Keto Chocolate Cookies

By
Anita Schecter
Anita Schecter_BW
Anita Schecter
Professional recipe developer, food photographer, and blogger with more than a decade of experience creating Middle Eastern recipes.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/10/21
Tested by Tara Omidvar
Keto chocolate cookies on a plate

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 12 to 14 servings
Yield: 12 to 14 cookies

Just because you're following the keto diet doesn't mean you can't have a treat. And yes, that includes cookies—even chocolate ones. It just requires a few creative substitutions to make a baked good that still complies with the diet. This recipe creates keto cookies that are easy, delicious, and sure to be a hit with chocolate lovers, whether on a diet or not.

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, relatively high-fat eating regimen. It's not for everyone and ideally should be done under a doctor's care, but it definitely does not have to be as restrictive as you might think. Unlike some keto baking recipes that include harder-to-find products, this recipe uses simple, easy-to-purchase ingredients.

In cookies, the two main carb sources are flour and sugar, and there are keto-friendly substitutes for both. Almond flour is a perfect choice for baking because its properties are similar to wheat flour, and it has a neutral flavor.

Sugar substitutes have been around for a long time. Swerve is a specifically keto-friendly sweetener that you can use measure for measure instead of granulated sugar. It is not nearly as sweet as stevia can be and excellent for baking. Monk fruit is a good choice, too. Experiment with several different no-sugar sweeteners to find the one that best suits your palate and baking needs for these keto chocolate cookies.

"Great Keto cookie recipe. It's very chocolaty yet pretty light. Sea salt on top of the cookies tastes amazing with the chocolate chips. I also put few of the cookie in fridge for around 10 minutes before cooking and they turned out not really flat with kind of a brownie texture inside." —Tara Omidvar

Keto Chocolate Cookies Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups almond flour

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 3/4 cup (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 3/4 cup sugar-free sweetener

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 cup sugar-free chocolate chips

  • Sea salt, garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line 2 rimmed sheet pans with parchment paper.

    Ingredients for keto chocolate cookies
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga 

  2. Add the almond flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda to a bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined and set aside.

    Whisking cocoa powder and other dry ingredients
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  3. In a large bowl, cream the unsalted butter and sweetener using a hand mixer or stand mixer. Beat until lightened in color and fluffy.

    Butter and sugar substitute creamed together in a mixing bowl
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga 

  4. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract.

    Eggs and vanilla extract combined with sugar and flour
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  5. Stir in the flour mixture, just until incorporated, then fold in the chocolate chips.

    Cocoa powder and chocolate chips added to the dough
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  6. Scoop out approximately 1 1/2-ounce balls and place on 2 prepared sheet pans. Note that these cookies will spread a little, so keep them a couple of inches apart on the baking sheets.

    Cookies scooped out onto lined rimmed baking sheets
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  7. Flatten the top of each cookie very slightly and sprinkle with a bit of sea salt.

    Cookies slightly flatted with sea salt sprinkled on top
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  8. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until just set. The cookies will be very soft but will firm up slightly as they cool. Enjoy.

    Baked keto chocolate cookies cooling on baking sheets
    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Tips

  • Low-carb ingredients are increasingly easier to find. They're often sold in supermarkets and health food stores, and they are readily available online.
  • These cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days.

What's a Low-Carb Substitute for Almond Flour?

Almond flour is a favorite low-carb flour alternative for baked goods. For quite a few reasons, it is the best choice and one of the few options that can stand alone in a recipe. Coconut flour can work, but it doesn't bind well and should be combined with almond flour (1/4 cup of coconut flour for 1 cup almond flour). Other options, such as psyllium husk and ground flaxseeds, should be used in small quantities and are not suitable for cookies.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
262 Calories
23g Fat
10g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 14
Amount per serving
Calories 262
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 30%
Saturated Fat 10g 51%
Cholesterol 53mg 18%
Sodium 226mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 3%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 50mg 4%
Iron 4mg 23%
Potassium 102mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)