Never too many cookies

I don't think you can ever have too many good cookie recipes.  And if you can make them more healthful without telling the difference, so much the better.  This recipe may replace my prior favorite egg free chocolate chip cookies for the girls.  Of course that one is a great snack packing recipe because the cookies end up almost exactly like little chips ahoy cookies.  They each have their merits.  This new one is also 100% white whole wheat, (you can't tell); it's made with natural healthful fats and it is free of refined white sugar.  R pronounced them awesome and I've already had to hide them from the girls for the time being.  If they haven't already spoiled their dinners... ;)

This is an exceptionally creamy dough.  My new ingredient for the day is granulated coconut/palm sugar and I think I love it.  Much better results than the date sugar, that one still needs more experimentation.  I expect it is better suited to moist applications such as quick breads.  Coconut sugar is the evaporated nectar of the coconut palm flower.  It is also low glycemic.  Bonus!  Since it is slightly coarse, I suggest adding it first and creaming it on low while measuring out the other sugars.  If you premeasure all your ingredients, you are entirely too organized and have too much available counter space; this is a Messy Kitchen after all...  Just give it enough time to be creamy and fluffy rather than sugary and gritty.  I was amazed at the light fluffy texture of the creamed butter, oil and sugars.  It almost looked liked whipped cream.  Good stuff.  Since the cookies smell absolutely amazing straight out of the oven, I froze some dough balls to have fresh cookies when company comes next week.  You don't smell the coconut at all, but the butter cookie smell has been elevated to the sublime.  I would swear I had added a butter flavor extract if I didn't know better.  Yes, this one is a keeper.  (Okay, my hubby could detect a hint of coconut, but even though he doesn't particularly like coconut, he said it wouldn't keep him from eating them because he loves chewy cookies.  He said he just wouldn't eat the whole batch at once...)

These cookies almost turned out like the fresh baked Tollhouse cookies you may find at some fast food joints.  Soft and chewy.  Yummy. If you are not allergic to eggs, you may use 1 egg in place of the applesauce for even closer results.  The only thing I may do differently next time is give the coconut sugar a quick whirl in the coffee grinder to make it a little finer.  But now, without further ado...

Chewy Can't Tell They're Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies (Egg free)

½ cup butter, softened

1/3 cup virgin coconut oil, melted

½ cup evaporated cane sugar (Costco now carries this in a bulk size)

½ cup coconut sugar

½ cup light brown muscovado sugar (or brown sugar, but that tends to be refined white sugar with molasses added)

1 tsp pure vanilla

2 Tbsp applesauce (no sugar added)

2 cups white whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

¾ cup mini chocolate chips (soy free)

(optional - add ½ cup chopped pecans)

Heat oven to 375º.  In large bowl, beat sugars, butter, oil, vanilla and applesauce with electric mixer on low speed until light and fluffy. Beat in flour, baking soda and salt until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips.  On parchment lined cookie sheets, drop dough by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart.  Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until very light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes on the sheet; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.  Enjoy!

adapted from kitchenstewardship.com