Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies were inspired by Food & Wine's Almond Butter Bars. I loved how the almond butter made them crispy and light, so I tried using it in chocolate chip cookies. The results? Cookies with the crispness you’d normally get from shortening, but the subtle flavor of almond. They’re fairly thin, not overly sweet and have a light and sandy texture.
Here’s a photo of yesterday’s cookie. Doesn’t it look crisp? It is! I have an oatmeal version in the works as well.
Which Almond Butter
I first made these with Maranatha (sweetened) unroasted almond butter because I wanted a milder almond flavor. If you use roasted almond butter, the flavor will be toastier. If your cookies aren't thin enough, try reducing the flour by 1 tablespoon and the almond butter by ½ tablespoon. Also, dark brown sugar works better than light.
Update: Some people have said these remind them of the Tate's Bakeshop Cookies.
More Notes on These Cookies
I'm looking back at this old recipe now and laughing at the first step. It seems like a pain, but the reason I did it was to remove moisture from the dough. The dryer dough makes the almond butter chocolate chips crunchier. But having done this for so long, I know that adding an extra step is just going to add one more variable that can go wrong. The next time I make these I'm going to just try browning the butter by itself.
Recipe
Thin and Crispy Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 oz unsalted butter (½ cup or 1 stick) (114 grams)
- 1 cup flour (127 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar (50 grams)
- 2 tablespoons regular salted almond butter, sweetened kind
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons lightly beaten egg (22 grams) -- approximately
- 1 ⅓ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a saucepan. When butter is melted, add the flour gradually and stir, coating it with butter. Set the time for 3 minutes and cook the butter and flour mixture in the saucepan for 3 minutes, stirring almost constantly to keep it from burning. I’m not sure it will burn easily, but I kept moving it around in the saucepan just in case. After 3 minutes, it will become scraggly. Remove from heat.
- Transfer the flour/butter mixture to a bowl and let it cool completely. This will take at least a half hour – maybe more. It needs to cool. You can cheat and throw it in the refrigerator after it’s cooled at room temp for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a few cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, almond butter, baking soda, salt and vanilla in the food processor. Process until smooth and creamy. Add the two tablespoons of egg and process until egg is mixed – don’t forget to scrape sides of bowl.
- Add the cooled faux-roux (butter/flour mixture) and pulse until mixed. Transfer to a bowl. If you let the faux-roux cool, your dough should be cool enough to add the chocolate chips. If not, you’ll need to let it cool some more so you won’t melt the chocolate.
- Add the chocolate chips to the mixture. I use a lot! Dough will be ugly and kind of course/grainy/greasy/shiny. It should be thick enough to drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the cookie sheet, but if it seems too goopy, chill it for 30 minutes.
- Drop well-rounded teaspoonfuls of dough onto the cookie sheets, spacing about 2 ½ to 3 inches apart. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes or until edges are a deep golden brown. Cool on cookie sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool and crisp.
Notes
** If your cookies aren't thin enough, try reducing the flour by 1 tablespoon and the almond butter by ½ tablespoon. Also, dark brown sugar works better than light.
Anna says
Anonymous, that's a great idea. Also, thanks for trying these. I'm worried the step of cooking the flour and butter is putting people off, but I think it really makes a difference.
Anonymous says
I triad a variation on these, where I eliminated chocolate chips, then sandwiched dark chocolate ganache between two cookies.. it was a deconstructed chocolate chip cookie.. yummm
Louise says
Another fabulous recipe Anna. I must admit my curiosity has been tantalized by your mixing method. I may just have to try this soon.
Thanks for sharing...
Maria says
Oh yum!! I am sure I would love these!
Lisa Ernst says
Marantha Almond Butter is my favorite also, I love the creamy texture. I make my husband a whole wheat "kitchen sink" type cookie with almond butter for the fat. He loves them, but they taste a little too "healthy" for me. I'm looking forward to trying your roux method for my next batch of chocolate chip cookies. I think I'll also add in a little almond butter. Great idea.
Barbara Hahn says
Anna, I made a mini tart crust recently where you made a roux in a skillet, but it had pecans in the roux. This was really a different approach to making pastry dough for me.
Candy says
Yum! These look right up my alley!
Rina says
Wow, these look really similar to the thin and crispy chocolate chip cookies at Tartine (SF)! I can't wait to try the oatmeal version. I wonder if it would work in a gingersnap cookie as well. Might be a little strange.
Biz says
Yum, I love almond butter!
clumbsycookie says
I bet you're gonna get your extra crunch oatmeal cookie from this! Faux roux AND almond butter must have made these excelent! I wouldn't mind the roasted almond butter for myself.
Anna says
Katrina. Yumma? 😉
VG, they are really good.
Joanna, this brand of almond butter tasted better than I expected. It's extremely smooth, like peanut butter.
Snookydoodle, if you are then so am I.
snookydoodle says
these look yummy too. I like all types of cookies. i m a pig 😉
Joanna says
i use that same almond butter. it's really good on sandwiches with agave nectar!!
these cookies look delicious. does the almond butter replace some of the butter in the recipe or is it just there for flavor?
either way, these sound unique. almond is such a distinct flavor.
VeggieGirl says
I usually prefer soft & chewy cookies, but those look fabulous!!
Katrina says
A yumma lookin' ccc! You go with that roux!