Chewy chocolate cookies are the grain-free answer to a proper fudgy bakery cookie — deep with cacao and studded with chopped cacao nibs. Coconut flour and eggs give them a soft, crackled centre while the edges set just enough to hold. Ten to twelve minutes of baking stands between you and a very good afternoon.
MAKES 24 COOKIES
Ingredients
1 cup (240 ml) coconut flour
1 cup (240 ml) cacao powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups palm sugar
4 large eggs
5 tablespoons (75 ml) coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
2 ounces non-dairy bittersweet cacao nibs, finely chopped
Preparation
1.В В Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, cacao powder, baking soda, and salt together in bowl.
2.В В In a separate large bowl, whisk palm sugar, eggs, melted coconut oil, and vanilla together until well combined and smooth. Gently stir in flour mixture with rubber spatula until a soft dough forms. Stir in chopped cacao nibs.
3.В В Working with generous one-tablespoon portions, roll dough into balls using wet hands and place two inches apart on prepared sheets (12 cookies per sheet). Using the bottom of a slightly wet drinking glass, press cookies to a half-inch thickness.
4.В В Bake cookies until edges are just set, but centers are still soft and look underdone (10 to 12 minutes), switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let cookies cool slightly on sheets. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Pro Tips
- The cookies are done when the centres still look underdone — that's what makes them chewy rather than cakey as they cool on the sheet.
- Wet your hands before rolling the dough; the sticky coconut flour mixture rolls cleanly when damp and clings to everything when dry.
- Chop the cacao nibs finely so they melt into little pockets rather than staying as hard grit in the soft crumb.
- Melted coconut oil should cool slightly before meeting the eggs — hot oil scrambles them on contact and ruins the batter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use cocoa powder instead of cacao powder?
Yes, they work interchangeably here. Dutch-process cocoa gives a darker, mellower cookie; raw cacao keeps the flavour sharper.
Why did my cookies turn out cakey?
Usually too much coconut flour or over-measuring it. Scoop and level rather than scooping directly from the bag, which packs the flour.
How do I store chewy chocolate cookies?
Airtight at room temperature for four days. Pop a slice of bread in the tin — it keeps the cookies soft and does nothing to their flavour.
Can I add chocolate chips?
Fold in a handful along with the cacao nibs. The dough is soft, so chill it twenty minutes first to stop the chips sinking.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- 1. В В Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375°F.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk flour, cacao powder, baking soda, and salt together in bowl. 2. В В In a separate large bowl, whisk palm sugar, eggs, melted coconut oil, and vanilla together until well combined and smooth. Gently stir in flour mixture with rubber spatula until a soft dough forms.
- Stir in chopped cacao nibs. 3. В В Working with generous one-tablespoon portions, roll dough into balls using wet hands and place two inches apart on prepared sheets (12 cookies per sheet).
- Using the bottom of a slightly wet drinking glass, press cookies to a half-inch thickness. 4. В В Bake cookies until edges are just set, but centers are still soft and look underdone (10 to 12 minutes), switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.
- Let cookies cool slightly on sheets.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
