Friday Night Special

Friday nights require some form of celebration. Whether small or large, brief or an extended affair, we all deserve something special to reward our survival of another week of life.

We have friends who celebrate Fridays with “martini night” at home, others who go out on the town for a big dinner and a special bottle of wine, while some call it a night with a good book because they are absolutely too exhausted to do anything else but crash. One way or another, we all celebrate TGIF, whether we know it or not.

Weekends are for Celebrating

After a roller coaster of a week but one that was completely eventful, David reminded me he hadn’t bought anything for dessert. And it was Friday night. While I have amassed quite a collection of my favorite So Delicious non-dairy ice creams in the freezer, it seemed as though we deserved something a little bit more meaningful and good + good for you.

Immediately, I suggested I make our favorite chocolate chip cookies. He smiled at the thought and I knew this would be our Friday night celebration. There’s something special about chocolate chip cookies. They are comforting and nurturing and make the house smell like a home.

Cookies for Everyone

I can’t tell you how many times I have made these cookies over the last few years and, every time I do, people fall in love and beg for the recipe. They are crisp, but tender. Chewy and not too sweet. Buttery, but there is no butter. Made with almond flour, coconut oil and maple syrup, this gluten-free, paleo and vegan recipe brings together everything you love about homemade chocolate chip cookies and leaves behind everything you don’t.

So, here you go, my friends, because I have been holding on to this recipe far too long without sharing. The almost famous Super Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookie. From my heart to yours.

Buen provecho!

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Super Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies

These easy-to-make cookies have so few ingredients and taste so damn good, everyone will love them. Plus, they are gluten-free and paleo and, if you choose the Enjoy Life brand of chocolate chips, they will be vegan, too. If you want to get crazy, place a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two cookies and make an exquisite chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 16

Author The Cowgirl Gourmet

Ingredients

• 3 ½ cups almond meal*
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 cup unrefined coconut oil you can choose unrefined if you don’t love the coconut flavor, melted and slightly cooled
• 1/4 cup maple syrup at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons water tepid
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips and/or chunks I use the Enjoy Life brand as they are dairy/soy/nut/allergen free—either mini chips or chunks—and even chop the chunks up a bit so they are more manageable in the cookies

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the almond meal, salt and soda and stir well to combine.
3. In another bowl, add the melted and cooled coconut oil, maple syrup, water and vanilla extract or paste. Whisk or stir to combine thoroughly.
4. Pour the liquid over the dry almond mixture and stir until everything is completely incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips or chunks until they are evenly distributed.

5. Using your hands, make a golf-size (or smaller) ball of dough and roll it in the palm of your hands until it is round and even. Place on the baking sheet and continue making dough balls until the dough is gone—you will get about 16-20 cookies, depending on size of the dough balls. Ideally, the cookies are similar in size so they bake evenly.

   

6. Using the palm of your hand or a few fingers, flatten the cookies as they will not spread too much during the baking process. Some cookies may crack on the edges when you flatten them, so just use your fingers to reshape a bit.

7. Bake 16-20 minutes, rotating the pans at the halfway mark or so. Once the cookies are slightly golden, remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
   
8. Serve warm or let cool completely on a wire rack before storing in an air-tight container or freezer.