If you are looking for the best almond flour chocolate chip cookies, look no further!!! These delicious gluten-free chocolate chip cookies have a rich toffee-like flavor from the brown butter – golden and crisp on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. And better yet, you don’t even need a fancy mixer.
HEY, MY GREEDIES! Now what kind of party would it be if my gluten-free friends couldn’t partake in some deliciousness? Well, whether you claim GF or not, these Brown Butter Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies are general crowd pleasers. The cookies are so dang good the label gluten free is virtually undetectable. I know because I tried them out on my pickiest taste testers, my nephews, and they murdered these cookies until there wasn’t a crumb left.
I want to quickly shout out Bob’s Red Mill, who I partnered with to bring you this delicious cookie recipe. From baking essentials to on-the-go snacks, their products remain staples in our household. And while they are a sponsor, all thoughts expressed here are 100% my own.
Here’s a few more goodies I love made with Bob’s Red Mill products >>>>> Farro & Salmon Fried Rice, Cast Iron Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls, Peanut Butter Honey & Oats Bob’s Bar.
“Brown Butter” Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
The secret ingredient in these chocolate chip cookies is brown butter. The process of browning butter is a simple one, but it adds a tremendous depth of flavor to dishes. When browning butter, the milk solids in the butter separate from the liquid fat and brown.
You will start to see intense bubbling, and brown foam will form on the surface. That just means the water is evaporating. The key is to brown the butter is removing it from the heat as it starts to turn golden brown, but before it browns too much. If you brown the butter too long, it will burn and taste bitter. So, be sure to watch it carefully!
Brown butter gives these cookies an amber color and a nutty-caramel flavor that takes them to the next level. It’s what makes these the best almond flour chocolate chip cookies ever.
Key Ingredients For Brown Butter Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Butter. Browning 1 1/2 sticks of butter takes these cookies to the next level.
- Dark Brown Sugar. I use dark brown sugar for a soft and chewy center.
- Almond Butter. Almond butter enhances the nutty flavor and spread of the cookie.
- Egg. I use 1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk. An extra egg yolk equals a richer tasting cookie.
- Almond Flour. I prefer fine almond flour for the most undetectably grain-free cookies, and find the Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Almond Flour produces the best texture for chewy cookies.
- Xanthan Gum. I used a small amount of Bob’s Red Mill Xanthan Gum to help bind the almond flour together and improve the chew of the cookie.
- Chocolate. Dark chocolate, semi-sweet, milk chocolate. There are no hard rules; use what you prefer. I used half semi-sweet chocolate chips and half dark chocolate chunks. Be share to reserve a few to place on the top right before you bake.
Did You Know?
Almond flour is gluten free, high in protein and has a delicate almond flavor that enhances the flavors of other ingredients.
How To Make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies With Almond Flour
Step One: Brown the butter:
- First, melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Continuously stir while cooking over medium heat for about another 3-5 minutes, or till the color of the butter changes from pale yellow to golden brown. Remove butter from the heat.
Step Two: Make the cookie dough
- Place the brown sugar in a large heat-safe bowl. Immediately add the browned butter to the sugar to stop the cooking and stir for 3 minutes as it cools.
- Add the remaining wet ingredients: almond butter, whisked egg + egg yolk, and vanilla to the bowl and mix until combined.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In two batches, add the dry ingredients to the wet and vigorously stir with a wooden spoon. This batter is very firm and requires some extra “elbow grease”. But don’t work they bake up beautifully. Once the batter is thoroughly mixed, add in chocolate chips and mix well until evenly distributed.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and scoop 6-8 cookie dough balls. I used a “3 tablespoon” scoop and set the dough about 2-3 inches apart. Since the dough is firm it needs a little help spreading. Use the bottom of a cup to press down and flatten each cookie. Add reserved chocolate chips to the top of each cookie.
Step 3: Bake the cookies
- Bake cookies at 350ºF for 9-11 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes, and repeat the baking instructions for the remaining cookie dough.
Customizations & Modifications
- Use different chocolate: You’ve got a lot of options to choose from Dark chocolate, semi-sweet, milk chocolate, white chocolate chips, or a combination of any chips you like. You can even sub out chocolate chips for chocolate chunks, chocolate wafers, or a chocolate bar chopped into small pieces.
- Add nuts: chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts
Storage & Freezing Tips
Cookies soften when left out at room temp so refrigerate to store. Place cookies in an airtight container, separating each layer with parchment paper. Cookies will stay fresh for up to 1 week in the fridge.
You can also store the cookie dough balls (before baking) in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze them for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, there is no need to thaw; just bake according to the instructions adding an extra minute or so to the baking time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s The Difference Between Almond Flour And Almond Meal?
It’s easy to get confused about the difference between almond flour and almond meal. After all, they are both made from ground almonds, so how different can they really be?
The answer is: quite a lot!
Almond flour is made from blanched almonds, which means the almonds have been skinned and then ground into a fine powder. Almond meal, on the other hand, is made from whole almonds (with the skin still on) that have been coarsely ground.
This may not seem like a big difference, but it makes a world of difference in terms of texture and flavor. Almond flour is light and finely textured, while almond meal is coarser and has a more pronounced almond flavor.
Can I Use Almond Meal Instead Of Almond Flour?
I hesitantly say yes because I have not tested this recipe with almond meal, so I cannot speak to the results.
That being said, I think it would work in a pinch if you don’t have any almond flour on hand. Keep in mind that the cookies will be more dense and have a stronger almond flavor since the almond meal is coarser and has more of the almond skin still intact.
Can I Use Another Type Of Flour?
I can’t guarantee the same results if you use any other types of flours.
What Is The Purpose Of Using Xanthan Gum?
Xanthan gum is a common ingredient in gluten-free baking. It helps to bind the ingredients together and gives the cookies a chewy texture. If you don’t have xanthan gum on hand, you can exclude it from the recipe.
TIP: For an extra chocolatey touch, sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top of the cookie dough before baking! This will ensure that every bite is packed with chocolatey goodness and have those beautiful glossy melted chocolate on top.
How To Get Started (Mise En Place)
Chefs usually refer to recipe preparation as “mise en place”. Yep, that’s french and sounds super cheffy, which I am not. However, I firmly believe it is easier to follow a recipe when you prep in advance. Here are a few things I would ensure to have and do before the cooking begins.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ sticks 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced
- ⅔ cup dark brown sugar
- ½ cup almond butter
- 1 large egg whisk
- 1 large egg yolk whisk
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour
- ¼ teaspoon Bob’s Red Mill Xanthan Gum
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips + extra for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350ºF (180ºC)
Brown the butter:
- Melt the butter in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, stirring continuously until butter turns golden and smells nutty, 3-5 minutes. When the butter starts to foam and brown bits start to form in the bottom of the pan, remove it from the heat source.
Make the cookie dough
- Place the brown sugar in a large bowl, immediately add the browned butter, and stir for 3 minutes as it cools.
- Add the almond butter, whisked egg + egg yolk, and vanilla to the bowl and mix until combined.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two batches, and vigorously stir with a wooden spoon to mix together since the dough is firm. Add in the chocolate chips and mix well until evenly distributed.
- Onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, scoop 6-8 cookie dough balls using a “3 tablespoon” scoop about 2 inches apart. Use the bottom of a cup to press down and flatten each cookie. Add reserved chocolate chips to the top of each cookie.
Bake the cookies
- Transfer baking sheet to the middle rack of the oven and back for 9-11 minutes until lightly browned.
- Carefully pull parchment paper with cookies onto the cooling rack or counter to allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes.
- Repeat the baking instructions for the remaining cookie dough.
Nutrition
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
**The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products I use and love. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
2 thoughts on “Brown Butter Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies”
sounds delicious will try
I hope you enjoy!