Gooey, buttery chocolate chip cookies aren’t the only keto cookies on our top 29 list.
These Perfect Keto-approved cookies aren’t just delicious — they’re as good or better than the traditional cookie recipes you’re used to.
Every recipe is perfectly sweet, low-carb, Paleo, and keto with dairy-free options as well.
They’re so good, your friends and family won’t even know they’re sugar- and grain-free. Plus, you’ll learn five simple ingredient swaps to make any cookie more keto-friendly.
How To Make Cookies Low-Carb And Keto Friendly
The white flour, sugar, and other high-carb ingredients in most cookies will kick you out of keto. But, it may just take a few of the right substitutions to get you some keto cookies you enjoy.
Here’s a basic breakdown of five healthy ingredient swaps you can make in order to bake a batch of keto cookies:
#1: REPLACE FLOUR WITH NUT AND SEED MEAL OR COCONUT FLOUR
Processed wheat flour not only lacks nutrients, it’s also loaded with carbs.
Just one cup of standard all-purpose flour contains 95g of carbs — and most cookie recipes call for multiple cups of flour.
That is way too high in carbs to be keto friendly. Plus, wheat-derived flours are also high in gluten — a compound that many people find themselves sensitive or allergic to.
Here’s the good news: flours made from nuts, seeds, and coconut are lower in total carbs, higher in dietary fiber, contain nutrients like healthy fats, and don’t have any gluten.
By swapping out wheat flour for low-carb, high-fat flour options, you’ll up the nutrient density (especially the fat and fiber) of your cookies and make them more keto-friendly.
Here are the best keto flours to use for baking cookies:
- Almond flour (sometimes called almond meal)
- Coconut flour
- Hazelnut flour
- Protein powder
- Ground sunflower seed flour
#2: Ditch The Sugar For Keto-Safe Sugar Substitutes
It doesn’t matter if you’re using white sugar, brown sugar, or sugar made from coconuts — they’ll all spike your blood sugar and insulin levels and kick you out of ketosis.
In fact, one cup of white sugar contains 200g of carbohydrates, or a whole week’s worth of carbs on a keto diet.
Your brain also gets a rush of dopamine from sugar, which gives you the same euphoric feeling that makes you lose control and want 100 more cookies[*].
While you can turn to sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners like Splenda (sucralose) for baking, many of these have unwanted side effects like bloating, gas, and diarrhea.
Stick to more natural keto sugar substitutes that won’t make you feel bad, such as:
- Stevia
- Monk fruit
These low-carb sugar substitutes allow you to enjoy one cookie without feeling tempted to gobble up the entire batch, or send your blood sugar levels on a rollercoaster.
Another critical component in cookie recipes is fat. And even though fat consumption is encouraged on a keto diet, you might need to upgrade your fat sources.
#3: Not All Fats Are Created Equal
Many cookie recipes call for shortening, lard, or highly processed oils like canola,soybean, or vegetable oil to create a smooth consistency for your batter.
These bad keto fats are terrible for your health and are linked to higher rates of inflammation, weight gain, heart disease, and even poor mental health.
That’s why you’ll want to choose healthy fats for your keto cookies, including:
- Grass-fed butter
- Coconut oil
- Avocados (you won’t even taste them!)
A word here about another “fat” you’ll find in many cookie recipes: peanut butter.
Peanut butter binds ingredients and lends creaminess to your cookies just like oil, but it’s not an A-lister when it comes to healthy keto foods.
There are many reasons to ditch peanut butter, from the added sugars to the hydrogenated oils (i.e., trans fat), to the aflatoxins.
You’re better off using a healthier alternative like almond butter or Perfect Keto Nut Butter, which has a mix of macadamia and cashew butter along with coconut butter and MCT oil.
This will add delicious flavor and good fats to your baked treats over carbs and sugar.
#4: BE SMART ABOUT FLAVOR ADDITIONS
You may be used to dumping nuts, dried fruit, and chocolate chips into your cookie dough, but these all add up when it comes to your daily macros.
Even healthy ingredients in excess will quickly increase the total carbs for each cookie.
So if your recipe doesn’t include macros for each serving, use an app like MyFitnessPal to plug in your ingredients and calculate the carb cost for each cookie.
The best keto cookie flavor additions include:
- Nuts like macadamia, pecan, and hazelnut
- Stevia-sweetened chocolate chips
- Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin spice
- Cocoa powder
- Coconut (raw or toasted)
When you’re ready to bake, follow these best practices for the tastiest keto cookies.
#5: FOLLOW THE RIGHT BAKING PROCESS
Baking recipes can be tricky, so it’s best to read all the recipe notes and to check the recipe rating before you start measuring and mixing.
Here’s a general recipe plan of attack for all your cookies:
- First, preheat oven to your recipe’s temperature.
- Then line a baking sheet or cookie sheet with parchment paper.
This will make the cookies less likely to stick to the pan and will prevent browning or burning the bottom of your cookies like aluminum foil tends to do. Plus, it’s easy cleanup for you.
- Next, separate your dry ingredients from your wet ingredients in two large bowls. When it’s time to make your cookie dough, you’ll combine these two.
- Portion out your cookie dough using a tablespoon or ice cream scoop to make sure they’re all uniform. This will help them cook evenly and ensure your macros are the same for each of them.
With this cheat sheet for creating sugar-free cookies now in your keto toolbelt, you’re ready to whip up a fresh batch without derailing all your hard work.