Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

We don't eat many sweets around here at Third Day Farms.  As part of our "80/20 rule" (as discussed in this post), we avoid purchasing sweets or making treats at home on a regular basis, since they are so prevalent when we are out of the house.  This way, I can allow my children (and myself!) to indulge in sweets when we are out and about, such as going out for ice cream, going to a birthday party, visiting a friend or even going to church (punch and cookies, anyone?!?).  I'm a big proponent of the "everything in moderation" idea and avoiding treats at home is the only way for us to truly eat them in moderation.

But.... every once in a while we get a hankering for something sweet at home.  While these cookies are certainly not "health food", most homemade cookies are a step up from store-bought cookies, as they don't contain preservatives or unpronounceable ingredients. 

These almond butter cookies are delicious and just so happen to be gluten-free, for those of you who are avoiding grains.  Enjoy!

Almond Butter Chocolate Chip/Chunk Cookies

- 1 cup almond butter
-3/4 cup sucanant (dried sugar cane) or brown sugar or organic sugar (not white sugar)
-1 large egg
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-1/4 tsp sea salt
-3 oz. chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar broken into chunks (about a handful)
-parchment paper
-baking stone (not required, but handy)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  If you have a baking stone, put that in the oven now.
2.  Combine the first 5 ingredients.  Stir in chocolate chips/chunks.
3.  Drop onto parchment paper.  If using the baking stone, use a cookie sheet to slide the cookies on the parchment onto the hot baking stone.  Otherwise, simply bake the cookies on parchment on a cookie sheet. 
4.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until they look browned on the top.
5.  Let cool for about 5-10 minutes before serving. 

*Makes about 20-24 cookies. 
*I have not tried this recipe using peanut butter, but I don't see why you couldn't try it!