When many think of a really good, seemingly fancy cookie, most don’t imagine it can happen unless it is filled with gluten, milk, butter, and sweet chocolate. In fact, some of the most sought-after cookies are rather involved and are either salted or incorporate an ingredient called “browned butter,” which is full-dairy butter that’s been heated on the stove for about ten minutes until the color starts to darken a bit and the flavor becomes a bit nutty, some say almost to the flavor of caramelization.
But if you’re looking to omit grains and dairy, it might seem like the fun of cookies has left the kitchen, too.
We think we’ve put together a recipe that’s sure to bring back the fun and a whole lot of flavor, without all the added sugars, to baking cookies.
This recipe is a Paleo version of a salted, browned butter chocolate walnut cookie. Instead of butter, we use almond butter for the fat and a toasted combination of pecans, coconut oil, and coconut flakes for their fat and flavor. Because the oil is heated to incorporate the pecans and coconut flakes, it’s important to let it cool so when added to the dough, the chips don’t melt throughout the dough and lose their integrity as individual chocolate chips.
To bring more excitement—and more nuts—to the recipe, we dip the finished cookie in melted cacao, which is then sprinkled with diced pistachios.
Though definitely not for anyone with a nut allergy, this rich cookie will hopefully be the base or inspiration of many other adventurous cookies you and your loved ones make together.
TIPS:
- Make the “browned butter” first so it can be set aside to cool for a bit before adding to the dough. If you add hot ingredients to this dough, the chocolate chips will melt and the entire bowl of dough will turn dark brown.
- Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) omissions and substitutions are listed in the recipe ingredients.
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Cacao-Dipped, Vegan “Browned Butter” Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Recipe by: Griffin McMath, ND
- Serves: 16 cookies
- Meal: Dessert
- Serves: 16 cookies
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 cups arrowroot flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 fine sea salt
1/3 cups creamy almond butter
5 tbsp coconut oil, refined
2 tbsp coconut flakes, unsweetened
4 tbsp pecan halves, unsweetned and unsalted
1/2 cups maple syrup
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cups pure cacao chocolate chips
1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts
3/4 cups finely diced pistachios (for topping)
8 oz melted pure cacao chips, for dipping
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350º F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Then, start to make the vegan “browned butter.” Grab two baking sheets and put the pecans on one and the coconut flakes on the other. Place the baking sheets into the oven for a total of ten minutes, and flip or mix them about halfway through so they don’t burn on one side. Monitor every few minutes as some ovens (or different altitudes) may mean that more or less time is needed. Pull the coconut flakes out once they look beige-brown, and allow the pecans to become dark, but not burnt. Save one of the cookie sheets and re-use the same piece of parchment paper if it’s still in good condition, set aside.
Allow both to cool and grind in a food processor until the size and texture of coarse coffee.
In a small saucepan over low-medium heat, drop in the coconut oil and add the freshly ground coconut flakes and pecans. Monitor and stir somewhat regularly. Do this for 30 minutes, but do not allow pecans or coconut to burn. The temperature should never be more than a simmer.
Once the ingredients start to become fragrant somewhere between 20-30 minutes, remove from the heat and allow to cool on the counter covered for at least 30 minutes. If still very warm, check again in 20-30 minutes.
After the mixture has cooled down to be only slightly warm, strain out the pecan pieces and the coconut flakes.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, arrowroot flour, baking powder, and salt.
Use a standing mixer to beat the almond butter, vegan “browned butter,” maple syrup, egg, and vanilla extract until creamy.
Add the dry ingredients and mix again until just combined. Do not over mix. Gently stir in the cacao chips.
Use a tablespoon or small scoop to portion the dough two inches apart onto the baking sheet you’ve set aside.
Press each cookie dough mound slightly to ensure the classic cookie shape.
Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from heat and let the cookies cool on a cookie rack for about 5 minutes, or until safe to handle with your hands.
Melt the cacao powder or chip combos in a medium saucepan on low heat for about 5 minutes without burning. Remove from heat.
Crush or finely dice the pistachios (raw or carefully toast them) and put into a bowl.
Take each cookie and slowly dip it halfway into the melted cacao, then dip the cacao-dipped portion into the pistachios, then place back on a cookie rack (with parchment paper underneath in case of dripping cacao) to completely dry and set. Finish with remaining cookies.
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