Healthy Paleo Cashew Butter Cookies
Published 12/16/2017 • Updated 5/9/2024
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These Healthy Cashew Butter Cookies are flourless, oil-free, and refined sugar-free (hello, coconut sugar!). And, believe it or not, they taste exactly like a Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookie!
With cashew butter as the base, these healthy cookies have a wonderful nutty flavor with crispy edges and a soft and gooey inside. They’ll honestly be your new favorite cookie, whether you’re paleo or not!
We ALWAYS have some sort of healthy dessert in the studio freezer, no matter what. We get asked all the time what we do with all the food we make (because we make a lot). The answer is that the majority of the baked goods get thrown into freezer bags and are frozen for later. We love having a stash of these cashew butter cookies on hand for those moments when you need dessert NOW.
To make these delicious cashew butter cookies, make your cookie dough and chill it in the fridge. Once firmed up, roll the dough into cookie balls and place them on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with Himalayan sea salt (yes, BE extra!) and bake. That’s it!
Featured Comment
“Just made these (exactly according to the recipe, aside from using egg replacer since my son can’t eat eggs), and they are AMAZING!!! These will definitely be our go-to chocolate chip cookie from now on. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe!” – Lara
What You Need for Cashew Butter Cookies?
- Creamy cashew butter: I like to use unsalted cashew butter, but feel free to use any kind of cashew butter you like! If you’re using salted, omit any additional salt from the recipe.
- Eggs: They help the cookies to hold together and give them a nice texture.
- Pure vanilla extract: Vanilla compliments the cashew flavor super well and gives the cookies that classic cookie flavor.
- Coconut palm sugar: Coconut sugar is a healthy alternative to white sugar and adds a nice subtle sweetness to the cashew cookies.
- Coconut flour: This gluten-free flour is perfect for baking and helps to give the grain-free cookies a nice texture.
- Chocolate chips: Add more delicious indulgence to this cashew butter cookies recipe with some chocolate chips!
- Himalayan sea salt: The finishing touch to this paleo cookie recipe! A sprinkle of Himalayan sea salt gives the cookies that salty-sweet balance that makes them absolutely irresistible.
Try These Ingredient Swaps!
Cashew butter: For those of you who don’t have easy access to cashew butter (I get mine from Trader Joe’s or make my own), don’t worry about it! I tried this recipe with almond butter, and it works like a charm.
Coconut sugar: You can also use light brown sugar in place of coconut palm sugar, but please note that this may affect the Paleo status of these cookies.
Coconut flour: If you don’t have coconut flour on hand, you can substitute it with almond flour or oat flour. Keep in mind that this may change the texture slightly.
Vegan-friendly: For a vegan option, try using a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water) in place of the eggs.
Tasty additions: Feeling adventurous? Try adding some chopped nuts, dried fruit, or even some shredded coconut to the cookie dough for added flavor and texture.
A Few Notes from Our Recipe Developers
My nut butters were very drippy. Meaning that they were so drippy, I could drizzle the nut butter on my oats. Keep that in mind when following the recipe. You ultimately want your “dough” to look and feel exactly like cookie dough would. If it is too dry/dense, add a few teaspoons of almond milk. If it’s too liquidy, slowly add in more coconut flour (we’re talking teaspoons at a time).
Depending on how oily your cashew butter is, you may need to add a tablespoon of almond milk to loosen the batter or more coconut flour to thicken. Add the almond milk by the teaspoon and coconut flour by the 1/2 tablespoon. Note that once the dough has chilled, it should be your classic cookie dough consistency, and you should be able to roll the dough between your palms into a ball and then slightly flatten.
How to Freeze These Cookies
Place the cooled cookies into a freezer-safe bag or container and store them for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, simply let them thaw at room temperature or heat them up in the microwave for a warm and gooey treat.
Healthy Cashew Butter Cookies
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy cashew butter, unsalted (if you’re using salted, omit additional salt from recipe)
- 2 eggs, large
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Himalayan sea salt for garnishing
Dry Ingredients
- 2/3 cup coconut palm sugar , or brown sugar
- 1.5 tablespoons coconut flour*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips, + more for on top, if desired
- Himalayan sea salt
Instructions
- First, preheat oven to 350ºF. Then, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place wet ingredients in a medium-size bowl and whisk until combined. Then, place dry ingredients into another bowl and mix until combined. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until combined.
- Place dough in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm up.
- Once chilled, the dough should be similar “cookie dough.” Depending on how oily your cashew butter is (mine was VERY drippy), you may need to add a few tablespoons of almond milk to loosen, or, more coconut flour to thicken (add by the 1/2 tablespoon).*
- Moisten a 1-inch cookie scoop with water so that the dough doesn’t stick, and then roll dough into a ball between your hands and place onto cookie sheet. Use your palm to slightly flatten and then add more chocolate chips on top if desired and a sprinkle of Himalayan sea salt.
- Bake at 350º for ~10-12 minutes or until they begin to turn golden brown on the bottom.
- Immediately remove from the pan and let cool on a cooling rack.
Tips & Notes
- Depending on how oily your cashew butter is, you may need to add a tablespoon of almond milk to loosen the batter or more coconut flour to thicken. Add the almond milk by the teaspoon and coconut flour by the 1/2 tablespoon. Note that once the dough has chilled, it should be your classic cookie dough consistency and you should be able to roll the dough between your palms into a ball and then slightly flatten.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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On the elimination diet, ok with eggs, so I googled cashew butter and coconut flour treat and omg these were perfect. The problem is I ate too many!!
Daughter just arrived home from Maine and ate one and said “oh, these are good, I thought they would taste too healthy!” eg bland and sawdust like. HA! Love this recipe.
oh, and since chocolate is not on my diet, I used raisins!! super perfect!!
So glad you loved these <3
forgot to rate this masterpiece!
OMG Lee…you nailed it…!!! these cookies are ab fab! I made one substitution you may want to try…my new sweetener instead of coconut sugar is monkfruit…fewer calories and carbs and no difference in taste. use same amount as coconut sugar 1:1 exchange…thanks for your perseverance, girl
o0oooo! That sounds interesting. Where can I find monkfruit?! And is it crystals or a syrup?
It’s crystals…go to amazon.com…It’s got 0 calorie and 0 glycemic index
Just made these (exactly according to the recipe aside from using egg replacer since my son can’t eat eggs) and they are AMAZING!!! These will definitely be our go-to chocolate chip cookie from now on. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe! (Trying to give it five stars but the system is glitchy and won’t let me rate!)
WOOOOOOO! I am so glad you loved these cookies! They are my all time favorite and I make them all the time in place of classic chocolate chip 😀
Are you sure this recipe is correct? There doesn’t seem to be enough dry ingredients. I have added more coconut flour and still it is very sloppy dough. What am I missing? Please help.
Unfortunately sadly my cookies have the texture of cake, I don’t know what went wrong. I would think having eggs in these cookies would give then a cake texture. I guess I should have not put in that Almond Milk as I thought it was too oily.
Can you sub out the coconut sugar for honey or maple syrup?
These were the best things in my tummy ever. I hadn’t had great success with coconut flour before, but these we perfect. Substituted coconut sugar with honey bc that’s what I had, still delicious.
YAY! So glad your honey substitution worked! These cookies are my everything 😛
Thank you for a wonderful recipe! I have made these several times now and my entire family loves them. I was kind of hoping my husband and kids wouldn’t like them quite so much
Just kidding, it’s a good thing! I was pleasantly surprised. I have been trying to eat healthier but with these I have a no-guilt treat once in awhile. I agree that they are better than tollhouse!
😛 I feel the same way when I make cookies. Sometimes I hide them so no one finds them but me!
I just finished baking a batch of these cookies. These are simply amazing. I really didn’t know what to expect, because I usually bake chocolate chip cookies the traditional way. I’m so happy to have this recipe, especially with my newly discovered sensitivities / intolerance. I will certainly keep these cookies in rotation at my home. Thank you so much for these!!!
YAY!!! I literally make this recipe once a week. I’ve been experimenting with all different types of nut butter, too!