Wednesday 12 November 2014

Healthy Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies



STOP THE PRESS!


There is no press to be stopped? Oh there IS a press but they don't care about little old me?



EVEN BETTER BECAUSE I HAVE BIG BIG NEWS AND NO TIME TO WASTE!



If you have ever tried to bake your own version of a classic with your own strict set of criteria you know how absolutely frustrating it can be when it doesn't turn out right.











Like I have mentioned before, there have been MANY creations that did not make the cut onto the blog. Some of them were giant cake-like balls of play dough, others were too hard, too soft, etc.


A crispy chocolate chip cookie is the the stuff of dreams. I mean a big gigantic cookie with crispy crunchy ends and a beautiful crumbly softness in the middle.


It has taken me months. Dozens of failed attempts. 1,400 tears (I counted) and sleepless nights wondering what on earth I did wrong before....I....well, by God I think I have done it!











The crispy gluten free, refined sugar free, dairy free chocolate chip cookie!



Oh the pain and suffering...all that time, all that money! ALL WORTH IT! OH MY GOSH!


Reunited and it feels sooo gooooddd! 


These taste EXACTLY like the crunchy chocolate chip cookies of my youth! Finally! I can have it all back!







Some key things you should know when baking gluten free:



  • It is not the same as 'gluten-not-free' baking
  • It can be hard
  • It can make you cry
  • To make gluten free cookies can also be hard and make you cry
  • Baking gluten free and also sugar and other things free is even harder and makes you cry three fold

Oh...wait that wasn't what I wanted to tell you! For CRISPY healthy cookies you need: FAT! This will help with the crisp. You need FLAT! Crispy cookies get that way from the butter, sugar and flour. Without those three things you don't get that beautiful flattening in the oven. So you need to flatten those puppies out! And you need to get rid of THAT...liquid. So I nixed my usual liquid sweeteners because that was not helping my goals towards getting a crunch cookie. No siree Bob, it was not. 



So well I feel sad for my many tragic cookie fails, I feel so happy to share this recipe with you it makes up for all that other sadness. Every member of my family that walked by these babies as they were cooling couldn't resist coming back for one. Then another. And another....Oh my gosh. Honestly these make all my worries float away. I love you cookies. I love you so very much. 


Fun fact? These last up to a week in an airtight tin container. Even more fun fact? They are extra delicious after a few days when you pop them in the microwave for 20 seconds to pretend like you just baked them because it midnight and you have to work in the morning but you can't sleep because you have a migraine.

Wait...what?







Healthy Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Yields 22- 24 Cookies

Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Dairy Free, Vegan Option 



Ingredients:



  • 1 3/4 cups gluten free all purpose flour blend (equal amounts oat, coconut, tapioca and rice flour)
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 10 drops liquid stevia (optional)
  • Pinch of cinnamon 
  • 1/4 cup cashew butter (or other nut butter) 
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 2 flax eggs* or 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar or palm sugar
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

*For two flax eggs simply mix 2 tablespoons of flax seed and 4-5 tablespoons of water and allow to sit for 2-3 minutes!


Directions:


  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 
  2. Line baking sheets with parchment paper (or use good quality non-stick pans!) 
  3. In a medium bowl sift together all dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon)
  4. Mix all wet ingredients in a large bowl until full combined and add in dry ingredients 1/3 at a time, add chocolate chips last
  5. Dough will be very sticky! Scrape dough out of bowl and wrap in parchment paper -- place in the fridge for 15 - 30 minutes
  6. Once set, roll the dough out between two sheets of parchment paper until it's 1/4 of an inch thin
  7. Cut out circular (or other) shapes with a medium sized cookie cuter, re-rolling dough until all shapes are cut-out
  8. Bake each batch 12 - 15 minutes* or until edge of cookies are dark golden brown 
  9. Cool on a wire rack and keep in an airtight container (preferably tin)  for 2-3 days

*Leave in for an additional 2-3  for a VERY crispy cookie but watch the edges carefully! If they are becoming too brown take them out otherwise they will burn!*

*Additional tip: you do not have to roll these and cut them out -- you can also flatten 2 tablespoon balls of dough flat but the result is not as visually appealing and the edges of the cookies split. This method has worked out much better for me and you can cut out any shape you prefer!












To be honest with you I really had no impending burning desire to post these cookies when I first made them...That was of course, until I took the first bite. Then I was like nope nope NOPE the world should totally definitely absolutely know about this right meow. I had an honest to goodness cookie addiction with these -- to a level I have never before experienced in my life. As I eat the last of the batch I feel a great sadness growing in my belly. I miss them already.. 


I love ALL my baked goodies. That's why I bake them! Or no-bake them, depending! But I don't think there are words for how much I wanted to make a crispy chocolate chip cookie. It really seemed impossible to do with healthy ingredients. But after much, much MUCH too much research on gluten free flour and how fats react and liquid levels and blah blah blah. I FINALLY DID IT AND I AM SO FREAKIN' STOKED YOU GUYS!










And if that has not convinced you to make these...just look at their stacking powers:









Or you can make them mini and adorable:









Or make both. Just to be safe!












If you are anything like me or you know a cookie monster that simply cannot enjoy his/her usual cookies any longer due to an allergy or lifestyle choice then these my friend are for YOU. Or..your friend. It's for someone. Hopefully me. Will you make me some?














If you do make them be sure to let me know! And be sure to bring me some! I said that already, right?


Happy Crispy Cookie Cookin'!

XO

11 comments:

  1. Thank you for this amazing recipe !

    ReplyDelete
  2. It turned out amazing! Crunchy and full of flavour! I really love this cookie recipe with no naughty ingredients 😋 Thank you!

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    Replies
    1. You're so lovely ! Thank you for your comment I'm so glad you liked them! ❤️❤️

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  4. If I don't already have gluten free flour can I just mix together the ones you mentioned above in equal amounts? Or could I use spelt or sprouted whole wheat?

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  5. Ok I couldn't wait for the response so I just went ahead and mixed up the gluten free flours you mentioned. These cookies are the BEST gluten free we've ever had. Definitely keeping this saved for making many times again. Thank you!!

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