The "As Is" Recipe

I have a rule about trying out a new gluten free recipe. If the recipe is already written by someone and I'm giving it a try, I always make the recipe exactly the way the original recipe is written first. Usually, I end up tweaking ingredients to improve taste or texture the second time around.

You see... I have this thing about texture. Always have. Too gritty? Yuck. Too dry? Blech. And let's not even discuss pastiness. *shudder*

So when I cook or bake gluten free, my goal is always a good texture. The best part is, if I am able to achieve a good texture, I can happily share my gf goodies with my non-gf friends because they usually don't know they are eating something sans gluten!

Once in a while, I stumble across a recipe that doesn't require tweaking. Oh, the joy! I can enjoy the labors of my work without my thoughts wandering to my next attempt at it.

This recipe is one of those wonderful non-tweakers. I whipped up a small batch (this recipe only makes about 16 cookies) and was quite skeptical, honestly. The cookie dough is... odd. Wet, dense, shiny... not very cookie dough-ish. I even mentioned in passing to my husband that I was pretty sure I had a impending disaster on my hands.

I was so very wrong.

So. Very. Wrong.

The odd cookie dough transformed in my oven into moist, chewy deliciousness. There is a gentleness about this cookie... the almond butter is a mild flavor against the burst of chocolate. Both of my kids - even my 8-year-old who doesn't care for almond butter or oats - loved them.

Below is my shortened version of the recipe with a couple of steps combined. But if you would rather just use the original recipe I worked from, here it is! http://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/2013/03/peanut-butter-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies-flourless-no-butter/

A great big "thank you" to Monique over at the Ambitious Kitchen blog... your recipe was such a fun surprise!

Gluten Free Almond Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (Dairy Free!)

1 cup creamy almond butter
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
2/3 cup rolled oats (I used Bob's Red Mill Certified Gluten Free Oats)
1 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together almond butter, packed dark brown sugar, eggs and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the oats and baking soda and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Fold in chocolate chips.

With a medium cookie scoop, place dough on non-stick cookie sheet or a sheet covered with a silpat. Bake for 9-11 minutes (I baked them for the full 11 minutes) until the edges are lightly browned. Allow cookies to cool for 3 minutes before removing from cookie sheet to cooling rack.

Makes about 1.5 dozen cookies.