Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies (gf)

Well things have taken a serious turn + quarantine has me baking cookies. I know, this might not sound wild to most, but I’ve made it clear in the past that baking is not exactly my thing. It’s a science. Which means it requires specific measurements/calculations (I like to wing it). There are so many variables, too many chances to mess up, AND if things don’t turn out– there’s not much you can do besides start over.

I so envy (and appreciate) the food bloggers that test a recipe 18 times to make sure it’s perfect. But I have no desire to step into that role anytime soon! With that said, I was really craving a classic chocolate chip cookie. And I’d rather have the real deal (sugar, gluten, and all) than a mediocre “good for being healthier” cookie.

So I got pretty determined to make a healthy cookie that was just plain delicious, no questions asked. I threw some things into a bowl + felt good about the potential. That was all deflated quickly when the result was more like a cakey, muffin-like cookie. The next morning (after spending 45 minutes in bed on the internet trying to understand the difference between baking soda/powder) I was back at it. I had one more chance to get this right because A. I’m not into wasting ingredients or money and B. my confidence was fading.

I’m happy to report that it worked! I can proudly say these cookies are some of the best I’ve ever had. They have a salted, toffee-like flavor with crispy edges and very chewy insides. The first batch came out a little too snuggled together, so I added some more flour for the second, and they kept their distance. The good news: you can make them either way because it’s just a preference! Thanks for listening to my long-winded cookie saga, and I hope these guys make it into your quarantine rotation.
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PS: What makes them “healthy”? One thing I want to make clear is that sugar is both gluten-free + vegan. These labels are not automatically synonymous with health food. I personally feel my best with less gluten in my body so that’s how I tend to cook or bake. Sometimes my dinners happen to be vegan and other times it’s a grass-fed burger. At the end of the day I try to focus less on labels/boxes and more on quality, real foods. While keeping sugar down.

So yes, healthy sweets to me will always use natural sweeteners instead of refined sugars. And I’ll usually try to pack in as much nutrition as possible. But they’re still sugar, and aren’t meant to replace your dinner, okay? More on this another time! Go make cookies.

INGREDIENTS:

(makes 16-20)

1 cup almond flour
3/4 cup coconut sugar*
1/2 cup gluten-free flour (I use a blend from Trader Joe’s)*
1/4 cup unsalted almond butter*
1/2 stick of grass-fed butter*
1/4 cup coconut oil*
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
+1/2 cup chocolate chips

PICK YOUR COOKIE STYLE: If you want the thinner style cookies, use the recipe as written. If you want them to be a little thicker, add 1/4 cup more of flour.

*Also, these items have some potential substitutions:

–Feel free to use an all-purpose flour, a gluten -free blend, or oat flour. I have not tested the oat flour, but it should work.

–Use any nut butter here, just make sure it’s unsalted. I’ve only tested a runny/creamy variety.

–You can most likely use a 1/2 cup of all coconut oil or a full stick of butter instead. Or a vegan butter. I have only tested it the way it’s written.

–Brown sugar can be substituted for coconut sugar.

RECIPE:

Heat the oven to 350. Melt the butter + coconut oil (my oil was partially solid, but scoop-able when measured) in a small saucepan over low heat. Set aside to cool.

Whisk the egg, vanilla, salt, coconut sugar + almond butter together in a large bowl. Add the butter/oil mixture *once it’s cooled off* (or you’ll heat the eggs). Mix in almond flour + other flour + baking soda and mix well to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper + lay down cookies. Sprinkle with more chocolate chips + sea salt. Leave a couple of inches in between (especially if you’re making the thinner variety!). You will probably need to do two batches (or use two pans), but it’s worth it!

Cook for 8 minutes. Please watch closely because everyone’s oven is a little different. You want them browned on the edges. They will seem “undone” in the center, but take them out, and let them cool for 5 minutes before transferring to the counter to fully set.

Eat right away: They will never been as perfect + chewy + crispy are they are right after cooling down. You can store in an airtight container for up to 5 days + they’ll stay delicious, but they will lose their crisp.

Freeze for a la carte cookies later: If you’re not planning on eating them right away, you can make little balls and freeze them. Place them like normal on a sheet pan, put the whole thing in the freezer until they’re fully frozen. Store them in an airtight container or ziplock bag. Take out and bake as many at a time as you want! They don’t need to be thawed first, but you can leave them out for a few minutes while the oven heats up to help. They will need to cook a little longer, but just keep an eye.