Two dessert recipes in one week. Yes, indeed. Unlike Biscoff Cookie Truffles, however, these offer up a bit of a nutrition.
I wasn’t at all shocked when Renee asked a question about the healthfulness of coconut oil in the last RD Q&A. Like many “trends” in nutrition, I figured this one would come and go, but coconut oil has had quite the long life in the nutrition spotlight. If you missed the details on why coconut oil can be a healthy choice, check out this post. P.S. I have NO Q&A questions to answer 🙁 Gladly accepting questions! 🙂
As for flavor, coconut oil is perfectly suited for baking as it can add a subtle sweetness and nuttiness, as is the case in these cookies. And thanks to the coconut oil, these are butter-less cookies!
When people ask me what I love most about nutrition and being an RD, it really boils down to science. Not beakers and test tubes (I failed those courses miserable. Okay…nearly failed those courses miserably.), but the science of how food is digested and absorbed in the body. Being able to apply what I learned in 6 years of nutrition studies is what allows me to help people to truly understand their bodies, their health, and the reasons why what they choose to eat can help prevent or treat disease. In other words, I don’t tell people what to eat, I teach people how to eat a diet that’s best for them as an individual.
When I can meet with someone for an hour and help them understand the implications nutrition has on their prognosis and treatment of their disease or condition, it is the ultimate reward. I like to think I have the ability to take complex medical mumbo jumbo and make it 1) easy to understand and 2) apply to nutrition.
Coconut oil was, for me, one of those foods that I had to think through. Admittedly, I didn’t take the time to do this right away. For many years now, tropical oils have been limited and discouraged and here we are putting coconut oil on the highest pedestal of all. I’m not going that far…if for no other reason than I tend to not worship individual foods. Unless of course those foods are toffee, avocados, or king crab legs. Maybe even some fresh mozzarella or Gruyere.
I digress. Coconut oil…it’s good. In moderation. Just like butter…but healthier than butter (not that butter is healthy in the slightest..unfortunately). And most importantly, it’s great in these cookies!
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Best Butter-less Chocolate Chip Cookies ever so slightly adapted from My Kitchen Adventures
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1 cup + 1 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
10 oz semisweet chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat.
In large bowl, beat together the coconut oil and brown sugar with mixer. Add in the eggs and beat until fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract.
In med bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder with whisk. Mix the flour mixture into the coconut oil mixture with a wooden spoon until all the flour is incorporated. Add in the chocolate chips and mix well.
Drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for approx. 8 – 10 minutes or until slightly browned around the edges. Let rest on cookie sheet for a few minutes before removing to rack to cool completely.
Yield: 40 cookies.
Nutrition Information (per cookie): 96 calories; 4.9 g. fat; 9 mg. cholesterol; 70 mg. sodium; 13 g. carbohydrate; 1 g. fiber; 0.8 g. protein
Result: Soft, sweet, and uber chocolatey. I did opt to use whole wheat pastry flour in place of all-purpose and I decreased the chocolate chips by just a bit. These were very quick to throw together and kept great in an air-tight container at room temperature for about a week. Granted, they only lasted 5 days and I did get some help from the in-laws, who give them a thumbs up, too. Enjoy!
[/print_this]It’s Friday!! Wooo! Labs and rounds with the doc and then it’s the weekend! Sad to not be spending it with my mama, but anxious to celebrate her anyways and enjoy the beautiful weekend weather we are expecting here in Ohio.
TGIF,
I’m not a huge fan of healthifying things… BUT these look fantastic! Often, butterless or “healthified” versions look less stable and like they could just crumble with the slightest touch. I’m impressed. 🙂
These look delicious! My perfect cookie. 😀
Glad you liked them….um…ya, I need to make another batch! Your cookies look so much better than mine and I am loving the name you gave them…I might just have to change the name on my blog to match yours! I was stumped when I wrote the post as to how to name them…but ya…they are a keeper for sure! Thanks for making them!
Love the humour of your posts, and great recipes! I’ve just got a free tub of coconut oil through from holland and barratt, was just going to blog about it!
Laura
Those look delicious Nicole, and I don’t even have much of a sweet tooth. Have a great weekend!
I’m making these for sure! I’ve been searching for ages now for a chocolate chip cookie recipe using coconut oil and whole wheat flour and that doesn’t turn out completely flat. Can’t wait to try these 😀
These look great! I have started to substitute coconut oil for butter/oil when baking and have had great results. I can’t wait to try these.
Also, I love those plates! 🙂
Yum! I haven’t made cookies in ages. I agree with the coconut oil – It also feels great on the skin and my face loves it 🙂 I like how it is also a very stable fat. Happy Weekend!
Hi Nicole. I learn alot from your scientific analysis and opinions on nutrition. Thank you SO much for all the info you share. Have a wonderful weekend!!!!
Quick, ship some of these beautiful cookies to your Mom since you can’t see her! Ack, I guess it’s too late to make it in time but cookies really are some of the best food things to ship–they hold up fairly well. They look soo good–I like how they are fat and not flat. Mine are always flat! Would asking you how to make my cookies unflat count as an RD question? Because hey, the answer might involve some sort of nutritional thing like mine are lacking in Vitamin B. 😉 OK, I have a question and if you answer it, I won’t see it until next Friday b/c I’ll be out of town but here goes. Can you share any knowledge or wisdom you have about candida albicans and what effect the food we eat has on it? What is good to eat to balance our good and bad bacteria and what is bad? I know sugar is bad, and yogurt helps…any more you can share?
Do you think you can sub veg oil for the coconut? Can you taste the coconut? I really want to make these!!
I’ve never thought of using coconut oil in baking – I can only imagine how delicious it is!
Could you explain what makes coconut butter healthier than regular butter? From what I have read it is higher in both calories and saturated fat (which I have to watch since I have high cholesterol).
Author
I don’t think either is “healthy”, but I think this will help explain a bit more about coconut oil: https://preventionrd.com/2012/05/rd-qa/. 🙂
Hi Nicole- do you recommend a specific coconut oil (organic extra virgin?)
Author
Hi Sara! I usually buy organic virgin coconut oil: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/virgin_coconut_oil.htm 🙂
Hi! So you say the coconut oil is melted,,, like, liquefied melted? Or 1/2 cup scoop straight from the jar? I ask because I have found it to be quite “melty” on its own.
Author
How solid/liquid it is just depends on the storage temperature. If it’s not liquid-y, just zap it in the microwave. If it is liquid-y, don’t worry about melting 🙂
I made these tonight and I added 1/4 tsp. of cinnamon and 1/4 cup of rolled oats then I put them in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking which helped them keep their shape. They were Yummy but my only downfall to these is how much brown sugar that is in them. Any suggestions to reduce the brown sugar?
Author
Hi Kathy! You could use 3/4 cup maybe? Or 1/2 cup with 1 1/2 cups flour and scant 1/2 cup coconut oil? I’m not a baker so I am hesitant to tell you something that may or may not work 🙂 Even with the brown sugar, these only come to 13 grams of carbohydrate a piece — that’s pretty acceptable in my book!
I made half the recipe, substituted half the brown sugar for white, and added some white chocolate chips. They amazing! The dough did not taste very good, but I shouldn’t be eating it anyway so I will count that as a win!