Sometimes you just want simple homemade chocolate chip cookies. I get it. Mix a few ingredients together in a bowl, plop them on a cookie sheet, bake, then eat. Well my friend, these are the cookies for you. In my cookbook I actually have two chocolate chip cookie recipes. One is this Simple Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, for the straight to the point (mouth) people, and then another one that is a little more labor intensive, but results in the best, most perfect Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies you’ve ever had in your entire life. Fun fact: that Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe took about 20 times to get just right. Worth it. These Simple Chocolate Chip Cookies are a strong second and even better they take like 3 seconds to whip up.
I don’t know about you but, I love cookies. I mean like, LOVE cookies. Like sometimes I just walk down the cookie aisle at the grocery store and have wonderful daydreams about stuffing my face. One day I’m going to just go crazy. I’m going to buy every single flavor of Oreo cookie that they make and then sit and eat each one of them and then rank them in order of which flavor I like best. You know, for scientific purposes. It’s a study in flavor. I would do it for Cookieology research everywhere. It’s going to be fantastic. After I wipe the crumbs off my face and my shirt, and drink a gallon of milk, I’m going to make the famous Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe that was featured in the New York Times, only I’m going to make it with browned butter instead of regular. Then I will eat all of those too and call it a day.
So until that fantasy day arrives. I’ll just make these. I would just grab some Cappellos cookie dough because that’s super easy and I love them too, but no matter how hard I try, they never make it to the oven. I just end up eating the raw cookie dough. Because…cookie dough. One time I even turned on the oven and lined a baking sheet with parchment paper, with every single intention of baking them, but then I just stood there and ate the dough while I was waiting for the oven to pre-heat. #vanessaproblems
So besides cookies and Oreo fantasies, life is good. Still working on my super sweet snowboarding skills and I just discovered Snapchat. I know, so late to the party. I hated Snapchat forever because it’s not very user friendly and you pretty much need an 18 year old to explain it to you. I feel like I’m way more tech savvy than stooping to those levels so I just said F it. Then one of my co-workers who is well over the age of 18 showed me the ropes and I was like, fine, I’ll download it (insert eye roll here), and now I love it. I want to add more friends though because now I need to know what everyone is doing, all hours of the day. I also like Snapchat because if you have to obligatorily add someone as a friend, you never have to look at their Story if you don’t want to and see their kids or pets that you don’t care about, like you do on Facebook. I want to delete Facebook until the election is over. We get it…Also I like Snapchat because it doesn’t have to look pretty like on Instagram. Everyone on Insta is so artsy! Which, honestly I love, but it’s hard keeping up with it. Snapchat is like Instagram’s ugly cousin. Don’t tell Snapchat I said that. You should make these cookies and then Snapchat them.
- 2 cups (184 g) sifted fine-ground blanched almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) raw honey
- ¼ cup (60 ml) melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 cup (7 ounces/200 g) chocolate chips
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats; set aside. (Note: If you’re working with one baking sheet, allow to completely cool between batches.)
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir together using a fork until well combined.
- In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine the honey, coconut oil, vanilla, and egg. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Add the honey mixture to the almond flour mixture and beat on low speed until combined.
- Stir in chocolate chips. Use a small cookie scoop to transfer the dough evenly onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches (5 cm) apart or 9 cookies per baking sheet. If using one baking sheet, keep remaining uncooked dough refrigerated until ready to bake.
- Bake each sheet separately on the middle rack at 350°F (177°C) for 7 to 10 minutes or until the tops and edges are lightly browned. Once the cookies are done, remove the parchment or baking mat from the baking sheet and let cookies cool slightly before using a spatula to transfer them to a cooling rack. Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Make the cookie dough now and bake later! Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, shape it into a log, then throw it in the freezer. When the cookie urge strikes, remove from the freezer and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, cut into ¾-inch (2-cm)-thick slices and bake a few cookies at a time or the entire batch.
Mel Miano
May 31, 2016 at 1:28 pm (7 years ago)Hi Vanessa! We LOVE all things sweet from your Clean eating with a dirty mind cook book, especially these cookies! After doing the whole 30 in October 2015 my family and I converted to a mostly Paleo lifestyle. Your cookbook was the first one we bought and on day 31 after completing the whole 30 we celebrated by making your brownie crumb donuts- SOOOOO DELICIOUS!! I do have a question for you! What brand chocolate chips do you use? I’m having a hard time finding which company makes dairy, soy, gluten, AND sugar free. I had been using the “Enjoy Life” brand until recently, after doing a food allergy test I now know I have an allergy to cane sugar and I hadn’t realized that the Enjoy Life brand contains evaporated cane juice, which comes from cane sugar. I have spent hours researching and can’t seem to find a brand of chocolate chips that is sugar, dairy, soy, and gluten free that fits Paleo and my food allergies. Thanks so much! Xoxo
Vanessa Barajas
May 31, 2016 at 1:53 pm (7 years ago)Hey Mel! I’m BEYOND excited that you are loving my recipes! And also that you are loving my cookbook! I worked SO dang hard on that thing. 🙂
For chocolate chips my favorite brand, hands down, is Guittard, they are based out of San Francisco. You can find them at Safeway/Vons, Albertsons, Sprouts, and Amazon. They only have 5 ingredients, cocoa beans, cocoa butter, sugar, sunflower lecithin, and real vanilla. They ingredients don’t say cane sugar, but honestly I’m not sure what kind of sugar they use exactly. They are very customer service friendly so just shoot them an email.
There are also a few natural chocolates made with coconut sugar or maple sugar. Check out Eating Evolved, they don’t make chips but you could just chop the chocolate bars. Also a simple google search will bring up more brands. Please let me know if you have any other questions ever!! I’m so happy to help you find the right ingredients for your needs! 🙂
Sarah Winters
June 2, 2016 at 7:17 pm (7 years ago)What’s your snap?
Vanessa Barajas
June 2, 2016 at 8:56 pm (7 years ago)It’s vanessabarajas1 I wish I could attach the snap code here! ha!
Denise
June 8, 2016 at 12:09 pm (7 years ago)I love this recipe! I was just talking last night that I haven’t been able to find a good healthy chocolate chip recipe. Thanks!
http://www.activehabitat.blogspot.com
Vanessa Barajas
June 8, 2016 at 1:25 pm (7 years ago)Thanks Denise! They are so good and so easy right! I’m actually going to be using them in another recipe in an upcoming blog post that I’m SUPER excited to share with you guys! So be on the lookout! 🙂
Shaee
August 26, 2016 at 10:28 am (7 years ago)I made these last night and my husband (who dislikes anything healthy) at about 3 of them. I didn’t tell him they were clean and just noted that I used different chocolate chips. He was like, I knew something was different but continued to eat them :). I will make these again!!! <3
Vanessa Barajas
August 26, 2016 at 11:52 am (7 years ago)Haha! Trickery at it’s finest, I love it! So happy to hear you are enjoying this recipe. It’s so simple too! In my cookbook I have a Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe that takes a little more elbow grease, but they honestly taste like REAL soft batch chocolate chip cookies! You should make those too and not tell him! 😉
Liz
September 9, 2016 at 11:28 am (7 years ago)Hi Vanessa! I just found your blog via a paleo site and oh my goodness… AH MAZ ING!!! Was wondering if you could clarify the difference between almond flour and almond meal for me… I’m finding conflicting info. Cant wait to make these tomorrow !! Keep up the awesome posts!
Vanessa Barajas
September 9, 2016 at 2:46 pm (7 years ago)Hey Liz! Yay! Welcome! Happy to have a new reader! 🙂
You have a GREAT question! The difference between almond meal and almond flour is that almond flour is ground very finely. So it works a lot better for the texture in baked goods. Almond meal tends to be chunkier and sometimes isn’t even blanched (almond skins removed) so it can make baked goods more dense and “healthy” looking and tasting.
My favorite brand ever is Honeyville. You can find it on Amazon. Also I think Bob’s Red Meal has caught on and is now selling a really fine almond flour as well. I always advise people to still sift for the finest texture possible! You are going to love these cookies! 🙂
For more info on the difference between Paleo baking flours you should check out my cookbook! I have TONS of info in there about baking with alternative ingredients, that you may find useful! 🙂 Happy baking!
Janet
September 17, 2016 at 6:51 am (7 years ago)Hi! my husband and I are in love with these cookies. he loves almond joy and finds this to be a much better (and guiltless) replacement. Our toddler loves them too. We just learned my nephew is allergic to nuts and I was wondering what the best alternative to the almond flour would be for this recipe. Thanks!
Vanessa Barajas
October 17, 2016 at 3:58 pm (7 years ago)So happy to hear you like these cookies so much! I would try using cassava flour. Otto’s brand is the best. I haven’t tried the recipe with the flour before, but it’s a lot finer than almond flour. I’d still start with the recommended amounts and see how it works, then adjust from there. Is your nephew allergic to peanuts (not technically a nut)? If not, I have another super simple recipe for flour-less cookies!
Michelle
September 29, 2016 at 6:24 pm (7 years ago)Can I substitute the almond flour with whole wheat flour…if so, use same amount?
Vanessa Barajas
October 17, 2016 at 4:01 pm (7 years ago)Honestly, I’m not sure. I don’t usually bake with gluten containing flours since I have a sensitivity to it. I would go ahead and start with the same amount, the almond flour will be more dense than wheat flour, but it should still work. If the dough is too watery add in more in 1/4 cup increments. If the dough is too dry, try adding more coconut oil in tablespoon increments.
Jill
October 5, 2016 at 6:59 pm (7 years ago)I’m allergic to almonds, so what flour do you recommend I substitute with?
Vanessa Barajas
October 17, 2016 at 4:03 pm (7 years ago)Hi Jill,
I would try Otto’s Cassava Flour. It’s a great nut-free flour sub. Even an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend should do the trick. If you aren’t allergic to peanuts (not technically a nut) then I have another simple cookie recipe using that.
Katie
December 18, 2016 at 9:22 am (7 years ago)This recipe is AMAZING! I stopped baking when I switched to the clean eating diet 4 years ago so when I told my husband I was making cookies he was very skeptical that they would actually taste like cookies. They are officially our new favorite cookies! The only thing I did different was using dairy free chocolate chips which are the best thing to happen next to this recipe. I will definitely be getting your book and I’m so excited to find new and delicious recipes! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Vanessa Barajas
December 19, 2016 at 9:14 am (7 years ago)Hi Katie, so happy to hear you liked the cookies! They are so easy to whip up and one of my favorites too! In fact I just made them the other day! I’m also happy to hear there are husband approved, that’s a hard category to fill! 😉 Happy Baking!
Joan
June 4, 2017 at 5:30 pm (6 years ago)Hi,
I’m allergic to coconut. Is there anything that can be used in place of the coconut oil?
Thanks
Vanessa Barajas
June 5, 2017 at 2:43 pm (6 years ago)You could try using ghee or butter, they should work fine, just make sure you take the measurement with them melted (in liquid form) just like you would with coconut oil and maybe even try using a little less since I feel like they go further than coconut oil does.
Valentina
December 18, 2019 at 9:58 am (4 years ago)Hello Vanessa,
I made these cookies and their taste has been one of my favorite in regards to keto cookies. But they are very flimsy to the point that I can’t even pick them up from the plate. Is there a way to make them more crunchy/less flimsy without sacrificing the taste?
Vanessa Barajas
December 18, 2019 at 10:18 am (4 years ago)Hi Valentina, I’m not sure if you are referring to these cookies or my Keto cookies? This recipe you commented on is not Keto so just want to make sure we’re talking about the same recipe so I can help you troubleshoot!