This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
5 Ingredient Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies – vegan, gluten free, so easy, and so delicious. Sounds too good to be true, right? These cookies are made with creamy almond butter and blended together with dates. Then they’re baked up to create a sweet, chewy, almond butter cookie that everyone just loves. A drizzle of chocolate and a sprinkle of sea salt makes perfection in every chewy bite. They’re a little like magic, such an awesome surprise!
Half Baked Harvest At Home
20+ new recipes for wholesome comfort food made with everyday ingredients. Pre-order today! HBH At Home will be released on Tuesday, February 23rd!
Did I think they’d turn out when I started making them? I had high hopes, but honestly I wasn’t that sure. I mean, 5 ingredients, no processed sugar, no egg? It seemed like a recipe for disaster, but dates are a very unique ingredient and they really pull through in these cookies. Just like that little intro above says, these really are a bit like magic.
The two pickiest critics in the family, Asher and my mom, loved these. Especially my mom. Chewy, sweet, and heavy on the chocolate. My mom is a no sugar, dessert lover, which doesn’t always go hand-in-hand, but with these cookies, it does.
Ingredients
- Creamy almond butter
- Medjool dates
- Vanilla extract
- Baking soda
- Melted dark chocolate
- Flaky sea salt
Kitchen Ingredients
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Food processor
- Wire rack
In terms of desserts, making them wholesome can be tricky. But there are a handful of ingredients I always turn to when I’m looking to experiment. Nuts butters always add flavor, they’re creaminess is delicious when baked into sweets.
But dates are something that really don’t get enough credit. They’re nature’s candy. Naturally sweet, naturally chewy, and completely on their own delicious.
I’ve used dates before to sweeten and bind recipes so I was hoping they’d do the same for these cookies. And they did not disappoint!
The details
Step One
Let’s start with preheating the oven! Set the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. The process couldn’t be simpler, but you do need a food processor or blender to make these. I’d recommend a food processor over a blender. It will give your cookies a better texture.
Take the almond butter, the dates, the vanilla, and baking soda and add everything to the food processor. Blend until the dates are super finely ground. If the mix is a little crumbly, add a splash or so of water until the dough can form a ball in your first. I usually use about 2-3 tablespoons, but it can vary depended on how plump your dates are.
Step Two
Roll the dough into balls, about 16-17, then gently flatten them down with your hand. I love to create a cross hatch patter on top with a fork. Create a crosshatch pattern.
When the cookies come out of the oven, let them cool on the pan. Then, I’d recommend placing them in the freezer to make dipping easier. Cool for 10-15 minutes. Then drizzle or dip the cookies in chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt.
Once they’re cold, dip or drizzle each cookie with chocolate.
Great for anyone looking for a gluten-free cookie, but also just delicious for everyone involved.
Don’t be skeptical promise, it’s going to be great.
Looking for other healthier dessert recipes? Here are my favorites:
5 Ingredient Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies
Healthier Homemade Nutter Butter Cookies
Healthy…ish Homemade Samoas Cookies
Tahini Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Salted Tahini Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Lastly, if you make these 5 Ingredient Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
5 Ingredient Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy almond butter
- 1 cup Medjool dates, pitted,
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 8 ounces melted dark chocolate
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.2. In a food processor, combine the almond butter, dates, vanilla, and baking soda. Pulse until combined and until no large chunks of dates remain. If the dough is dry, add 2-3 tablespoons of water to moisten. 3. Roll the dough into 16-17 balls and place on the prepared baking sheet, gently flatten with your hand. Using a fork, press down on each dough ball to create a crosshatch pattern. Bake for 9-10 minutes. 4. Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool. To make dipping easier, freeze the cookies for 10-15 minutes. Then drizzle or dip the cookies in chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt. Eat, or let the chocolate harden. Store in a cool place or the fridge.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
I added 2 tablespoons water to moisten the dough but the cookies didn’t bake well; soft but not chewy.
Hi Nancy,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, sorry to hear they were not enjoyed. xTieghan
We’re working on making better food choices and reducing added sugar. These are a great choice. So tasty and rich. Definitely adding these to the favorites list.
Hi Jessica,
Awesome!! Love to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks for making it. Have the best week:) xT
Fabulous!! I had all the ingredients, needed something sweet but not-too-sweet, and these were easy to make…and SO good! The dark chocolate and flaky sea salt on top make it, for me. Genius addition. Def on repeat!
Hi Jenna,
Awesome!! Love to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks for making it. Have the best week:) xT
These are amazing and quick to come together!
Hey Marcy,
Awesome!! Love to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks for making it. Have the best week:) xT
Could you use natural peanut butter instead?
The hidden beauty of almond butter is that it is full of Omega 3 fats. Peanut butter is full of Omega 6 fats, and while they are good for you, we get an over abundance of them in our average diets. Omegas 3s to 6s should be 1:1 ratio, but with the average diet it is more like 1:6 Increasing Omega 3s (salmon, hemp hearts, chia, flax seed, omega 3 eggs, and other nuts) help boost that ratio, and that is not only good for our brains, but also for our parasympathetic nervous system, the Rest and Digest side, vs Fight or Flight. Seems we all need a little extra help these days, don’tcha think? Thanks for the great recipe!!!
I hope you love the cookies Heather!
Hey Alyssa,
Sure, that will work well for you. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
This is a keeper, for sure! Delicious and so simple, yummmm!
Hi Cami,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks bunch for giving it a go! xxTieghan
These are delicious !!! We topped ours with dark chocolate and chopped pecans, tastes just like a chocolate turtle
Hey Brianne,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks bunch for giving it a go! xxTieghan
Just made them and they are great! However mine were a bit crumbly. Any idea how ai can prevent them from crumbling next time?
Hey there,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try! These are definitely a softer cookie, was there anything you adjusted? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
Can you make oatmeal cookies next? Looking for a good recipe
Hi Tori,
Here are some recipes that you might enjoy:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/tahini-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/peanut-butter-chocolate-chunk-oatmeal-cookies/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/moms-simple-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies-best-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies-around/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/healthy-dark-chocolate-chunk-oatmeal-cookie-bars-idiot-proof/
Let me know if you have any other questions! xT
What brand of almond butter did you use?
Thanks so much!
Hey Yvonne,
I like to use Whole Foods almond butter or this one from Thrive Market:
http://l.thrv.me/HBH4353-barney-butter-bare-smooth-almond
Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
What an inspiration you are! I will make these today.
I hope you love the recipe Helena!!
Did anyone have an issue with theirs turning out kind of grainy? I’m wondering if the almond butter I had was too oily?
Hey Whitney,
So sorry to hear this! Maybe try a different almond butter next time and let me know! xTieghan
Just made these and they were so simple and SO DELICIOUS! Big fan of these already will definitely be making these lots. They were a hit with my 2 year old as well. Thank you for all of your lovely recipes ?
Hey Amy,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks bunch for giving it a go! xxTieghan
Amazing!!!! I will keep making these over and over again!!!
Hi Carla,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks bunch for giving it a go! xxTieghan
I made these today! I am not a big “date” fan and was curious how the dates would work as a sweetener. We loved them! I did add a splash of water to get a smoother consistency. I had a hard time with the fork sticking to the dough when pressing them down before baking so after a few minutes in the oven when they were starting to rise a bit, I pressed the fork on top to flatten them slightly. Seemed to work just fine. I love the chewy softness of them. Yum AND healthy!
Hey Jill,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks bunch for giving it a go! xxTieghan