almond chocolate chunk cookies with cocoa nibs

If I was to bake a cookie simply to suit my preference I would most likely make a batch of snickerdoodles or maybe cry baby cookies. When I am baking cookies for David's delight I know without a doubt his first choice will be chocolate chip. Don't get me wrong - I am a big fan of a superior chocolate chip cookie but they are still not my first choice. Because of that, in my mind at least, chocolate chip cookies are 'I love you cookies'.

These cookies are not your typical thick and chunky chocolate chip marvels. Rather, they are thin and crispy with the perfect chewy texture - a chewiness that makes them particularly irresistible to me. Although probably not the first morsel you would select from the cookie plate at the church social (they are just not flashy attention grabbers) if you were clever enough to pick one my bet is that you would go back for at least one more.

Made with far more almond meal than wheat flour they are healthier than most cookies. Of course there is still butter and sugar but never mind, just don't eat the whole batch by yourself in one sitting. At least that is my justification. That and the cocoa nibs.

almond chocolate chip cookies with cocoa nibs
(adapted from the fabulous Not Without Salt)

1/2 cup butter
1 cup turbinado sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup almond meal
1/2 cup sprouted whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped dark chocolate
1/4 cup cocoa nibs

Cream the butter and sugar, add the egg and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl mix together the almond meal, whole wheat flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter mixture and mix gently. Add the chocolate chunks, cranberries and cocoa nibs, stirring until everything is evenly distributed.

Using an ice cream or cookie scoop, form 1 1/4" dough balls and set well apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (These cookies really spread - be warned.)

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 13 minutes or until just turning golden on the edges and still soft in the middle. Let cool for a minute or two on the baking before moving to a wire rack to cool.

Note: If you wanted to make these gluten-free simply substitute your favourite gf flour mix for the sprouted whole wheat flour. (My personal recommendation is to make your own mix using whole grain gluten free options. That way you get the goodness of whole grains that you often miss in commercial offerings. There are lots of good mixes to be found on various blogs or you can try the mix I like - you can find it at the bottom of this post.)