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.