Almond Flour Cookies with Chocolate Chips and Coconut

While I have been on my diet I have been searching the Internet for recipes which are healthy and tasty at the same time. I've Googled the best options for gluten and wheat free flour and have come across many alternatives - coconut, buckwheat, millet, oat, almond, potato, rice, chickpea flour and there are still more!

At first, baking without regular (wheat) flour is a bit unfamiliar. Cakes may not be as fluffy and can crumble apart easily (unless extra egg whites are added, or butter is used instead of coconut oil or tapioca flour).

A couple of weeks ago I bought a little pack of almond flour, as I have read that it is a perfect alternative for a gluten and wheat free diet. Before going forward, I want to mention that I am not allergic to gluten or have any other similar dietary requirements! I am not absolutely gluten and wheat free - I still eat rye bread/white bread, pasta, bake with regular flour and drink beer! My gluten and wheat free cooking is just a little experiment. 

I love baking - muffins, cupcakes, cakes, slices, pies - sweet or savoury! Everything comes out perfectly... except cookies. I have tried to bake cookies many times before and none of the attempts have given me the results I wanted. They would usually spread wide across the tray instead of staying in the 'cookie' form I was after. I have always followed the recipe but have never understood what went wrong - was it the dough, my oven or just a bad baking day?

I gave myself another chance and for the first time I am proud of the finished product!

I remember a few years back I could eat a whole pack of Chocolate Digestive biscuits and would still want more. I could easily be addicted to sugar! Chocolate chip cookies sound like a dream to me - this is why I am looking for a safer way to enjoy sweets without feeling guilty. So here they are, my first almond flour and chocolate chip cookies!

These cookies taste amazing! They are sweet but don't leave any sugary aftertaste. The texture is super light and after 2 cookies I feel like I have satisfied my cravings. It is a super easy recipe and quick to prepare. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate 
• 1/3 cup white chocolate (I used drops)
• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut   
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt (sea salt)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (alternatives - muscovado, coconut sugar, raw sugar)
• 1 egg 
• 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together almond flour, dark and white chocolate chips, coconut, baking powder, salt and sugar.
2. In a separate bowl, beat egg until uniform in colour and doubled in volume.
3. Whisk in the coconut oil and vanilla, then add to dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
4. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
5. Shape dough into small balls, place on baking sheet with a space in between each. Press down slightly to flatten a bit.
6. Bake until edges begin to brown, 7-12 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and let cool before serving.

A little tip! You can refrigerate the dough before baking for 30 minutes to prevent the cookies from spreading too much.