What makes this recipe for low-calorie chocolate chip cookies so good is, well, everything, really. They are soft and chewy cookies with the perfect texture, made with wholesome ingredients and less than 100 calories per cookie! They are made without butter or eggs.
Here is everything you’ll need to know to make this simple one-bowl cookie recipe with only a handful of ingredients.
Every season is cookie season; let’s be honest about this. Whether you dunk them or eat them straight up, cookies are up there with the best of treats. If you're a cookie fan as I am, make sure to also check out our 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies, 2 Ingredient PB Cookies or Carob Cookies.
This low-cal version is a healthy chocolate chip cookie recipe- or let's say a healthier ccc recipe because is there such a thing as healthy cookies? I doubt it. Having said that, they in no way under-deliver when it comes to chunky, chocolatey goodness.
Let’s dive into what makes these cookies a healthier option than regular chocolate chip cookies and how to make them.
What makes these ccc cookies a healthier choice?
- With only 100 calories per cookie (compared to 360cal for a Starbucks ccc cookie), these low-calorie chocolate chip cookies are the perfect cookies if you want to cut back on calories.
- Made without butter and therefore contain less saturated fat.
- Free from eggs (and cholesterol).
- Made with coconut sugar and maple syrup instead of regular syrup.
Ingredients & Substitution Notes
- Blanched Almond Flour: You will need blanched, finley ground almonds. Don’t use a defatted almond flour version that nearly resembles the texture of protein powder. Just regular blanched almond flour.
- Sugar: any granulated sweetener would work, like soft brown sugar or coconut sugar, for a refined sugar-free version. While I think stevia would also work, I haven’t tried it yet, and the amount you’ll need might be less since it’s much sweeter than sugar.
- All-purpose flour: for a gluten-free version, use your favorite gluten-free flour blend.
- Baking powder + soda: raising agents to give these cookies a little lift.
- Milk of choice: I love barista oat milk versions, but you can also use almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, or regular cow’s milk
- Oil: coconut, sunflower, or other neutral-tasting vegetable oil like avocado oil. Olive oil would also work but will alter the taste slightly.
- Chocolate Chips: I like dark, semisweet chocolate chips, but you could use vegan milk chocolate or sugar-free chocolate chips.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make low-calorie chocolate chip cookies
STEP 1: Dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. These include almond flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, coconut sugar, and salt.
STEP 2: Whisk together. Using a whisk, mix together the dry ingredients.
STEP 3: Wet ingredients. Add the oil, milk, and maple syrup to the dry ingredients.
STEP 4: Mix together. Using a spatula, mix together the ingredients until they come together in a dough. The dough will be a little sticky.
STEP 5: Chocolate chips. Add in the chocolate chips.
STEP 6: Scoop cookie balls. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop up cookie dough balls. You should get about 12 balls of cookie dough.
STEP 7: Place balls on a baking sheet. Place the cookie balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure there is enough space between the cookies.
STEP 8: Press down and bake. Press your cookie balls down with your fingers and bake them for 9-11 minutes. Check the cookies at the 9 minutes mark. If they are golden brown around the edges, then they are done. Let them cool for a few minutes on their cookie sheet. After that, transfer them to a wire rack.
Top Tips
- Don’t overmix: The ingredients just need to come together.
- Don’t overbake: To ensure that they still have a soft center.
- Space out adequately: Ensure there is enough space between the cookies.
- Roll in sugar: I highly recommend rolling the dough balls in some sugar before flattening them.
- Pressing down: When pressing down the cookie dough balls, don’t flatten them completely, or your healthy cookies will be a bit thin. Just press them down lightly.
- Additional Chocolate Chips: you could add some additional chocolate chips at the top just before baking. Gently press them into the dough.
Variations
- Vegan: choose plant-based milk and vegan chocolate chips; the rest is vegan anyway.
- Gluten-Free: use a gluten-free flour blend; the texture might be slightly different from those made with white flour, but still tasty.
- Less Calories: choose cacao nibs instead of chocolate chips.
- Whole Grain Flour: for more fiber, you could try using half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour (don’t replace ALL of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour, though). You might also need a tiny bit more milk then.
- Peanut Butter Chips: Try peanut butter chips either by themselves or mixed with dark chocolate chips for a fun flavor combination.
Optional Add-ins
- Pure vanilla extract
- Chopped nuts such as walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts
- Cocoa powder: for more chocolate flavors
- Cardamon: to compliment the chocolate chips
- Orange zest: goes beautifully with chocolate as well
Storage
- To store: wait until they have reached room temperature. Thereafter, package the cookies in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. They taste best when they are fresh though.
FAQ
Yes, just choose dairy-free milk of choice and dairy-free chocolate chips instead of the ones you use in traditional recipes.
Yes, you can freeze them for about two months. It’s recommended that you put some parchment paper between the cookies to stop them from breaking. Let thaw on the counter overnight.
Yes, you absolutely can! You can also make them with mint chocolate chips for a little Christmas feel.
More cookie recipes
📖 Recipe
Low Calorie Chocolate Chip Cookies (no butter or eggs)
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup (115 g) blanched almond flour *see notes
- ¼ cup (40 g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoon (2 tablespoon (20g)) coconut sugar *or soft brown sugar
- pinch of salt
Wet Ingredients
- ⅛ cup (40 g) pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon (2 tablespoon (25g)) oat milk (or other milk of choice)
- 1,5 tablespoon (1 tablespoon (15g)) sunflower oil or coconut oil
Other
- ⅛ cup (25 g) semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Whisk together all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.1 cup blanched almond flour, ¼ cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 2 tablespoon coconut sugar, pinch of salt
- Add the wet ingredients and stir with a spatula until you end up with a sticky dough (see step-by-step photos).⅛ cup pure maple syrup, 2 tablespoon oat milk (or other milk of choice), 1,5 tablespoon sunflower oil or coconut oil
- Fold in the chocolate chips.⅛ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- Scoop out 12 individual portions using a small cookie scoop.
- Optional (but recommended): Roll the dough balls in some extra sugar.
- Place the dough balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure to leave enough room between them.
- Carefully press down on each cookie with slightly damp hands to form small, thick discs.
- Bake on the middle rack or 9-11 minutesminutes at 350°F (180°C). Check at the 9 minute mark, if the cookies are already golden brown at the edges an a bit on the top then remove from the oven.
- Let cool for 2 more minutes on the baking sheet. Then remove to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
Video
Notes
- Don’t overbake: To ensure that they still have a soft center.
- Don’t overmix: The ingredients just need to come together.
- Texture: For chewier cookies with a soft center, remove from oven at the 10 minute mark, for firmer cookies bake for 11 minutes.
- Almond Flour: You will need blanched ground almonds. Don’t use a defatted almond flour version that nearly resembles the texture of protein powder. Just regular blanched almond flour.
- Sweetness: The cookies are lightly sweetened. For sweeter cookies, add 1-2 more tablespoon of sugar. For even less sweet cookies use semisweet or sugar-free chocolate chips or cocoa nibs.
- Lower calories: To cut down on even more calories choose cocoa nibs instead of chocolate chips.
- Cooling Rack: don't foget go move the cookies onto a cooling rack after 2 minutes! Otherwise, they will keep baking.
Arlo Zoos says
Excellent! I just made them and they are fabulous. SO easy to make and SO delicious. I highly recommend.
Katie says
Hi Arlo, thanks so much, glad you liked them. They're also one of my favorite cookies! 😊
Ellen Jeffrey says
Hi, there is no instruction for oven temperature?
Katie says
Hi, I've just added the temperature, thanks so much for letting me know!