Soft, chewy, delicious chocolate chip cookies made from healthy, all-natural ingredients: almond meal, macadamia nut oil, and a touch of agave.
A good friend of mine stopped by one night last year with a small plate of chocolate chip cookies she had just made. They were so good I couldn’t stop thinking about them, so I asked her to send me the recipe.
She had mentioned that they were healthy, but I was still surprised by the list of ingredients. Literally the only thing in these that isn’t good for you is a quarter cup of agave for the whole batch! Well, that and the chocolate chips, of course. 😉 But if you read on, you will see that even those aren’t entirely necessary.
What’s more, these cookies are ridiculously easy to make. They only have a small handful of ingredients, and as such it literally takes less than 15 minutes from the moment you open your cupboard to take out the ingredients to when you are looking at a dozen mouth-watering, fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies sitting on the cooling rack, filling up your kitchen with their delicious smell.
If you like soft, chewy cookies (which I do), you’ll only need to bake them for 4 or 5 minutes depending on your oven. In my gas oven, it takes exactly 4 minutes. If you want them golden brown and crunchy, I’d keep them in for the full 8. Either way, I suggest waiting another 5 minutes before attempting to pick them up. Once they’ve had a few minutes to cool they hold together perfectly. If you try to pick one up before that it may fall apart. In that case, you’ll just have to eat it right away so you don’t have any imperfect cookies sitting around. 😉
The night before last our friends had us over for a delicious dinner of lentil soup with spaetzle and sausages, and I made a batch of these cookies to bring along. Although I am usually more of a dark chocolate person, I have always used milk chocolate chips in these because that is how they were made when I first fell in love with them. Our friend’s 4-year-old can’t eat dairy, so I made another small batch using vegan bittersweet chocolate chips as well. My husband doesn’t usually eat anything with sweetener (so no chocolate chips), but since these only have a little agave he said he’d have some without the chips. So I made a third small batch with raisins and some leftover walnut pieces I had toasted the night before (those ones went very fast, as you can see from the photograph below!).
All three versions were delicious. I always love the ones with the milk chocolate chips. My husband couldn’t stop eating the toasted walnut and raisin ones, which literally didn’t have a bad thing in them (save the agave). And the ones with the dairy-free chocolate chips were really yummy as well. My friend texted me today to ask for the recipe, which is why I am posting it here now. 🙂
I can’t recommend this recipe enough. These cookies are all natural, vegan-optional, and incredibly easy to make — and they really are some of the tastiest chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
HotDish 
They look great 😀 xox
Thank you. They are! 🙂
love everything about this post! beautifully and cleverly presented, creative and healthy recipe, fun photos. I think these need to be made tonight 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
Aw thanks! 🙂 That is really the nicest comment I have ever received. 🙂 I hope you do make them! If so, I’d love to know how they turn out. They are addictive.
Had two for breakfast! (The first was gone by the time I got to the car 🙂 ) Especially liked how they were salty and even just a bit grainy. Larry liked, too. Thanks so much for everything. Hope you had an excellent day. We’re finally at our hotel but very long drive. And a time change, too. Had forgotten about that one!
Glad you liked them! It occurred to me today that they are a little like peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips. Similar graininess, saltiness, and softness.
Glad to hear you made it safe and sound. Have a great time, can’t wait to read about it! 🙂