Every time I make these cookies, Grant and I are more convinced that they are, really, the best thing to ever come out of my kitchen. Let's just say: If gluten-free baking were no object, I would still pick to bake these above all my other chocolate chip recipes. Whoa. I said it. So I'm re-posting the recipe. It's time to put it out there again.

This recipe yields a cookie with classic chocolate chip flavors, and a few subtle twists to make them even more lovable. (Not to mention allergy-friendly! There's no gluten, dairy, or refined sugar here.) Ground almonds make up the bulk of the dry ingredients, brown sugar is swapped out for coconut sugar, and my favorite: there's a dash of cocoa in the dough. The nuts and coconut sugar give them a very faint toasty toffee flavor. Yum! As for texture, these cookies are not at all cakey. They're thin, chewy, salty, and spread like crazy when baked. I originally called them King-Size Cookies, simply because they were bigger than my hand when they came out of the oven.

Tender-chewy at 9 minutes baking time, and perfectly crisp-chewy at 11 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.

Here's our faaaaaaavorite. The only Christmas cookie we really need at our house. The grasshoppers from last week were actually made to take to a brunch, so they didn't stick around here long. But the crispy peanut butter balls aren't going anywhere... except maybe to the couch with us after Hadley goes to bed. I actually consider these one of Grant's Christmas gifts, because he is such a big fan. (And for a guy who isn't into sweets, that's saying something.)

It is teeth-chattering cold here. We're having record low temperatures... like put plastic over your windows and hope your car starts temperatures. (We really do have plastic over all of our upstairs windows, all winter long.) When Grant went to school this morning it was -15° and the high for today is 0°. brrrr.
Whether you're pregnant or not, these record low temps induce a kind of nesting instinct. I haven't left the house in days. I'm living in my slippers, closing off unused rooms in our house (to conserve heat for more important places), sitting on the living room rug packing 50 Promises to ship to you guys, folding clean clothes and putting on more layers, balancing mugs of cocoa on my huge baby belly, and wanting to bake e v e r y t h i n g. Muffins, chocolate crinkle cookies, cranberry orange cake, peanut butter balls, etc... these are just a few of the ideas that I've been toying with throughout the day. Can't decide what to do first. Clearly, life decisions.
So, my motto for today is going to be: keep cozy and stick close to your oven. And since I'm sure it's cold where you're at too, and because it's Christmastime, you should probably join me! Turn on some Bing Crosby, tie on an apron, and let's make something! Here's a collection of some of my December favorites-- recipes and more-- from years past.

Hey guys, I've got a new blog post in the works- it'll be up soon! In the meantime... cookies. These delicate snowy oatmeal crispies are one of my favorite Christmas treats, and this year I adapted the recipe to make them gluten free. Check out the recipe on the pretty bee today! I'm contributing to sweet Kelly's 12 Days of Gluten Free Christmas cookies-- isn't this such a great idea? I can't stop thinking about these chocolate crinkle cookies. Yummm.

Being a mom has made me a snacker.
When I was pregnant I started eating a little something every couple hours or so, because I needed to. Now that I am nursing I know that it's still good for me to eat often, and honestly, it's just habit. I do not get in the car these days unless I have a little something to eat with me! You guys probably already do this, because you are smart. Which reminds me, have you discovered dried figs? I've been getting dried figs lately! so good. The next snacks in my future (sitting in the fridge currently) are half a watermelon ('tis the season!) and these cookies.

These cookies. They're kinda incredible.

There's no oatmeal, no brown sugar, but somehow they taste like oatmeal cookies. (with a hint of banana, which is like a bonus!) The texture is precisely that of Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies. Remember oatmeal creme pies? Or did you like swiss cake rolls? Anyway, the likeness is uncanny. If you sandwiched them around a creamy filling I wouldn't know the difference. Crazy cookie magic! I am super excited about having this recipe in my back pocket. Soft and tender, chewy and sweet, lightly spiced, totally toothsome- an unused word that fits them perfectly. They just feel good to bite!



The cookies will be fluffy and thick, sort of cake like. I enjoy a good cakey cookie once in awhile, but if you'd prefer a denser bite, gently press down on each cookie with a piece of parchment paper. I like to store them in the fridge to help them firm up.