If you are looking for a fun, family-friendly dessert, Cocoa Monster Cookies are a great choice. They are chocolate-y, soft in the center with crisp edges, and studded with white chocolate chips, walnuts, and brightly colored chocolate drops. Bonus- they are gluten-lite, with the addition of buckwheat flour. No one will know. They just taste too good.
"You can slab-bake this in a 9x13 pan and cut into bars if you are running low on time. Bake 15-20 minutes, until edges are done but center is soft. Bars will sink a little as they cool."
Notes: Buckwheat flour is Bob's Red Mill.
COCOA MONSTER COOKIES
Ingredients: 2 sticks softened butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, 2 eggs at room temperature, 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup buckwheat flour, 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1 tsp. sea salt, 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, 1/3 cup walnut pieces, 1/2 cup chocolate drops (or M&Ms).
Makes about 3 dozen.
1. Preheat the oven to 350* and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Beat the butter with the sugars in a large bowl until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, buckwheat flour, salt, and baking soda. Add a quarter at a time to the butter mixture, mixing well between each addition.
4. Fold in the white chocolate chips, walnuts, and chocolate drops.
5. Bake for 11-12 minutes, until set around the edges. Remove to cool.