My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies (GF)

With a new month comes a fresh start. I feel it's only fitting for me to use this chance to refresh my blog with a baking post, as you know how much I love my baking adventures.

I can't believe my previous baking post was nearly a year ago when I introduced my signature butter-free banana bread. And soon after when the holidays rolled around, I ran away from reality traveling to Shanghai and Japan.
But let's get back to these cookies, shall we? A few months ago, I went on an experiment where I ate mostly gluten-free and stumbled upon a gluten free + vegan cookie recipe from Minimalist Baker. In my version, I simply made it gluten free. I quickly became obsessed with these cookies and actually prefer them over the regular kind. They are soft, chewy, and highly addictive. There's been several times where I found myself eating them for breakfast. They are the most delicious and healthiest chocolate chip cookies I've ever made. From the almond meal to the unsweetened shredded coconut - I love each and every ingredient that goes into this quick and easy recipe. The gluten-free label may look unappealing to some, but I assure you these cookies will not disappoint. They were life-changing for me, as that's basically the only thing I make nowadays. I can't look at other cookies the same way ever again. Read on for the full recipe and prepare yourself to indulge in some insanely good chocolate chip cookies!

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Makes 9 cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups almond meal

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/3 cup loose brown sugar
1 egg

3 tbsp coconut oil, melted

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix together almond meal, chocolate chips, coconut, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the egg, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract.

3. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

4. Loosely cover and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

5. Preheat over to 375 degrees F. Scoop 1 tablespoon amount of dough, form into a ball and slightly flatten into a circle.

6. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges turn slightly brown. 

7. Allow the cookies to set for a few minutes and transfer to a cooling rack. 

8. Enjoy! Cookies last up to 5 days in an airtight container.

Recipe adapted from Minimalist Baker

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Double Cranberry Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

Irresistibly soft & chewy cookies for the festive season!

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I've found my favorite holiday cookie recipe! It isn't the overly decorative sugar cookie kind, which personally I don't enjoy despite how cute they look. So when I stumbled upon this cranberry chocolate cookie recipe, I knew it would be perfect during this holiday season. The best part about the recipe is that there's DOUBLE the cranberry and when combined with the dark chocolate chips, you get an irresistibly tangy yet rich chocolate flavor in every bite. And major bonus for the fresh cranberries that give the cookies a festive and bright look. Cranberry and chocolate make a dream pair, as the cookies taste incredible. The combination also gives a nice sophisticated touch to the average holiday cookie. I normally don't eat the things I bake aside from having a bite or two to taste test, but I kept reaching for these and even had one for breakfast one morning. Actually, make that two mornings because I grabbed one on my way out the door on the second morning. (I'm always in a rush in the mornings). Cookies for breakfast? Guilty. The cookies were gone in less than a week, and I'm thinking of making another batch soon to give to my friends as Christmas treats! 

So got some leftover cranberries from Thanksgiving? Looking for a next-level cookie recipe to make for a holiday party? The name might be a mouthful, but these double cranberry dark chocolate chip cookies will totally up your holiday cookie game. 

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Makes about 19 cookies

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, browned and cooled to room temperature
3 tablespoons white sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 egg + egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F and line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon mat.

In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat, stirring continuously. The butter will foam and begin to turn golden brown. As soon as the butter starts to turn brown, remove the pan from the heat, and continue stirring for about 1 minute. Transfer the browned butter to a small bowl, scrapping the sides of the pan to get all of the butter. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge for 30 minutes or until butter is mostly solidified.

Transfer the butter to a large mixing bowl. Add the sugars and cream until mixture is light and fluffy.

Continue mixing and add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. With a handheld or stand mixer on low, slowly pour in the flour mixture. Mix until just combined, do not over mix. With a spatula, fold in the dark chocolate chips and cranberries. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Use an ice cream scooper to form the cookies into balls and place them two inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until slightly golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before transferring to the cooling rack.

Recipe slightly adapted from Bakerita

Flour-less Chocolate Chip Cookies

Easy recipe for chocolate chip cookies that are completely gluten-free!

I've been using up all the flour in the house for my baking lately that I decided to try out a flour-less recipe instead. I used Jif Creamy Almond Butter, which did wonders because of its consistency and made my cookies uber soft and chewy. They turned out such a success and I assure you that these cookies will not disappoint! With the $9 a jar almond butter and the Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips, I'd say that I made some pretty fancy cookies. Also, if you look closely at the picture, you can spot a few questionable red looking things. Don't worry, they're craisins. I added some in because they're currently my favorite thing to snack on and I think they bring out such a nice flavor in everything. Okay, I clearly get too carried away with food sometimes. That's a story for another day haha. Do let me know if you try making these and what you think of them! 

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Makes 12 cookies

Prep time: 10 minutes
Oven time: 8 minutes at 350º F

Ingredients:

1 large egg
Three hefty spoonfuls of Jif Creamy Almond Butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1/3 cup craisins (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk the egg. Add the almond butter, baking soda,, and brown sugar. Mix until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips and craisins.

Scoop the dough onto the baking sheets. The dough balls will be oily-looking.

Bake for 8 minutes. If you want crispier cookies, leave it in the oven for another minute or two.

Adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

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Double Chocolate Vanilla Pudding Cookies

The name is a mouthful but it only takes 4 quick and easy steps to make these yummy cookies. They are honestly the softest cookies I've ever made! Secret ingredient? Vanilla pudding mix! Who knew that a small pack of pudding mix could make the cookies taste so good!

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Makes 18-24 cookies 

Prep time: 20 minutes

Oven time: 7-9 minutes at 350º F

Ingredients: 

1 cup (two sticks) of butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

3.4 oz (1 pack) instant vanilla pudding mix 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs, room temperature

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup white chocolate chips 

Directions:

1. Mix butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Stir in pudding mix and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time. 

2.  In another bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. 

3. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips. 

4. Bake for 7-9 minutes at 350º F.

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Adapted from I Heart Nap Time

Mint Chocolate Chunk Cookies - with a twist!

These cookies are unlike your typical mint-chocolate cookies. These contain roasted coffee beans, making them Mocha Mint Chocolate Chunk Cookies. The roasted coffee beans (instant coffee) balance out the sweetness of the Andes Mint pieces perfectly. Also, the cookies come out slightly crunchy on the outside while stay soft and chewy on the inside. Trust me, you want to make these.

Note: Cookie dough will need to be chilled in the fridge for 1 hour

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Makes 18 cookies

Prep time: 1.5 hours  

Oven time: 11-13 minutes at 325º F

Ingredients: 

2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon instant coffee mix

1 and a half sticks unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 large egg + 1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 cups Andes Mint, chopped 

Directions:

1. Mix together four, cornstarch baking soda, cocoa powder, salt, and instant coffee in a large bowl.

2. In another bowl, mix the melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Whisk in the egg, then the egg yolk. Add the vanilla. 

3. Pour the wet mixture into dry ingredients and mix with a spoon or spatula.

4. Fold in 1 and 1/4 cup Andes Mint, making sure they are evenly dispersed among the dough. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour (it can last up until 3 days in the fridge). 

5. Take the dough out of the fridge and allow to soften a bit so it will be easier to shape them into balls.

6.  Roll the dough into balls, making them slightly taller for the cookies to turn out thick and chewy. 

7. With the 9 balls of dough on each cookie sheet, take the reserved 1/4 cup of Andes Mint and press on top for looks. 

8. Bake for 11-13 minutes at 325º F. The cookies will continue to bake on the cookie sheet when taken out of the oven.

Adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

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Almond Thumbprint Cookies with Jam and Nutella Filling

Raspberry, Apricot, and Nutella filling

Before you start, please note:

✭ Cookie dough will need to be chilled in the fridge for at least 2 hours and it should be cold and firm at all times.

✭ You can fill the thumbprint cookies with anything you like.

✭ It helps to stir the jam in a small bowl first to give it a spreadable-texture, making it easier to fill the cookies.

✭ Cookie dough can be frozen up to 2 months. 

Makes 32 cookies

Prep time: 3.5 hours

Oven time: 10 minutes at 350º F

Ingredients:

Cookies 

1 cup (two sticks) of butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

5 teaspoons any flavor of jam 

Glaze 

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract (optional)

Directions:

1. Using a handheld or electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar, vanilla, and almond extracts and beat again. Then add flour and beat until a soft dough is formed. Press the dough together, make sure to get all the scrapes and then cover it with plastic wrap. Chill in fridge for at least 2 hours.

2. Line baking tray with parchment paper or silicone baking mats (to reduce spreading). Shape the cookie dough into balls (the dough will be very hard at first but it will soften under the warm temperature of your hands). Then press down the balls with your thumb to make the "thumbprint". Smooth out any cracks that form (optional). Fill the cookies with 1/2 teaspoon of jam.

3. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350º F. The cookies will slightly puff up and turn light golden brown on the edges. Let the cookies cool for at least 30 minutes before glazing.

4. To make the glaze, gradually mix the powdered sugar in the wet ingredients. Drizzle over cooled cookies with a spoon.

If you decide to make these soft and fluffy thumbprint cookies, share your pictures with me and we can bond over our love for homemade cookies :)

Adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction