Salted Chocolate & Nut Butter Cookies (Gluten Free & Paleo)

These Salted Chocolate & Nut Butter Cookies are arguably the best recipe on my blog! The soft cookies have a nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the melted salty dark chocolate. You won’t believe that these cookies are gluten free, grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free and Paleo friendly!

The inspiration for these Salted Chocolate & Nut Butter Cookies comes from one of my favorite cookies before my celiac diagnosis: Hershey kiss peanut butter thumbprints. I wanted to recreate these cookies with ingredients that my gut could handle while also still satisfying that craving. You can be the ultimate judge of whether or not I nailed it, but in my personal opinion, these cookies are downright amazing. The cookies are perfectly soft and chewy and have a slightly nutty, almost peanut butter like, taste that compliments the salty dark chocolate that is melted on top. My husband loves these cookies as much as I do, which means a lot because he can still enjoy the ones that are filled with gluten, grains, dairy and sugar!

Let’s Talk Ingredients

So, these Salted Chocolate & Nut Butter Cookies are not the same as eating a salad, but the ingredients are still better than your average cookie. What makes these cookies a healthier option? This recipe uses almond flour instead of processed white flour, coconut sugar instead of refined sugar, and coconut oil instead of butter to make it a healthier alternative. Of course, everybody is different so what works for me might not work for you. I always suggest doing your own research and testing to see what ingredients work well for your unique needs. Here is the list of ingredients needed to make these cookies and links to my favorite brands…

• Almond flour (I love Bob’s Red Mill, but regardless of what brand you use just make sure it’s super fine)
• Tapioca flour
• Coconut sugar
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Coconut oil
• Vanilla extract (make sure it’s gluten free!)
• Egg
• Tahini
• Hu Salty Dark Chocolate Bars

Do I Have to Use the Hu Salty Dark Chocolate Bars?

So, the Hu chocolate bars have several different flavors. I tested these cookies with the salty dark chocolate and cashew butter + pure vanilla bean dark chocolate. The salty dark chocolate was by far the best option for these cookies. I felt like the cashew butter bars took away from the flavor of these cookies rather than adding to it. Plus, the saltiness of the dark chocolate bars is just straight up perfection. I haven’t tested these cookies with any of the other flavors but would suggest using the salty dark chocolate. I also haven’t tried using any other brand of chocolate as Hu is my favorite and you can’t beat the ingredients.

How Long Will These Thumbprint Cookies Last

Have you seen the pictures of these cookies? They don’t last long. Seriously, the first time I made these cookies (16 of them), they lasted about 2 days and it’s just me and my husband. Yes, they really are that good. But if you have more self-control than we do, these cookies can be kept on the counter for up to 5 days.

How to Bake these Salted Chocolate & Nut Butter Cookies

• Step One: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix together the almond flour, tapioca flour, coconut sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the coconut oil, vanilla extract, egg and tahini. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix together using a hand mixer.
• Step Two: Use a Tablespoon to scoop out the cookie dough and use your hands to roll into a small. Place each ball onto a cookie sheet and use your thumb to gently press down. This recipe should make 16 cookies. Place the cookies in the oven and bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes.
• Step Three: While the cookies are baking, break the chocolate bars into 16 pieces. The chocolate bars have marks in them so if you follow these marks you can break each bar into 8 pieces. Remove the cookies from the oven and place one piece of chocolate on top of each cookie, gently pressing down.

Do I Need to Let the Cookies Cool Before Eating

Well, this really comes down to the amount of self-control you have and how you want the chocolate to be. I have eaten these fresh out of the oven and love the warm cookie and extra melty chocolate. I have also waited until the cookie has cooled and the chocolate is still melted but thickened back up a little. Either way these cookies are delicious so you really can’t go wrong.

These Salted Chocolate & Nut Butter Cookies are the perfect treat for any time! As always, if you make these cookies snap a picture and share with me on Instagram @theglutenfreegrasses! Enjoy!

-Kelsey