Game over! These easy chocolate chip peanut butter bars are a fan fave around here.…
low carb chocolate chip cookies
updated from original recipe posted December 2019.
These low carb chocolate chip cookies will give you all the enjoyment and pleasure of regular chocolate chip cookies without the guilt or need to overeat them. You can feel good knowing these are not made with refined flour or sugar. Plus, they have the added bonus of fiber, protein, and other nutrients.
These low carb chocolate chip cookies are sweet, buttery, gooey pieces of perfection!
I get so excited by the fact that we have so many low carb alternative ingredients these days! Any traditional, high calorie and sugar dessert can be recreated.
If you find that you want to bake low carb desserts but not quite sure how to start or have any questions about alternative sweeteners and flours, I’m working on a low-carb dessert guide that will teach you. Sign up to receive my emails and you’ll be notified when it’s available.
low carb chocolate chip cookies with almond flour
Instead of all-purpose flour which is traditionally used in chocolate chip cookies, this low carb version uses almond flour. Unlike nutrient-starved white flour, almond flour is rich in nutrients including protein, fiber, vitamin E, magnesium, to name a few.
Almond flour does not have gluten which is also beneficial to many, especially those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivies.
With that said, the omission of gluten means cookies have trouble binding together which is why I include xanthan gum in the recipe. In gluten-free baking, xanthan gum provides elasticity and stickiness in doughs and batters. Since we don’t have gluten present, we need something that acts as the binding agent for the flour, helps hold onto some moisture, and helps give the baked good some structure.
how to make low carb chocolate chip cookies
First, you want to use melted, but cooled butter (or ghee). This is important in creating the desired consistency for gluten-free cookies. Don’t worry if your dough seems wet, you will stick it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes prior to baking so it will firm up.
Add the sweetener to the melted butter. For the sweetener, I use a mix of white granular erythritol and brown erythritol (similar to how traditional chocolate chip cookies call for white and brown sugar). For the white granular erythritol, I use Swerve granular or Lakanto classic. For the brown erythritol, I use Swerve Brown or Lakanto golden. You could use coconut or brown sugar instead but these are not low carb.
Mix the butter and sweetener together with a whisk. Next, add the eggs and vanilla.
Once the wet ingredients are nicely combined, add almond flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt and chocolate chips, and/or chunks.
Next, place the dough in the freezer for 5-10 minutes.
After the dough is chilled, scoop the cookies out on a lighter metal cookie sheet (or use silicone mats). The bottoms of almond flour-based cookies brown very easily on dark metal cookie sheets.
can low carb chocolate chip cookies dairy-free?
Definitely—I make my version dairy-free and give those ingredient options in the recipe below. I like to make my own ghee rather than buy it. I’ll make a large batch every month or so and store in jars in the fridge and freezer. It’s a lot less expensive this way. It’s very easy to do – here’s a great step-by-step tutorial on it.
substitutes for low carb chocolate chip cookie ingredients
- Swerve granular: use any granular erythritol like Lakanto classic. If you use plain erythritol, add more to taste because plain erythritol doesn’t measure 1:1 with sugar like Swerve or Lakanto.
- Swerve brown: you can use Lakanto classic or Sukrin Gold for low carb options. You can also use coconut or brown sugar (both not low carb).
- Chocolate chips: I use Lily’s for a low carb option however you can use any semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks.
other low carb desserts you’ll love:
- key lime cheesecake bars with graham cracker crust {low-carb}
- strawberry shortcake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting
- healthier fruit pizza
- keto lemon bars
other low carb chocolate desserts:
- “they’ll never know” low carb brownies
- gooey s’mores bars (low-carb)
- scrumptious low carb chocolate cake
- the most amazing caramel cups (keto)
- chocolate chip peanut butter bars
make this recipe
Lily’s Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
Buy Now →Nutrition Facts
18 servings per container
Serving Size1 cookie
- Amount Per ServingCalories90
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat
6.8g
11%
- Cholesterol 34mg 12%
- Sodium 78mg 4%
- Total Carbohydrate
6.6g
3%
- Dietary Fiber .3g 2%
- Sugars .3g
- Protein 1.6g 4%
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
AUDRA SNYDER says
AM A CHOCOLATE FANATIC AND THESE COOKIES ARE DELICIOUS!!!!!
Ellie Bull says
These cookies were simple to make came out perfectly!
Karen says
So glad you liked them!! Thanks for letting me know!