Gluten-Free Espresso Chocolate Almond Cookies (Print Version)
Chewy gluten-free cookies with espresso, dark chocolate chunks, and roasted almonds in every bite.
# List of Ingredients:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 1 ½ cups (180 g) finely ground almond flour
02 - ¼ cup (30 g) tapioca starch
03 - ⅓ cup (30 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
04 - 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
05 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
06 - ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
→ Wet Ingredients
07 - ½ cup (120 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
08 - ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar, packed
09 - ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
10 - 1 large egg
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Mix-Ins
12 - ⅔ cup (100 g) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped or gluten-free chocolate chips
13 - ½ cup (60 g) roasted almonds, coarsely chopped
# Step-by-step Instructions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, tapioca starch, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla extract, then whisk until fully combined.
04 - Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Gently fold in the chopped dark chocolate and roasted almonds until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
06 - Scoop the dough into 1 ½ tablespoon-sized mounds and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
07 - Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft.
08 - Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The espresso powder does not just add coffee flavor, it makes the chocolate taste exponentially deeper and more complex.
- That contrast between chewy centers and crunchy almond pieces will ruin plain cookies for you forever.
02 -
- These cookies continue to firm up as they cool, so pulling them when centers still look wet and glossy is actually correct and not a mistake.
- Almond flour absorbs moisture differently than wheat flour, so if your dough feels too wet, refrigerate it for 15 minutes before scooping and it becomes much more manageable.
03 -
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes before scooping if you want thicker, puffier cookies with less spread and more intense flavor.
- Chop the chocolate by hand rather than using chips, because those irregular shards create pools and ribbons of melted chocolate that no uniform chip can replicate.