Gluten Free Dairy Free Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

For months I have been tinkering with my cookie recipes to try to perfect them into something that is so good you don't miss all the traditional ingredients that make me sick. I have another recipe on the blog for Cashew Flour cookies that are really nice and chewy but they continue to get more chewy the longer they are out of the oven. When I want really chewy cookies I make them! 

However sometimes I want a nice crispy on the outside a little tender on the inside cookie, so I have kept with the tinkering. It's paid off - I think this is the most perfect recipe yet!

They are so good we practically have eaten all of the cookies immediately. 

Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

1 cup     Almond Flour
1 cup     Cashew Flour
2 tbsp    coconut flour
1/4 cup  shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 tsp   baking soda
1/2 cup  coconut palm sugar
1/4 cup  water
2 tbsp    honey (or Agave to make vegan)
2 tsp      almond extract
1/4 cup  melted coconut oil (or shortening of choice)
1/4 - 1/2 cup Enjoy Life chocolate chips (depending on how chocolatey you want the cookies - I used 1/2 a cup)

Preheat oven to 325 Degrees

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl except chocolate chips.

Add wet ingredients and combine until it is a loose dough consistency.

Stir in chocolate chips

Drop teaspoonfuls on a silpat or parchment paper and bake for 12-17 minutes or until brown on the tips.

Let the cookies cool for 10 minute before moving them to a tray or container.
Makes about 18-24 cookies

Cashew Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 cups (heaping) cashew flour
• 2 tbsp coconut flour
• 1/4 tsp pink sea salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup of raw honey (or coconut sugar or agave for vegans)
• 4 teaspoons of water
• 1/4 cup of coconut oil
• 1/2 cup of Enjoy Life chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp dried cranberries (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

Place dollops on a silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet. Make sure to space because the cookies will spread.

Bake for 12 - 17 minutes

THE Most Incredible Breakfast Bars

When we joined the Purple Dragon Organic Co-Op we started getting bananas every two weeks. Bananas were not really in our diet before we started the co-op because I had a very scary reaction to one a few years before. But since we had them in the house and I wasn't going to eat them raw, I tried to find recipes to cook. 

Thank you Pinterest for giving me so many great ideas for lots of awesome banana recipes. Including this amazing Banana Praline Snack Cake recipe that even the most skeptical eater will enjoy. Most importantly it lead me to this post where the author is using some not as healthy ingredients as I would like. So I changed it up and my husband and I have been making this recipe every week for well over a year, maybe even two.

I started using the base of this recipe to make breakfast cookies for my husband. Because I was afraid of bananas and I had recently cut sugar, gluten and dairy from my diet, I didn't plan on eating them because in the first batch I put in every chip that was left in our house that I couldn't eat. I think there were butterscotch and semi-sweet chocolates along with craisins and raisins and almonds. He loved them and asked for more. 

So I kept making them and after a few batches I tried one myself. Low and behold I didn't get sick, so I have been eating one with my coffee every morning. I love them, the bars are a great start to the day and usually keeps me from having to eat again for about 3 1/2 or 4 hours.

We always start with bananas that have been ripening on the counter for at least a week, if not more. They should be brown and fragrant. Then we add various nuts and seeds and dried fruits to the mix. The ratio is basically 2 bananas to 1/2 cup of oats and 1 tbsp each of seed variety.

Incredible Breakfast Bars
6 large ripe bananas or 8 medium/small bananas
2 cups rolled oats (Gluten Free if needed)
3 tbps chia seeds
3 tbsp hemp seeds
3 tbsp flaxseed
3 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped raw almonds (any nut will do though)
8-10 chopped prunes
1/4 cup raisins or dried cherries
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped unsweetened chocolate
(Optional: 1/4 cup apple sauce. This adds moisture and some sweetness, so if you find that your bars are dry try adding some apple sauce.)
2 tsp coconut oil, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and oil a 9 x 13" glass pan with the coconut oil.

In a large bowl mash the bananas. They should be liquidy and smooth and no longer resemble bananas. Add the oats and mix. Then stir in all the additional ingredients until evenly covered.

Evenly spread the mixture into the greased pan. Smooth the top and place in a 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until the top and edges are golden brown.

Let sit until cool and cut into 10 pieces or desired sizes. We do 10 pieces so that we each have breakfast for the week.

I really hope you enjoy them, we sure do!