Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies

My friend recommended that I make these Paleo chocolate chip cookies. She said they were the best chocolate chips cookies she has ever had. We went to the Tucker Farmers Market the other week and when we found almond flour I knew I had to bake the cookies. Next step was tracking down coconut oil so I located some by LouAna at Wal-Mart. Yes, I said Wal-Mart...I know, I know. I rarely shop there okay?!? Then Ghiradelli was on sale at Target so I picked up a bar of the Sea Salt Soiree...woo hoo! I have been on a Farmers Market kick this summer and purchased local honey at the Statham Farmers Market a few weeks ago so I went with that for this recipe.

 

The batter is very interesting. I did not know what to expect since this was my first time baking with almond flour. It smells delicious! I let my parents and a friend try these cookies. None of us like them. My dad went as far to say I wasted perfectly good chocolate. I assured him it was only a quarter cup so no big waste. I said I may take them in to work to share with my coworkers and mom said "You better not. You will mess up your baking reputation." A Southern girl never wants to tarnish her baking reputation..lol. You may ask why I decided to share this recipe if it was a total fail. Well, I decided we all have different tastes and someone, like my girlfriend, might enjoy them. At least I do not feel too guilty eating them. Oh and of course no one wanted any cookies to take home so yeah I get to eat the rest. To end on a positive note I purchased Maple Caramel Almond Butter from NaturAlmond at the Farmers Market and it is AMAZING!!! I may track down a recipe to bake something with the almond butter. Then again I may be selfish and enjoy it all by myself!

Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Prep time

5 mins

 

Cook time

11 mins

Total time

16 mins

Dairy, gluten and grain free chocolate chunk cookies that taste just like the real deal.

Author: Gina Matsoukas

Recipe type: cookies

Serves: 10 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond meal
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
• 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil (*update: make sure to measure oil after melting so that you’re not inadvertently using too much. This can cause cookies to flatten)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon almond milk
• ¼ cup chopped dark chocolate pieces

 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
3. Whisk together wet ingredients in a small bowl.
4. Add wet to dry and mix together.
5. Fill a tablespoon measure with batter and press down to form a half-circle. Tap batter out onto baking sheet and lightly press down in the center.
6. Bake for 10-11 minutes until bottoms just start to turn brown.
7. Remove from oven and let cool 2-3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. They will be soft when removed from oven but firm up in a couple of minutes.

Spiced Peach Muffins

This may be hard for ya'll to believe but this is the first year that I've been crazy about peaches. I was born and raised in Georgia so I know it is shocking. It started last year after I had a Monte Cristo sandwich with peach jelly at Duck's Cosmic Kitchen with a side of some amazing peach salad concoction. Then this year my mom made her 2nd annual blueberry-peach galette. Yum! A couple of weeks ago I bought some peaches at the Tucker Farmers Market and enjoyed eating them all by themselves. Georgia peaches are so sweet and juicy! Apparently the trick to getting them soft is to leave them in a paper bag on the counter. Wow I learn something new everyday. Any who, I came across this muffin recipe and decided to bake it up.

 

The muffin is a little taste of summer with a dash of fall. I did not have allspice so I substituted pumpkin pie spice. Some of you may find this strange but I love pumpkins so I was pleased with the outcome. I will suggest that you use the biggest mixing bowl you own because it is a lot of batter and a mound of peaches. Also, I was able to get 23 muffins. I had too much for 16 muffins and not enough for 24 heaping muffins. Always a bummer when that happens. So some are small and some are gigantic. Nothing wrong with that I guess.

 

Spiced Peach Muffins

Makes 16 muffins.

4 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups milk
4 peaches, diced (not peeled)
granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Grease a 16 cup muffin tin, set aside.

2. In a large bowl combine flour, salt, baking powder, brown sugar, allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon. Stir in eggs, vegetable oil and milk, then gently stir in fruit.

3. Heap the batter into cups; they’ll be very full. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until muffins test done.