flourless

July 2, 2020 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

if you asked frank how many chocolate chip cookie (CCC) recipes i’ve tested in the past few years, and how many of them that i was happy with, he would probably answer you: zero! so there’s a reason i lean on a CCC recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks (sweet laurel bakery) each and every time we have a craving for them. the recipe has a few simple ingredients, it’s easy to make with amesy, and they’re on the healthier end of the cookie spectrum. while i love all these things about them, they still miss the mark (IMHO) of a typical CCC with that crisp exterior, and that melty, gooey center.

that’s where these CCCs come in. they’re still made with simple, gluten-and-dairy-free ingredients, but they have the taste and texture of my dream CCC! crisp, crackly on the outside, with chewy and soft centers. i wanted to keep the ingredient list on the simpler/traditional side, so maybe for the first recipe ever i’m only calling for 1 type of flour (!!!). from there, we use just general pantry staples: baking powder, baking soda, some salt, coconut sugar, coconut oil, and 1 egg (peep the recipe notes below for a vegan option). it’s a super straight forward recipe - no special ingredients, no soaking, no grinding your own flour, we’re just trying to keep everything easy-peasy here.

wishing everyone a safe and healthy start to summer 💛

crisp & chewy flourless chocolate chip cookies | gf & DF (w/ a vegan option!)

notes:

vegan option: swap the egg for a flaxseed egg: 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed+ 3 tablespoons water. whisk together and let the mixture sit for roughly 10 minutes, until it forms a gel-like consistency. use as directed in the recipe method. these came out delicious as well. however, the texture of the cookie is a bit softer and chewier than when using an egg.
can i use vegan butter instead of coconut oil? i tested these with equal amounts of miyoko’s vegan butter and to my surprise, i didn’t love them. the coconut oil gives these cookies that crisp exterior, while the vegan butter made the entire cookie soft. they still tasted delicious, but i personally prefer coconut oil.
as for dairy-free/vegan chocolate chips, my preference is lily’s brand, and in a close second is hu chocolate gems.
these are best eaten on the day of, as the CCCs sit they will get a bit softer.

PRINT THE RECIPE

| makes roughly 18 cookies |

dry ingredients

2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
flaky sea salt, for topping

wet ingredients

1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup melted (and cooled) unrefined coconut oil
1 large pasture-raised egg, at room temperature (or 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed plus 3 tablespoons water)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips or chunks, plus a few more for topping (i use these)

method

prepare 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.
in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. set aside.
in another large bowl, whisk together the sugar and coconut oil until combined. add the egg (or flaxseed egg) and vanilla and whisk until combined once again.
add 1/2 the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, use a rubber spatula and mix until combined. add the other half of the flour and mix once again until everything is completely combined. fold in the chocolate chips or chunks.
use a medium cookie scoop (roughly 1.5 tablespoons) to scoop your cookie dough out onto your cookie sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between each cookie. refrigerate for 20 minutes, until firm to the touch.
while the cookies are chilling, preheat your oven to 350°F.
one tray at a time, bake cookies in the center of your oven for 12-15 minutes, until edges are lightly browned and golden. sprinkle with flaky salt and let cookies cool on a rack for about 20 minutes before eating. these are best warm on the first day, but can be stored at room temperature covered with parchment for up to 3-4 days (if your house is hot, store in the fridge and warm in the oven if need be).

similar recipes:

frozen chocolate chip cookie dough balls

blueberry chocolate chip breakfast cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies / May 24, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies | dolly and oatmeal

amesy is at the point where he's emerging from that infant-baby stage into what seems like an older baby stage. he'll be 8 months old this saturday, and while i definitely cannot say the time has flown by (by any means), i've certainly felt a very noticeable shift. he's in an interesting in-between where he needs us wholeheartedly for most everything, but he's also becoming a bit more autonomous in his physical actions and emotions. he's been crawling now for a few days and has pretty much gotten it down! he kind of does this plank/downward dog/crawl thing and it's really too cute. i love that he's exploring a whole new world, i can see his intense curiosity behind his big brown eyes. it hits me from time to time that there will be a moment when he doesn't need me to feed him, or will no longer look for my hands to help him up, and that he won't bury his face in chest when he gets bashful. i can tear up at a moments notice about these things, which is silly, i know. he will need me for other things as he gets older. our relationship will manifest in different ways, i suppose. but for now i'm already living in the nostalgia of yesterday.

there's no smooth transition here, but i'm sure your inbox and instagram feed may be flooded with a ton of great picnic-ready recipes for the long weekend - pasta salads, leafy greens in a bowl, things to cook on a bbq. and maybe there's a recipe for a light and airy yellow cake intricately decorated with whipped cream and fresh berries. maybe it's just me, but sometimes an overabundance of recipes options have me feeling significantly overwhelmed to the point where i retreat back to the recipes that i've made time and time again. they're like a good pair of jeans that way: forgiving, reliable, and comfy. they usually include a guacamole or hummus freestyle, a green salad with a creamy dressing, maybe a hearty pasta salad or frittata depending on the season/occasion, and a simple cake that could please (hopefully) anyone.

which is why i'm so grateful when i come across a recipe like these peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. kathyrne, from cookie + kate, just came out with a brilliant new book, love real food, and i received a copy few weeks ago. amesy happened to be napping, so i got to thumb through the pages and landed on this recipe. it's one of those go-to recipes that has a short list of pantry ingredients, and is a one bowl kind of situation. i was thrilled at its straight forward nature, and simple technique (stirring, scooping, baking - done!), plus nothing bad ever comes out of pairing chocolate and peanut butter. the best part is that the last batch had finished cooking just as amesy was waking up. it really couldn't have worked any better. and it's definitely one of those reliable recipes that will be used over and over.

but kathryne's book is filled with beautiful, accessible recipes that make you feel like you can get it all done and have a nourishing meal all at the same time. as someone who can overcomplicate things at times, i'm really thankful for attainable recipes that are composed of readily available ingredients. the book is organized by breakfast items, salads, soups, a happy hour chapter (yes!), entrees, desserts, and extras. most recipes come with instructions on how to substitute ingredients to make the recipe gluten free, dairy free, or vegan at times. you'll also get to see more pictures of her super cute pup, cookie, and a really wonderful intro that talks about kate's journey to eating real food, and how everyone can achieve a balanced, more nourished, outlook on home cooking.

wishing everyone a beautiful weekend! xo

peanut butter chocolate chip cookies | gf (with a vegan option)

recipe from: Love Real Food by Kathryne Taylor. reprinted with permission.

i didn't have a cookie scoop, so i used a tablespoon measure to scoop the dough which worked perfectly but made less cookies (about 26). to make these dairy-free, i used this chocolate and chopped it up to make chips. kathryne gives some notes on how to make these vegan which are included below.

| makes 42 small cookies |

2 cups lightly packed coconut sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 jar (16 ounces) creamy peanut butter (1 3/4 cups)*
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, preferably 60% cacao

*kathryne's notes:

natural peanut butter works well here. she notes to use standard salted peanut butter. if you are using unsalted peanut butter add an additional 1/4 teaspoon to the recipe. almond butter and sunflower butter work too, although she prefers the peanut version.
make these vegan by using vegan chocolate chips and omitting the eggs. she notes that egg free cookies will be lighter and be more meringue-like in texture and will be slightly gritty.

method

preheat the oven 350°F. line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
in a medium bowl, combine the coconut sugar and eggs and whisk until smooth (the eggs might resist incorporating into the sugar at first, but keep whisking!). whisk in the vanilla and salt until blended.
add the peanut butter and whisk until the dough is smooth and the peanut butter has completely blended into the batter (you might need to switch to a big spoon toward the end, which you'll need for mixing in the chocolate chips anyway). add the chocolate chips and stir until the chocolate chips are evenly incorporated.
for cookies that stay perfectly mounded, chill the dough for 15 mintues before proceeding (if you're in a hurry, skip the chilling step). use a 1-tablespoon cookie dough scoop or two spoons to scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving 1 to 2 inches of space between each one. chill any remaining dough while you make the first batch.
bake until the cookies are golden at the edges but still just a little underdone in the center 11 to 13 minutes. let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring them with a metal spatula to a cooling rack to cool completely. repeat with the remaining dough. (if your first round was a little too doughy, bake this round for 1 minute longer, or if they were done past your liking, bake for 1 minute less -make note of this time, because you'll probably want to make these cookies again!)
these cookies keep well at room temperature for about 4 days, and freeze well for up to 3 months.

similar recipes:

Summer+Fridays!-+Breakfast-y+Blueberry+Chocolate+Chip+Cookies+-+dolly+and+oatmeal+#glutenfree.jpg

flourless almond cake w/ kombucha macerated berries & a brunch menu / April 8, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

flourless almond cake w/ kombucha macerated berries & a brunch | dolly and oatmeal

we spent the better part of last week sitting my parents' dog at their house upstate. it was great spreading out, so to speak, and actually having room in our living space! amesy transitioned really well to sleeping in his little travel crib, and i've finally began putting him down for naps without rocking him to sleep first. this has been such a relief because babies falling asleep on their own doesn't come as easy than when they're teeny infants apparently - it's been a learning curve to say the least! there are so many things happening in his little world these days, so many developments and progressions. last week was all about his teeth, and now this week he's been eating solids for a whole a week and absolutely loves sweet potato and avocado (he is definitely my little guy). he's beginning to show curiosity in crawling and standing, and now i'm beginning to see how this whole baby thing passes by way too quickly. a month ago he was still and an infant, and now there's this huge emergence of a little personality. he voices when he doesn't like something, when he does, and when he's having the best time ever. my whole heart could explode at how amazing it is to witness it all each day.

that's not to say that trying to fit everything into a working day with a babe, doesn't have its challenges. it is THE challenge if anything. i have a lot more grey hairs, way more stress, and have morphed into the person who wears yoga pants and big comfy flannel shirts every day. but i'm ok with that ;) one huge constant in my life is the whole foods market that's a quick drive away and totally comes in clutch all the time! frank and i usually have some sort of super casual, buffet-style brunch thing for an easter/passover mashup. so this year i've teamed up with the whole foods market team to show you what i'm serving up from their menu, and how to make this super easy almond cake with kombucha macerated strawberries. i found that ordering online saved me that awkward phone call with a cooing (or screaming) baby in the background, but i'm sure it's just as convenient for anyone sans baby. it makes the whole process super fast and simple, and when i went to pick up my order, it was really convenient to snag the flowers for the table (i bought a big pot of pansies and transplanted them to smaller terracotta planters), and other groceries to make the cake and its topping. the cake is simple to make, and only uses a handful of ingredients, most of which are pantry staples. it's one of those back pocket recipes that comes in handy, all while being super nourishing as well. the berries are macerated a bit in kombucha and a little coconut sugar to give it that spring feel :)

happy brunching <3

this post was created in partnership with whole foods market. all thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own. thank you for supporting the sponsors that help keep dolly and oatmeal going!

a brunch menu

wild basmati rice w/ peas & pistachio

roasted fingerling potatoes w/ horseradish

carrots & parsnips w/ coriander honey

grilled asparagus

hard-boiled eggs & toast

flourless almond cake w/ kombucha macerated berries

flourless almond cake w/ kombucha macerated berries | gf & df

you could use any fruit or berries you like here, just keep in mind the fruit's natural sweetness and adjust the sugar as necessary. as for the kombucha, i like a ginger variety (this gingerade is my go-to) as i find it gives the berries a subtle flavor, but you could use any flavor.

| makes a 9-inch cake |

4 large pasture-raised eggs, separated
1/2 cup coconut sugar (or regular sugar)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups almond flour
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

berries

1 cup strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup kombucha
1 tablespoon coconut sugar

method

preheat the oven to 350°F and oil a 8-inch round pan with coconut oil. set aside.
In a stand mixer, beat together the egg yolks, 1/4 cup of the sugar, the oil, and the almond and vanilla extract. in a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, arrowroot, baking powder and salt. then combine with the egg yolk mixture (batter will be very thick, that's ok), and set aside.
using a stand mixer or electric mixer, whip the the egg whites on medium-high until they get nice and fluffy. a little at a time, add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar until soft peaks form. a spoonful at a time, fold the egg whites into the batter. (the batter with start out thick and will become more and more airy as the whites are incorporated.)
spoon batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the cake pulls from the sides a bit.
place cake on a rack and let cool completely.
while the cake is cooling, make your berries. place the berries in a bowl, stir in the kombucha, and sugar. stir the berries occasionally for about 30 minutes.
top the cake with macerated strawberries, and a sprinkle of toasted sliced almonds. slice and serve.