter instead of shortening and agave instead of honey. And I have always gotten 25-27 cookies out of this recipe. I use a 1 tbsp measure spoon and level it – this makes nice little half-round dough balls that i then flatten a bit. The cookies are not huge but perfect for snacking.
Thanks for the update Abby! That’s all I needed to know, could I use agave instead of honey (just because I don’t want to spoke my sugar, just because I want to be super-model thin! Ha Ha!). I’m making these right now with this sweetener sub- of course the cookies won’t help me to be super model thin. Oh well, I choose cookies(occasionally!) :-]
OK I made them and ate them.
- great consistency on the batter
- I need sweeter. I’d dash two shakes of pure stevia powder next time (I do no sugar)
- Chocolate: I used bakers unsweetened chocolate, chopped into chunks on a cutting board with a big knife. Even dark CChips have too much sugar for me.
Thanks whoever it was who suggested subbing a banana for half the shortening! I will try that next time to reduce fat.
I will make these many times more. Did I say “great consistency/texture”?Thanks Elana!!!
My son is allergic to almonds , what other flour can be used ?
Try coconut flour
What can be used instead of almond flour ?
Hi Elana,
I’ve been doing a slow carb diet for 4 weeks now (beans, lentils, meat, nuts, slads), with a modest success and as I have a cheat day on Saturday I’ll try your cookie recipe. I hope it turns out well!
Watch the beans and lentils – HUGE carbs. Most low-carbers avoid legumes in general.
SO good! Thank you for your simple yet tasty recipes. I subbed half coconut oil and half banana in place of shortening.
I made these to share with my boyfriend, considering hiding them so I can pork out! : ) Great flavour! Def did not get even in the vicinity of 30 cookies, more like 12. Also found the dough a little too dry, was having a hard time forming balls by hand. Next time will add a tablespoon of coconut oil to help with that. Baked for 8 min at 6000′. Thanks Elana!
Made these again tonight, adding 2 tbsp melted unsalted butter. Made the dough the perfect consistency, moist and easy to form into balls. Also got 12 again, really think the “30″ should be reconsidered.
I plan to bake these cookies following your recipe except the palm oil…perhaps I’ll use Earth Balance or butter. Yum! Love this grain free recipe.
WOW! these look so good. And healthy too! I cannot wait to try them. I just found out I am sensitive to gluten. I have been feeling better, but it has been a real challenge. I am such a foodie, and I love to bake. Not being able to use the conventional ingredients I am used to has been rough, but I am sure I will get the hang of it in no time. I just started my own blog a few days ago. I am excited to get to know everyone in the gluten free blogging community. I am sure I will be frequently visiting you!
This was awesome. I added an egg just to help it stick together, plus more almond flour (like 1/4 cup maybe?) to help lower the moisture level. I baked it for 15 min at 350F. My boyfriend loved it! They had a wonderful crispiness on the outside, and they were nice and moist on the inside.
He suggested next time to add bacon bits to make it a hilariously paleo cookie. If anyone tries this, let me know!
Wow, Elana! These just came out of the oven and they are amazing! Super easy too – loved being able to do the whole thing in the food processor.
Substitution question for all the experienced bakers out there … this is the first time that I’ve used palm oil shortening in baking. I happened to have a gigantic container in my pantry leftover from making frosting so this recipe was perfect. Can I sub palm oil shortening 1:1 in other recipes calling for coconut or grapeseed oil?
I just made these with equal parts butter and coconut oil for the shortening. I ended up with 13 cookies so obviously used bigger portions. They do not spread at all so next time will either make smaller cookies or press the larger ones down more to flatten them out. At the size I made, one cookie is actually pretty filling. Also used Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips and they are really good!
Possible to add chocolate favor for this?
Just made these with butter instead of the shortening and we love them! I got 17 average sized cookies (I had to cook them an extra 5 min since they were larger than the recipe calls for). Thanks for another delicious and easy recipe!
I have made cookies similar to this using the following:
1 1/4 cup Almond Flour/Meal
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Large Egg
1/4 cup Honey
1/4 cup chopped Pecans
1/8 cup Dark Chocolate Chips
They are so good. Between my husband and toddler, I’m lucky if I get one!
Delicious! I just made these with a few substitutions/additions:
I used 1/4 cup grape seed oil instead of the shortening
Added 1/4 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut
Added 1/4 cup of unsweetened plain apple sauce
Increased the baking time to 10 minutes. They turned out wonderfully! Thank you for sharing this fun and simple recipe!
I am trying to get my family to a paleo diet, can anyone tell me about the omega 6 in almonds? How much is too much? I am trying to get my family of 8 off from wheat. I thought it was good and strived for every breakfast to be a grain as main part of meal.. waffles, pancakes, oatmeal,etc..
Any suggestions?
We’ve been on paleo for a few months. Even though they’re not grains, have you tried frittatas? If you beat the eggs long enough, they get so fluffy that by the time you take them out of the broiler, they almost have the consistency of bread! We put all kinds of things in ours and eat them for lunch, too. We like shredded sweet potato and zucchini, sausage, onions, and we’ve even tried them with crawfish! (We’re from Louisiana and living in south Alabama.) :-) Good luck with paleo! I’m so happy that Elana has her blog to take care of my sweet tooth and bread cravings!
ashley;
your post sounded wonderful about beating the eggs til they come out like bread, do you have a recipe to share about those fritattas??
I just made these, and they were really great! I had to make quite a few substitutions – I have a ton of weird food allergies! So, the chocolate chips became dried cherries, the honey became agave nectar, and the vanilla became almond extract. I also used butter since I have no idea where to get palm oil shortening and am not sure if I am allergic to that too! They were not chocolate chip cookies anymore, but I was happy that I could have a cookie for once! Thanks Elana!
These are great cookies.
Even though on numerous occasions I have followed your recipes they never make the quantity you have said.
For instance how can only 2 cups of almond flour possibly make 30 cookies?
I did use a proper kitchen measuring tablespoon and it only made 18!
Anyway apart from that gripe they are very good and I like your recipes.
AMAZING! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I bragged about these to everyone at my gym all week (but did not share any). :-) I’ll have to make another batch later for sharing. I used coconut oil, since that’s what I had, and they were so incredibly perfect.
Am thanking you for this simple, delicious recipe, as I wipe the cookie crumbs off my face. I doubled the recipe, added coconut oil in place of the shortening, added a few chopped walnuts, and it made 50 perfect little tablespoon-sized morsels of yumminess. My 6 children have kindly left just 2 on the pan -one for me and one for dad- so I’d say they are a hit :)
Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes. I am baking my way through your almond flour cookbook and enjoying every delicious moment!
These cookies are soooooo yummy!!! Chocolate chip cookies are my downfall and when I fall off the “no grains” wagon – I run straight to the gluten filled Nestle cookie recipe and wallow in my foggy thoughts about my “wheat belly”. Eating grain free has helped me to feel better and have more energy. Thank you for giving me a “safe” chocolate chip cookie to run to! BTW, the only change I made was using coconut oil rather than palm oil as that was all I had – and they turned out perfectly! And I think I’m a bit of a cookie snob… ;)
The best cookies ever even for people with non gf diets. I cannot get enough of them I make them at least twice a week. They melt in your mouth and they are soooo easy to make. Thank you for one more great recipe Elana.
I used maple syrup instead of honey and we all loved them! I doubled the recipe and got 24 cookies.
Made these – tasty! Will cut back on salt next time. Thanks for sharing. Will you be coming out with a Paleo cookbook?
I’ve made the cookies a few times now since this was posted and I find that 1 tablespoon of honey is enough.
I’ve never been into baking stuff, though since I went primal I started cooking and found it fun. So I decided to try this recipe and it came out really good! Honestly I was surprised. Even my mom said it was tasty.
Thanks!
I made these exactly to the recipe and man, are they good! My littlest, who sticks her nose up at most foods I make, loved these and I had to shoo her off after 2 cookies or there wouldn’t be any left. ;) Thanks for this awesome recipe!
I have heard that heating honey makes it toxic?! Is this incorrect?
I wish I can post a picture of my cookies!! They turned out great! I used organic coconut oil instead of the palm! I also uses soy free dairy free oil free mini chocolate chips by Enjoy Life! Next time I’m baking double the recipe! I made half the recipe and it made 12 cookies
Can the vegan shortening be replaced with coconut oil?
I got my answer from above! Awesome! :)
I cannot stop eating these! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Hi, I don’t have a decent sized food processor – it’s small and best used for chopping small portions of onions and things.. For recipes such as this, can I use an electric mixer?
You can use a mixer for this recipe. It doesn’t work on everything but would totally work on this!
My kids & I set out to bake these cookies yesterday & my son (who is 14) said can we please put cocoa in them & make them double chocolate cookies? We added 2T of cocoa & one extra T of honey. They made perfectly & are super delicious w/ the additions!
I used mini vegan chocolate chips instead of chocolate chunks, coconut palm sugar instead of honey, and I also added a 1/4 tsp of almond extract. DELICIOUS!!!!! :-)
These are amazing! If you don’t have shortening coconut oil works, too. I also didn’t use a food processor and they turned out just fine. I added raisins, walnuts, and some cinnamon to mine and they reminded me a bit of oatmeal raisin cookies. I also love that they’re egg free since I have an egg allergy. Thank you for the wonderful recipe, Elana!
I actually have been using Raw Coconut Nectar as my sweetner. Since coconut seems to be ok on Paleo, I would assume this substitution keeps the cookies Paleo friendly. And with the nectary, you dont need as much.
Elana, your recipes are wonderful. Thank you for sharing!!!!!!!! :-)
these look really yummy, I think I will try them as soon as I muster up the motivation to get my booty in the kitchen and bake something! ;-)
Ok, just made this recipe. BUT I accidentally purchased Honeyville natural almond flour, has the skin ground into it. I used half natural and half blanched to hopefully get a good cookie. Man….they just don’t do justice to this cookie. I have made both her choc chip recipes before successfully. The batter was sooooo flippin dry I had to add water. So, if you like fiber in your teeth and a dry cookie use the natural. I have to toss $25 worth of this flour away! Luckily I have another blanched in the freezer. I was going to bring the cookies to a new neighbor. NOT. Will have to make them again tomorrow.
Peace and Pie,
Debbie
I am sooo glad that I found your blog and now own 2 of your cookbooks, as well. My daughter was diagnosed with Celiac when she was 4 yrs old after a long road and many doctors. We found that the gluten free diet was not enough for her recovery and on our own, we decided to go “paleo” and follow the grain free diet and we also cut out dairy. Since then she has been doing great! Thank you for all your wonderful recipes. It brings a tear to my eye everytime our daughter lights up while eating a special treat that she can actually have. :)
I made these yesterday for the 4th of July, and everybody RAVED about how good they were! Nobody even missed the gluten! I subbed organic butter for the shortening and used Enjoy life brand mini chocolate chips!!! Supper yummy and melt in your mouth goodness! I will definitely be making these again, and I’ve already shared this recipe with 3 people! Thank you for this awesome recipe! You Rock!
p.s. I also made your cauliflower “potato” salad….and everyone gobbled that up as well!
Thank you for making me feel not left out on the holidays!
Hello from Germany,
for all you metric bakers or non-americans out there, I just made these as follows:
- 200 gr almond flour (that should be simply ground almonds in Germany)
- pinch of salt
- big pinch of baking powder
- 3-4 heaped tablespoons organic coconut oil or 55 gr (I used Manako from amazon.de)
- 1 table spoon honey
- 1 sachet vanilla sugar
- ca 100 gr chocolate chunks
As you may see I am definitly not your most accurate baker, and rather go by feel and what experience told me tastes good. In my opinion, if you use vanilla sugar, you could leave out the honey. If you use vanilla extract just add it in again. However, as I find almonds and coconut oil in general to be sweetish I guess you could leave both out altogether. As for the coconut oil, I just used 4 tablespoons, but you can start with 3 and see how the dough comes together. Also, I simply used my hands to make the dough.
this is a great recipe! i add an egg, reduce the honey to 1 T, and use ghee instead of palm oil, and the texture is wonderful. they stand up and are puffy and moist instead of spreading out to be crunchy.
Is coconut oil the same volume solid as it is melted? I used that for the palm oil and the dough was really oily.
I just made these with some substitutions/tweaks, for the second time.
The first time I used coconut oil… it was unrefined, so it made the whole thing taste like coconut. Not bad by any means, but it was more “coconut cookie” than “chocolate chip cookie.” They also crumbled a lot. Still tasty, though.
The second time I used butter and added some slivered almonds. I didn’t like the texture of the dough, and remembered them being crumbly, so I added about half an egg white. These are absolutely delicious and I have to fight not to eat the whole batch at once.
Best. cookies. ever.
Hi Elana,
We added a 1/2 cup of Coconut flour and 3/4 cup of unsweetened coconut milk and 1 egg. We omitted the honey and stevia. We used coconut sugar instead. This yielded a Bakers Dozen.
Thanks so much for this recipe. Just made them tonight – super simple, quick and delicious. You have a new reader!
Hey, first timer here! was wondering if I can use almond meal instead of blanched almond flour?
These are incredibly delicious!! I modified both ingredients and process due to what I had in my kitchen. What do you think?? http://nourishandbenourished.com/2012/09/04/free-cookies/
Made these today… Amazing!! I did not have any vanilla extract in the house, instead i used a TBSP of maple syrup!
Surprisingly simple. I am a sucker for the nice ingredients. I have some overpriced vanilla extract and tupelo honey in the cupboard at home. This would be a great recipe for the two. Thanks.
Was craving cookies so I googled almond flour cookies since we are grain free and found these. They definitely hit the spot! I skipped the vanilla and subbed coconut oil for the shortening. I also used cacao nibs for the chocolate and agave for the honey. Ok, so I definitely modified it but they turned out great! I did a half recipe and got 9 small cookies.
Used 1/4 c butter instead of shortening and subbed homemade simple syrup for the honey, just because. The recipe definitely made only half the stated # of cookies – and I didn’t snack on the dough beyond one EXTREMELY DELICOUS bite. My subs were just fine – and the cookies delish. A keeper in my files.
What a great go-to recipe! We made these on a lazy Sunday night and the kids loved helping. We ate a lot of dough and still had plenty of cookies. We liked them so much we made a second batch to enjoy during the week! I used butter and they came out great. Elana we have your cupcake cookbook and love it. I just googled your name and “chocolate chip cookies” and voila! I knew I could trust you to have just the right recipe. THANKS!
Did everyone who used butter or coconut oil use it solid? Or did you melt them down? thanks!
I used the coconut oil as a solid, it melted quickly in the food processor :)
I made these cookies using one cup almond flour and one cup of organic whole wheat pastry flour. I used coconut oil for the oil and they turned out AMAZING! Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe. They’re the most creamy, delicious cookies I have made so far.
Does anyone know the carb count per serving?
Just made these tonight and they’re pretty dang good. I was jonesing for old fashioned choco chips cookies, but have been eating paleo and this was the one treat I’ve been missing. My notes:
I tasted the dough after blending all ingredients and it was really salty. I also noticed that the recipe doesn’t make 30 cookies, so I doubled all the ingredients except the salt. This made them much less salty. Btw, I’m not sensitive to salt, I actually love the taste of it, so I was surprised this stood out so much for me.
I used a tablespoon measurer and squished them with a fork before putting in the oven.
I let them cook about 10 minutes so they got brown and a little crunchy.
I used your basic semi-sweet choco chips. Yeah, I know so anti-paleo. However, I so rarely stray that I think I’m allowed a delicious cookie or two occasionally.
Okay, I had a couple more than two. mmmmm
This was my first time baking these cookies. The flavor is great but they turned out really mushy, almost as if i hadn’t cooked them at all. The only thing i did different, was no parchment paper and subbed the palm oil for coconut oil (1:1).
Any thoughts on why they didnt firm up?
I just made these cookies (literally) and they are AMAZING!! I wish i had a picture to show you but they came out even more beautiful than the picture shown!! I added a couple things and i substituted a bit as well.. so for the substitution i used earth balance coconut spread 1:1.. and then i added some fresh powdered ginger probably about 2-3tbsp.. then about 1tsp cinn.. and then maybe close to a tsp. of cream of tartar. beautiful and delicious ginger-esk cookies.. also i used local wildflower honey.. adds a great flavor!!
did you let them set for the 15mins? also i think usuing coconut oil subbed in for the palm oil shortening the coconut oil is a bit denser and would cause a heavier cookie.. sorry they didn’t set up for you!
Can I sub applesauce or almond butter for the coconut oil?
i made almond milk today and so i used 1 cup of the leftover pulp (strained really well) and 1 cup of almond flour. i also substituted the palm shortening with coconut oil. the cookies turned out wonderfully.
I find it really helps the cookies keep their shape if you put the cookie sheet in the freezer with the balls of cookie dough on it for about 5 minutes.
These are also really yummy with butter as an oil substitute. I’m about to try them with coconut oil, too.
They’re amazing!
I made these cookies tonight and they turned out perfect. I substituted the shortening for butter, added one egg, used 80% dark chocolate for the chips (only 6 grams of sugar in half a bar and it’s so rich I only needed to chop up a 1/4 of the bar). I also substituted stevia for the honey as I am closely watching my sugar intake. I took the cookies out of the oven just before they were totally cooked through…I find it best to let them finish cooking out of the oven, otherwise they’re a touch too dry.
I think this was the best CC cookie I made since I have up wheat. I used half honey and half maple syrup and added a little vanilla coconut palm sugar. I was worried because the dough looked a little crumbly so I added 1/2 an egg. They’re a hit!
I just made these today as a surprise treat for my hubby for tomorrow for Valentine’s day. We hardly ever eat cookies anymore since going grain-free and sugar free (we do have cheat days). We are following the Smarter Science of Slim way of eating and have been feeling great. BUT I miss COOKIES!
So my adaptions: I halved the recipe because I just wasn’t sure.
1 TB Xylitol instead of honey. Coconut oil instead of palm oil only because that is what I had. I did treat us to real chocolate chips. I had to add a couple teaspoons of almond milk as the batter was just too dry.
They are delish! Can’t wait to surprise him tomorrow in his lunchbox.
Thank you.
thank you for this awesome recipe elana :) I made them today but I used regular almond meal, that was not blanched, and butter instead of the shortening – and they turned out delish. my first chocolate chip cookies in a very long time and the first gluten/grain free version I ever made. thank you, I love your website and recipes, you are so creative and the way you deal with MS is so inspirational for all of us dealing with autoimmune disease. greetings from germany, phyllis <3
This is now my favorite cookie recipe and I’ve shared this site with so many people who are trying to follow a gluten-free and/or vegan diet and my whole family is now addicted and my mother-in-law makes these cookies almost weekly. Thank you so much for sharing:)