A healthy chocolate chip cookie I *really* like

I'm not a big fan of labeling foods "healthy" or "unhealthy" except in extreme cases.  To me, I say we use common sense and maintain a happy relationship with food as something that nourishes us and provides us with a lot of joy.  When it comes to dessert, I say enjoy reasonably but also, fully.  So I'm not always particularly on the lookout for "healthier" desserts but I am always open to finding delicious recipes that are maybe a bit smarter and utilizes more wholesome ingredients.  It's kind of a win-win.

This recipe is one of those win-win's and I'm really excited to have tried it and to now be able to enjoy it going forward!  

When I first spotted these "best healthy chocolate chip cookies" on Food52, I might have instinctively done a quick eye-roll but their appearance quickly won my interest.  They just looked so good!  Eyeing the list of ingredients, I was happy to see some of my favorite things featured - almond butter, oats, walnuts, chocolate chips (of course).  I've been renewing my love affair with walnuts in baked goods in particular lately - thanks to making and becoming smitten with a copycat recipe for Levain Bakery style chocolate chip walnut cookies (maybe more on that another day), my whole family has come around to toasted walnuts in treats.

I did go rogue and went off-script a little with this recipe.  These cookies were meant to be "gluten-free" but I substituted a couple tablespoons of almond flour for white whole-wheat flour.  From past experience, I've just not been a fan of purely almond flour-based baked goods and I'm not adverse to a little whole wheat flour in my cookies and cakes.  Since I used salted almond butter instead of unsalted (since that's what I use regularly and have on hand), I adjusted the salt in the recipe down slightly.  Sprinkling additional salt on top of the cookies before baking is nice but I find it didn't really need it.  I was a little heavy-handed when it came to the chocolate chunks and walnuts I added into the cookies, and it was the right move. 

I was so happy these cookies baked up firm and sturdy, not wet and almost falling apart as "healthy" cookies sometimes can be.  I was really thrilled when I tasted them!  Coconut sugar lends a mild sweetness and the nutty flavors really come through, along with pops of dark chocolate.  The texture is crisp along the edges and moist and chewy in the center.

As I was eating these, I would say "I think the oats make it"...then I'd change my mind and think, "the walnuts make it".  I finally realized it's the whole package.  It's all the elements working really well altogether.  I'm satisfied eating one of these cookies.  It has me feeling good, not weighed down or sluggish.  This really is a cookie I happily get behind; I not only like it, I love it.  And the fact that the ingredients are a little wiser, and it's a smarter cookie option than most, is a truly wonderful bonus.

Chocolate-chestnut thumbprints

We may be in the midst of Thanksgiving prep (those grocery stores are jam packed!) but it's Christmas that I can't get my mind off of.  I'm always eager to get started on holiday baking!  It's such a wonderful time of year; I only wish we had more time (I think two months would be perfect) between Thanksgiving and Christmas to stretch it out and enjoy it more.  Short of moving to Canada where we can celebrate Thanksgiving in October, I guess we have to make do with our schedule.  That means it's time to get started on cookies!  I have old-favorites to make but I eased into my holiday baking with this batch of chocolate-chestnut thumbprint cookies, a chocolate chip cookie filled with chestnut cream. 

Chocolate chip thumbprint cookies filled with chestnut cream

There's something about thumbprints that screams 'holiday cookies', right?  And this is the time of year when we look for simple recipes that have a little spin or twist to them that make them a bit extra special.  I've wanted to try this recipe for a long time because these cookies are like that - very easy to make, with a little twist in the middle.  The base cookie dough is essentially a chocolate chip cookie. Make an indentation in the center and fill it with a dollop of chestnut cream for a different spin.

You might know that I love chestnuts, in all forms.  If that's not the case for you or if you can't get your hands on chestnut cream ("crème de marrons"), you can also fill the cookie centers easily with a spoonful of Nutella chocolate-hazelnut spread (I bet you have that!).  If you don't mind a little more work, I think a fudge filling like the one I used for the fudge oatmeal cookies would work beautifully.  

I filled my thumbprints with chestnut cream as well as Nutella.  If you find the kind of chestnut cream that comes in a tube, it makes filling the thumbprints so easy.  

Between the two, the chestnut cream filling gives you a different flavor component, a milder kind of sweetness.  It's a fun change and a little twist to the usual.  The Nutella, or a chocolate filling, will give you more of a familiar, traditional chocolate chip cookie taste.  Both are good.  My husband and I liked the chestnut combination; the little one preferred the Nutella.

The cookies up front are filled with Nutella

Chocolate chip cookies inspired by DoubleTree

It's back to basics today, with a batch of chocolate chip cookies - preferably, warm and fresh from the oven.  It may be hot outside but I think there's always a need for some good cookies around the house.  I know I feel better seeing a jar of homemade cookies on my kitchen counter.  And with the busy (albeit fun) summer schedule right now, let's remember to take a breather and have a cookie break once in a while

This is a cookie I've only made one other time in the past that was inspired by a stay at the DoubleTree hotel about two years ago.  Having never stayed at a DoubleTree until then, I was really (pleasantly) surprised when we were handed a few small bags, each with a warm chocolate chip cookie tucked inside, upon check-in.  I started munching on the way to our room and, boy, were they delicious!  I know it probably helped that I was hungry and tired at the time but seriously, it was good stuff.  I asked the front desk if I could have the recipe when we checked out but, of course, that wasn't possible.  They did offer me a few more cookies for the road but I gratefully declined (for some reason) and was hoping to dig up the recipe somewhere online when I got home.

Unfortunately, the actual recipe seems to be a secret.  The cookie dough itself is apparently made by The Christie Cookie Company in Nashville.  But from my online search, the closest replica to the DoubleTree cookies seemed to be this one.  I decided to make them again last week since I've been thinking about them - possibly because we just returned from a road trip and it was on another one that we tasted those cookies. 

The cookies that come out of my home oven might not be exactly the same as the one I remember but I think it's a close copy and a very good cookie.  I particularly like the little bit of finely ground oats in the dough that gives the cookies a bit more bite and chew (although it is an extra step).

The other interesting or unusual things about this recipe is a bit of cinnamon and a splash of lemon juice in the dough, which you should chill in the refrigerator overnight.  Those additional ingredients are not very discernible, adding just a little something in the background.  I divided my batch and made half with toasted walnuts (above picture, right) and the other without nuts (above, left) for the little guy. 

I'm glad I re-visited this recipe.  It's better than I remembered.  Cheers to the American chocolate chip cookie! 

In search of a great chocolate chip cookie

I have yet to find the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe.  But admittedly, I haven't spent much time pursuing it since we have the double chocolate cookies that we love to make and I'm distracted by so many other goodies.  I have a few oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipes that I rely on but I think a great oatmeal cookie is an easier goal to attain because the oats take center stage and its inherent chewiness almost guarantees satisfaction if you're looking for a soft chewy cookie.  And my family and I definitely fall into the "soft" chocolate chip cookie camp. 

Being such a classic, I think any home-baker would want to have an excellent chocolate chip cookie recipe in his or her repertoire.  So in my search here for a great chocolate chip cookie, I am starting with a recipe featured in the book, Ready for Dessert.  After making and tasting the cookies, I've tweaked the measurements a bit but here is my conclusion:  It makes a delicious chocolate chip cookie where the chunks of chocolate steal the show.  Making sure to remove them out of the oven before they crisp up too much (if you are looking for a soft cookie like we are), it is best slightly warm out of the oven.  The cookie dough is not too sweet and a nice canvas for the chunks of semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate.  My only personal wish would be for a bit more robust flavor in the dough itself.  But overall, I was very happy with the result.

These are the plain chocolate chip cookies a few minutes out of the oven.

These chocolate chip cookies have the addition of toasted walnuts.