Labor Day Weekend Almond Butter Cookies

Let's talk about peanut butter for a minute.  It is pretty much the perfect food.  Great as a sandwich, a spoonful hits the spot as a quick snack, it makes celery infinitely more appealing and a jar smuggled in your suitcase can save you while traveling in abroad eating unfamiliar foods.

I come from a long line of peanut butter lovers.  My Mom once polished off an entire bag of peanut butter cups on a dare and my grandparents were chunky peanut butter lovers, snacking on the stuff throughout the day.  So it came as a complete shock to us when our daughter was born with a peanut allergy.  Not just peanuts but cashews, walnuts and sunflower seeds...how could this be?  She will never have a pb&j, no chocolate peanut butter ice cream (my favorite) no peanuts at a ball game, and none of her Grandma Sally's legendary criss-cross peanut butter cookies.

Wishing that she could experience the delight and perfect harmony of a peanut butter and chocolate cookie, I came up with a cookie recipe using almond butter.  Almond butter lacks the saltiness of the peanut butter, so the type of salt that you choose for the cookies is key here.  When I make any cookie I always use kosher salt for a nice salty pop to set off the sweetness of the cookie.  Kosher salt makes this cookie.  If you don't have any in the pantry, it is worth a trip to the store.  Here is the recipe.

ALMOND BUTTER & CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

1 c. salted butter

1 c. sugar

1 1/4 c almond butter (salted)

2 eggs

3/4 t. vanilla

1 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

1 t. kosher salt

1 1/2 c flour

14 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chunks

1 c. coconut

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add the almond butter then the eggs, one egg at a time.  Add vanilla.  Mix well.  In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients together then slowly add them to the wet ingredients.  Finally, stir in the chocolate chunks and coconut.  Bonus points for toasting the coconut first.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.  The cookies will be rounded and slightly soft to the touch.  

Enjoy your labor day weekend.  I hope that you enjoy the cookies, allergy or no allergy, they are delicious!