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Double Chocolate Mint Paleo Cookies are a healthy alternative to thin mints! They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free (without the candy canes) and made from wholesome, natural ingredients. The best part? They taste like Christmas in a cookie!
The best holiday cookie recipe you’ll try
Who has been loving cookie week as much as me?! If you’ve been here for a while, you probably know that baking is my absolute favorite. But holiday baking? That takes the trophy for my favorite type of baking!
Feeling inspired by the annual cookie exchanges my mom used to attend, I knew I wanted to do a cookie week this year. There’s no better time for it than during the holidays! So far, we’ve made snickerdoodles, gingersnaps, and healthy peanut butter blossoms.
So what’s next, you ask? Double chocolate mint paleo cookies! These treats provide the classic chocolate and mint combo, making them taste similar to thin mints. The chocolate provides the rich, decadent flavor while peppermint extract and crushed candy cane provides that cool, refreshing mintiness!
Partly inspired by The Great British Baking Show
A Thanksgiving spent at Tom’s house introduced me to my new favorite show: The Great British Baking Show. Now, I love playing it in the background while I bake!
Is anyone else watching it right now?! I am completely and utterly obsessed and cannot believe I wasn’t watching it earlier.
For those who have no idea what I’m talking about, The Great British Baking Show is sort of like MasterChef, but it’s all baking, and the cast is British (as you could’ve probably guessed!). It’s all friendly competition, so it’s quite enjoyable to watch. I’ve learned so much about baking too! On each episode, they have to make three different desserts: one signature bake, one technical bake, and one “showstopper.”
My favorite is either the technical bake (where they have to perfectly nail a simple recipe like a bread, cake, or tart) or the showstopper (where they get to let their creativity shine and make whatever they’d like).
All of this is to say, I highly recommend watching this show and letting it inspire you to bake some tasty holiday treats like these double chocolate mint paleo cookies!
Ingredients in paleo double chocolate cookies
The paleo diet consists of eating completely whole ingredients, with the goal of eating foods as close to their “original form” as possible. Essentially, the goal is to eat like the Paleolithic or cavemen people would have eaten.
So when it comes to baking, paleo treats require as many unrefined and unprocessed ingredients as possible. Here are the ingredients we’ll be using to make these paleo-approved cookies!
- Nut butter: First up, you will need 1/4 cup of nut butter. I recommend using almond — that’s what I used, and it was delicious!
- Coconut oil: Next, you will need 1/4 cup of melted coconut oil.
- Coconut sugar: Use 1/4 cup of coconut sugar to sweeten up the cookies.
- Maple syrup: And to make things extra sweet, add 1/4 cup of maple syrup!
- Vanilla: 1 tsp of vanilla makes a huge difference in these cookies.
- Egg: 1 egg will help the dry ingredients bind together. Make sure it’s at room temperature before adding to the batter.
- Peppermint extract: 3/4 tsp of peppermint extract will give us that signature minty flavor!
- Almond flour: First up for the dry ingredients is 1 cup of almond flour.
- Coconut flour: Follow that with 1/3 cup of coconut flour.
- Cocoa powder: Then, give the cookies their chocolate flavor with 1/3 cup of cocoa powder.
- Salt: 1/4 tsp of salt is a must!
- Baking soda: Use 1/2 tsp of baking soda to help the cookies bake and rise properly.
- Chocolate chips: Last but not least, finish off the cookie dough by adding 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. Feel free to use a dairy-free type if you want dairy-free cookies!
Optionally top your cookies with extra flavor by using 1/2 cup of melted chocolate and 1/2 cup of crushed candy canes. These toppings make the cookies prettier too!
How to make these paleo cookies
I love trying paleo recipes, and these cookies make the list for one of my favorites (along with almond butter blondies)! On top of the clean ingredient list, these are very easy to make. Here’s how it’s done!
To begin, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Use a medium-sized mixing bowl to whisk together the almond butter, coconut oil, coconut sugar, and maple syrup.
Then, whisk in the egg followed by the vanilla and peppermint extracts.
Using a large mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and stir to combine.
Once fully combined, let the dough sit for 15 minutes to allow the flours to absorb the liquid.
When ready, roll the dough into balls and then flatten them with your hand onto the baking sheet.
Add chocolate chips on top.
Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the cookies are slightly firm to the touch.
Let cool completely.
Once cooled, melt the chocolate and crush the candy canes. Dip one half of the cookie into the chocolate and then into the candy cane.
Let set and enjoy! Store at room temperature for up to one week.
What type of almond flour should you use?
When it comes to baking with almond flour, be sure to go for almond flour and not almond meal flour. Though they both come from almonds, the two variations will dramatically change the texture and appearance of your cookies!
Almond meal flour is made by grinding the almonds with the skins.
Almond flour, on the other hand, is made without the skins. This method creates a lighter appearance and texture.
A gluten-free cookie treat
In addition to being delicious, these mint cookies are gluten and dairy-free, and if you skip the candy canes, they’re also refined sugar-free! This makes them great for sharing with a crowd.
If you make these paleo double chocolate mint cookies, please let me know! And be sure to tag #ELWCookieWeek on Instagram
Is chocolate paleo?
Chocolate is associated with a lot of health benefits. When you are trying to decide if something is paleo-friendly, the biggest question should be whether cavemen could eat it.
The cavemen didn’t have access to chocolate chips. However, they did have access to cocoa beans!
This recipe uses a pretty loose paleo interpretation as far as the chocolate chips are concerned, but sticking with dairy-free or dark chocolate is a great way to use the ingredient in its most “whole” form.
Candy canes, however, are not paleo-friendly. They make a festive topping, but be sure to omit if you want to be strict on the paleo ingredients!
If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!
Looking for some more holiday-inspired recipes? Try these!
- White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Reindeer Chow
- Peppermint Brownies
- Hot Cocoa Cookies
- Holiday Cranberry Cocktail
Paleo Double Chocolate Mint Cookies
Double Chocolate Mint Paleo Cookies are a healthy alternative to thin mints! They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free (without the candy canes) and made from wholesome, natural ingredients. The best part? They taste like Christmas in a cookie!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup nut butter (I used almond)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 3/4 tsp peppermint extract
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/3 cup coconut flour
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (dairy free if desired)
Optional Topping:
- 1/2 cup melted chocolate
- 1/2 cup crushed candy canes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together almond butter, coconut oil, coconut sugar, and maple syrup.
- Whisk in egg and then add in vanilla and peppermint extract.
- In a large bowl, mix almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
- Add wet ingredients to dry and stir to combine.
- Once fully combined, let sit for 15 minutes for flours to absorb liquid.
- Roll into balls and flatten with hand onto baking sheet.
- Add chocolate chips to top.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes or until slightly firm to touch.
- Let cool completely.
- Once cooled, melt chocolate and dip one half of cookie into chocolate and then into crushed candy cane pieces. They will contain added sugar if you use candy cane.
- Let set and store at room temperature for up to one week.
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Kayleigh says
These cookies are SO good! They taste like a fluffy thin mint and with the chocolate/peppermint topping, they are perfect for Christmas!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Kayleigh, so happy you loved them! 🙂
Cindy says
Curious as to if these can be made with an egg replacement or flax seed egg. I am making them for a cookie exchange and there are 2 vegans participating. Vegan chocolate chips and an egg substitute and these are PERFECT!
Erin says
Hi Cindy, yes those subs should fine!! Let me know how the cookies come out!!
Annie S. says
Hello! I was wondering if I could make the dough a few hours in advance and keep it in the fridge?
Erin says
Hi Annie, yep that should be fine! Let me know how they come out for you!!
Adele says
The flavor on these is fantastic! Made them for a work Christmas in July themed party. I’d add a bit more liquid next time as they were a little drier than I’d have liked, but the taste was SPOT ON.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Adele, so happy you loved them!
Jenny B. says
Made these for Erin’s cookie week this year and my whole family loved them! Such a hit!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Jenny, so happy everyone loved them!!
Ella says
This is my favorite cookie recipe of all time!! I’ve made it 3 times in the last month (and I usually never repeat recipes). My boyfriend loves them too, and he’s normally unimpressed by healthy cookie recipes.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Ella, so happy you both like them!!
Kaitlin says
Soooo yummy!! Will be making for many holiday seasons to come
Erin says
Hi Kaitlin, I am so happy you love them! 🙂
Kellen says
So soft and fluffy! I used all almond flour (used closer to 2 cups total probably) and no coconut flour. Big hit!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Kellen, I am so glad you enjoyed them!
Madison says
These cookies were amazing!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Madison, I am so happy you liked them!
Miranda says
I made these yesterday, and they are so good! They taste like thin mints 🙂 Haven’t made a recipe of yours yet that I didn’t love!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Miranda, thanks for your kind words! I am so happy you love them!
TJ says
Awesome recipe they taste so good and their easy to make! These will be my go to Christmas cookie recipe from now on 😍
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi TJ, thanks for sharing! I am thrilled you enjoyed them!
Jill says
Think these might have to be the ones I make for ELW cookie week ?
Erin says
YES! You should!!
Jana says
Hi! I’m looking to make these for a cookie exchange. They look delicious! Just curious how big the balls are when you roll them? Do these expand in the oven?
Erin says
Hi there! They do not expand much in the oven. I used about two tablespoons of dough! Enjoy!
Samantha says
Taste like Thin Mints! So delicious; probably my favorite cookie I’ve made at home!
★★★★★
Erin says
So glad you liked them! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Saxon Cote says
Where did you find Paleo candy canes?
Erin says
Hi Saxon, I just used regular candy canes. Hope this helps and let me know how your cookies came out!
Kelley says
They look delicious and I can’t wait to make them! Before I do I wanted to ask, is it fine to use cacao powder rather than cocoa? Would it be the same amount?
Erin says
Yes! Cacao is a little bit more bitter than cocoa but it works!
Simone says
I’ve made these cookies on numerous occasions now and it’s probably my favorite cookie recipe in the entire world. They’re amazing, only problem is I want to eat them all. Love all your recipes Erin!
★★★★★
Erin says
Thanks, Simone! This comment made my day.
Jillian says
Do you think you could just use almond flour to sub coconut? I want to make these but realized I have everything except the coconut flour!
Erin says
You could most likely do it – just would need more AF. Would try 2 cups!
Meredith says
Why do you put the chocolate chips on top instead of mixing them in?! Making these right now and cant wait to try! I was just curious!
Erin says
I do it strictly for aesthetics 🙂 Both is a good idea!
Bryan says
My son would have a great time crushing candy canes for toppings! great recipe, thank you!
Erin says
I bet he would love it! Great idea for holiday fun.