Almond Oat Chocolate Chunk Cookies

A few weeks ago I won a tin of cookies from the Momofuku Milk Bar in NYC.   They were called "Perfect 10 Cookies", consisting of 10 ingredients.  They also happened to be gluten free and vegan.  They were a bit crunchy (in a shortbread sort of way) and not too sweet, but had lots of oat and almond flavor.  Though they were pretty different from the cookies I typically make, they were really tasty (and sometimes it's nice to have something different!). Mark and I both enjoyed them and quickly polished off the tin.  The recipe was posted online, so I knew I wanted to try to make them.

The original recipe makes 20 LARGE cookies.  I scaled down the recipe and modified it slightly.  I've tried it a few times now, and we aren't sick of the cookies yet!  I've also shared them with four other people and everyone has been a fan.  They are hearty and full of healthy fats and fiber, so you don't have to feel too guilty indulging.  Also, because they are vegan and have no eggs, you can eat as much as the cookie dough as you want!   If you or someone you know eats gluten free or vegan, these are a great dessert/snack recipe to have on hand.  But even if you aren't gluten free or vegan, I encourage you to make these because they're really good!

Almond Oat Chocolate Chunk Cookies
*gluten-free and vegan

yield:  about 30 2 1/2 inch cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/3 cups whole almonds, divided [I used raw, I'm sure roasted would be fine]
• 2 1/2 cups oats, divided [if gluten-free is important, make sure to use certified gluten-free oats]
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder [optional]
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted [or, you could use more olive oil]
• 1/3 cup agave [or maple syrup]
• 1/2 cup chopped chocolate/mini chocolate chips [I used dark chocolate]

DIRECTIONS:

1)  Combine 2 cups almonds and 1 1/2 cups  oats in a food processor.  Process for about 30 seconds until they are very finely chopped, almost like a flour.  Add remaining almonds and process for a few more seconds until those almonds are roughly chopped.  Transfer to the bowl  of a stand mixer (or another large bowl).

2)  Add remaining oats, salt, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder and espresso powder to almond and oat mixture.  Mix with the paddle attachment (or with a large wooden spoon) until combined.

3)  In a small bowl, combine vanilla, olive oil, coconut oil, and agave.  Pour over dry ingredients and mix with paddle attachment (or wooden spoon) until combined.    Add in chopped chocolate and mix to combine.

4)  Turn onto a clean work surface.  At this point the mixture will look wet and be slightly sticky.  [It sort of looks like bird food, right?  It tastes really good- try it!]

5)  Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into an even 1/2 inch thickness.  Use your hands to press in around the sides to make sure the dough is really compact.

6)  Preheat oven to 300F.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.  Use a biscuit cutter (I used a 2 1/2 inch size, a drinking glass or other cookie cutter would also work) to cut out cookies and transfer to baking sheets.  They stuck to the inside of my biscuit cutter when I did this, so I was able to transfer them and pop them out.  If they are completely falling apart, make sure the dough is compact enough.  Re-roll/press dough as necessary until you have used all the dough to make the cookies.   The cookies won't expand much as they bake, so they can be fairly close together on the baking sheets.

7) Bake cookies one tray at a time in preheated oven for 12 minutes each. They will look very slightly brown.  Let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet.  Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

8)  Store at room temperature for a few days or in the freezer for longer storage (to  heat them up from the freezer, try toasting them on "dark" in a toaster oven directly from the freezer-works great!).

(recipe adapted from the Momofuku Milk Bar)