Say hello to the only cookie you’ll ever need.
No, but seriously.
These really are my new favorite cookie. And, by new, I mean an old favorite (that’s been veganized)!
If you’ve tried these Almond Meal Cookies with Coconut and Chocolate Chips, you already know how amazing they are. However, the recipe does require an egg, and a reader recently suggested/asked if I had tried veganizing them. Brilliant idea, reader. Thank you!
Because I’m always testing new recipes, I rarely reach back and remake old ones. But this called for a special retest! Onto the show.
This recipe is simple, requiring just 9 ingredients and roughly 1 hour (including chilling)!
The base is shredded coconut and almond meal (I mixed in a little almond flour for added fluffiness). For sweetness, I stuck with organic brown sugar, but I also think coconut sugar would work if you’re trying to go au naturel. And coconut oil and vanilla are the only liquid ingredients, besides…
Aquafaba! In place of the egg is aquafaba. Are you even surprised at this point? Aquafaba never lets me down. (See Peanut Butter Cup Cookies, Fluffy Sugar Cookies, Best-Ever Cornbread, Pumpkin Cake… The list goes on.)
After the dough has been mixed and chilled for 30 minutes, scoop, bake for 12-15 minutes, and BAM. You have chocolate chip cookie perfection.
These cookies are AMAZING. They’re:
Crispy on the outside
Tender + chewy on the inside
Perfectly sweet
Chocolaty
Coconutty
Easy to make
& INSANELY delicious
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We’d love to see what you bake up. Cheers, friends!
The Best Almond Meal Chocolate Chip Cookies (Vegan + GF)
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups almond meal (ground from raw almonds / I used half almond flour!)
- 1/4 cup vegan dark chocolate (bar or chips // loosely chopped)
- 1/2 cup finely shredded (desiccated) unsweetened coconut
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/3 cup organic brown sugar (or muscovado sugar)
- 1/4 cup aquafaba (the brine/liquid in a can of chickpeas)
- 3 Tbsp coconut oil (melted)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together almond meal, dark chocolate chips, coconut, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
- In a separate bowl, beat aquafaba (using a handheld mixer or whisking vigorously) until light and fluffy and loose peaks have formed. (Add a little cream of tartar to help them along if not whipping.)
- To the aquafaba, add the melted coconut oil and vanilla and beat or whisk to combine. Then add to dry ingredients and mix until just combined. You should have a firm, semi-tacky dough (see photo).
- Loosely cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C). Scoop out 1 /1/2-Tablespoon amounts of dough (I like this scoop) and form into small discs (see photo). Place on a bare or parchment-lined baking sheet with about a 1-inch gap in between each cookie to allow for spreading. There should be about 12 cookies (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Be careful not to burn (especially on the bottoms).
- Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Then carefully loosen with a spatula - they can stick a little to the bare pan.
- Enjoy immediately or let cool. Store leftovers in a sealed container at room temperature up to 4 days or 1 month in the freezer. These are insanely delicious when warm and dipped in almond milk or hot cocoa!
Notes
*Recipe closely adapted from these Almond Meal Cookies with Coconut and Chocolate Chips (which are from the Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook).
Amy says
These cookies are amazing! I’ve never written a review before but I was so impressed with how these turned out I had to. My son has a egg allergy and my husband has recently gone gluten free so baking has been a challenge. Both my husband and son loved them! I followed the recipe to a T however I didn’t have cream of tartar for the Aquafaba so I used 1/4 tsp of apple cider vinegar and it turned out great! Thanks for the great recipe, I’ll definitely be making these on a regulator basis.
Whoop! We’re so glad you all enjoyed them, Amy! Thanks so much for sharing!
Nicole says
These cookies are absolutely delicious! Chewy and full of flavour, they impressed the whole family. This was my first time baking with aquafaba and I was a bit nervous, but it all came together well and a few hours in the fridge helped the dough to firm up. The only changes I made were to use golden caster sugar and leave in the oven an extra 10 mins to brown. Will be making more tomorrow!
Yay! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed them, Nicole! Thanks so much for sharing!
Savannah says
These cookies were delicious! I had some aquafaba and wasn’t sure what to do with it since I’d never used it before. After searching for recipes for a long time, I found this one!
I used all almond flour (and no almond meal) and also used coconut sugar in place of brown sugar. Having never used aquafaba before, it’s possible I slightly under whipped it because the peaks weren’t too thick. Oh well, I must have whipped enough because they were perfect and not crumbly.
My almost 2 year old loved them! I don’t like a lot of sweets but I even ate 3 in one sitting because they are so good! Will make again when I have more aquafaba!
Tari says
I made these for the first time last night, and they were delicious after they cooled a bit. Overnight in an airtight container turned them all soft and they fell apart when trying to pick up one cookie. I used 1/2 each almond meal and almond flour, aquafaba whipped up nicely, coconut sugar & other listed ingredients. I baked for 15 minutes on a Silpat. The coconut I had was a medium shred (very short), doesn’t say desiccated though. I really want these to be successful . Any idea what happened? I’m also thinking they may have needed an extra few minutes in oven?
Hi Tari, did you let them cool completely before covering with the lid? If not, we would suggest that for next time!
Tari says
I did let them cool completely before covering, but maybe the problem was letting them cool on the Silpat instead of a cooling rack?
Mariel says
Ummmmm major issue with these because THEY ARE THE BEST COOKIES EVER AND I CANT STOP MAKING THEM! I eat them before my toddler sees them. Great for quarantine because eggs are hard to find sometimes. I’ve been adding cinnamon , cardamon, maple syrup and I haven’t had the Aquafaba…I’ve just used water. Absolutely delicious. Just FYI, not sure how they would freeze bc they crumble easily but DAMN do they taste good right out of the oven.
Mariel says
Ummmmm major issue with these because THEY ARE THE BEST COOKIES EVER AND I CANT STOP MAKING THEM! I eat them before my toddler sees them. Great for quarantine because eggs are hard to find sometimes. I’ve been adding cinnamon , cardamon, maple syrup and I haven’t had the Aquafaba…I’ve just used water. Absolutely delicious. Just FYI, not sure how they would freeze bc they crumble easily but DAMN do they taste good right out of the oven.
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoy them, Mariel! Thanks so much! xo
stephania says
Hey! I made this cookies the other day , amazing ! But with this quarantine thing I ran out of coconut sugar , can I use maple syrup instead?
Hi Stephania, We’re so glad you enjoyed them! That may work, but you may need to increase the amount of dry ingredients to compensate.
Laura says
I’ve never used aquafaba before. I whipped it up and it looked beautiful, but when I added the coconut oil the fluffy went back to liquid and the oil solidified. Any tips for the future?
The oil went solid? Were of your ingredients cold? That’s likely why…
Claire says
Hi, Thankyou for your wonderful recipes, as I navigate food intolerances your blog is inspiring.
I’ve just made a batch and they’ve come it fantastic. My only variations were I used 2/3 cup almond meal and 2/3 cup of oat flour, 1/4 cup of coconut sugar, and raisins instead of chocolate as I can’t eat chocolate atm.
We’re so glad you find our recipes helpful, Claire! Thanks for sharing!
Lyda Dyda says
If using eggs how many eggs is 1/4 c aquifaba equivalent. Thank you.
1 egg should work. You can refer to this recipe: https://minimalistbaker.com/coconut-chocolate-chip-almond-meal-cookies/
Lyda Dyda says
Thank you so much.
Iva says
Is there something I can substitute aquafaba with?
Hi Iva, Another reader said flax eggs work! Let us know if you give it a try!
connie kelemen says
Hello!
I am using only almond flour, it is the same quantity as almond meal?
Thanks for your help!
Yes
Charlotte says
These are my new favourite cookies. I can’t believe how delicious they are. I had to stop myself from eating the whole batch fresh out of the oven.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Charlotte. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Diana Demco says
I just made these without making any modifications to the recipe (I used only almond meal) and they taste BOMB! However, while I was watching them bake in the oven, I noticed that they started to fall apart and expand. I was worried they wouldn’t be dense enough when I take them out of the oven. But they turned out fine, a bit flat but no big deal. I do not mind it, I am grateful that they didn’t fall apart. The taste and texture is awesome and they’re approved even by my picky boyfriend.
Hi Diana, we’re so glad you both enjoyed them! Since they were a little flat, is it possible that you used baking soda instead of baking powder?
Amber says
Hello!
I live in Peru where we don’t have Aquafaba. Would a flax or chia seed egg work as a replacement? Thank you, and I look forward to trying out this recipe!
Hi Amber, Another reader said flax eggs work! Let us know if you give it a try!
Rachael Bor says
Could i use one egg instead of the aquafaba? Thanks.
Hi Rachael, we haven’t tried it, but some other readers have and reported success. If you press “ctrl+f” on a PC or “command+f” on a mac, a find bar should pop up that allows you to search for “egg” in the post and comments. Hope that helps!
Natalie says
I followed the instructions and put it in the fridge but it was very crumbly. Maybe it’s because I made my almond meal from scratch (leftovers from almond milk). Would it be better to use the almond meal before I dry it out?
That could definitely be the reason! We find that when using almond meal made from almond pulp it contains less oil and therefore needs to have additional fat added to recipes to work well.
Jeanne says
Could you please explain the difference between almond flour & almond meal? Thank you
Hi Jeanne, you can read all about it here. While almond meal is typically made from raw (unpeeled) almonds, almond flour is made from blanched (peeled) almonds. Hope that helps!
Michelle Schaefer says
I made these tonight and they were so good! The chewy texture seems so hard to get with gluten free things! They held together well and were so tasty. I have never used aquafaba before and used the liquid from great northern beans bc I didn’t have chickpeas. They didn’t form stiff peaks and I added 1/2 tsp cream of tartar. Still not super stiff but definitely fluffy. Really enjoyed this recipe!
So glad to hear it, Michelle! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Whitney says
Wow! I made the first batch with raisins because I didn’t have chocolate chips and they were incredible. I just made another batch with chocolate chips and they’re even better. This was my first recipe to incorporate aquafaba and it was easier than I expected. I don’t have a hand or stand mixer and whisking by hand wasn’t working. Thankfully, throwing the aquafaba in my food processor did the trick! Make these cookies. You won’t regret it. THANK YOU, MB! :)
JV says
Hello! I followed the recipe completely and let my dough chill overnight. Just pulled them out of the oven and major spreading happened! Should I have allowed the dough to come to room temperature a bit? Does that defeat the purpose of chilling overnight? Not sure what went wrong… They smell great but I had to pull them out after 12 minutes because the edges are so thin, they were burning. They look more like coconut lace cookies!
Hi! We aren’t quite sure what happened, but we have a couple ideas! Did you make any modifications? Did you whip the aquafaba all the way until it formed loose peaks? Let us know and we’d be happy to help brainstorm what went wrong!
JV says
Thanks for responding! I didn’t make any modifications — even did the half almond meal/half almond flour combo, and got my aquafaba all meringue-like. They tasted amazing, but for whatever reason didn’t hold their shape at all. They were perfect little chilled mounds upon going into the oven, too. Maybe I need to cook them at a lower temperature?
Hmm, these can be a little tender, but not crumbly or fall apart. I’m not sure what else could’ve gone wrong. Did you refrigerate the dough before baking?
Melissa says
Amazing Cookies! Thank you.
They are like an almond Macaron. I used apple sauce instead of Aquafaba because I didn’t have any on hand. Worked well!
Bethany says
I love your recipes! Suggestion on how to improvise these without coconut ingredients?
Hi Bethany, You could try using all almond meal, or maybe oats? But it will definitely affect the flavor/texture, so adjust accordingly. Let us know if you give it a try!
Tracey says
Dear Minimalist Baker, I made these cookies today and they are so yummy! Plus, they’re so easy to make! Once the mixture had sat in the fridge for a while, it was so easy to work with when putting on the baking tray. Will definitely be making again! ????
PS We follow you regularly and make quite a few of your recipes. You are my first go to when I want something vegan. ? Thank you.
Kelsey says
These are wonderful. I’ve made them so many times, and I have yet to meet a person that doesn’t think that they are great. I made them for my family the last time that they visited, and now it is everyone’s go to cookie recipe. I usually halve the sugar, and they are still delicious. Thanks for such a great recipe!
Janet says
These are fabulous cookies! And although it was my first attempt at using aquafaba and I am one happy convert :-) My husband just admitted that he wasn’t able to resist having a third cookie as he put the rest of the fresh batch in storage. I’ll be baking these us again soon. Thank you for your amazing recipes and food photos!
Aaron Logan says
So delicious!
Flavor is extraordinary. Consistency was nice. Moist and crispy.
Works great with coconut sugar.
Next time I make them I would like to form them to the pan better. Mine stayed very much disk like and not the whole bottoms got that cripsy brown deliciousness.
Gabrielle Preiser says
I can’t have almonds and several other nuts, but I can have peanuts. What do you suggest to replace the almond flour/almond meal?
Hi Gabrielle! Another reader successfully substituted the almond flour for Bob’s gluten free all purpose baking flour, which you may want to try!
Melanie says
This is my first time using aquafaba. Thank you for you dedication to healthy, delicious food! Now that I have this all mixed together, I’m confused about the stage of aquafaba that is listed as 1/4 cup. Is that in brine form (so put in all whipped aquafaba) or only put in 1/4 cup of whipped aquafaba? Thank you!
Shruthi says
I have made these cookies a million times and they are by far my favorite chocolate chip cookies ever ! This is so easy to make with kids too. I often make these when my daughter has friends over for play dates, and they LOVE baking with me. Thank you !
Erika Crowley says
These are my favorite cookie to make, eat, and share! I’m currently trying to cut out sugar. Is it possible to sub date paste or maple syrup for brown sugar? And what would be tbe ratio of so?
Thanks!
Maggie says
This is the first time I’ve ever really tried gluten free or vegan baking. I’ve made a few things here and there, but nothing to replace a traditional food. My expectations were low, but I was very pleasantly surprised. They don’t taste exactly like regular chocolate chip cookies (they have a very slight grittiness and nutty taste) but they were very good! I can’t attest to how these compare to other GF/vegan recipes, but I plan to make them again.
The first time I tried to whip the aquafaba, it went everywhere! I definitely recommend starting on the lowest setting. I gradually worked my way up and had to finally use the highest speed to get it to really fluff up, but after at least 5, if not 10, minutes, it really did fluff up nicely. (And I didn’t have cream of tartar to use.) I at least doubled the chocolate chips and I used half the amount of salt. (I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to use chickpeas with salt added, and that’s all I had.) My cookie scooper is 1 tbs, so I would up making 23. They still took 13 minutes to bake, so I imagine I would have had to bake the full sized version longer. My dad can’t have gluten and my sister can’t have eggs or gluten, so I’m thrilled to bring these to family Christmas. Thanks for the great recipe!
Denise says
Hi,
One of the list of the ingredients in this recipe says……
1 1/4 cups almond meal (ground from raw almonds / I used half almond flour!)
When you say you used ‘half almond flour’….does that mean that out of the 1 1/4 of almond meal, half of that almond meal is almond flour?
Half of 1 1/4 cup is 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. So does this mean to have 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp of almond meal and 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp of almond flour?
I want to include the almond flour with the almond meal to make the cookies fluffier. But I am not sure what that ingredient description means.
Please let me know! Thank you!
Pua says
I have the same question :)
Yes, you are correct – roughly 2/3 cup almond flour and roughly 2/3 cup almond meal!
Kerry says
This recipe looks like a winner. I’m curious about the sugar content. The only change from the original recipe appears to be swapping out aquafaba for the egg, yet the sugar content doubled. I’m happy to make these with egg if it’ll cut the sugar in half. Is it the protein in the egg that cuts the sugar?
Any insight will be appreciated. Thank you so much. Love, love, love your website.
(BTW, I’m a Portlander, too!)
Lisa G says
Hi! Ive never used the aquafaba, in fact have never even heard of it(maybe because Im not vegan lol) Can you substitute anything for it & does it make the cookie taste different or is does it not have flavor?
Hi Lisa! You can find out more about aquafaba here! It does not have much flavor!
Lilly says
These are exceptionally delicious. I tried this recipe for the first time last week and have made THREE BATCHES over the last 5 days :-0
I’ve eaten quite a few myself but I’ve also fed them to family and friends, all of whom are big fans. Wow so good. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THESE COOKIES INTO MY LIFE.
Yay! We are glad you love them, Lilly!
Amy says
I am addicted to these!! Have made it so many times, I also add one scoop of protein powder to it.
J C says
Hi,
I just made these cookies for the first time and they’re delicious. However, they don’t stay as a cookie, they crumble and I have to eat them with the spoon. I don’t mind as I said they’re delicious. But I wanted to pack them in my daughters lunch, Oh well. And when I whipped up the aqua fava it look like a meringue until I added the vanilla and coconut oil. Then it lost all its air. I tried to pop it up again but to no avail. Would this be why cookies didn’t pull together?.
Hi JC! The aquafaba deflating is normal, but these shouldn’t be crumbly. Not sure what went wrong there, but did you not refrigerate the batter before scooping and baking?
bhakti doshi says
I don’t have chickpeas, what is the ratio of flaxseed mix that I can instead of aquafaba? thanks bhakti
Hi! Check the comments above for using flax eggs as other readers have had success with it!
madi says
can i substitute coconut sugar instead of brown?
Yes!
Raquel says
Oh my gosh, are these good?! I have made them several times and they’re pretty fool proof – even when I don’t follow things exactly and just eyeball measurements they come out great. My butter and milk and meat eating husband told me these are the best cookies he has ever had. And he’s super picky so that says a lot! Today I threw in about 1/3 cup rolled oats and I think I like them even better that way. They had a hearty and chewy texture.
Elena says
I agree with you, these are the best GF cookies i’ve ever tasted! I made hummus and with the chickpeas canned liquid I made acuafaba to double dough!thank you for sharing! Absolute delicious!
Erin says
One of my all time favorite recipes! So good in every way :)
ananda says
Tried and tasted! Turned out good with my version…
I used almond meal(left over from homemade almond milk), replaced the coconut with almond meal(to use up all the almond meal that has been accumulating), added a bit of white flour for binding, and used flax egg in place of aquafaba, and baked at 350 C
Justin says
Hi, Thank you for all the delicious recipes I’ve enjoyed over the years!!
I have a nut allergy and substituted the almond flour/meal for Bob’s gluten free all purpose baking flour. When I mixed the wet and dry, the mix was still very dry/powdery. Any suggestions to fix this? Also, can you “over mix” cookie dough? Thank you so much!! :)
Diana says
Can I substitute aquafaba for flaxseed eggs?
Yes, that should work!
Deborah Roberts says
I just made these cookies but wanted a very plain one – so no coconut and no chocolate – just almond meal, coconut oil, egg, vanilla and the baking powder. Came out very good! Oh, I used Monkfruit sweetener instead of brown sugar (Lakanto brand). Deborah
v says
Does the aquafaba temperature matter? I have some liquid that’s sitting in the fridge so I’m not sure if it will make a stiff consistency?
Aquafaba from the fridge will work!
Kelly O'Connor says
Home today with a sick toddler, fighting the urge to eat the unhealthy cookies I made this past weekend with my mom for Christmas. Just happened to come across your recipe this morning and had all the ingredients on hand to make this less guilty cookie ? I substituted a flax egg but besides that did everything according to recipe and these are so delicious! Slightly crisp on the outside, soft on the inside. Now onto making your vegan barbacoa for dinner (one of my absolute favorites!). Thank you! I’m so grateful for all the amazing tasting yet healthy recipes you share with us.
Luciana says
I just made these cookies and they turned out perfect! I used almond flour instead of almond meal, honestly I don’t even know the difference between the flour and meal.
Shannon says
Just made these cookies and they are fantastic! I used almond flour/ oat flour and they turned out really well but I wanna try almond meal sometime to try the different texture. Thank you so much for your delicious recipes <3
Deb says
Outstanding! Was totally craving cookies and typed “oatmeal chocolate chip” into Google. Happily, this came up and sounded perfect. Followed directions pretty closely. Only exception – didn’t have vanilla so subbed almond extract. Just fantastic and quite easy. Thank you, Dana!!!
Judy says
Followed your recipe exactly and it came out perfect. I was wondering if can I substitute almond flour with coconut flour? If so, I should I adjust for the aquafaba and coconut oil? TIA
Sam K says
The taste is amazing but these came out as the most crumbly cookies ever for me! Reading other reviews only few people had this problem.. are there any suggestions on preventing the crumble? I feel it has something to do with the aquafaba but I followed the instructions carefully. Would using an egg instead help with binding?
Hi Sam! It shouldn’t be crumbly, you could try and egg if you aren’t vegan next time!
Shanthi says
I made 2 batched of these delish cookies. Love that you used aquafaba instead of eggs. The easiest bake ever. My friends love it. Thanks Dana
Claire says
I made these today. Delish! Mine came out flatter. I put too much baking powder. Thought they would be puffier. I am new to vegan baking. Loving the aquafaba! Would like to make these again with no shreaded coconut. It overpowers the cookie. Great recipe! YUM!
Estelle says
I just made these today. They’re more like macaroons than cookies. Which is fine if you love and wanted macaroons, not so much if you were after real cookies though. And I found them a tad too sweet for my taste. I used coconut sugar and it worked fine but I’d recommend using less than the specified amount if you don’t like very sugary sweets.
Anna says
Hey, the cookies look very delicious! I was just looking for an apple cake or an idea for a fruit cake base. Do you think this dough would also be good as an apple-cake base? :)
Thank you :)
Hi! We haven’t tried it, but let us know how it turns out if you do!
Divone Bethea says
Dana
ok so I make these cookies allll the time ….these are truly the only cookie I will ever need. The cookies are freakin amazing!!!!!! Everytime I make them for people they rave about them. I cannot tell you how many people I have forwarded this recipe to. I have also recently become plant based and have experiemented with many of your other recipes. Love every one !!! Thank you !!!!
Tara says
I already whipped up a huge batch of aquafaba and am looking for ways to use it. How many cups of WHIPPED aquafaba are in this recipe? (As in, how much does the 1/4 cup become once whipped?) Thanks!
Rachael says
I made these for something to do, but ended up eating them so uncontrollably I just skipped dinner altogether last night. They are SO GOOD, genius. I used all almond flour, subbed coconut oil for earth balance vegan butter and the coconut for oats and I’m not sorry. Some peopled mentioned burning on the bottom, but usually that is avoided with a good pan. Just to be on the safe side, I baked at 350 for 12 min and then turned up the heat to 375 for 2 for more of a golden color and they came out absolutely perfect.
Sofya says
Perhaps it’s better to add the coconut oil to the dough first and then the beaten aquafaba, because my aquafaba lost ist forthy-ness when whisked with coconut oil ?
Estelle says
I second that. Adding the oil to the dry ingredients first would be best to avoid the aquafaba reverting to its liquid state.
Lori says
Delicious is an understatement! These are our new favorite cookies. We used eggs instead of the aquafaba, and they turned out great!
Tara says
Howdy All,
Made these on the weekend when I needed a little something on the fly to bring to a casual event. I did not have aquafaba on hand (but can’t wait to try that too) so I subbed in a flax egg. They were a huge hit! The texture is very much like a nice chewy macaroon and with the organic, dark chocolate chips (and added mini m and m candies to please the wee folk) they had the comforting flavour of homemade chocolate chip cookies that store bought can’t touch!
Karen says
Best Almond Meal Chocolate chip cookies are the absolute best ever chocolate chip cookie this recipe is a fantastic new twist to the historic cookie !!!! Great Work!!!!!!
My cookie monster said they were the best cookies I ever made lol
Eva says
I have previously made these amazing cookies successfully replacing the egg with 1/4 cup apple sauce, so keen to see how they turn out using aquafaba :)
Rachel Cox says
Well these are amazing! I’ve just made my second batch this week…. They were a hit for my gluten and lactose free friends! Thank youuuuuu!
Sam says
Did you grind the almonds yourself to give you the almond meal?
I am keen to grind the almonds myself to give me the almond meal. What qty of raw almonds would I need to grind to get 1 1/4 cup almond meal?
Lori says
My blendtec book said 1 cup of almonds equals about 1 1/4 meal.
Sam says
Hi
Can I sub the almond meal for ground oats?
I think that would work Sam! But you may need to add more liquid if they seem dry. Report back on how it goes!
Chiara says
I opened a can of chickpeas to make a salad for lunch and so decided to make cookies with the aquafaba. Just made these cookies – so good! I subsititued some almonds for gluten free oats, and I used 50:50 of xylitol and honey instead of sugar. Didn’t come out looking amazing as I cooked them too long hehe but taste yuuuum!
Jen says
Yummm, these are my favorite cookies to bake! I don’t typically have any aquafaba on hand so I use 1 flax egg and it works perfectly well as a replacement! Thank you for another amazing recipe :-)
Ellie Kennard says
Hi Dana
I made this recipe using the dried almond pulp (as the flour) along with almond meal. I have 2 questions:
I found that although the aquafaba breast up nicely into soft peaks, when I added the melted coconut oil and vanilla, it went flat at once. I had to mix it in at that point as i couldn’t waste it. How do you avoid it falling flat when you add that to the aquafaba? It also separated as the coconut oil cooled.
2. I doing the mix was too dry, couldn’t really gather it together and it certainly wasn’t almost tacky. I added a couple of tablespoons of nut milk yogurt which made it a little better. Do you have any idea why it was dry?
Cheers
Ellie
Monique says
Really great cookies and are filling! I also love how simple they were to make! Yum! Double happening tonight!!
Yoko says
Hi,
Thank you for your wonderful recipes! We whipped the aquafaba and then mixed in the melted coconut oil with a hand mixer and it immediately collapsed. Ive had similar experiences with other dessert recipes that call for melted coconut oil – how do you keep it from solidifying? Thank you!
Hi Yoko! It will collapse a little – that’s OK! But it certainly should not solidify.
Miran says
Hi ?Can I use something else insisted of aquafaba? The can of beans is pretty expensive here. ?
Hi! How about a flax egg?
arden sanchez says
I used orange extract instead of vanilla and they tasted heavenly. Definitely recommend trying orange and chocolate combination! Super delicious
Szilvia Kulcsar says
I just baked these cookies, they are absolutely delicious. I told my husband that I made some gf cookies he broke one in half and after the first bite he said never mind I want the whole cookie it’s so good! Great recipe, I will make it again and again…. Thank you for sharing it!
Carol Conol says
Hi. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I could not find almond meal in the stores. They do have almond flour. Can the almond meal be omitted?
Hi Carol! Check the other comments as others experimented with this! Good luck!
Melissa E says
I love these cookies. I’ve made them at least a half dozen times and I’ve made them with almond flour instead of meal and they turn out great! I think that the key is a longer refrigerator session- at least 4 hours. It allows the vanilla to permeate the dough and makes it so great! Thanks so much for your recipes- this is my go-to website! (I made 1 pot red lentil chili and perfect vegan cornbread for dinner tonight too).
Shelbi says
I think I added too much Aquafaba because they were super sticky and wet, which caused them to cook weird. The bottom burnt a bit but the inside wasn’t cooked. I still ate them because the flavor is OUT OF THIS WORLD and since they weren’t super cooked inside, they were super chewy. I can’t wait to make these again and put the correct amount of Aquafaba. I also used coconut sugar instead of brown and it is just so so good. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Swati says
The skies looked grey and gloomy today (as always, it’s Seattle :/ ) so I decided to make these to cheer myself up. My god, Dana,these are SO good. They somehow remind me of an Indian sweet (because of the coconut). Very creative. Smell SO good.
I just can’t get them to be completely solid. They are slightly gooey and also stick to my baking pan. Could you give any suggestions? I don’t want to leave them in the oven longer since the bottom seemed to have browned to almost black, and I don’t want the fire alarm going off (it’s super annoying).
Thanks so much!
Ingrid says
Aw, man, Dana! I made these this afternoon, and have eaten three already! I don’t know how you keep doing it, but these are pretty dang amazing!
Thanks for your straight forward, consistently awesome recipes.
Kristna says
Yum, Yum! turned out perfect. 14-year old daughter gave it her approval. This recipe is going into the ‘keeper’ section. Love this site, great recipes that are healthy and don’t overwhelm me. Thank you.
Stephanie Pietromonaco says
These are the best cookies ever!!! Thank you for turning me on to Aquafaba!
Sara says
Hi Dana! I just made them and they turned out delicious: incredible taste and perfect texture. Just to let you and nut-allergic people know, I successfully used finely ground sunflower seeds instead of almond flour/meal :) Definitely baking them soon again!
Clare Knighton says
This makes me want to bake so badly! A bit late though haha!!
Looks so yummy, maybe the weekend i can make these!
Sarah says
These are AMAZING. My fiance informed me the other day they are his favorite cookies. (I’ve been making them weekly since I first discovered this recipe a couple weeks ago) I usually double the batch (we go through them quite quickly), but I made a mistake with the amount of almond flour I put in (1 1/2 cups instead of 2 1/2 for a doubled recipe) and it baked into this thin crispy toffee like cookie. Which is even more amazing!
Josee julien says
I made these with my son. We both love them!
Josée
Orliande GRAY says
Hi
As always your recipes are the best. I’ve made alot. Even minimise the minimalist ?for the our pastry class for my son and his friends.
The auafaba is equivalent to how many eggs (want to use flaxseed instead). Making it for the little ones.
Thanks alot
Josee julien says
I substituted with 1 egg. Yummm!
Josée
Jana, Author of janatoldme.com says
Wow these cookies look so good! I can’t wait to try this recipe. By the way: I love the design of this blog! It is always a pleasure to “come by”.
Mary says
I have made these now about 5 times and my family and I are in love with them. So easy to make. I find it best to double the recipe and then that is the right amount of aquafaba. Otherwise I end up with too many garbanzo beans to use up!!! The dough lasts quite a while in the refrigerator (if people aren’t snacking on it all the time as they do). I cook up in smaller batches so we have fresh baked cookies almost daily. I love that these are not so doughy as some other cookies are. I use whole raw almonds and put them in my vitamix and I do not use almond flour at all and I love how they turn out. I am obsessed with your website and have loved all the recipes I have tried thus far. Your tastes are so in line with what I love so I am so glad my friend told me about your site. I have shared with many of my friends now. Thanks for all the great recipes.
Veronica says
I just made this recipe and it’s absolutely delicious! I used almond flour only because i didn’t have the almond meal and they came out great! Crunchy and a little bit chewy! They were a little pale buts very tasty! Thank you for so many amazing recipes! I’m a huge fan, love your book! Lots of love from Puerto Rico!
Nkechi says
I just made this yesterday and they were delicious!!!! Thanks Dana!
Sophia Antoun says
Hi Dana,
These cookies are delicious! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe and for having such detailed instructions. I was wondering how you got your cookies to be golden and shiny on the top? My cookies tasted great but looked dull and dry on the top (despite being moist on the inside). They have a great consistency, so I don’t think I over baked them. Also, the bottoms turned out great (if not a little too dark) so I don’t think I should leave them in any longer. I tried brushing a little coconut oil on the cookie tops in the middle of baking to add some color and shine but it didn’t work.
Any advise on how to get the look of these cookies to be more golden and shiny on the top would be so appreciated!
-Sophia
Hi Sophia! I think the shininess comes from a moist dough, so make sure your aquafaba and oil are in the right quantity to make a tacky dough! Add more if it looks dry. And to make sure they don’t get too browned on the bottom you can try turning down your oven temp a little next time. Good luck!
Barb says
Sooooo good! I love your recipes. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks Barb! xoxo
Shannon says
6 STARS !!!!
This recipe is really THE BEST ALMOND MEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES!!!!!
I altered the recipe to use:
COCONUT SUGAR instead of brown sugar, and it’s AMAZING!!!!!!!
I will totally make these again!! <3 thank you!
Thanks Shannon! xoxo
Cathy says
I made these tonight and they smell amazing coming out of the oven. I didn’t have any almond flour, so I used 3/4 cup almond meal and 1/2 cup of whole wheat pastry flour. I used a large egg instead of aquafaba. Otherwise, I followed the recipe very closely. The dough looked kind of dry initially and was still a little dry after chilling. They didn’t hold together well either while I was forming them and most fell apart in the oven. I have some delicious cookie brittle to eat now, but these look so amazing that I would love to try them again. How can I troubleshoot this? Thanks!!
Hi Cathy! It sounds like maybe you were lacking in moisture! Make sure your egg white is from a large egg so you have enough. The dough should feel tacky by the time it goes in the fridge (see photo). Not sure how the flour affected these – perhaps that was another issue. Good luck next time!
Elisa says
I ate 5 straight out of the oven. Oh my goodness, delicious. I can’t make these too often or I’ll just get fat. Also, my first time using aquafaba – it’s bloody brilliant! Thank you Dana, another great recipe.
Yay! Glad you are enjoying them!
Charlene says
Any suggestions for oil substitute? These look fantastic
Hi! Maybe apple sauce? I can’t guarantee the results as I have not tried it though. Check back if you do!
Urvashi Vyas says
I made these cookies yesterday. First of all, you can’t tell it is gluten free. Second of all, these are probably the easiest, guilt-free, and best tasting cookies ever! Definitely will make this again.
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Urvashi!
Cheryl Ramsey says
OM goodness! These are amazing.
Thank you, Dana. I love them.
Yay! Thanks Cheryl!
Gustavo Woltmann says
I definitely making these for my friends. It is really amazing.
– Gustavo Woltmann
Michelle says
Hi! Love your recipes. I just saw a note in the latest cooks illustrated about using cooking liquid from cooking dried beans. They have that is about 1/2 cup cooking liquid in a can of beans which you can save after you cook your own and then add 1/2 teaspoon of corn starch to get that viscuous texture. Then freeze for later use like in these delicious cookies! Cheers!
Thanks for sharing, Michelle!
Sarah M. says
We make our own hazelnut milk and so have a TON of hazelnut meal hanging around. How do you think that would do in these cookies?
Sarah M. says
I should clarify that we dry it out and grind it further so it’s a legit meal, no longer pulp ~ I’m mostly concerned about the taste difference between almond and hazelnut. Sometimes it can be a bit bitter.
Hi Sarah! I think that should work – it should actually be delicious!
Joyce says
We can’t use any type of sugar. Has anyone tried using stevia? How did it work? Also, can we use egg yolks? My son can’t have the whites, but has the yolks. Thanks!
Hi Joyce! Egg yolks should work? Not sure though. And if subbing stevia I’d suggest adding more dry ingredients to compensate for its absence. Good luck!
Anneke says
Hi Dana
I used Unblanched Almond Flour/Meal for this recipe. I use it to make your delicious pumpkin bread recipe which has become a staple in our house. These cookies browned underneath but not on top and were crumbly (did not hold together). Do you have any suggestions to bring them closer to yours? Oh, and should the melted coconut oil be cooled prior to adding to the aquafaba? Thanking you in advance.
Hi Anneke! If they were crumbly I’d say you needed more aquafaba and/or oil. And if yours browned too quickly on the bottom perhaps try lowering your oven temperature next time! You don’t have to cool the melted coconut oil – good question!
Jen says
I had similar results I followed the recipe exactly, but my cookies became totally flat and crispy and got really brown on the edges.
Jessica says
you must go through so many chickpeas! lol
Erica says
Oh my god I am literally drooling right now! Definitely going to make these ASAP! X
Erica
Maria from almostproperly.com says
YUMMM!!! I love the originals, so I will surely love these too! Love chocolate, just not a chic-chip cookie person so I always sub raisins:) Maybe they aren’t a true monster cookie anymore, but still super delish!!
Courtney says
could i just grind up almonds to make almond meal? or is it best to use store bought almond meal?
I actually grind mine at home! Both will work.
Hi! You can make your own if you prefer!
Marissa Wall says
I made this without the aquafava (i actually had some but it went bad, had a super bitter and sour taste, yuck) i used flax instead. Plus, i used all almond flour. they taste really yummy!! but they fell apart quite easily, can’t pick em up like normal cookies :(
Hi Marissa! I’m guessing it was the flax egg. It doesn’t provide the same volume / tackiness as the aquafaba. Hopefully you can use it next time!
Marissa says
Yeahh i figured, they are amazing still
Susan Brecik-Zachary says
What can you use the chick peas for after draining liquid? Also can you dbl or triple recipe?
Double & triple away! Here are a couple of our favorite recipes which you could use the leftover chickpeas for! Here, here & here!
Charlene says
Hi Dana,
These look amazing! Can”t wait to give them a try! One question- would it work to substitute coconut sugar for the brown sugar?
Thanks so much!
Charlene
Hi! Yep that’ll work!
Reema says
I am excited to try this recipe! I have never made Aquafaba before! I saw you recommended a handheld mixer. Do you think a kitchen aid bowl mixer would work as well?
Hi! It will work but we preferred a handheld mixer! Good luck!
Aurora says
I LOVE LOVE LOVE all your recipes and they are always a hit around here!! Thank you so much for this awesome blog! Out of curiosity — what does the aquafaba do?
Aurora – gorgeous name btw :D Aquafaba serves as the egg / binder in this recipe and helps the cookies fluff up! Good luck! You can also use flax eggs, another reader suggested. Or if not vegan, use eggs as the original (linked) recipe suggests.
Danette E says
Thank you so much! Have two kiddos allergic to eggs!
Is it possible to send you a picture I have, taken right after I got your newest book?
Susanne says
I made these cookies as an experiment for my whole family (including the Austrians and Italians) during Christmas. In a test out of 4 other kinds – this one was the absolute favourite. No one even thought twice about a “vegan” wheat-free cookie because it was so freakin’ delicious. And it out-shown the traditional cookies on the plate. I timed a batch – gone in less than 2 minutes (10 people). It’s now a regular addition to “treats”. Thank you for this!!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Susanne!
Randi Lewis says
Hi Aquafaba is loaded with BPA. Even if the can says BPA free it is still lined with a chemical that is just as toxic. Cant believe so many people have embraced this chemical laden liquid. I have stopped using anything from a can. I know its inconvenient but once you get used to it it isn’t so bad. I would do some research once you look into I have a feeling you might feel the same
Susanne says
You can get chickpeas in glass jars – so not sure this is a problem. But I’m living in Europe, so the standards are different perhaps.
Hi Randi! Definitely use homemade aquafaba if you’re concerned!
Michelle says
Is there a ratio for cooking you suggest of water to chick peas when making your own Aquafaba?
Ellie Kennard says
No one needs to buy canned chick peas when they are so easy to buy dried (in bulk), soak and cook, then freeze. The cooking liquid is aquafaba. I guess anyone who knows or cares about BPA already is doing their own. Many people simply don’t care.
Tara says
I buy package free chickpeas (from bulk stores), store them in a glass jar, and use the brine from cooking those to make aquafaba. So it is possible to do without BPA.
Kellz says
Apple sauce as an oil substitute?
Thanks
I think so, but I can’t guarantee the results. Check back if you do!
Bethany says
I’ve been sick all day and this helped soothe my soul. I did not have all the ingredients, so I did the following:
1/2 oatmeal 1/2 almond flour
Baking powder, sea salt, organic sugar, aquafaba, vanilla, and drizzled with vegan chocolate syrup … Trying to figure out how to leave a picture … So tasty
Whoop! Thanks for sharing.
Bernadette says
Thanks for a recipe that suggests using aquafaba. I knew you could reuse the liquid but never have anything I feel like making with it. Now I do. For people who cook dry chickpeas, you can also use the cooking liquid (but not the soaking liquid). Thanks also for the chia seed pudding and gado gado recipes. I am a new subscriber and these recipes add a bit of variety to my diet and also give me a good source of simple vegan recipes that I (being omnivore) can make for my vegan friends. Often vegan recipes require fancy ingredients I don’t have in my pantry, but I find that with yours, I always have everything on hand)!
Thanks Bernadette! Lovely name, btw :D
Lauren G says
Would it work to use leftover almond pulp from making almond milk?? I’m desperately trying to find more ways to use up the pulp!
Hi! I think that the pulp may be too pulpy for this recipe. If you give it a try though, let me know how it goes!
Hélène says
Hi!
I’ve tried with almond pulp, and this is really good! Very moist and tasty, I love it! My non-vegan colleagues do too haha.
Thanks for the recipe, that’s a keeper!
Andres says
I did exactly the same thing… Feels a bit watery in the inside but apart from that they’re delicious… Don’t know what the texture should be like… Could anyone tell how did their’s pan out ?
Karla says
Home made Aquafa doesn’t work? I try to not use canned food.
Melissa @ So Much Yum says
Holy gracious these look amazing! And an answer to my almond meal/flour cookie prayers! Have you tried the same recipe but with chia or flax eggs as the egg replacer? I’m totally down for some aquafaba action, but I’m just curious about the alternative(s)!
Yes! Another reader said flax eggs work! Good luck.
Melissa @ So Much Yum says
Thank you so much for the quick confirmation! :)
Isabela says
These look awesome!! Would I be able to substitute olive oil for the coconut oil in the recipe?
Hi! Olive oil should work! Good luck!
Alysha says
Any substitutes for brown sugar??
Jay says
I would like to know that too. Can honey be used?
Hi! Honey should work but you may want to reduce the amount! Good luck!
In place of brown sugar you could probably use coconut sugar, or definitely muscovado. Know that if you’re subbing a wet sweetener – like honey or maple syrup – you’ll need to adjust the amount of dry ingredients as the batter will likely be more wet.
Alysha says
Thank you for your reply! I will try out the coconut sugar :)
Gunce says
I used date sugar and the cookies turned out to be still excellent!
Danette Elverum says
Does anyone know if you can freeze aquafaba for future use?
Love all the recipes! So many allergies in the family, I always look to your recipes first!
Hi! If you don’t want to use all the aquafaba at once, you can freeze it! Pour into an ice cube tray and once completely frozen decant into a glass storage container and keep in the freezer. Good luck!
Ms. Ainee C. Beland says
I printed this recipe to add to my binder and to try when next we bake Chocolate chips cookies but we will not use coconut; don’t like it. I am still waiting for the cookbook request that I put on hold at library. I look forward to collecting and trying more of the minimalist recipes and thank you for sharing.
Sandy says
These look amazing! Has anyone tried them without the coconut or using a substitute for it? My husband is not a fan of coconut. And yes, Dana, you DO rock! Thanks for all you do.
Hi Sandy! See my comment above, but I do think you could try using all almond meal or even oats. Good luck!
Liz says
These look delicious! Quick question about aquafaba. I’m trying to get a lot more minimalist in the kitchen and have stopped purchasing canned beans in favor of dried beans from the bulk bin. I think this is much better for the environment. However, I’m not sure if the leftover liquid from home-cooked chickpeas is the same as from canned. Can “homemade” aquafaba be used in recipes? Thanks so much, Dana!
Hi Liz! Homemade aquafaba can indeed be used! Happy cooking!
Liz Mulligan-Ferry says
Great, thanks so much Dana!
Deb/Vintage Macaroon says
Great that’s exactly what I wanted to know too. Can’t wait to try these.
Kate says
Can all almond flour be used as opposed to almond meal and the flour? Thanks!!! Love all your recipes!! ?
Jess says
I have the same question! Thanks for asking it!:)
Hi! Almond flour lends itself well to cookies, treats and baked goods that are best when fluffy. Almond meal is best suited for recipes that call for less than 1/2 cup of almond flour due to its overall heaviness. I would recommend doing half and half but if you want to try using all almond flour, that should work. If you try it out, let me know how it goes!
Carmella says
I used all almond meal and it was very heavy and crumbly and didn’t look as pretty. Next time I’ll stick with what the pro says! Still quite a delicious little cookie!
Yes, I think so!
Laura G says
Is there anything aquafaba can’t do?? LOL
I have made these cookies by another vegan blogger but she uses veg oil, so I know how insanely good they are. Can’t wait to sub the oil for bean liquid now!
Thank you so much for your recipe Dana, you ROCK!
Kris says
I love your recipes and I’m now ready to try Aquafaba. I live in Portland, OR, where do you buy it locally?
Hi! Our go-to is Trader Joe’s but anywhere you can get canned chickpeas, you’ll find aquafaba in the can as well :D
Trista says
Ahh, I love aquafaba! I use it to make vegan meringues, which is so much fun because my boyfriend is allergic to eggs and had never tasted meringue before. (The two dozen that I made disappeared within half an hour. I think he straight inhaled them.) Related to that, here’s my question – does it matter if the brine came from a can of salted or unsalted chickpeas? In the case of the meringues, using salted chickpea brine gave them a distinct chickpea flavour; no salt and you taste nothing but delicious meringue. In this case, there are a lot more flavours going on, so I’m not sure that it would matter, but I thought I’d ask since you didn’t specify! (Also, I’m making these cookies this weekend, for sure.)
Hi! Unsalted is definitely your best bet!
Karlie says
Omg making !!!!
Janet Butters says
THESE ARE MY FAVORITE COOKIES EVER. I honestly had to make myself stop making them because it was becoming a weekly thing. Also, I’ve always made with a flax egg (because lazy) and had good results.
<3
Thanks for sharing, Ms. Butters! Your feedback is valuable.
Ahlam says
Hiiii so did you subtitute the aquafaba to flax egg?
Tala says
Is there anything I could substitute for the coconut?
Hi Tala! You could try using all almond meal, or maybe oats? But it will definitely affect the flavor/texture, so adjust accordingly. Let us know if you give it a try!
Emily says
Heya!
I used oat flour instead of almond meal and they were still delicious! You may just want to add a little more liquid (either coconut oil or almond milk) to the mix as the oats make it a little drier.
Hope this helps!
E xx
Natalie says
OMG I must try it soon! The cookies look divine!
Sarah says
Okay, I need to get in on this aquafaba business because these look freaking amazing. I’ve never seen a vegan cookie look so golden. Come to mama!
Kristine says
Hi, cookies looks so delicious. Can aquafaba (the brine / liquid in a can of chickpea) to change the usual egg or egg substitute? Thank you.
Hi Kristine! I’m not sure I understand your question…if you’re looking to use eggs, refer to the original recipe linked in the notes!
Ceyda says
:)
laura says
I dont see it. Can I use eggs instead? How many?
Here!