My “go-to” Chocolate Chip cookies

Dangerous to have in the house.

…Get one, or they might be gone.

Every time I make these I swear the next time I will make a double batch…because they go so dang fast! This last time I made them, I planned on taking a picture of them the next day, a big plate full of them. However, by the time I got to them a couple of days later there were only five left. So here they are, what’s left of them. I think the “problem” is, is that besides being good, they are not overly sweet. They have a savory & subtly sweet flavor to them. I also think that the oats and the flaxseed provide a wholesome taste and texture. This can be misleading! They are not a health food, by any means, but they are a less sugary, healthier version of a classic favorite. They are also free of Gluten, Dairy & Eggs, if any of those things matter to you. And if they don’t, I would proceed anyway…because it doesn’t matter…you would NEVER, ever know! That’s always my goal. To create, or find recipes thats suit my various dietary restrictions, but do not sacrifice flavor or my family’s ability to equally enjoy them. These fit that bill.

I actually found the recipe on the back of a bag of Bob’s Redmill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour about 6ish years ago. We enjoyed them so much I immediately wrote it down in my recipe book and have used it countless times. The recipe is actually by a Erin McKenna from her "BabyCakes Covers the Classics" cookbook. She has a successful bakery in NYC, driven by the mission to “select all ingredients responsibly and use our natural sweeteners sparingly. Our goal is to make eating vegan and gluten-free fun and delicious”. Which is a mission that I can get behind!

Currently debating on whether to make these or Santa’s other favorite, My grandmothers sugar cookies, for the boys to leave out for Christmas Eve.

But for now, here’s the recipe for the chocolate chip goodness… Enjoy! xo. e.

Baby Cakes NYC Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Ingredients.

• 1-1/2 cups Oat Flour*

• 1 cup Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour (Most recipes I switch up with a few of my favorite gluten-free flours, not this one, I only use what is recommended here)

• 1 cup Sugar

• 1/4 cup Flaxseed Meal*

• 1/4 cup Arrowroot Starch

• 1-1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum

• 1 tsp Baking Soda

• 1 tsp Salt

• 3/4 cup Coconut Oil +2 Tbsp, melted (or Canola Oil)

• 6 Tbsp Applesauce unsweetened

• 2 Tbsp Vanilla Extract

• 1 cup Chocolate Chips (gluten free, dairy free)

**When it comes to the Oat Flour and the Flaxseed Meal, I simply use my husbands coffee grinder (cleaned) to ground up Old Fashioned Oats & Flax seeds into flour-like textures. I could probably use my Vitamin for this too, which, I probably will next time, now that I think about it…. Not sure why it’s taken me this long to consider that option. Okay, now back to the recipe…

Instructions.

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, flaxseed meal, arrowroot starch, xanthan gum, baking soda and salt. Add the coconut oil, applesauce, and vanilla and stir with a rubber spatula until a thick dough forms. Stir in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

3. Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1-1/2 inches apart and flatten slightly. (I always seem to forget to flatten slightly, so mine are always a little more round, as pictured)

4. Bake for 7 minutes, rotate the baking sheets, and bake for 7 minutes more, or until the cookies are golden brown and firm. Let stand on the baking sheets for 15 minutes before eating.