Easy Almond Chocolate Cookies – Gluten Free

These easy almond chocolate cookies will definitely satisfy your chocolate biscuit craving. They are fuss-free, use only 1 bowl and are only 2g of carbs per cookie! In under 30 minutes, you can enjoy a delicious low-carb count, gluten-free chocolate chip cookie.

a stack of almond chocolate cookies

The ultimate sweet snack for chocolate lovers is this almond chocolate cookie recipe which cater to more than just your sweet tooth. Made with gluten-free ingredients and featuring a lower-carb profile, they’re a delicious option for those following a gluten-free lifestyle or managing their carb intake, like individuals with diabetes.

These almond chocolate cookies have a wonderfully intense chocolatey kick thanks to the dark chocolate powder and chips used. I love the deep, rich flavour profile of dark chocolate. The higher cocoa content is more intense and as an added bonus, it also means less sugar!

Why these almond FLour chocolate cookies are great for Diabetes Management

The diabetic-friendly nature sets these cookies apart, boasting only 2g of countable carbs per serving. Not only are they fuss-free and easy to make, but being this chocolatey and kind on blood sugar levels they make a great diabetic snack. Here’s why:

Almond Flour

  • Low Carb: Compared to traditional wheat flour, almond flour is significantly lower in carbohydrates. This means a smaller rise in blood sugar levels after eating the cookies.
  • Lower Glycemic Index: Almond flour has a lower glycemic index (GI) than wheat flour. The GI measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar. A lower GI food leads to a more gradual rise in blood sugar, which is beneficial for diabetics. To read more about the glycemic index of flour and why it matters for diabetes management, make sure to read the article below:

Dark Chocolate

  • Less Sugar: Dark chocolate, especially varieties with a higher cocoa content (70% or more), naturally contains less sugar than milk chocolate. This helps keep blood sugar levels in check.

Sugar Substitute – Xylitol

  • Sugar Replacement: Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that has a minimal impact on blood sugar levels. It also provides sweetness without as much calorie content as sugar. You can read more about sugar substitutes in the articles below:
  • Baking with Sugar Substitutes
  • Substitutes for White Sugar

You can find a list of the products that I recommend on my shop page!

almond chocolate cookies on a baking tray

What’s so good about almond flour?

Almond flour or ground almonds can almost be used like traditional wheat flour. It does give a different feel to your bakes for example they can be a little denser and your biscuits are a bit more cake-like. But with the right methods, you can create some delicious low-carb treats. As I explain in my comprehensive guide to Baking with Almond Flour

As well as being a carb-count-free flour for diabetics it also boasts:

  • A Low Glycaemic Index (GI) – Almond flour, the star ingredient in these cookies, has a lower glycemic index compared to traditional flours. This means that it causes a slower and steadier increase in blood sugar levels after consumption. For individuals with diabetes, this is particularly beneficial as it helps avoid sudden spikes and crashes in blood glucose levels.
  • Healthy Fats – Almond flour is rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Unlike some traditional cookies that may be laden with unhealthy fats, this recipe only needs a small amount of extra fat for binding. The fats slow down the absorption of sugar, providing a more stable and sustained energy release.
  • Dietary Fiber Boost – Almond flour is an excellent source of dietary fibre, which plays a vital role in blood sugar management. The fibre content helps slow down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, preventing rapid spikes in blood glucose levels. Additionally, it contributes to a feeling of fullness, promoting better appetite control.
  • Nutrient-Rich Profile – Almond flour is packed with essential nutrients such as vitamin E, magnesium, and antioxidants. While these nutrients are beneficial for overall health, they also contribute to the overall nutritional value of the cookies. This nutrient-rich profile aligns with the dietary needs of individuals with diabetes, supporting their overall well-being.
  • Gluten-Free Advantage – For individuals with both diabetes and gluten sensitivities or celiac disease, these cookies offer a safe and delicious option. The use of almond flour as a gluten-free alternative ensures that those with gluten-related concerns can indulge in a sweet treat without compromising their digestive health.

What is the difference between ground almonds and almond flour?

whole almonds and ground almonds on a board

Almond flour undergoes a blanching process to eliminate almond skins before being finely ground into a flour. In contrast, ground almonds, also known as almond meal, are a coarser variant of almond flour, typically processed with their skins intact.

I find both types are very interchangeable in biscuits and cookies, so use whichever you prefer and can easily buy.

You can find a list of my recommended products that I use on my shop page!

What you will need to make almond chocolate cookies

ingredients for almond chocolate cookies

Eggs

  • A key component to any bake and should be free-range if you can

Butter

  • Helps to bind the ingredients

Vanilla Extract

Ground almonds/almond flour

  • Great gluten-free option
  • Adds an extra nutty flavour and is a great no-carb-count option
  • See above for more info on the benefits of ground almonds

Sugar alternative

  • I used Xylitol but you could also use erythritol
  • See notes above on Sweeteners

Unsweetened cocoa powder

  • Intensifies the chocolatey-ness of these cookies and adds a slight bitterness
  • But make sure it doesn’t have any added sugar

Dark chocolate chips

  • Try to use chocolate that has a cocoa content 70% or above
  • Plus the higher the cocoa content the lower the sugar!

Equipment Needed

Spatula / Mixing spoon

Measuring Spoon (tsp/ tbsp)

Mixing Bowl

Weighing Scales

Baking Tray

Cooling Rack

Cookie Scoop

How to make almond FLour chocolate cookies

These cookies couldn’t be easier to make requiring only two bowls and no elaborate equipment—a delightful bonus for hassle-free baking!

Step 1

Start by preheating your oven to 200C / 180C fan and prepare 2 baking trays with greaseproof paper.

dry ingredients

Step 2

Next in a large bowl mix together the ground almonds/almond flour, cocoa powder and xylitol.

egg mixture

Step 3

Then in a separate bowl whisk the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla essence

almond chocolate cookie dough

Step 4

Add the wet mixture to your dry and mix to combine into a soft dough

almond chocolate cookie dough

Step 5

Then gently fold in the chocolate chips

balls of almond chocolate cookie dough

Step 6

Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, spoon out some mixture, lightly roll it into a ball and place it on the baking sheet.
Repeat this process another 11 times.

uncooked almond chocolate cookies

Step 7

Then using something with a flat round surface (I used a coffee press) lightly press the biscuits to form a circular cookie shape. You can also use your fingers for a more rustic-looking cookie.

almond chocolate cookies cooling on the baking tray

Step 8

Place the baking tray in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. You should hear a lovely gentle sizzle from the cookies.

Step 7

Leave them to cool on the tray for 10-15 minutes before moving them as they will be too soft and break. After that time you can transfer the biscuits to a cooling tray to completely cool.

How to Store the Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies

You can store these chocolate chip cookies happily in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. Although I would be amazed if they lasted that long!

You can also freeze the cooked cookies which is great if you want to batch cook so that you can grab them as you want them.

To freeze them pop the cookies onto a baking tray but make sure they aren’t touching. Once fully frozen you can then put them in an airtight container or bag for up to 1 month.

plate of almond flour chocolate chip cookies

Recipe Variations

While the classic combination of almond and chocolate is undeniably scrumptious, don’t hesitate to experiment with alternative flavours and additions to tailor these cookies to your taste preferences. Here are some suggestions:

  1. Orange Zest – Add a zesty twist by incorporating orange zest into the cookie batter.
  2. Mint Chocolate Chip – Infuse a refreshing burst of mint into your cookies by adding mint extract or finely chopped fresh mint leaves.
  3. Nutty Bliss: Elevate the nuttiness by incorporating chopped nuts such as walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts. The additional crunch and flavour complexity will take your almond chocolate cookies to a whole new level.

For a cookie with a Valentine’s Day twist try these 2 suggestions:

Chocolate and Raspberry Cookies

Add some freeze-dried raspberries to the cookie dough and switch the vanilla drops for sugar free raspberry drops instead.

Dip and cover in a little extra dark chocolate

almond flour raspberry and chocolate chip cookies

Chocolate Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

Add some raspberry sugar free jam to these cute thumbprint cookies

Chocolate Raspberry thumbprint cookie and pot of raspberry jam

Diabetes Note

Get your chocolate fix with these delightful chocolate almond cookies, perfect for a satisfying snack. With a mere 2g of countable carbs, they’re not only a treat for your taste buds but also a diabetes-friendly option that won’t cause significant fluctuations in blood sugar levels.

Carb Counting

The overall carb count for these almond flour chocolate chip cookies, based on the ingredients we would count for is calculated as follows:

  • Cocoa powder= 50g – 7.3g of carbs
  • Dr Oetker dark chocolate chunks = 70g – 21g of carbs

Now add all the carbs together – 7.3+21= 28.3g of carbs

Finally divide this by the serving size, 12 – 28/12 = 2.4g of carbs per portion

Please note this carb count amount per portion is based on the standard ingredients listed above and may differ depending on what you use and how much you choose to eat.

Michelle Rorke, founder of Whole Hearty Kitchen, smiling in her kitchen leanng on the counter - healthy food blogger UK

Did you try this recipe?

I’d love to hear how it went! Leave a star rating or a quick comment below. Your feedback means the world and helps others find the recipe too.

Almond Chocolate Cookies

Almond Chocolate Cookies

Recipe by Michelle

Satisfy your chocolate biscuit cravings with these easy almond chocolate cookies! Deliciously low-carb and gluten-free.

Course: Sweet TreatsCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy
4.9 from 10 votes
Servings

12

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

15

minutes
Total time

25

minutes
Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

  • 50 g 1/5 cup butter, melted

  • 2 large 2 large eggs

  • 1 tsp 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • 200 g 1 4/5 cup ground almonds/almond flour

  • 50 g 4/7 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened

  • 50 g 1/5 cup xylitol

  • 70 g 2/5 cup dark chocolate chips (70% or higher)

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 200C / 180C fan and prepare 2 baking trays with greaseproof paper.
  • Mix the ground almonds/almond flour, cocoa powder, and xylitol in a large bowl.
  • Then in a separate bowl whisk the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla essence
  • Add the wet mixture to your dry and mix to combine into a soft dough
  • Then gently fold in the chocolate chips
  • Using a tablespoon or a medium cookie scoop, spoon out the cookie dough, lightly roll it into a ball and place it on the baking sheet.
    Repeat this process another 11 times
  • Then using something with a flat round surface (I used a coffee press) lightly press the biscuits to form a circular cookie shape. You can also use your fingers for a more rustic-looking cookie.
  • Place the baking tray in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. You should hear a lovely gentle sizzle from the cookies.
  • Leave them to cool on the tray for 10-15 minutes before moving them as they will be too soft and break. After that time you can transfer the biscuits to a cooling tray to completely cool.

Equipment

Tips and Notes

  • Store in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.
  • Diabetes Note – These chocolate cookies are an ideal snack and are only 2g of countable carbs per cookie. See above for more information
Michelle Rorke avatar

AUTHOR

8 responses to “Easy Almond Chocolate Cookies – Gluten Free”

  1. Cindy Carlson avatar

    The conversion from metric to US doesn’t make sense. I found this on all the recipes I checked. Thank you

    1. Michelle Rorke avatar

      Hi Cindy
      Apologies I have been having some issues with my recipe card and I am slowly going through them all to fix this issue. The conversion seems to be working now (although cups is missing in front of the dark chocolate chips which I will work on resolving. All the best. Michelle

      1. Kelly avatar

        These measurements, in the US mode, are not measurements that we can use in US. We do not have cups in fifth or seventh sizes. In order to make the cookies we would have to use a food scale and the recipe using the original measures. Kinda disappointing.

        1. Michelle Rorke avatar

          Hi Kelly. Thanks so much for your feedback. I’m UK based, so I work in grams and don’t have much experience with US cup measurements. I added the cup conversions to help, but I really appreciate you pointing out that some of the amounts aren’t standard in the US. I’ll definitely look into improving this with my recipe card provider. In the meantime, using the original gram measurements with a food scale will give the most accurate results. Michelle

  2. Veronica avatar

    Can’t wait to try out this recipe! In step 2 it says “mix together the ground almonds/almond flour, baking powder and xylitol” but there is no baking powder in the ingredient list – do you mean cocoa powder?

    1. Michelle Rorke avatar

      Hi Veronica. Yes you are absolutely correct it should have said cocoa powder. Thank you and I have updated the recipe. I hope you enjoy the chocolate cookies!

  3. Ann Clarson avatar

    For the chocolate cookies, do you mean ground almonds or almond flour? Your recipe says ground, method says flour.

    1. Michelle avatar

      Hi Ann. You could use either as they are pretty interchangeable in baking cookies and biscuits. Thanks Michelle

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