Chocolate Chip Cookies for the Rest of Us (Grain-Free)

"Requires no decoration . . ."

Happy Festivus! December 23—the Eve of Christmas Eve—is finally upon us. While I may not be as prolific as Frank Costanza and am yet to create a holiday, I have created a grain-free, gluten-free chocolate chip cookie reminiscent of my aunt's famous adaptation of the Nestlé Tollhouse cookie recipe (her secret: an extra half-cup of flour). And like the Festivus metal pool, but unlike more complex iced sugar cookies, these of course, require no decoration.

You don't have to tell anyone that it's high protein and sweetened with dates (lending the caramel chocolate chip cookie color generally provided by brown sugar). But if you do, they'll surely agree that "It's a Festivus Miracle!"

Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

4 eggs

7 medjool dates, soaked for 2 hours and pitted

2 packets powdered Stevia (optional, will increase sweetness)

.5 tsp vanilla

1.5 Tbs. grapeseed oil (or other oil)

2 Tbs. unsweetened applesauce

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 c. coconut flour, sifted

1/3 c. walnuts, chopped (optional)

1/3 c. semi-sweet gluten-free chocolate chips*

1. Pre-heat oven to 375º.

2. In vita-mix or blender, combine first 6 ingredients.

3. Blend until dates are thoroughly pureéd and no longer distinguishable (aside from brown flecks).

4. Mix together the coconut flour and salt in a small bowl.

5. Pour blender contents into a large bowl and slowly beat dry ingredients into wet.

6. Gently stir walnuts and chocolate chips into batter.

7. Drop by the tablespoonful into small rounded mounds on a well-greased cookie sheet or silpat mat.

8. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

When Santa has Celiac's—a plateful of gluten-free cookies.

Note: Like the Nestlé Tollhouse recipe, these are cakey. For a buttery, thinner grain-free Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe that is Vegan check out Elana's Pantry Chocolate Chip Cookies. Bloggers that want to familiarize themselves with Almond Flour can enter The Elana's Pantry Contest to win a 5 lb. bag of her preferred Almond Flour and a copy of her book, The Almond Flour Cookbook which, if you haven't noticed, is quickly becoming an important part of the gluten-free cookbook canon!

* See Truffle post for readily available mainstream gluten-free chocolates.