Since 2018, my fridge has held a stash of these buttery, creamy keto chocolate chip cookie dough fat bombs: almond flour, butter, cream cheese, and monk fruit scooped into little balls, just 1.3g net carbs each.
I started making these in 2018, and they’re still the recipe I come back to when I want something sweet without wrecking my macros. The base is simple: softened butter and cream cheese mixed with almond flour, a little monk fruit sweetener, and sugar-free chocolate chips. No coconut oil, no complicated steps, no baking.
What I love about this recipe is that the cream cheese isn’t overpowering at all. I know some people avoid cream cheese in desserts because they don’t want that tangy flavor taking over. It doesn’t here. The butter and almond flour do the heavy lifting, and the cream cheese just adds body and richness. One of my readers said she only tried these because there was no coconut oil, and she was surprised how much she liked them. That’s the kind of feedback I love getting.
Each bite comes in at 1.3g net carbs, which means I can have two or three after dinner and still stay within my daily limit. The fat content is the real draw if you’re tracking macros. About 85% of the calories come from fat, so these do exactly what a good fat bomb should: help you hit your fat target without pushing protein or carbs over. I keep a batch in the freezer and grab one when that afternoon energy dip hits.
If you like this kind of no-bake treat, I have a few others worth trying. My Mexican hot chocolate version has a cinnamon-cayenne kick that’s completely different from these. For something lighter, my chocolate mousse takes about 10 minutes. And if you want to skip scooping and just cut bars, my keto fudge uses a similar press-and-slice method.
I bump the vanilla to 3/4 teaspoon instead of the 1/2 the recipe calls for. It makes a noticeable difference in how the flavor reads. I’ve tested it both ways multiple times, and the extra quarter teaspoon is worth it. I usually make these the same week I make my keto no-bake cookies because the ingredients overlap, and I hate wasting a softened block of cream cheese.
Low Carb Cookie Dough Fat Bombs
I started making these because I missed sneaking raw dough while baking with my kids. This version scratches that same itch, and you don’t have to worry about eating raw eggs since there aren’t any. I’ve made them dozens of times, and the base hasn’t changed: almond flour, softened butter, cream cheese, monk fruit, and a handful of sugar-free chocolate chips.
They come together in about 5 minutes of mixing, no oven needed. I scoop them, stick them in the fridge for 15-20 minutes, and they firm right up. The cream cheese adds richness without making them taste like cheesecake. If you hate coconut oil (and I know a lot of people do), there’s none in here. That was intentional.
I usually make a double batch because they vanish. My go-to add-ins are chopped pecans or a sprinkle of flaky salt on top, but the base recipe is solid on its own. If you want something in the same no-bake lane, try my chocolate brownie protein balls for more protein, or my white chocolate fudge if you’d rather cut squares than scoop balls.
What Are Fat Bombs?
If you haven’t tried one before, here’s how I describe them: small, dense bites packed with fat-rich ingredients like butter, cream cheese, or coconut oil. They help you hit your daily fat target without adding carbs or protein. A lot of people on low carb diets use them as a quick afternoon snack or a controlled dessert after dinner.
I think of them as the equivalent of an energy bar, except they actually taste good and don’t have 30 mystery ingredients. Pop one in your mouth and you get this sweet, nutty hit in a single bite. That’s the whole point.
Why These Work for Your Macros
A good one is mostly fat with a small amount of protein and very few carbs. That’s the profile here. I calculated it out: about 85% of the calories come from fat, which is exactly the ratio you want if you’re tracking your macros and falling short on fat by the end of the day.
The healthy fats from cream cheese and butter also help with satiety. I notice I’m not digging through the pantry an hour after having two of these, which I can’t say about most snacks. They digest slowly, keep you full longer, and don’t spike your blood sugar.
Healthy, filling, and they scratch the sweet tooth itch. I reach for these over anything else in my fridge most nights.
Choosing Sugar-Free Chocolate
I’ve tried a lot of sugar-free brands, and ChocZero is the one I keep buying. They make milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and white chocolate varieties, and I’ve used all three in this recipe. The dark chocolate gives a deeper, almost brownie-like flavor. The milk chocolate keeps it classic. The white chocolate makes them taste like birthday cake batter.
Whatever brand you use, make sure the sweetener is erythritol or monk fruit based. Some sugar-free chips use maltitol, which spikes your blood sugar almost as much as real sugar. I found that out the hard way early on. Lily’s is another solid option with slightly different sweetness if ChocZero is hard to find.
How to Shape These
A cookie scoop is the easiest way. I use a tablespoon-sized one, scoop the dough, and drop it onto a parchment-lined tray. No rolling needed if you don’t want perfectly round balls.
Silicone molds are my other favorite option. Press the dough into mini muffin molds, freeze for 15 minutes, and pop them out. The molds give a clean, uniform shape and the bites release without sticking. I actually prefer this method when I’m making a big batch.
Third option: press all the dough into a parchment-lined 8×8 dish, freeze it for about 30 minutes, and cut into bars. These taste great straight from the freezer, almost like a frozen candy bar. I don’t see many people doing this, but it’s my go-to when I’m short on time.
Swaps That Actually Work
I’ve tested these with almond butter in place of regular butter, and it gives a richer, nuttier flavor. Peanut butter works too, but the taste shifts more toward PB cookies than the classic version. Either way, the texture stays the same. Just know that nut butters add a few extra carbs per serving. If you want to go that route, my peanut butter mousse uses a similar nut butter base.
For the flour swap, coconut flour works but absorbs way more moisture. I start with 3 tablespoons and add a fourth only if the dough feels too wet. You’ll probably need an extra tablespoon of butter to balance it out.
If cream cheese is the issue, you can go fully dairy-free by using extra butter or a nut butter to replace it. The texture is slightly denser, but the flavor still reads as cookie dough to me. I’ve served the dairy-free version alongside the original, and people grabbed from both bowls equally. And if you’d rather bake something, my almond flour cookies use a similar base.
Tips From My Kitchen
The biggest thing: get your cream cheese and butter to room temperature before mixing. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps, and you’ll spend twice as long trying to smooth them out. If you forgot to set them out, microwave the cream cheese for 10-15 seconds. It softens enough to blend smoothly.
I mix everything by hand with a fork, and it works fine. An electric mixer or stand mixer makes it faster if you’re doubling the batch. Beat the cream cheese and butter together first before adding the dry ingredients. That’s the trick to a completely lump-free dough.
Once shaped, give them at least 15 minutes in the fridge to firm up. I like mine best after a full hour. And here’s my favorite part: these work as a quick breakfast when I’m running late, not just dessert. Top with a few berries or a sprinkle of crushed pecans if you want to dress them up.
Storage and Meal Prep
In the fridge, they’ll last about two weeks in an airtight container. In the freezer, I’ve kept them for three months with no change in taste or texture. Lay parchment paper between layers so they don’t freeze into one giant cluster.
I usually make a full batch on Sunday and portion them into small containers for the week. They’re ready to grab straight from the fridge, no thawing needed. If you freeze them, they’re good straight from the freezer too. Honestly, I prefer them frozen. They taste like little ice cream bites.
Fair warning: they make a dangerous midnight snack. I’ve lost entire batches that way. If you’re meal prepping for the full week, hide a few in the back of the freezer so they actually make it to Friday.
To a medium bowl, add almond flour, butter, cream cheese, sweetener, vanilla, salt and chocolate chips.
2
Mix
Mix cookie dough components until combined.
3
Scoop and set
Using a cookie scoop (or roll between the palms of your hands), scoop balls of cookie dough into 1 inch balls and place on a parchment lined tray. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes or until hardened.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1 fat bomb
Calories
125
Fat
11.8g
Protein
1.8g
Total carbs
4.6g
Fiber
3.3g
Net carbs
1.3g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my non-keto kids eat these?
One of my readers made them on a snow day and her son ate four before she could even put them away. When she told him it was almond flour and cream cheese, he shrugged and grabbed another one. I've had similar reactions from kids in my own circle. They just taste like cookie dough to them.
What can I use instead of monkfruit sweetener?
Erythritol or any granular sweetener that measures 1:1 like sugar works fine. I've used Swerve and Lakanto interchangeably with monk fruit in this recipe. Sweetness levels vary between brands, so I always taste the dough before scooping and adjust. Start with the amount listed and add more if you want it sweeter.
I almost skipped this one because sugar free chocolate chips usually leave me with that weird cooling aftertaste, and there’s no baking here to cover it up. Turns out the butter and cream cheese coat them enough that they just taste like chocolate! Way better than the other no bake keto stuff I’ve tried. Making another batch this weekend! 😂
I wasn’t sure anything without real flour would get at what I actually wanted, which is that unbaked dough heaviness. There was a cookie dough ice cream at a diner near my grandmother’s that I ordered every summer as a kid, and this is the closest thing I’ve had to that since going keto. The cream cheese is what carries it. I thought it would taste like too much cream cheese but it just adds the fat without announcing itself. Still a touch skeptical of the monk fruit, but the texture got me.
Press a few extra chips into each ball before the fridge, half a cup across 12 is maybe two chips per bite, which felt light to me. Texture’s good though, soft but holds together.
Kelly, pressing a few extras in before they set is smart. I’ve thought the same thing about the chip ratio, half a cup spread across twelve is more of a hint than a real bite of chocolate.
I’ve been on a weekly batch since 2018. One shortcut when I’m lazy: press the whole thing into a parchment-lined 8×8, freeze 30 minutes, cut into bars. No scooping required.
The vanilla in these only reads at double the amount. Noticed that on batch five and kept it. Cream cheese dulls everything, and the extra half-teaspoon cuts through. Almond flour takes vanilla differently than regular flour. Drinks more of it. Batch eight now, sometimes nine when someone finds the stash first. Started rolling them in flaky salt right before they set. That contrast is the thing.
The flaky salt right before they set, I have to try that. Rebecca, you clocked the cream cheese vanilla problem better than I ever have, and I’ve been making this since 2018. Going in at double next batch.
Scooping keto fat bomb dough into balls is usually where I give up, either it’s too sticky or it falls apart. Not here. The cream cheese and butter make something that actually rolls without a fight, and three days in the fridge they still aren’t chalky. Monk fruit was the right call too, no weird aftertaste. I’ve been making these with Lily’s chips for a month and 1.3 net carbs still gets me every time. Every other recipe I tried felt like it was just packing in almond flour to hit some texture number. Batch three is already in the fridge.
The almond flour-as-filler thing is real, and it’s why the ratio in this one took a while to nail. ChocZero dark is worth trying alongside Lily’s if you want to go deeper on the chocolate. Batch three in month one, Melissa.
If your cream cheese and butter aren’t actually softened, the dough will not come together the way it should. Figured that out after two batches that were weirdly grainy and crumbly. Pull both out 30 minutes ahead and the whole thing mixes smooth in under two minutes. And for summer, skip the fridge and go straight to the freezer. They’re freaking incredible straight from frozen on a hot day.
My daughter is lactose intolerant. She’s been asking for keto cookie dough stuff for months, so I really want to make these work for her. Would they still hold their shape if I swapped in dairy-free cream cheese and butter? Coconut oil is my usual go-to but I’m honestly not sure it’d hold without the cream cheese.
Dairy-free cream cheese works, I’ve tested it. Texture’s a bit denser but they hold their shape fine in the fridge. Skip the coconut oil for the butter swap though, plant-based sticks like Miyoko’s or Earth Balance stay firmer and won’t make them greasy.
Brought a batch to my neighbor’s end-of-school-year thing last weekend. Set them out next to bakery cookies and watched kids reach for these first. Cream cheese and almond flour, 1.3 net carbs each, and nobody asked what they were made of. Still a little stunned.
I make a double batch on Sundays and split them between the fridge and freezer. Freezer ones come out firmer and hold together better, which is what I want for a grab-and-go. The cookie scoop makes the whole thing fast (two dozen in under 10 minutes once the dough’s mixed). At 1.3g net carbs each, I can take two without thinking about it.
My son, who actively avoids my keto experiments, pulled three of these from the fridge and tracked me down to ask if there were more. Thought it was regular cookie dough. I might bump the sweetener slightly next batch, but the cream cheese richness is spot-on.
Do these need to stay in the freezer to hold their shape, or is the fridge okay? First time making fat bombs and wasn’t sure what the cream cheese does once they set.
Brought these to my sister’s Easter brunch and set them out without a word. Two of her friends spent half the afternoon asking which bakery she ordered from, couldn’t believe how well they hold at room temp. I stayed quiet. Her face when I finally said 1.3g net carbs. Worth it.
added a tiny pinch of espresso powder to the almond flour and the chocolate chips suddenly taste SO much more chocolatey, batch three this week and I’m not even sorry
Never made fat bombs before and figured I’d start here. The cream cheese is what I wasn’t expecting, it gives them this cheesecake-y richness that makes them feel more like a real dessert than a snack. Batch two is already in the freezer.
The cream cheese was almost an accident the first time I made these. I kept it because of exactly that. Dark ChocZero chips lean into the cheesecake notes even more if you haven’t tried those yet.
I was fully prepared for these to taste like health food. The cream cheese threw me off while mixing, but after they set in the fridge that tang just disappears into something that actually tastes like cookie dough. I owe Annie an apology for doubting this one.
Doing a big Sunday meal prep and want to make a double batch of these to last all week. Do the sugar free chocolate chips hold up after a few days in the fridge, or does the moisture from the cream cheese start affecting them?
The chips hold up fine, I’ve had batches last the full week. ChocZero especially doesn’t go soft, the cream cheese just firms up around them rather than releasing into them. You’re good.