Double Chocolate Chip Walnut Brownie Cookies (gluten free)

These cookies are everything you could want from a cookie! They have a soft brownie-like texture, chocolate chips that stay melty, and a crispy top that makes it feel like it's the best cookie. You would NEVER know these are gluten free - if you're skeptical of gluten free cookie recipes, trust me, you cannot tell this recipe uses alternative ingredients (plus there is a fair amount of chocolate used, ha!)

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Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 12 minutes Total Time: 32 minutes

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Why you will love these double chocolate chip brownie cookies: When I'm looking for a good cookie, I want it to be satisfying, full of chocolate, and a crispy-crunchy texture on the outside but soft in the middle. These cookies are bringing all of these qualities and then some! They have the satisfying density of a brownie but the crispness of a cookie. If you're looking to change it up from your traditional chocolate chip or oatmeal cookies, look no further because these cookies will deliver!

What makes these cookies special? You know when you make fresh brownies and the texture of biting into a warm melty brownie is so satisfying? Now take that feeling and transform it into a cookie! The texture resembles the perfect brownie and rich chocolatey flavor with added texture from chocolate chips and walnuts mixed in.

How are these gluten free? Making these cookies gluten free, I have to admit, wasn't really intentional and you would NEVER know their base isn't butter and flour. I was really craving a brownie cookie (you know, the really good ones from bakeries) and decided I would use what I had in the pantry (almond butter, oat flour, Guittard chocolate) and somehow it really was magical. Maybe it's because I didn't skimp on the chocolate but I think it's really because the recipe is fairly simple and lets the chocolate shine and come through with a rich flavor.

My promise: Every recipe I make and post will always be thoroughly tested, family approved and bring the joy of baking to your kitchen. Happy baking!

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Let's get baking!

Servings: 18-24 cookies (depending on your scoop size)

Cookie Ingredients:

1/2 cup almond butter

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (highly recommend Guittard)*

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

1 Tb vanilla

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 cup oat flour

1/2 tsp salt

Mix-ins:

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped**

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Recipe Notes:

*I made these cookies with using 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (melted) as the base. Once you make this recipe and you want to up the chocolatey goodness, I encourage you to play around with the recipe and adjust to your liking.

I ALWAYS make a test cookie before baking all of the cookie dough. If I think it needs more salt, more chocolate, etc - I can always adjust and try another test cookie before baking the rest of the dough. My suggestion, don't play with too many ingredients at once and start with the recipe you're following to get a baseline before adjusting.

**I decided not to roast the walnuts for this recipe. I like the walnuts as-is for brownie-like recipes. Of course, if you prefer them roasted, roast at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes.

How to make these amazing cookies:

1. Create a double boiler to melt 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips. Add about 1 inch of water to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the chocolate chips to a separate heat proof bowl and set on top of the simmering water. You don't want your bowl of chocolate to touch the simmering water underneath so be sure that your bowl of chocolate sits high enough. Stir chocolate chips as they melt and set aside once completely melted.
   

2. Combine the almond butter and melted chocolate chips. The chocolate can still be warm when you mix with the almond butter. The almond butter should cool it down and won't impact the quality of the cookies.
   

3. Add the pure maple syrup, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Stir until combined.
   

4. Make the oat flour (unless you have it pre-made). Take 1 cup of rolled oats and pulverize in a high speed blender (or you could use a food processor) until it resembles a flour - if it's not as fine a traditional flour, it's completely fine. Add the oat flour and salt to the mixture and stir until combined.
   

5. Add the chopped walnuts and additional semisweet chocolate chips. Feel free to add as much or as little of mix-ins as you like! Cookies are personal so feel free to add other nuts or whatever is in your pantry!
   

6. Drop about 2 tablespoons of dough on your cookie sheet. I recommend spraying your cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray since these aren't butter based cookies. Take the heel of your hand and press the dough to be a little flatter to help the dough spread in the baking process.
   

7. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 10-12 minutes. Check around 10 minutes and see if they look set in the middle - once that happens they're close to being done. I don't like overbaking cookies so I pull them out once the middle looks set and the edges are fully cooked. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before setting them on a cooling rack. They will continue to cook after you take them out of the oven.
   

8. Store in an airtight container in the fridge if you want them to last a little longer - about 3-4 days for optimal deliciousness! I have frozen these cookies and they're great if you warm them up in the microwave or oven - of course fresh is always the best but it's not a bad item to have stocked in your freezer!