Keto Maple Bacon Cookies
Published December 8, 2019 • Updated February 25, 2026
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I created this keto cookie around two of my favorite things: bacon fat and sugar-free maple syrup. The result is a rich, savory-sweet treat that happens to be completely dairy free.
I’ve been making these maple bacon cookies for a while now, and the thing that sets them apart from every other keto cookie on my site is the fat source. No butter. No coconut oil. Pure rendered bacon fat. It gives the dough this subtle, savory richness that you can’t get any other way.
I render mine from about 1.5 pounds of thick-cut bacon (I usually do a big batch in the oven and save the fat in a jar). One reader, Heidi, mentioned she used the full 1/2 cup of bacon fat and they came out rich without being greasy. That tracks with my experience. Thick-cut bacon renders a cleaner fat than thin-cut, and it makes a real difference in the final cookie.
The base is a mix of almond flour and coconut flour, which I landed on after testing several ratios. If you’ve made my almond flour cookies or my dairy-free flourless cookies, you know I like a blend. The coconut flour absorbs moisture and gives these a slightly denser, chewier bite. Without it, the cookies spread too thin and get crumbly.
I bake these at 325 degrees, not 350. I tested both temperatures multiple times, and the lower heat keeps the coconut flour from drying out the edges before the center sets. Ten minutes sounds short, but trust me on this one. They firm up on the tray as they cool.
The optional two-hour refrigeration step is worth it if you have the time. I’ve made them both ways, and the chilled version has a more concentrated flavor (the maple and bacon fat really meld together). But if you’re in a rush, they still come out great at room temperature. Similar to how my chewy keto peanut butter cookies work, the dough is forgiving enough to go either way.
These are one of the few keto cookies I make that are naturally dairy free without any substitutions. If you’re avoiding dairy, you might also like my keto almond flour chocolate chip cookies (swap the butter for coconut oil) or my no bake cookies. But this recipe needs zero modifications. The bacon fat does all the work that butter would normally do.
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Ingredients
1 1/4 cup almond flour -
1/2 cup coconut flour
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1/2 cup sugar-free sweetener
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1/4 cup golden monk fruit
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2 teaspoons baking powder
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1 1/4 teaspoon salt
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1/2 teaspoon baking soda
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1/2 cup rendered bacon fat (from cooking 1.5 pounds of bacon)
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1/4 cup ChocZero Maple Syrup
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1 egg
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Make dough balls
Take a piece of dough and roll into a 1 inch ball and place on a parchment lined baking tray. Space each dough ball about 1.5 inches apart. Flatten each ball down with a spoon.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add real bacon pieces to the dough instead of just using bacon fat?
I've tried this both ways. Fold in about 2-3 tablespoons of finely chopped, crispy bacon right before you form the dough balls. The pieces add a nice crunch, but make sure they're fully cooked and well drained. I prefer crumbling them small so every bite gets a hit of bacon texture along with the maple.
Do these cookies spread while baking or stay thick?
Mine stay pretty thick. The coconut flour absorbs a lot of moisture, so they hold their shape better than a pure almond flour dough. I flatten each ball with a spoon before baking because they won't spread much on their own. If yours are spreading too much, your bacon fat might be too warm when you mix it in. For a cookie that intentionally stays puffy, my keto pumpkin chocolate chip cookies use a similar coconut flour ratio.
What's the best way to render bacon fat for this recipe?
I lay about 1.5 pounds of thick-cut bacon on a sheet pan and bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes. The fat collects on the pan, and I strain it through a fine mesh sieve into a mason jar. Thick-cut gives you cleaner, better-tasting fat than thin-cut. One batch gives me more than enough for these keto cookies plus extra to keep in the fridge for weeks.
Can I use all almond flour and skip the coconut flour?
I tested an all-almond-flour version early on and the cookies spread too thin and turned crumbly. The coconut flour absorbs extra moisture and gives them a chewier, denser texture that holds together. If you really can't use coconut flour, try adding an extra 1/4 cup of almond flour, but I'll be honest, the texture won't be the same.
How should I store these cookies, and can I freeze them?
I keep mine in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. For freezing, I separate layers with parchment paper and they keep for about two months. When I reheat from frozen, I pop them in the oven at 300 degrees for 3-4 minutes. They taste almost as good as fresh that way.
Can I use a different sweetener instead of erythritol and monk fruit?
I've made these with allulose and they came out slightly softer, which I actually liked. Any granular low carb sweetener works, just match the volume. If you go with a liquid sweetener, you'll need to cut back on the maple syrup or add a bit more coconut flour to keep the dough from getting too wet. I'd start with half the liquid sweetener and adjust from there.
Does the bacon fat make these cookies greasy?
Not at all, and I was curious about this too when I first developed the recipe. Bacon fat solidifies at room temperature, so it behaves a lot like butter in baking. The cookies come out rich but not oily. The key is using the full 1/2 cup. I tried reducing it once and the dough was too dry and crumbly. If you enjoy that kind of rich, buttery cookie base, my keto german chocolate cookies have a similar fat ratio.
Finally a cookie recipe for all the bacon fans out there! This is a sugar free cookie with hints of bacon flavor just for you. To complement the bacon, I’ve added a sugar free maple syrup. Maple and bacon pair so well together. That’s why they are a popular breakfast duo.
This cookie is also dairy free! In this recipe, the bacon grease not only provides flavor but it serves as the fat in the cookie too so we can get away with not using butter. Whether you are looking for a new Christmas cookie to bake or just want to have bacon for dessert too, this keto maple bacon cookie recipe is one to try.
Start saving your bacon grease if you want to make these cookies! Or just make a bunch of bacon for breakfast and you should be good to go for making up a batch later in the day.
Be sure to strain your bacon grease through a fine mesh strainer to get all the cooked bacon bits out after frying the bacon. Store bacon fat in a stainless steel container or glass jar. Bacon grease will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about six months as long as all the meat has been removed. You can also freeze bacon grease.
Bacon grease can be stored at room temperature; however, it will go rancid faster. I keep the bacon grease in a dark, tightly sealed container and strain the bacon bits out too if you decide to store at room temperature.
I use a strainer and pour the bacon grease into a small glass mason jar. Or you can use a 
Bacon fat in cookies sounded genuinely unhinged to me. Made them anyway because I had a cup of grease sitting in the fridge with no plan for it, and the ChocZero maple syrup actually pulls everything together into something that tastes like a proper dessert.
Swapped the golden monk fruit for Lakanto brown sugar substitute, thinking it would deepen the maple flavor, and it shifted everything. There's this molasses-y undertone now that makes the bacon fat feel more intentional, almost like a candied bacon situation. I've made these three times this spring already and the brown sugar version is the one I keep coming back to.
The molasses note from Lakanto brown sugar is real, I've used it in other recipes and it always adds that depth. Candied bacon cookie is honestly a better description than what I named it. Three times in one spring pretty much settles it.
Two years keto and I'd basically written off cookies. Made this with rendered bacon fat Sunday morning and the dough came together better than anything I've pulled off with butter substitutes. Four stars only because I'm annoyed it took me this long to find it.
Ha, I'll take that 4-star logic. The dough with bacon fat just behaves differently than any butter substitute I've tried. Comes together cleaner.
The bacon fat really makes these. Used the full 1/2 cup and they came out rich without being greasy.
Right? The bacon fat is the whole point. I render it from thick-cut bacon and the flavor is way better than butter or coconut oil would be.