Cookie Archives -

Chocolate Chip Cookie “Energy” Cups

on June 20, 2016August 13, 2021 By Kelley 1 Comment

These soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies are my favorite go to sweet treat when I need a pick-me-up. They are SECRETLY HEALTHY and filled with energy boosting ingredients! But shhh, don’t tell! Feed them to the fam, and nobody will suspect. In fact, they will demand some more! These babies have NO butter, NO flour, NO processed sugar, and NO eggs. Take one bite and go to cookie Heaven, then have another because you can!

You guys aren’t sick of cookie recipes yet are you? I mean who doesn’t LOVE chocolate chip cookies? Right, I thought so. NO ONE. haha.

So this week I set out to make a cookie that called for coconut oil as opposed to butter or palm shortening. I am in love with the health benefits of coconut oil. (Read more about those awesome benefits HERE!!) Did you know coconut oil can help curb your appetite and boost your metabolism? And it provides a nice dose of healthy energy in the form of medium-chain triglycerides.

The other main ingredient in these super moist and melty cookies is almonds. Everybody knows how good almonds are for your healthy. They are full of healthy fats and protein, making them a first rate energy source.

So together almonds and coconut oil are a healthy energy match made in heaven, and they also happen to make a spectacular cookie!

I promise you are going to love these, so I recommend you make a double batch!

Chocolate Chip Cookie “Energy” Cups

1 cup almond flour (I recommend Wellbee’s)
2 tablespoons tapioca starch
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea or Himalayan salt
3 tablespoons coconut oil (melted)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a bowl combine and mix all the dry ingredients.
Add the wet ingredients and mix to form a dough
Add the chocolate chips and mix.
Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough into each mini muffin/cupcake tin compartment and press the dough down to compact it. (you also can use a regular muffin tin, but use 2 tablespoons of dough.)
Bake at 350 degrees F for 6-7 minutes.
Remove, let cool, then enjoy. (remove them from the tin by carefully dislodging them with a knife.)

Cookie Dough Shots

on May 20, 2016August 13, 2021 By Kelley 2 Comments

These Cookie Dough Shots are secretly healthy but taste like creamy and rich cookie dough flavored frosting! They are ridiculously easy to make, and too cute 🙂 A special combination of ingredients are used to create an exceptional cookie dough flavor, complete with mini dark chocolate chips. They make a great pick me up, providing energy with healthy fats and protein (optional)! {Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Paleo, Vegan, Pegan}

It’s no secret this gal loves cookies, especially chocolate chip cookies! And what’s better than chocolate chip cookies? Did I hear you say the cookie dough? Yes! I agree completely. Cookie dough is my ultimate weakness, what’s yours?

If you love cookie dough, you are going to LOVE these creamy Cookie Dough Shots. And best of all they are HEALTHY! Yes, you can let out a cheer- Yeah!
They are packed with healthy fat from coconut milk and you can even give them a dose of protein with your favorite vanilla or unflavored protein powder. Now you not only have an indulgent snack, you have a pre or post-workout energy boost and it tastes like cookie dough! The sweetness and cookie dough flavor comes from the combination of maple syrup, coconut sugar and vanilla. The coconut sugar is the perfect healthy substitution for brown sugar, which gives traditional cookie dough that sweet and rich flavor.

I have a hard time keeping these little shots around in my house. I made a batch and within the hour they are gone! And this time it wasn’t Cricket. Haha. Hubby? Busted!

So take 5 minutes today and whip these babies up. You will not be disappointed!

Cookie Dough Shots

2 cans coconut cream (Use only the cream from 2 cans of chilled coconut milk, discard or save coconut water for another use)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1 scoop of unflavored collagen peptides or your favorite vanilla or unflavored protein powder) ** If your protein powder is sweetened then reduce the amount of maple syrup and coconut sugar according to your sweet tooth! (I use Vital Proteins)
3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips chocolate chips (or chop up regular-sized, I use Enjoy Life)

Combine the maple syrup and brown sugar in a small bowl and mix. It will form a wet sandy paste. Let that sit a few minutes so the sugar partially dissolves.
Combine the coconut cream, vanilla, maple syrup/coconut sugar mixture, and protein or collagen in a bowl and whip well using a hand blender.
Next add the chocolate chip and fold them in using a rubber spatula.
You can use a pipping bag to fill small plastic shot glasses with the frosting for a cute presentation or just eat it straight outta the bowl with a spoon!

Chocolate-Dipped Chocolate Chip Cookies {Video!}

on February 21, 2016August 13, 2021 By Kelley 2 Comments

This is the my ALL TIME FAVORITE secretly healthy chocolate chip cookie recipe.These Chocolate-Dipped Chocolate Chip cookies taste like the real thing. In fact, they are so much better (and better for you)! They are soft and moist on the inside thanks to a combination of ingredients that allow them to stay plump and thick. They melt right in your mouth! The best part is that they are dipped in chocolate, because the only thing better than a chocolate chip cookie is a chocolate chip cookie with EXTRA Chocolate, right? {Grain-free, Gluten-free, Paleo, Pegan}

My love for cookies, chocolate chip cookies that is, goes way back. They have always been a long time favorite of mine and I have been testing up so many batches of cookies lately to find the perfect one. One that reminds me of my childhood. It has to be crisp on the outside, soft, moist and crumbly on the inside. It needs to be plump, as I am not a fan of the flat-as-a-pancake cookies. I like them to be fat and plump. And finally, this cookie is studded with dark chocolate chips and then DIPPED in rich dark chocolate.

It’s amazing. It’s pure joy at first bite. Heavenly.

Cricket has been right by my side baking up these cookies with me. She even got to sample the dough before I added the chocolate chips (no chocolate for dogs;)), and she has officially approved these cookies 🙂

The dough is actually good for you as it’s made with almonds, coconut, palm shortening and grass-fed butter. Not that they are low cal, but they are made with whole food ingredients that are dense with nutrients. When you eat these babies they leave you feeling full and satisfied. There is no sugar crash because there is little sugar in these beauties, just some coconut sugar and maple syrup. (You can read about why coconut sugar is a better sweetener option HERE.)

I used to be all about low cal foods, focusing on low fat specifically. I thought that if I ate low fat foods I would not gain fat, but now I know eating fat doesn’t equal a tire around my mid section. The days of low cal/low fat are over. There I said it. They are over. I am proof that you can increase the amount of healthy fats (think avocado, coconut, almonds, some grass-fed butter) in your diet and boost your metabolism. I must tell you it took me so long to jump onto this bandwagon. It really did. I had read other peoples stories about eating high fat and losing weight and I thought: “No way, how can that be?” and “Maybe that works for some, but it won’t for me…” But I was wrong. Eating more healthy fats has lead me to decrease my sugar intake, as my once out of control sugar cravings have now subsided to a healthier level. Healthy fats stoke my metabolism and leave me feeling energized and then I burn more calories throughout the day. I feel great, and that is what is most important above all!

Chocolate Dipped Chocolate Chip Cookies {Video!}

These Chocolate Dipped Chocolate Chip cookies taste like the real thing, in fact, they are so much better (and better for you)! They are soft and moist on the inside thanks to a combination of ingredients that allow them to stay plump and extra thick. They melt right in your mouth! The best part is that they are dipped in chocolate, because the only thing better than a chocolate chip cookie is a chocolate chip cookie with EXTRA Chocolate, right? {Grain-free, Gluten-free, Paleo, Pegan}

1 1/2 cups almond flour
1 1/2 tablespoons of coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 pasture-raised egg (or flax egg)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons coconut sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 tablespoons grass-fed butter (or sub for 2 T palm shortening, softened)
2 tablespoons palm shortening
1/3 cup of chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand)
additional 1/2 cup chocolate chips for dipping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl: almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and salt.
Make a well in the middle of the dry mixture and add the egg, vanilla, coconut sugar, maple syrup, butter and shortening; mix well until the dough is uniform.
Add the 1/3 cup chocolate chips and mix.
Place a heaping tablespoon of dough per cookie spaced about 2″ apart on a cookie sheet.
Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees F or until just slightly golden.
Remove and let cool (or cool in the fridge for a few minutes).
Melt the 1/2 cup chocolate chips over low heat in a small saucepan.
Pour the melted chocolate into a small bowl and dip each chilled cookie into the chocolate and place onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Place back into the fridge until chocolate is hardened, about 10 minutes.
Enjoy!

Mocha Shortbread {Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo}

on December 22, 2015August 13, 2021 By Kelley

This Mocha Shortbread combines the wonderful flavors of chocolate and espresso and then are dipped into a decadent chocolate ganache. They happen to be grain and gluten-free and are oh so very addictive!

So this week we caught up on all our favorite holiday movies- Elf, A Christmas Story, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. As you know Cricket loves to dress up so I made her the one-antler wonder (with help from my mom, thanks mom!), just like Max, from the Grinch! Between her costume and the holiday music on non-stop it’s definitely Christmasy around here!

As you know I love chocolate but my other true love is coffee! Do you drink your coffee black? I am in awe of all you that do. It seems so cool and edgy to order a black coffee. I wish I could too, but I’m a coffee wimp! Don’t get me wrong I love my java, but I’ve got to add some sweetness and creaminess and make it more like a dessert. I’m addicted to my coffee creamer and I’ve been known to take it along with me to Dunkin Donuts, no joke 🙂 So here is my love of coffee, chocolate, and creaminess in cookie form! I’ve also sprinkled on some crushed candy cane on some, and coconut on a few others so a few incredible flavor combinations- any peppermint mocha lovers out there??

Another great quality of these shortbread cookies is you can make the dough ahead of time. Just roll it into a log, wrap and freeze. When you’re ready to make your cookies, just thaw, slice and bake- and there you go- fresh and ready to serve!

I hope you love these as much as I do!

Mocha Shortbread {Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo}

2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon espresso powder (such as Medaglia D’Oro)
1/4 teaspoon celtic or Himalayan sea salt
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup pastured raised butter (such as Kerrygold, softened or palm shortening)

Chocolate Ganche:

1/3 cup chocolate chips
1 + tablespoon coconut milk (full fat)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine and mix the almond flour, arrowroot powder, cocoa, espresso powder, salt and coconut sugar.
Add the softened butter and mix into the dry ingredients until a dough is formed.
Place the dough on a piece of parchment paper and roll into a 2″ log.
Wrap the log up in the parchment and chill thoroughly in the fridge (or freezer), about 1/2 hour.
Once chilled remove the log and slice into 1/2″ cookies and place them onto a cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes, remove and let cool.
Meanwhile in a double boiler (or in saucepan over a larger saucepan with water) melt the chocolate chips and coconut milk. Add more coconut milk if needed to reach desired consistency.
Dip half of each cookie into the ganache and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet, sprinkle with candy cane or coconut if desired, then chill in the fridge until the chocolate it set.

Chocolate Squared Cookies {Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo}

on December 17, 2015April 10, 2017 By Kelley

These Chocolate Squared cookies are loaded with chocolate goodness, crispy on the outside and soft and melty in the middle thanks to a secret ingredient. You will never know they happen to be gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free and paleo.

Everyday this week has been a different cookie experiment in my kitchen. Cricket has been keeping her eye on the oven watching cookies go in…and cookies come out….and next batch in…and out….

In all this cookie experimentation I can’t seem to get beyond my true and undying love for all things CHOCOLATE, so here I bring you ANOTHER chocolate cookie! lol. I’m sure you’re not sad about that though, are you??

This particular cookie experiment began in a red velvet direction. I had researched the science behind red velvet- what’s in it and why it turns red. Do you know? Well I had no idea that it was the reaction between the cocoa powder, baking soda, and vinegar that turns the cake red! Now-a-days the cocoa we buy had been alkalized, and will not produce the red color when it reacts with the baking soda and vinegar so many modern day red velvet confections are simply dyed that way, whether with artificial or natural dyes.

But another interesting tidbit that I learned it that this reaction that takes place also is what gives red velvet it’s mouth watering, delicate and moist texture. After reading this I was sold. So today’s cookie is, in fact, red velvet in disguise, and heavy on the chocolate! My kinda cookie.

They were a big hit in my house and I am sure they will be in yours-be sure to make a double batch 😉

Chocolate Squared Cookies {Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo}

1 cup almond flour
2 tablespoons cocoa
⅓ cup coconut sugar
1 pasture raised egg
2 tablespoons grass-fed butter (or ghee or palm shortening, softened)
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon baking soda
dash salt
⅓ cup chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl combine the almond flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
Mix the softened butter with the coconut sugar, egg, vanilla, apple cider vinegar.
Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until the dough is uniform then mix in the chocolate chips.
Scoop 1 heaping tablespoon of dough per cookie and drop them onto the cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees F for about 8-10 minutes.
Let cool before removing from the cookie sheet.
Makes 10 cookies.

Chocolate Lace Cookies {Grain Free, Gluten Free, Paleo}

on December 13, 2015April 10, 2017 By Kelley 2 Comments

These gorgeous rich, buttery, and chocolatey cookies look incredible and happen to be grain and gluten free!

Christmas is 2 weeks away and it’s time to start churning out the Christmas cookies! My family’s cookie traditions include biscotti, Italian drop cookies, and the good old sugar cookie, rolled out and cut into familiar Christmas shapes and coated with sugar frosting and sprinkles. They are all excellent in their individual ways, but this year I set out to create some new cookie traditions with two requirements, first that they must be festive and fancy, and second they must be grain free and use healthy ingredients only. Oh- and one more very important point is that they must taste SO GOOD that the most discriminatory cookie eater, ie Santa, must love them!

We always left cookies out for Santa when we were young, as well as a glass of milk to wash those cookies down. Being the avid animal lover that I am, I always made sure we had carrots out for the reindeer too 😉 In the wee early morning hours I would sneak down and check to see if the cookies had been eaten, milk had been downed, and of course that the carrots had been nibbled on. For me, it was the ultimate proof Santa and his furry flying friends had made it down my chimney, and I would light up with joy!

I am so excited to carry on this tradition with my family, and celebrate the spirit of Christmas, and to make sure Santa stays healthy and fit by eating only the tastiest and healthiest of cookies.

So today I bring you the elegant Chocolate Lace Cookie. These cookies are gorgeous, buttery, rich and are easy to make with only 6 ingredients including almond flour, honey, coconut sugar and blended with rich butter (please use pasture/grass-raised butter, read why HERE).

They come out crisp, almost like a butter toffee, and begin to melt in your mouth upon your first bite. I love them, the hubby loves them, Cricket wishes she could love them (don’t worry she doesn’t get left out, she gets her own doggie cookies) and Santa is going to adore them!

Chocolate Lace Cookie {Grain Free, Gluten Free, Paleo}

These gorgeous rich, buttery, and chocolatey cookies look incredible and happen to be grain and gluten free!

1 cup almond meal (grind almonds in a high speed blender)
pinch salt
2 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup coconut sugar
5 tablespoons butter or ghee (pasture-raised such as Kerrygold)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment.
Combine the butter, coconut sugar and honey in a saucepan over medium heat.
Whisk the mixture until smooth and melted and remove from the burner as it begins to simmer.
Add the almond flour, pinch of salt, and vanilla and mix to make a dough.
Use a spoon to scoop about a tablespoon of dough per cookie and space them at least 2” apart (they spread).
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes and let cool 10 minutes before removing. They will harden as they cool.
Store in airtight container to keep crisp.

Melt In Your Mouth Chocolate Chip Cookies {Healthy, Paleo, Gluten Free, Vegan}

on August 2, 2015April 10, 2017 By Kelley 14 Comments

Oh MY! These HEALTHY, GLUTEN FREE, VEGAN chocolate chip cookies are to die for! I’ve stumbled upon something here, that not only is good for you, but it actually rivals some of the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve had in my lifetime as a cookie-connoisseur.

Cricket was a big help in the development of these cookies. As she slept the day away on the couch (where she really isn’t suppose to be-shh!), she suddenly jumped up and made her way to the oven, using her beagle-keen nose to sniff out the rising goodness in the oven. I had her approval and I knew that was a good sign! Then when the hubby got home and tried them out he was absolutely smitten! These cookies are his new proclaimed favorite!

I usually go for the soft, thick and chewy kind of cookie over the crispy thin ones. Everyone has their preference- what’s yours? I wanted to let you know that this cookie actually doesn’t fit into the two common cookie categories of soft and chewy or thin and crispy, but don’t be disappointed! It has a texture all its own and it’s amazing! -Buttery, crumbly, almost like a shortbread that explodes with flavor and dissolves in your mouth, further enhanced by melted chocolate goodness.

A huge bonus- these are loaded with healthy fats and protein from the almond meal, and very very little sugar, these cookies are actually nutritious! So you can have an extra one if you wish and not think twice.

This recipe calls for palm shortening (which is trans fat free!!), a key ingredient in getting these cookies to be so plump and moist. You can most definitely find the palm shortening at Whole Foods or a health food store, or order the brand I use off of Amazon.

Click HERE to view “My PANTRY” (products I recommend, and option to order if you’d like).

If you LOVE these cookies then you MUST try all my other chocolate chip cookie recipes! Each and everyone one is delectable and delicious!

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE ENERGY CUPS

CHOCOLATE SQUARED COOKIES

Melt In Your Mouth Chocolate Chip Cookies {Healthy, Paleo, Gluten Free, Vegan}

Healthy Melt In Your Mouth Chocolate Chip Cookies- Gluten-free, no flour, dairy-free, paleo friendly and vegan option!

1 cup Almond Meal
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon of almond butter (alternative-cashew butter or peanut butter)
1 ½ tablespoons of butter (I always use grass-fed butter, like Kerrygold brand, Vegan option use 3 tablespoons of palm shortening and no butter, softened)
1 ½ tablespoons of palm shortening (see above on where to get it)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons coconut sugar (alternative -brown sugar)
1 1/2 teaspoon chia seed (alternative- ground flax)
1/3 cup chocolate chips (vegan alternative- dairy-free chocolate chips such as Enjoy Life brand)

Preheat oven to 350 degree F
In a bowl cream the wet ingredients- butter, shortening, and almond butter. They should be soft, not melted.
Add the coconut sugar, vanilla. and chia seed to the wet ingredients and mix.
In a separate bowl combine the almond meal, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, and mix.
Add wet ingredient to dry, and mix until dough is uniform, then mix in chocolate chips.
Form 1 ½” balls and place on a cookie sheet
Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes, or just until they are slightly golden on top.
Let cool, then remove and enjoy! Makes about 10-12.