Healthy Chocolate Cookies (No Refined Sugar, No Gluten)

These Healthy Chocolate Cookies are moist, crispy, and chewy chocolate cookies made with minimal wholesome ingredients to bring only the good stuff to your body. They do not contain gluten, dairy, eggs or refined sugar.

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I love making chocolate cookies for Christmas and parties, like my Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies, Chocolate Shortbread Cookies, or Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies, but I wanted to create a recipe that is even healthier so more people can enjoy more of them.

These healthy cookies taste really, really good and they are so easy to make that I’m sure they’ll fit right in into your recipe folder!

Why Are These Cookies Healthier?

• Healthier Flour – These cookies are made without white flour but instead high-protein, gluten-free almond flour that brings protein and healthy omega fatty acids to your day. It means the cookies are much more filling and you won’t overeat them as much.
• Less Fat – These cookies contain only 2 tablespoons of fat per batch which is 4 times less than regular chocolate cookies.
• Refined Sugar Free with Low-Sugar Option – The recipe uses a combination of refined sugar free liquid sweetener (for moisture) and crystal sweetener (for texture). However, you can cut down on sugar by skipping the crystal sweetener and make them even healthier! They won’t crisp as much on the sides though.
• Naturally gluten-free, grain-free and easy to make low-carb using sugar-free brown erythritol and sugar-free maple syrup.

Ingredients and Substitutions

You only need 7 base ingredients for these delicious cookies.

• Almond Flour – Almond flour provides a gluten-free base with a light, moist texture. Almond meal can be used as a substitute, though it will create a grainier texture.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – Cocoa brings a rich chocolate flavor. You can try raw cacao powder for a deeper taste and more antioxidants.
• Muscovado Sugar – This sugar contributes to the chewiness and crisp edges of the cookies while enhancing the sweetness. It’s also healthier than white sugar. Alternatives include unrefined cane sugar, coconut sugar, or skipping it altogether for less sweetness.
• Maple Syrup – You need a natural liquid sweetener to bind the dough. Swap it with rice malt syrup, agave syrup, or coconut nectar.
• Baking Powder – This provides a slight lift to the cookies for a soft texture.
• Vanilla Extract – Vanilla enhances the overall flavor and boost the chocolate taste. You can try almond extract for a nutty twist.
• Coconut Oil – Coconut oil acts as a fat source for moisture and structure. Replace it with melted plant-based butter or peanut butter for a nutty, oil-free option. Refined coconut oil is best to avoid coconut flavor.

How to Make Healthy Chocolate Cookies

These cookies are really easy to whip up. Here are pictures of key steps.

Combine all the base ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Stir with a silicone spatula until the batter is sticky.

Incorporate chocolate chips and scoop out the batter to form cookies.

Place the cookies on a cookie sheet and bake them at 350 °F (180 °C) for 10-12 minutes.

Carine’s Baking Tips

Let me share a few more tips that I couldn’t include in the recipe card below.

1. Measure Flour Precisely – Use the spoon-and-level method to avoid packing almond flour, which can make the cookies dense.
2. Cool Coconut Oil – Ensure the melted coconut oil has cooled before mixing to prevent the batter from separating.
3. Customize Sweetness – Adjust the muscovado sugar and maple syrup levels to suit your preferred sweetness, especially if using sweetened chocolate chips.
4. Chill Dough for Easy Handling – If the dough feels too sticky, chill it in the fridge for 10–15 minutes before rolling into balls.
5. Shape with Oiled Hands – Lightly grease your hands to easily roll and flatten the cookie dough without sticking.
6. Flatten Consistently – Press cookies to an even thickness to ensure uniform baking.
7. Add Texture – Mix in extras like chopped pecans, walnuts, or shredded coconut for more crunch and flavor.
8. Bake in Small Batches – Bake a small batch first to check timing and texture. Almond flour cookies can overbake quickly.
9. Cooling is Crucial – Transfer cookies immediately to a cooling rack to prevent overbaking from residual heat on the baking sheet.
10. Storage Tip – For softer cookies, store with a slice of bread in the container. The moisture from the bread keeps them tender.

More Chocolate Cookies

Almond Flour Chocolate Cookies

Avocado Chocolate Cookies

Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Healthy Chocolate Cookies

These Healthy Chocolate Cookies are moist, crispy, and chewy chocolate cookies made with minimal wholesome ingredients to bring only the good stuff to your body. They do not contain gluten, dairy, eggs or refined sugar.

5 from 6 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 12 minutes mins

Total Time: 22 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 cookies (1 1/2 tablespoons each)

Calories: 172 kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

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Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• ▢ 1 ½ cup Almond Flour - note 1
• ▢ ¼ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• ▢ ¼ cup Muscovado Sugar - note 2
• ▢ ⅓ cup Maple Syrup - note 3
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Coconut Oil - melted, cooled, note 4

Optional

• ▢ ⅓ cup Dairy-Free Dark Chocolate Chips
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon Salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Slightly oil with cooking spray. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk muscovado sugar, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract.
• Stir in almond flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Stir until it forms a sticky consistent chocolate cookie batter.
• Fold in the dark chocolate chips halfway and incorporate them. Stir until evenly distributed.
• Scoop out 1 1/2 tablespoons of cookie dough and roll it into a ball with your hands. I recommend greasing them to make that easy.
• Release the cookie dough ball on the baking sheet, and lightly press the top to flatten. They won't expand in the oven.
• Repeat and leave a thumb of space between each almond flour cookie.
• Bake the cookies at 350 °F (180 °C) for 10-12 minutes or until set on top and edges but still soft in the middle.
• Transfer immediately to a cooling rack and cool at room temperature.

Notes

Note 1: You can replace the almond flour with almond meal, but the texture of the cookies will be a bit grainy and drier.

Note 2: You can skip the added crystal sweetener. It adds crispiness on the edges of the cookies and extra sweetness. You can also use unrefined cane sugar, Demerara sugar, or coconut sugar.

Note 3: Any liquid sweetener works. You can also swap the maple syrup for rice malt syrup, coconut nectar, or agave syrup.

Note 4: Melted plant-based butter works as well or peanut butter for an oil-free option. Make sure you use refined coconut oil to prevent a coconut flavor in your cookies.

Storage: You can store the cookies in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Equipment

Baking Sheet

Measuring Cups and Spoons

Mixing Bowl

Cooling Rack

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Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 172kcal | Carbohydrates: 17.4g | Protein: 3.7g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 0.05mg | Sodium: 73.9mg | Potassium: 85.3mg | Fiber: 2.3g | Sugar: 12.1g | Vitamin A: 0.5IU | Vitamin B12: 0.01µg | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 70.1mg | Iron: 0.9mg | Magnesium: 13.1mg | Phosphorus: 23.2mg | Zinc: 0.4mg