cookies

(INSIDE OUT) CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIE BARS by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal


december is undoubtably the season for cookies! so today we’re making these cookie bars. chocolate chip cookies in bar form.  that's essentially what these are, but with 2 distinct differences:  there's a good bit of almond butter in the batter, which gives them a fudgy quality.  and we did an inside out kind of vibe when it comes to the chocolate chips.  the chocolate completely melts that way, and creates these perfect little chocolate puddles which are so satisfying.  these are actually my favorite cookies to make for the holidays. not because they’re overly holiday - no candy canes, gingerbread, peppermint here. but because they’re quite possibly the easiest to put together. most chocolate chip cookies require chill time in the fridge, but because these aren’t actual cookies (at least in shape) they go right into the oven, and bake in just about 20 minutes. and if i haven’t sold you completely yet, they’re super portable. bake them in the morning, then cover them with some parchment and foil, and bring them to your holiday get together, office potluck, etc, etc!

happy cookie season, friends!



(inside out) chocolate chunk cookie bars | gf & df

print the recipe!

| makes 20 cookie bars |

  • 1 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped

  • 1 1/4 cups fine brown rice flour

  • 1/2 cup arrowroot powder

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

  • 1 cup coconut sugar

  • 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted but cooled

  • 1/3 cup unsalted almond butter

  • 2 large eggs (preferably pasture-raised)

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 4 ounces dark chocolate, 55%-65% cacao, chopped into rough chunks



method

  1. preheat oven to 350°F.

  2. spread the chopped almonds onto a baking sheet and toast until lightly browned and fragrant, about 5-6 minutes. let cool completely.

  3. oil and line a 9x13-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough parchment to overhang on opposite sides.

  4. in a large bowl, whisk together the brown rice flour, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. in another large bowl, whisk together the sugar, coconut oil, almond butter, eggs, and vanilla. a little at a time, add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix with a rubber spatula until everything is combined. (the batter will be quite thick - basically an arm workout!) add the toasted almonds and mix once again, until evenly distributed.

  5. dump the batter into the pan, using the spatula to evenly spread it into the corners and sides of the pan.

  6. bake in the center of the oven for 12-14 minutes, until the sides are just golden, and the center is puffy. remove from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chunks over top. place back in the oven a bake for another 5-7 minutes, until the chocolate has melted into little puddles.

  7. remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool. let cool completely, then use the parchment overhangs to carefully lift the cookie brick from the pan. sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and slice into 20 bars. cookie bars can be stored in a lidded container at room temperature for 3 days.


more holiday cookie recipes:

double chocolate gingersnaps

double chocolate gingersnaps

maple, pecan butter chocolate chip cookies

maple, pecan butter chocolate chip cookies

satsuma & rosemary pignoli nut cookies

satsuma & rosemary pignoli nut cookies


Maple, Pecan Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (GF & V) by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal


does the world really need another chocolate chip cookie? my answer is a very swift, and affirmative, YES! yes, it does. 

if you're a fan of having chopped nuts in your chocolate chip cookie, then i'm pretty sure you'll love these cookies with a resounding amount of pecan flavor in each and every bite.  i generally use a homemade pecan butter in these cookies; it's cheaper than store bought, and it's super easy and fast to make.  unlike homemade almond butter, pecan butter takes about 5 minutes from start to finish to break down into the creamiest nut butter.  from there, there's a bit of oat flour, almond flour, some coconut oil, and chocolate chopped into jagged chunks.  they're maple syrup sweetened which is what really brings the flavor of these cookies together.  that distinct maple-y, slightly caramelized flavor mixed with the pecan nuttiness, combined with the chocolate chunks takes these to another level. a level somewhere between an everyday cookie, and a fun festive chocolate chip cookie.  the texture is quite structured.  the day of they're crunchy on the outside and a bit softer on the inside.  personally, i'm a fan of baked-the-day-of-cookies, when the chocolate hasn't totally cooled yet and is still warm with little chocolate puddles.  

i hope you love them as much as my family does! 

wishing you all the brightest of holidays, filled with nothing but cozy times ❤️. xo's!



maple pecan butter chocolate chip cookies | gluten free & vegan

if you're using store-bought pecan butter, look for a brand that's unsweetened and unsalted.  if you're in a pinch you could also use another nut butter, although i'm partial to pecan butter in this recipe

| makes 21 cookies |

  • 1 cup pecan butter*
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup melted extra virgin coconut oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup gluten free oat flour
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teasoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 5 ounces dark chocolate, chopped 
  • flaky sea salt, for topping

*to make the pecan butter, add 2 heaping cups of raw pecans into your food processor fitted with a metal "s" blade and process until creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the container, about 5 minutes.  store in an air tight jar and store it in the fridge. 



method

  1. over a large bowl, sift together the flours, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  in another large bowl, whisk together the pecan butter, maple syrup, oil, and vanilla.  add the dry ingredients a little at a time until everything is combined.  then fold in the chocolate chunks.  cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or at least 2 hours.
  2. preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 
  3. using a medium cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tablespoons worth), scoop cookie dough onto your prepared cookie sheets.  bake in the center of your oven for 15-18 minutes, checking for doneness at 15 minutes, until the edges are just golden brown. 
  4. cool the cookies on a rack, then serve.

more holiday recipes:


double chocoalte gingersnaps

double chocoalte gingersnaps

chocolate tahini cake w/ tahini frosting

chocolate tahini cake w/ tahini frosting

satsuma & roasemary pignoli nut cookies

satsuma & roasemary pignoli nut cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal


amesy is at the point where he's emerging from that infant-baby stage into what seems like an older baby stage.  he'll be 8 months old this saturday, and while i definitely cannot say the time has flown by (by any means), i've certainly felt a very noticeable shift.  he's in an interesting in-between where he needs us wholeheartedly for most everything, but he's also becoming a bit more autonomous in his physical actions and emotions.  he's been crawling now for a few days and has pretty much gotten it down!  he kind of does this plank/downward dog/crawl thing and it's really too cute.  i love that he's exploring a whole new world, i can see his intense curiosity behind his big brown eyes.  it hits me from time to time that there will be a moment when he doesn't need me to feed him, or will no longer look for my hands to help him up, and that he won't bury his face in chest when he gets bashful.  i can tear up at a moments notice about these things, which is silly, i know. he will need me for other things as he gets older.  our relationship will manifest in different ways, i suppose.  but for now i'm already living in the nostalgia of yesterday.

there's no smooth transition here, but i'm  sure your inbox and instagram feed may be flooded with a ton of great picnic-ready recipes for the long weekend - pasta salads, leafy greens in a bowl, things to cook on a bbq.  and maybe there's a recipe for a light and airy yellow cake intricately decorated with whipped cream and fresh berries.  maybe it's just me, but sometimes an overabundance of recipes options have me feeling significantly overwhelmed to the point where i retreat back to the recipes that i've made time and time again. they're like a good pair of jeans that way: forgiving, reliable, and comfy.  they usually include a guacamole or hummus freestyle, a green salad with a creamy dressing, maybe a hearty pasta salad or frittata depending on the season/occasion, and a simple cake that could please (hopefully) anyone.  

which is why i'm so grateful when i come across a recipe like these peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.  kathyrne, from cookie + kate, just came out with a brilliant new book, love real food, and i received a copy few weeks ago.  amesy happened to be napping, so i got to thumb through the pages and landed on this recipe. it's one of those go-to recipes that has a short list of pantry ingredients, and is a one bowl kind of situation.  i was thrilled at its straight forward nature, and simple technique (stirring, scooping, baking - done!), plus nothing bad ever comes out of pairing chocolate and peanut butter. the best part is that the last batch had finished cooking just as amesy was waking up.  it really couldn't have worked any better.  and it's definitely one of those reliable recipes that will be used over and over.  

but kathryne's book is filled with beautiful, accessible recipes that make you feel like you can get it all done and have a nourishing meal all at the same time.  as someone who can overcomplicate things at times, i'm really thankful for attainable recipes that are composed of readily available ingredients.  the book is organized by breakfast items, salads, soups, a happy hour chapter (yes!), entrees, desserts, and extras.  most recipes come with instructions on how to substitute ingredients to make the recipe gluten free, dairy free, or vegan at times.  you'll also get to see more pictures of her super cute pup, cookie, and a really wonderful intro that talks about kate's journey to eating real food, and how everyone can achieve a balanced, more nourished, outlook on home cooking. 

wishing everyone a beautiful weekend! xo 



peanut butter chocolate chip cookies | gf (with a vegan option)

recipe from: Love Real Food by Kathryne Taylor.  reprinted with permission.

i didn't have a cookie scoop, so i used a tablespoon measure to scoop the dough which worked perfectly but made less cookies (about 26). to make these dairy-free, i used this chocolate and chopped it up to make chips.  kathryne gives some notes on how to make these vegan which are included below.

| makes 42 small cookies |

  • 2 cups lightly packed coconut sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 jar (16 ounces) creamy peanut butter (1 3/4 cups)*
  • 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, preferably 60% cacao 

*kathryne's notes:

  • natural peanut butter works well here.  she notes to use standard salted peanut butter.  if you are using unsalted peanut butter add an additional 1/4 teaspoon to the recipe.  almond butter and sunflower butter work too, although she prefers the peanut version.
  • make these vegan by using vegan chocolate chips and omitting the eggs. she notes that egg free cookies will be lighter and be more meringue-like in texture and will be slightly gritty.


method

  1. preheat the oven 350°F. line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. in a medium bowl, combine the coconut sugar and eggs and whisk until smooth (the eggs might resist incorporating into the sugar at first, but keep whisking!). whisk in the vanilla and salt until blended.
  3. add the peanut butter and whisk until the dough is smooth and the peanut butter has completely blended into the batter (you might need to switch to a big spoon toward the end, which you'll need for mixing in the chocolate chips anyway).  add the chocolate chips and stir until the chocolate chips are evenly incorporated.
  4. for cookies that stay perfectly mounded, chill the dough for 15 mintues before proceeding (if you're in a hurry, skip the chilling step).  use a 1-tablespoon cookie dough scoop or two spoons to scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving 1 to 2 inches of space between each one.  chill any remaining dough while you make the first batch.
  5. bake until the cookies are golden at the edges but still just a little underdone in the center 11 to 13 minutes.  let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring them with a metal spatula to a cooling rack to cool completely.  repeat with the remaining dough. (if your first round was a little too doughy, bake this round for 1 minute longer, or if they were done past your liking, bake for 1 minute less -make note of this time, because you'll probably want to make these cookies again!)
  6. these cookies keep well at room temperature for about 4 days, and freeze well for up to 3 months. 

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