Healthy(ier) Chocolate Chip Cookies

Okay, so I’m not going to lie. Chocolate chip cookies are not healthy.

I know. Really took ya for a loop there, didn’t I?

Well, in my quest to improve my personal health, I’ve spent a lot of time scouring Pinterest in search of recipes that are not only healthy, but also have the most potential to taste good. Sometimes, that’s easier said than done, and I’ve definitely had my fair share of bad experiences.

The fact is, I have an admitted sweet tooth, and I often have difficulty denying myself a craving. That often involves loads of extra calories and a much higher sugar intake than I would like.

This one, though, is one that has certainly hit the mark. Even my kids are a fan, and – as the teenagers they are – they don’t much care for anything that isn’t loaded with sugar or carbs.

Unlike a traditional chocolate chip cookie, this recipe substitutes coconut flour for conventional flour and stevia in place of the sugar. Both alternatives save on both carbs and calories making this treat as satisfying as it is delicious.

Now, normally, I’m not a fan of substituting anything coconut in a recipe. After a failed attempt at using coconut oil as a cooking tool, I am hesitant to try a recipe with an ingredient that could potentially have similarly devastating effects.

As it was, that was not the case. For whatever reason, unlike its oil counterpart, coconut flour has a light airy scent and no lasting flavor (that I’ve been able to pick up anyway). I have grown quite fond of these cookies and make them whenever I have the chance.

Here’s how you do it:

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cup coconut flour
• 2 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 4 large egg whites, room temperature
• 2 tbsp  vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup Truvia stevia
• 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, room temperature
• 4 tbsp dark chocolate chips
• 3 tbsp mini chocolate chips

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a pan with either foil or parchment paper
2. In a small bowl, mix the coconut flour, xanthan gum, baking soda and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the butter, egg whites and vanilla. Stir in the Truvia, then add the milk.
4. Combine all ingredients until everything is completely combined, then fold in the dark chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons of the mini chips.
5. Place rounded scoops onto the baking sheet and firmly press down to create desired cookie shape (dough will not spread during baking process).
6. Press remaining chips onto tops of cookies and bake for 10 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. Allow to cool before transferring to wire rack or storage container.

Yields approx. 24 cookies. 

I found the original recipe here, but I have altered it slightly as the sugar substitutes were not readily available. I also opted to forgo attempting to cook with coconut oil for the obvious, aforementioned reasons. Enjoy!!