December 18, 2012
It's 4:30. I love this time of day in the winter. Time to turn on the lamps and any Christmas lights that weren't already glowing. Time to pick up the toys, even though they'll come out again momentarily. Time to talk with Grant about his day, the electric bill, the stock market, the Fed Ex that was delivered today, and Downton Abbey (we're trying to get Grant caught up before season 3). Time to get a snack... maybe one of those cookies I just made. My gift to myself.


No frills about my Christmas cookie pick this year: I wanted a big ol' plain chocolate chip cookie. Or a dozen of them. When I taste a chocolate chip cookie, it's just everything I ever want out of an oven. Ever. And it's been well over a year since I've had one. (!!!)

These cookies are the cat's pajamas. (I've just been waiting to use that phrase since I saw this)
I even tucked them into my bag and brought them to church with me on Sunday so I could let my sister-in-law and mother-in-law have a taste. They're thin, flat, and salty, studded with miniature semi-sweet chocolate, and vast. They spread beautifully! I was only able to fit 6 cookies per pan. The nuts and coconut sugar give them a subtle toasty toffee flavor. Tender and soft at 10 minutes baking time-- perfectly crisp and chewy (and reminiscent of a chocolate teddy graham) at 12 minutes. You decide how you like them. I'd try both. I'll have time to play with the baking time, because I'm holding onto this recipe forever.


These cookies are lightly adapted from Shanna & Tim's, which are based on the cherry almond chocolate chip cookies from Not Without Salt. It keeps making it's way around, so you know it's a recipe worth trying. **If gluten-free baking were no object, I would still pick to bake these above all my other chocolate chip recipes. Whoa.


Unbelievable Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies 
(made with toasted almond meal! gluten and dairy free.)

1/2 cup coconut oil (or palm shortening)
3/4 cup coconut sugar 
1 egg
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup almond meal*, toasted (350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly golden)
1/4 cup rice flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life brand)

*To make the almond meal: I pulsed blanched, slivered almonds in my food processor until they were very fine. 

Pre-heat oven to 350ยบ. Toast the almond meal. In a small bowl, cream the melted coconut oil and sugar. Stir in the cocoa powder, egg, and vanilla until well combined. In a separate bowl, sift together the toasted almond meal, rice flour, baking soda, and salt. Add this to the wet ingredients and just before the mixture all comes together, add the chocolate chips. Stir until well combined.

Place spoonfuls of dough on a cookie sheet lined with 2 sheets of parchment paper. Leave 2 to 3 inches of space around each cookie because- watch out! They spread. Seriously. My first batch turned out giant, each cookie was bigger than my hand. Pictured here is the second batch, where I scaled back a bit. 6 cookies per baking sheet was perfect for me. Bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes, or until just golden around the edges and center is still a bit unset. Cool for a minute, and eat a couple of them warm.

These big slabs of cookie are my little Christmas gift to myself and to you! When you have a minute- go grab that pretty apron that you never wear, turn on some carols, and get baking. Eat at least 3!

7 comments:

Shanna said...

Hooray! Summer, you make them look so good. These pictures are the cat's pajamas, if you ask me. : )

Laura @FoodSnobSTL said...

Yum! I would never guess these are gluten free.

Shanna said...

OK, Summer, so Tim and I just baked a batch of these to take to family tomorrow, and we figured we try your version and just swap oat flour for the rice.

!!!

So good! I love that now they're gluten-free, too. Seriously such good cookies.

Shanna said...

Also I should add? We just baked a second batch.

Anonymous said...

So excited to see these had rice flour! Just made them, with browned butter, and big chocolate chunks but.... they melted, so I had melted chocolate in the cookies. Which turned out to be GREAT. I love how thin and chewy/crispy these are!

Maggie Mizelle said...

Summer, I just made these (I used brown rice flour - hope that's right?) and they are AMAZING. Thank you so much!

Unknown said...

Like your way of seeing things! Still you may do some things to expand on it. Thanks for sharing with us!

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about this blog

Hello, I'm Summer. A people-loving introvert whose hope and life is in Jesus. His promises are my passion and my ministry is homelife. This blog is a place for me to write about everyday things. Especially food. My favorite thing to do is sit around a table, lingering over a long meal with good conversation. I live with my husband and our 2 littles. We like blizzards, thrifting, grammar, guacamole, cheerful hearts, nice manners, good movies, and making simple, real, nutrient-dense food.

"If Christ be anything, He must be everything."
-C.H. Spurgeon

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