Revised and updated. Originally posted June 19, 2012.
You know those occasions where you need to make something quick to bring with you to share? I’m thinking about potlucks, parties, summer picnics. . . the bake sale at your kid’s school. This is my go-to dessert for any of those occasions.
As an Ithaca, nutritionist, I’m known for *always* showing up with something tasty, and healthy, and more than likely most-of-the-allergens-free. More than any other dish I’ve ever brought to parties, potlucks, and other events, THIS is the one I get asked for the recipe the most.
If you’re looking for the “best ever” chocolate chip cookie recipe, you just found it.
I taught a class at Greenstar Co-op in Ithaca, NY recently and when asked which dessert was their favorite, about half of the attendees raised their hands for this recipe. I’m done hyping this recipe, just go make it.
They take about 5-10 minutes to make max and freeze really well for months (if they last that long). The only way I can get them to last that long at our house is if I hide them behind a bag of frozen peas in our deep freezer. . . but I digress.
Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients
These cookies are super simple and the ingredients can be switched up to suit your needs and preferences. I don’t know how to take away the nuts though as almond flour is the base so check out another recipe on my blog if you’re tree nut-free.
The base ingredients are:
- Almond flour– you can also use almond meal which is whole almonds ground instead of blanched almonds ground but they will taste a little heartier and not be as light in color. I really like using half almond meal, half almond flour if I have both. Keep your almond flour in the freezer to prevent it from going rancid!
- Oil– avocado oil or melted coconut oil are my go-to’s for this recipe. If you like the coconutty flavor, go for coconut. Avoid vegetable oil as it’s pro-inflammatory.
- Maple syrup– get the good stuff. Yes it’s expensive and yes it’s worth it. You could also use honey if you have access to it. I haven’t tried other liquid sweeteners like yacon syrup or brown rice syrup but I imagine either would work with a little more or less almond flour.
- Dark chocolate– why not skip the refined sugar and expensive bars and just go straight for the cacao beans? When I started putting cacao nibs in these (crushed cacao pods) instead of chocolate chips, my kids didn’t even notice. The sweetness from the almonds, vanilla, and maple syrup offsets the bitterness of the chocolate beautifully. Of course, you could also use crushed baking chocolate of any cacao content or go for mini-chocolate chips.
- These are also really good with other add-ins like goji berries, dried cranberries (juice sweetened), or dried cherries. Yum.
Enjoy! Leave a comment below and rate the recipe. I love hearing from you.
Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups almond flour
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 6 tbsp avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or melted/liquid coconut oil
- 6 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine the dry ingredients (first 3) in a large bowl.
- Add the oil, maple syrup, and vanilla and stir well, then fold in the chocolate.
- Spoon heaping teaspoons of dough onto cookie sheets.
- Bake for about 7 to 10 minutes or until cookies are light brown.
- Allow cookies to cool completely on parchment paper or a wire cooling rack.
- Refrigerate or freeze any leftover cookies. They will keep up to 3 months in the freezer.
Notes
- Cacao nibs are bitter but they are pure chocolate and loaded with polyphenols.
- Enjoy Life Foods mini chocolate chips are allergy free and delicious, although they do contain cane sugar.
- Almond flour can be hard to find. If you can’t find it locally, go to Nuts.com. Alternatively, you can grind whole or blanched almonds into almond flour using a coffee grinder, food processor, or a dry canister to a high-powered blender (like a Vita-Mix).
- This recipe is adapted from the Gluten Free Almond Flour cookbook by Elana Amsterdam. This is a great cookbook but she uses agave and grapeseed oil heavily. We now know that agave is too high in fructose to be good for your liver. Maple syrup, honey, or just reducing sweeteners overall is a good idea.
Pingback: On Our Plates: January