Featured Recipe

Flourless PB Chocolate Chip Cookies

Name: Flourless PB Chocolate Chip Cookies
Prep time: 7 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 19 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup almond butter (smooth, unsweetened); 1 cup coconut sugar; 1 large egg; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; Pinch salt; 3/4 cup dark chocolate chunks; Sea salt flakes for topping (optional)

By Kate

Created on 20 January 2026

Single bowl, flour-free cookies using almond butter and dark chocolate chunks. Quick mix, easy hands-on shaping. Fork-flattened, baked until just golden with slight crackle on edges. Watch the oven close; subtle aroma shift signals doneness. Nutty, chewy center, crisp edges. No flour, no fuss. Swap almond for cashew butter if needed. Brown sugar replaced with coconut sugar for mild twist and deeper notes. Tiny sea salt sprinkle at end adds contrast.

Prep: 7 min

Cook: 12 min

Total: 19 min

Serves: 12 servings

cookies flourless dessert gluten-free chocolate

Introduction

Forget flour — mixing nut butter, sugar, egg, and chocolate chunks turns out quick, chewy cookies with rich flavor and cut texture. Coconut sugar substitutes classic brown sugar, adding subtle caramel notes and lowering glycemic index. Almond butter instead of peanut butter brings creaminess and faintly sweet nuttiness. Dark chocolate instead of semi-sweet chocolate chips darkens the flavor profile and lends deeper cocoa vibes. Hand shaping and fork-flattening isn’t just quaint, it’s key to controlling spread and baking speed. Keep an eye on browning edges, slight cracking on the top. The smell will start popping the second you pull the tray from oven itself — warm, toasty, nuts and cocoa blending nicely. Cooling on pan avoids breakage, a classic trouble spot with delicate crumbly cookies.

Ingredients

1 cup almond butter (smooth, unsweetened)

1 cup coconut sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch salt

3/4 cup dark chocolate chunks

Sea salt flakes for topping (optional)

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About the ingredients

Almond butter choice matters. Smooth, unsweetened preferred to avoid gritty texture and excess salt. Can sub with cashew or sunflower seed butter for allergy-friendly swap — expect slight flavor variance. Coconut sugar is dryer than brown sugar; if unavailable use light brown sugar but reduce egg by a tablespoon to compensate moisture difference. Baking soda is crucial for cookie lift and subtle browning; don’t replace blindly. Dark chocolate chunks make melting slower and mess less, plus richer flavor than chips. Sea salt flakes on top are optional but highly recommended — salt counterbalances sugar, sharpens chocolate notes, and adds gourmet polish. Egg binds ingredients together — no egg, no structurally sound cookie.

Method

Preheat oven 345 degrees F. Prepare cookie sheet with parchment paper; prevents sticking, makes cooling easier.

In mixing bowl, blend almond butter with coconut sugar first. Scrape sides. Add egg, vanilla, baking soda, and pinch salt. Mix until dough looks uniform with no sugar visible. Chunky bits not welcome here.

Fold in dark chocolate chunks gently. Don’t overmix, no batter whipping here. Chocolate pieces must stay intact.

Scoop dough about 1 rounded tablespoon, roll quickly between palms. Keep hands dry to avoid sticky mess.

Place balls spaced 1.5 to 2 inches apart on lined sheet. Press down gently with fork, form crosshatch pattern. Allows even bake, controls spread, and helps heat penetrate.

Sprinkle sea salt flakes on top now, if using. Salt heightens contrast, balances sweetness.

Bake 11 to 13 minutes, swapping rack positions halfway through to brown evenly. Watch closely past 10 minutes; edges get golden, centers look set but still soft with slight cracks. Oven behavior varies; trust visual cues over timer.

Remove from oven, leave cookies on sheet to cool 10 minutes. They firm up, peel off parchment easily, no sticking, no breakage.

Serve warm for melty chocolate or fully cooled for chewy, tender bite.

Technique Tips

Oven temp calibration is key — 345 degrees F reduces risk of fast browning and raw centers, but every oven runs hot or cold. Swap baking pans halfway for even bake, especially cheaper pans that run hot spots. Fork-flatten crosshatch pattern presses dough to consistent thickness, ensuring heat reaches middle at same rate as edges. Don’t press too hard or cookies become thin and overly crispy; gentle but firm pressure is what works best. Watch edges closely after minute 10 — once lightly golden and crackled, cookies stop baking properly off-oven and retain chewiness inside. Cooling on pan prevents cracks and breaking, happens often if you try to move too soon. Baking times vary by dough temperature and humidity; look, smell, and touch, not just clock. Sea salt on top melts slightly in oven, enhances texture contrast. Hands must be lightly floured or dry for rolling otherwise dough sticks and slows process. Mixing by hand or spatula avoids overworking nut butter which leads to greasy finish.

Chef's Notes

💡 Keep almond butter at room temp. Cold butter makes mixing hard. Use smooth, unsweetened — avoid gritty bites. Adjust with cashew or sunflower butter if allergies arise.
💡 When folding in chocolate chunks, do gently. Overmixing can break chocolate pieces. They should stay whole. Don't rush; it's key for texture. Yield bigger chocolate pockets.
💡 Watch baking time closely. Ovens differ. If edges golden but center soft, that’s right. Remove and cool on the sheet. They firm as they cool — avoids breaking.
💡 Avoid sticking by rolling dough quickly. Hands dry. Keeping moisture minimal helps shape cookies. Fold floury coating or spritz oil to keep hands clean while working.
💡 If using light brown sugar instead of coconut, cut back egg. Swap a tablespoon less. Coconut's drier; balance is crucial for the final cookie. Texture matters.