Your New Go-To Chocolate Cookie ME WANT COOKIES

I walked around the kitchen, opening and closing the cabinets, refrigerator door, freezer, baking cabinet, and so on over and over again, seeking new inspiration.  I knew there wouldn't be anything new inside, but looking at something at a different time under different circumstances can yield new sparks in one's mind.

On my table were two bags: one with whole almonds, the other walnuts.  I had been looking at them since yesterday, but I didn't want to eat any more plain nuts.  We ran out of peanut butter a few days ago when I used the last 1/2 cup's worth for a new cookie recipe.  Without peanut butter, I wanted to buy some more but I've been too tired to head to the market.

Almonds.  Walnuts.  Food processor.

Wait for it..wait for it.. AHA!  {<----- did you share the "aha" moment with me?}

I was going to make my own almond butter.  And although I had never seen walnut butter in the store, I was sure it could be done also!  This was going to be fun!

I ended up making one right after the other, and it couldn't have been any simpler.  I poured in a bunch of nuts, and turned on the machine.  Periodically I would scrape down the sides.  It might take 10 min.. possibly 15 {I saw this time on another recipe}.  However, it's totally worth it. 

So after I made the almond butter, I made walnut butter.  I wanted to make a cookie with the walnut butter, and here's what I created!


I think the most awesome part about this cookie is that while most people add chopped walnuts to their brownies, this one utilizes the walnuts in a different way while incorporating the flavor into every bite.  The walnuts also act as the "flour" almost, yet provide so much more nutritional value for your body than regular flour.  Win-Win!! 

Flourless|{Butterless} Chewy Walnut Butter Brownie Cookies
by BeckyGomez {MY cookie!!} 

• ⅔ cups Rolled Oats (I used Quaker Old Fashioned ||  use gluten-free, if desired)
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 cup {Homemade} Walnut Butter
• ⅔ cups Dark Brown Sugar
• 2  Large Eggs
• 1-½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract {I used Nielsen Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Bean Paste}
• 1/4 C Cocoa Powder {I used Trader Joe's}
• 1/2 to 2/3 C Chocolate Chips {depending on your chocolate CRAVING!}

 

Preheat oven to 350ºF.
In small bowl, mix together the oats and baking soda; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat walnut butter, brown sugar, eggs, cocoa powder, and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth, about 3 minutes.  {I added the cocoa powder to the wet mix because it was an experiment.. and I liked the results.  You might try adding it to the dry mix. If you do, let me know how it works out for you.}

Add dry ingredients and mix just until blended.

Gently fold in chocolate chips.  {the cookie dough will be sticky..and tasty. Oops, umm, errr, I mean, I don't eat raw cookie dough! Doh!}

Use a cookie scoop {I used the smallest scoop from +Williams-Sonoma } and drop onto prepared baking sheet {I have Goldtouch sheets from WS} or roll cookies into 2-inch dough balls and place onto cookie sheet 2 inches apart, then barely flatten the top of the cookie with your hand.

Bake cookies for 9-11 minutes and remove {for peanut butter/almond butter cookies, remove when edges barely begin to turn a golden brown}. The cookies may look a little underdone, but they will continue to cook once you remove them from the oven.

Cool for 2-3 minutes on the cookie sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.

Makes 16-20 cookies {depends on size}.

Notes:
1. You can use less sugar/chocolate chips to save calories..or add more, you devil!
2. Ditch the cocoa and sub any nut butter for the walnut butter for delicious cookie variations.
3. These cookies disappear quickly!!  Make a double batch.. or make them all over again.  The choice is up to you.

Eat and enjoy!  These are healthy cookies, after all.  {-smile-}

I linked up this recipe to +The Frugal Girls {web: The Frugal Girls}. 

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Faith & Fruition,
BeckyCharms