These refined sugar-free chocolate chip cookies are sweetened only with dates and are 100% vegan, oil, sugar and gluten-free. These cookies are soft, rich, fudgy, and so addictive!
The best part about these refined sugar-free chocolate chip cookies:
The cookie dough for these sugar-free cookies is made entirely in the bowl of your food processor. This recipe involves such a non-fussy way of making cookie dough and the best part is that this cookie dough contains no raw eggs or flour and can totally be eaten raw, if you would like to nibble on some while making these cookies! 😉
Also, The base of these cookies is (surprise!) dates. There is absolutely no sugar or other sweeteners in this recipe making these cookies a healthy, wholesome treat.
Tips to make these sugar-free chocolate chip cookie:
- Soak your dates: I like to soak my dates in hot water for a few minutes to soften them up. This helps in making a smooth paste and you won't even realize that these cookies are sweetened with dates! If your dates are already very soft, you can skip this step.
- Soak your ground flaxseeds: Let the ground flaxseeds and water mixture sit for about 10 minutes before you use it. This helps it form a gel like consistency which acts as an egg replacement.
- Push down ingredients: Don't be afraid to stop the food processor and push down the ingredients if needed. Since the mixture is very thick, it has a tendency of getting stuck to the walls of the food processor.
- Chocolate chips: To keep the recipe 100% refined sugar free, use chocolate chips without added sugar like these ones sweetened with monkfruit extract.
- Parchment paper: I lined my cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. If you don’t have parchment paper, grease your baking pan with avocado oil before placing the cookies.
- Baking time: My sugar-free chocolate chip cookies took about 15 minutes to be fully baked but yours might take more or less time depending on your oven. The cookies are done when they are deep golden on the undersides and lightly cracked on top, about 15-16 minutes.
- Cooling: These cookies should be cooled completely before eating, otherwise they might still be too soft. Transfer them to a wire rack to cook completely when they are done baking.
- Leftovers: These cookies will stay well in an airtight container on your counter-top for about 3 days.
Substitutions to make these sugar-free chocolate chip cookies:
This recipe can be made 100% nut free. To make it nut free:
- Instead of peanut butter, use any nut free, seed butter of your choice.
- Replace the almond flour with any seed flour of your choice.
I like using either sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds to make it nut free.
To keep the recipe 100% refined sugar free, use chocolate chips without added sugar like these ones sweetened with monkfruit extract.
Best baking pan to use for these sugar-free chocolate chip cookies:
I made these cookies on a flat cookie sheet, but you could also use any other cookie pan/baking sheet that you already have.
I lined my cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. If you don’t have parchment paper, grease your baking pan with avocado oil before placing the cookies.
More recipes to try out:
If you like this recipe, you might also want to check out my 3 ingredient healthy ice creams. This recipe too, is vegan friendly and doesn't use any refined sugar!
If you're looking for other dessert recipes then check out my raspberry lemon ricotta cake, limoncello & apple cake and my ultimate one-bowl banana bread recipes. These recipes are all super simple to make and don't require any fancy equipment.
Please leave a comment below to let me know what you think and subscribe to my social media if you would like to see more easy and delicious recipes.
Refined Sugar Free Chocolate Chip Cookies (Vegan & Paleo)
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup pitted dates
- 1.5 teaspoons ground flaxseed
- 1.5 tablespoons water
- ¼ teaspoon lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar)
- ¼ cup smooth peanut butter (or replace with any nut/seed butter of your choice)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup almond flour
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (use only if your nut butter is unsalted)
- ½ cup vegan semi sweet chocolate chips (reserve 30 chips from this for decorating the top)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- If your dates are not soft and juicy, place them in a bowl. Cover them with boiling water. Let them soak and soften for about 5 minutes.
- In another small bowl, stir together the ground flaxseed and water. Set mixture aside for 5 minutes to thicken/gel slightly.
- Once the dates have softened, drain and transfer them to the bowl of a food processor. Add the flaxseed mixture, peanut butter, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Pulse the food processor a few times before running it on high. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary and continue until you have a relatively smooth paste.
- Add the almond flour, coconut flour, salt, and baking soda to the food processor. Run the motor on high until you have a sticky and well mixed dough.
- Transfer the cookie dough into a medium bowl. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula until they are evenly mixed throughout the dough.
- Divide the cookie dough into 10 rough portions (each portion is about a heaped tablespoon full) and place them onto the baking sheet. Now, lightly oil your hands and roll each dough potion into a smooth ball before flattening them into about 2.5" diameter cookies. Arrange the cookies on the baking sheet. These cookies will not spread as they bake, so they won’t need much space.
- Bake cookies until deep golden on the undersides and lightly cracked on top, about 15-16 minutes.
- Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely before serving.
Video
Notes
- Instead of peanut butter, use any nut free, seed butter of your choice.
- Replace the almond flour with any seed flour of your choice.
What can I sub the almond and coconut flour with? Those are not available where I live
You can replace with any other nut flour.
If you can't find nut flours, blitz the nut of your choice in a food processor or blender until it is finely ground and use it instead.
Can I use all purpose flour? Or can I use almond flour entirely? What other nut flours do you recommend?
I haven't tried this recipe with all purpose flour, so I am not sure if the same measurements would work.
Yes, you could use just almond flour. Some other nice options are ground cashews, ground hazelnuts or ground pistachios.