Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies

One of my most beloved treats I miss since being gluten free is a chocolate chip cookie. The ones I've had made by various brands end up being dry or tasteless. Then to make matters worse, I thought about all the wonderful chocolate chip cookies I've enjoyed prior to being gluten free. Store bought ones, bakery ones, homemade ones. It was agonizing to say the least. But one chocolate chip cookie stands out and after tweaking the original recipe, I came up with these Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies to make them gluten free. A nutty cookie base with hints of caramel and butterscotch notes are studded with both bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Soft, slightly puffy and ridiculously good, you're going to be surprised what inspired this recipe...

Perhaps you may have heard of that urban legend about the $250 cookie recipe from Neiman Marcus? Well, if you haven't please click the link below for the entire story. I made the original Neiman Marcus cookie recipe for coworkers during the holidays and they were talked about for months. And the cookie recipe was so good, I honestly think it may have been the best chocolate chip cookie I've ever made. Well my mind wandered back to how much I loved the original recipe and this time, I've tweaked it to be gluten free friendly.

My substitutions include using a gluten free flour blend and almond flour instead of all purpose flour and processed oatmeal powder. I also used a mix of 2 kinds of chocolate chips. The use of almond flour really gave the cookie a nice nutty flavor throughout so there wasn't a need to add any nuts to the cookie. Even after all the gluten free substutions, I was pleasantly surprised that my current coworkers raved about them. They didn't know they were gluten free and were quite impressed! So give this a try... as this is my go to gluten free chocolate chip cookie going forward.

Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies
recipe adapted from Urban Legend

1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour {or gluten free flour blend + 1 teaspoon xanthan gum)
2 1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla until incorporated.

In another bowl, combine the flours, salt, baking powder, and soda. Slowly transfer this flour mixture in batches into the bowl of the stand mixer. Combine over low speed until all flour has been added.

Fold in the chocolate chips by hand and roll into golf ball sized rounds.

Place the dough balls two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

* You can prepare the dough and chill it in advance. The longer it chills, the more the flavors will develop. Ideally, chill the dough at least 2-3 days before baking.