In the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings this week, it’s been a little hard to understand how some people can be so awful. For four years, Marathon Day was something my friends and I all looked forward to every spring – a welcome reprieve from classes, a reason to be out and about in the sun, and an excuse to goof off and day-drink with friends. We cheered for classmates running the race in those same spots, we shopped in most of those stores on Boylston, and ate meals at many of the restaurants along that street. All I can say is, thank god none of our friends and family were hurt. My heart goes out to all the people in Boston and elsewhere who can’t say the same.
As I try to process what happened in Boston, I find myself taking enormous comfort from the words of comedian Patton Oswald. Talking about the sociopath that caused this devastation, and people’s loss of faith in humanity, he said: “If it’s one person or a hundred people, that number is not even a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a percent of the population on this planet. You watch the videos of the carnage and there are people running TOWARDS the destruction to help out . . . the vast majority stands against that darkness and, like white blood cells attacking a virus, they dilute and weaken and eventually wash away the evil doers and, more importantly, the damage they wreak . . . So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear or just garden-variety misogyny, hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think, “The good outnumber you, and we always will.” So true.
I think the best we can do now is pick up the pieces, remember all the people that ran towards the wreckage, find joy where we can, and move on. And so, I write about chocolate chip cookies. Chocolate chip cookies with a tantalizing hint of coconut, that are crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and so melt-in-your-mouth delicious that you’ll never believe they’re gluten free and dairy free. Sure, they’re only 30 or 40 calories less than your average gluten/dairy-filled cookies. And who knows how much better for you almond meal and coconut oil really are than flour and butter? Either way, they’re delicious, they’re easy to make, and everyone can enjoy them. So, give them a try, take a bite, and be happy!
GF Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies (Slightly adapted from Tracey’s Culinary Adventures)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups almond meal
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar (not packed)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1-1/2 cups chocolate chips
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a large bowl, combine all your dry ingredients.
- Add coconut oil and stir until ingredients are wet.
- Whisk in your egg and vanilla extract.
- Add chocolate chips to the mixture and stir.
** You should have a thick, kind of oily batter that looks basically like regular chocolate chip cookie dough (but slightly darker). - Scoop spoonfuls of batter onto your baking sheet, about 1-1/2 inches apart.
** You can make your cookies as big or small as you want – I used about 1 tbsp batter for each and got 2 dozen cookies. - Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned.
- Allow cookies to cool for a minute or two on the baking sheet, then remove them to cooling rack.
- Enjoy!
** Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
That quote is so beautiful.
I agree!
I really enjoyed reading your blog post 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing the quote, it really helped to remind me of all the good that IS in the world. Cookies look great as well!
Thanks for reading!
This blog post is so uplifting, especially during such a difficult time. And even though it’s been a couple months since those tragic events, your post and the quote you used are so important as a reminder of the good in humanity and the struggles we all have to face together. And then there’s the cookies – I made them today because I’ve recently been gluten and dairy free (trying to be healthier), but I’ve been craving a sweet treat! These are amazing, and you’ve converted my mom and sister into believers that gluten and dairy free can be delicious 🙂 thanks so much!
Thank you for reading!
I have problems with almonds. What can I use in place of the almond meal?
Any of the other non-wheat flours would work. I highly recommend cup4cup gluten free flour – you can buy it online at Williams-Sonoma and some grocery stores out west.
I have made this recipe multiple times and love these cookies! I do find that 2/3 cup of coconut oil is too greasy a cookie for me and found better results with 1/3 a cup personally, adjusting as needed- and still gotten a moist and chewy cookie
Thanks for letting me know! I do remember these cookies being a little greasier than others, so I’ll have to give your tweak a try 🙂