Preheat and line: Set your oven to 175°C (350°F) and line a large baking tray with parchment paper. The paper should feel taut and smooth against the tray—no wrinkles, or the cookies will stick.

Cream the butter and sweetener: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and erythritol together with a hand mixer for about 2 minutes until the mixture looks pale, fluffy, and slightly grainy. The sound should shift from a slosh to a soft, airy whir.

Add the wet ingredients: Crack in the egg, pour in the vanilla extract, and beat again for 30 seconds until the batter turns a uniform, glossy yellow. It should smell faintly sweet and buttery.

Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking powder, and salt. The flour should feel fine and light between your fingers—no lumps.

Combine wet and dry: Gradually add the dry mix to the wet mixture, stirring with a spatula until a thick, slightly sticky dough forms. It should hold together without being wet; if it feels too loose, let it rest for 2 minutes to absorb moisture.

Fold in the chocolate: Gently fold the chocolate chips into the dough using a spatula. You’ll see dark streaks forming; stop folding as soon as the chips are evenly distributed to avoid melting them prematurely.

Shape the cookies: Scoop out rounded tablespoons of dough (about 25g each) and roll them into balls. Place them 5cm apart on the lined tray—they’ll spread slightly, so give them breathing room. The dough should feel firm but pliable, not sticky.

Bake until golden: Bake for 12-14 minutes. At the 10-minute mark, the edges should turn a deep golden brown and the tops will look matte and set. The kitchen will smell nutty and sweet—that’s your cue. Do not overbake; the centres will look soft but firm up as they cool.

Cool completely: Let the cookies rest on the tray for 5 minutes—they’ll be fragile and warm. Then transfer to a wire cooling rack. As they cool, the texture shifts from soft to a satisfyingly chewy bite. Wait until they’re completely cool before storing.