Appetizers & Snacks Desserts Recipes

Almond Flour Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies #GlutenFree Recipe

Last Friday I decided I wasn’t going to make dinner. Instead, I called hubs and asked him to pick up some takeout on his way home from work. I skipped making dinner so I could make cookies with Tee instead. Responsible? Maybe not. But it was a lot of fun, and we needed to do something special, jut the two of us. Once Kay went down for her nap, I pulled out the cookie sheets and preheated the oven.

I scoured the interwebs for a cookie recipe that everybody could eat. You know the drill, no gluten and no dairy. But if we’re going to have cookies, they need to taste like cookies. Good news! I found them over at Meaningful Eats.

Mmm! These crisp, buttery chocolate chip and pecan cookies are made with almond flour so they're naturally gluten-free!

I made the recipe pretty much as written, but I decided to use pecans for these cookies because their rich sweetness just seems to go better with chocolate chips. Tee put on her pink owl apron and pulled out the mixing bowl. I used a hand mixer to cream the butter, coconut oil, and brown sugar together, then Tee got to crack the eggs (only one piece of eggshell to fish out!) and add the other dry ingredients. Almond flour can be lumpy, especially if you store it in the freezer like I do, so I made extra sure that all the lumps were broken up and mixed in well before Tee dumped in the dairy-free chocolate chips and toasted pecan pieces.

The dough is pretty wet and sticky, so I found it easiest to just drop each tablespoonful of dough on the parchment paper. These spread a lot, so make sure you leave enough space between your cookies. I slid the sheets into the oven, and we read some Winnie the Witch while we waited impatiently for the cookies to cook. It’s been a long time since the smell of baking cookies has filled this house, and oh did it ever smell good!

Once they were done, we managed to wait a whole five minutes before eating two cookies apiece. Before dinner! I think this was a pretty special afternoon for Tee, and I know I enjoyed playing hooky from our regular meal plan.

Mmm! These crisp, buttery chocolate chip and pecan cookies are made with almond flour so they're naturally gluten-free!

The whole family was impressed. These cookies really, truly didn’t taste like a gluten-free substitute. They were crispy on the edges and soft and crumbly in the middle – divine! It was really hard not to eat them all after the kids went to bed. The next day they were a bit chewier, but still delicious.

Almond Flour Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3 cups almond flour
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup toasted pecan pieces

Instructions
 

To toast the pecans

  • Grease small skillet with a touch of coconut oil and heat over medium.
  • Once hot, add pecan pieces and stir frequently to toast evenly, about 5 minutes.

For the cookies

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • Cream butter, coconut oil, and brown sugar together in a medium mixing bowl or stand mixer.
  • Mix in eggs, vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt.
  • Slowly add and mix in almond flour.
  • Once all ingredients are well mixed, gently fold in chocolate chips and toasted pecans.
  • Drop tablespoonfuls of dough, well spaced (at least 3 inches apart) on the cookie sheet.
  • Bake for 12-14 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
  • Allow cookies to cool for a few minutes before transferring from cookie sheet.

Notes

Adapted from Meaningful Eats
This post is linked up to some fantastic recipe link parties. Check out my Link Parties page to see where I’m linking up and to find some wonderful blogs and more amazing recipes!

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34 Comments

  • Everyone deserves a night off from cooking and you actually had 3 treats at the same time, take out, cookies and spending time with your lovely daughter, these cookies look wonderful! I have never used almond flour before but it is something I am considering, I’m slowly adding new foods to my diet, so far I have raw natural honey, wowbutter, chia seeds and can’t forget my coconut oil and milk. Would the cookies reduce spreading if they were chilled before cooking? just an idea

    • You’re absolutely right. We had such a nice afternoon! I’ve used almond flour for gluten-free carrot cake and other baking, and I love the taste and texture. Most people don’t even realize it’s not wheat unless I tell them. Unfortunately, there is some sticker shock unless you buy in bulk.

      I agree, chilling the dough would keep the cookies from spreading quite as much. I like them thin for the extra crispness, and I think my 4 year old would have gone batty if we’d had to wait longer, but it’s definitely an option for someone with more patience! 🙂

  • Been looking for a recipe to try with almond flour for a long time – this looks great! Love the idea of reading to your daughter as you wait for the cookies to bake – just lovely

  • OH WOW!!! do these ever look delicious. seriously gonna try these out. i have been craving cookies and havent had them in a while so this will be my treat 🙂

  • These look like regular chocolate chip cookies! I’ve never used almond flour before but I just might have to try these!

  • I love pecans in cookies! Great recipe. I haven’t used almond flour before….does it have a noticeably different texture when eating it in baked goods?? (as opposed to regular flour)

    • I find it works really well for baking. It’s not *quite* as fluffy as wheat flour, but almond flour has a really nice buttery feel and most gluten-eating people can’t tell a particular cookie or cake recipe is almond instead of wheat.

    • I wouldn’t recommend coconut flour for these, at least not without a lot of adjustment. You couldn’t replace one to one. Coconut flour is dryer and absorbs much more liquid, which will give you stiffer, thicker dough.

  • Ohhh what I would give to have some of these right now! ….I am saving this for a future recipe! Thanks for sharing! 🙂

  • Wow~I certainly will be trying these cookies soon.
    I do have to be Gluten Free and really do not eat any
    sweets.This recipe sounds super easy,and not a whole
    lot of different ingredients to purchase.

  • What a great recipe. I have been thinking I am going to start making my own almond milk and I hate wasting the the almond pulp. This recipe will give me something to make with the pulp. Thanks 🙂

  • Great recipe for those Gluten Free or those avoiding wheat…just wish almond flour wasn’t so expensive.

  • It’s memories like these that will be some of your favorites when they’re all grown up. I always loved baking cookies with my daughter. Thank you for linking at the In and Out of the Kitchen Link Party. Hope to see you again next week.

  • I agree chocolate and pecans are best buds!
    Enjoy cookie making time any chance you get. I miss doing things like this with my son. He’s 12 and thinks he’s too old/cool to bake with mom. Sigh.
    Thank you for sharing, Olivia!

  • There’s nothing worse than taking time to make something and have it end up tasting horrible. I’m so glad you were able to find such a great recipe that would accommodate all of your family’s dietary needs!
    As far as having the hubs pick up takeout- good for you!! We mamas need a night off occasionally, and you got to spend some special time with your little one which is very important for both of you. I need to follow your lead!

  • Delicious ingredients! Even though the almond flour is expensive, limiting myself to 1 or 2 cookies might make up for the extra cost!

  • My nephew is gluten free and I have been looking for more recipes I can make for when he comes over. I bet he would love these

  • i like that they were not too sweet with half the usual sugar load of most recipes.
    I love baking with almond meal.. I added some unsweetened shredded coconut which helped them stay together a bit better as the cookies tend to be fragile and friable with almond flour.
    thank-you1

  • I made these chocolate chip pecan cookies today.. I have to say they were horrible. When I mixed everything together I could tell they were going to be dry. Three cups of flour is way to much.. I may try again with 2&1/4 cups of flour… They were gritty and not sweet enough. I will add a little coconut sugar as well. I was extremely disappointed in this recipe as I was going to make to take to a cookie swap… I wouldn’t even offer these to anyone…?‍♀️Very sad . Cyndi Turner

    • Oh no! I’m sorry these didn’t work for you. I’ve made these cookies many times and never found them to be dry or gritty. Is there any chance you might have used almond meal instead of almond flour?