Grumpy Old Lady Makes Gluten Free Cookies

I have felt A LOT like Grumpy Old Man lately.

All these KIDS going to COLLEGE and AFRICA and DRIVING and dating WOMEN FROM FLORIDA.

All these puppies who eat SCREEN DOORS and VALUABLE SUCCULENT PLANTS.

 Sure, they're cute and happy, but they are TOTALLY NOT DOING ANY CHORES RIGHT NOW.  

I want things the way they used to be. When kids stayed home and paid attention when you talked to them. When dogs stayed, period. When life was simple and cookies were made with a crapload of gluten and WE LIKED IT!

Friggin' progress.

Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies with a hint of Almond (aka Gluten Free Cookies for Skeptics)

by Sharon Graves

Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus chilling time.

Cook Time: 15 minutes

I'm in the midst of working on cookie recipes for an upcoming project*, and decided I needed a gluten-free option for these new-fangled folks with wheat issues. If you read this blog at all, you know this is not my forte, but I have to say that these things are honestly delicious. There's a triple dose of almond in here, but not enough to take away from these being good OLD FASHIONED buttery-chewy-crispy chocolate chip cookies.  As my FAR TOO TALL niece said, "Before mom told me about the gluten part, I'd have said these were the some of the best chocolate chip cookies I've ever had." 

Hrumph.

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Ingredients

• 1 1/3 c. gluten-free all purpose flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)
• 2/3 c. blanched almond meal
• 1/2 tsp. (scant) baking soda
• 1/2 tsp (generous) kosher salt
• 3/4 c. butter
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1/4 c. almond butter
• 1 1/2 c. milk chocolate chips
• flaked sea salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

Whisk flour, almond meal, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl, and set aside.

Melt the butter. Place both sugars in a large bowl, add the melted butter, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or spatula until combined. Add the eggs, extracts, and almond butter, and beat well by hand again, until mixture is completely smooth and almost satin-y. Gently stir in the flour mixture, then add the chocolate chips. The dough will be quite soft.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, or as long as overnight.

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. Scoop dough out into generously sized portions, about the size of a small portion of ice cream. The cookies will spread as they bake, so be sure to leave room in between them. Sprinkle with a few flakes of sea salt.

Bake for 13-15 minutes, until cookies have crackled a bit, and edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool.  Enjoy warm.  These also keep well, stored in an airtight container.

* Yes, indeed. A cookie-based project! Very exciting.