Post 10 | Almond Flour Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
So….. I am a dessert kind of person. I know, I know. But Shelby - you are a dietitian. Yes, yes I am, thank you for reminding me.
I love cookies. And I love cake. And, no, I am not going to apologize for it. What I do, do, though, is make these fantastic, delicious, deleriously good, calories count.
These cookies are gluten free, dairy free, and easy to digest. All the things we want from a guilt free dessert. And when I say guilt free, no, I do not mean low calorie, low fat, low carb, etcetera etcetera. I mean no regret - no stomach cramps, no diarrhea, no gluten hangover, no gas, no bloating.
There is an egg in this recipe, pecans, and chocolate. So if you are sensitive to any of these ingredients - or do not like them - sub them out. Use walnuts, almond slivers, or pepitas in place of the pecans, or leave them out. Use cacao nibs in place of the chocolate, use dried and reconstituted fruit - rum soaked raisins would be fantastic - or leave it out. In place of the egg, go ahead and use a flax or chia egg here, as I think that would be the best substitute whether you are vegan or have an egg allergy.
Now on to the yumminess:
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cup almond flour/meal, 1 cup brown rice flour, 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup vegan butter (browned), 1 egg, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1 cup pecan pieces (toasted), 1 cup chocolate (chopped)
Start off by toasting your 1 cup of pecans. You aren’t necessarily looking for a color change, but an aroma change here. Do not burn your nuts!
Brown your 1/2 cup butter. If you are using real butter, use 1/2 cup. If you are using vegan butter or buttery spread like I am, use a bit extra as there is a much higher proportion of water in these that has to cook off before the brown.
Measure out your dry ingredients: 1 1/2 cup almond flour, 1 cup brown rice flour, and salt. Go ahead and add your brown sugar and Mix!
You should now have your almond flour, brown rice flour, salt, sugar, nuts, chocolate, butter, egg, and vanilla ready to combine. So, Combine!
It is going to look crumbly, very crumbly. You may be able to counteract this by adding the sugar to the butter instead of the dry ingredients - to basically create more wet ingredients. If you mix and mix and mix, and it is still crumbly, you can go ahead and add some melted butter or even water. Just add a tablespoon at a time until it becomes a stiff batter.
Mix in your mix ins and scoop.
Depending on your scoop size, you should come up with 24-30 cookies. Pop them in a 350 degree oven for 12-14 minutes (depending on your cookie size).
Et voile!
Cookies. Nice, yummy, toasty chocolate pecan cookies. Enjoy.
And, no, I am not going to provide a nutrition label of sorts on these cookies. They are, after all, cookies and they are to be enjoyed. They are to provide delicious comfort ‘in moderation’. So try not to eat the whole tray. But if you do, tomorrow, or next hour, is another chance to make a good nutrition choice.
Enjoy! They are easy to digest, gluten free, dairy free, and could easily be paleo or vegan depending on your dietary preference. They provide a good amount of protein, magnesium, and vitamin E, so enjoy smartly. And I will see you next time with a, perhaps, more typical dietitian recipe.