If you’ve been looking for a good keto cookie recipe that actually tastes like a real cookie, this one is for you.
These espresso chocolate chip cookies have a slightly crispy edge, a soft center, and a bold coffee flavor that pairs so well with the dark chocolate chips.
I’ve made these dozens of times and they always turn out great. They’re also really easy to make, which is a big plus on busy days.
Since they’re made with almond flour and sugar-free sweetener, they fit perfectly into a low carb or keto lifestyle. No sugar, no wheat flour, no compromises on taste.
Below you’ll find the full recipe with step-by-step directions. Let’s get into it.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Rich Mocha Flavor – The espresso and dark chocolate combo creates a deep mocha taste that feels like a coffee shop treat without the carbs.
Perfectly Chewy Texture – Almond flour and butter give these cookies a soft and chewy center with lightly crisp golden edges.
Ready in Under 25 Minutes – From mixing the dough to pulling them out of the oven you are done in no time at all.
Recipe Ingredients
- 2 cups Almond Flour
- 1/3 cup Granulated Erythritol
- 2 tbsp Instant Espresso Powder
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/3 cup Softened Butter
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 cup Sugar-Free Dark Chocolate Chips
How To Make
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, dissolve the instant espresso powder in 1 teaspoon of hot water and set aside.
Step 2
In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, granulated erythritol, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
Step 3
Add the softened butter, egg, vanilla extract, and dissolved espresso to the dry ingredients. Mix with a spatula or hand mixer until a smooth, thick dough comes together.
Fold in the sugar-free dark chocolate chips until evenly distributed. The dough should be slightly soft but easy to scoop. If it feels too sticky, let it rest for 5 minutes.
Step 4
Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Gently press down on each cookie with your palm to flatten slightly.
Step 5
Bake for 11-13 minutes until the edges are lightly golden and the centers look just barely set. Do not overbake, as they will continue cooking on the hot baking sheet.
Step 6
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before removing. They firm up as they cool, giving you a rich espresso flavor with pockets of melty dark chocolate in every bite.
Tips
Dissolve the Espresso Powder Properly
Don’t skip the step of dissolving the espresso powder in hot water before adding it to the dough. If you toss it in dry, you’ll end up with tiny bitter clumps throughout your cookies instead of a smooth, even coffee flavor.
Use just 1 teaspoon of hot water and stir it until the powder is fully dissolved. It should look like a tiny shot of very strong coffee with no gritty bits left at the bottom.
Your Butter Needs to Be Truly Softened
The butter should be soft enough that you can press your finger into it and leave an indent easily, but it shouldn’t be melty or greasy. If you use cold butter, it won’t blend into the almond flour properly and your dough will be crumbly and hard to work with.
If you use melted butter instead, the cookies will spread too thin and come out flat and greasy. Leave the butter on the counter for about 30-45 minutes before you start, and you’ll be in the right spot.
You Have to Flatten the Cookies
Almond flour cookies don’t spread out the way regular wheat flour cookies do. If you just drop rounded scoops onto the baking sheet and leave them, they’ll bake into little domes and won’t cook evenly.
After you scoop them, press each one down gently with your palm until it’s about half an inch thick. This gives you that classic cookie shape with slightly crispy edges and a soft center.
More Recipes
- Keto Salted Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Cookies
- Low Carb Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Low Carb Espresso Chocolate Truffles
- Keto Tiramisu Brownie Bars
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular coffee instead of instant espresso powder?
Instant espresso powder works best here because it gives you a strong, concentrated coffee flavor without adding extra liquid to the dough. Regular brewed coffee is too watery and would throw off the texture of these cookies.
If you only have instant coffee granules on hand, you can use them as a substitute, but double the amount to about 4 tablespoons since instant coffee is milder than espresso powder. Just dissolve it the same way in 1 teaspoon of hot water.
Keto Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, dissolve the instant espresso powder in 1 teaspoon of hot water and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, granulated erythritol, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- Add the softened butter, egg, vanilla extract, and dissolved espresso to the dry ingredients. Mix with a spatula or hand mixer until a smooth, thick dough comes together. Fold in the sugar-free dark chocolate chips until evenly distributed. The dough should be slightly soft but easy to scoop. If it feels too sticky, let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Gently press down on each cookie with your palm to flatten slightly.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes until the edges are lightly golden and the centers look just barely set. Do not overbake, as they will continue cooking on the hot baking sheet.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before removing. They firm up as they cool, giving you a rich espresso flavor with pockets of melty dark chocolate in every bite.