Healthier NY Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

It's a good day when you have a big, indulgent-as-heck, gooey, and flavorful chocolate chip cookie that's sorta healthified (look...it's not healthy. It's not spinach. It is a cookie. Just a slightly less bad for you cookie). You feel like you can have it all! And you get to have a treat that makes you feel happy and not at all guilty. Everyone is happy! (Except my stupid hubby who insisted "I can tell they're healthy" and grumbled about just wanting normal cookies. He is spoiled and I disagree with him and don't think these taste healthy at all. And who are you gonna trust, me or the guy who brought you a recipe for drinking spaghetti-o's straight from the can??)

Moving along...

What makes these ccc's healthier than your average cookie? First of all, you use coconut oil instead of butter which makes them dairy free (aside from the chocolate chips, but you can use dairy free chips if you'd like) and everyone knows coconut oil is like miracle food or something, right? Then, you use white whole wheat flour. And finally, the amount of sugar is reduced from your average cookie recipe and we use only unrefined sugars. Just a few little swaps!

Now what makes these cookies delicious? They're inspired by the famous NY Times Chocolate Chip Cookies-which means they're big. And crisp around the edges but omigosh so gooey inside and chewy and full of flavor and chocolate chips and ahhhh I miss them and I want them right now!! Take it from someone with high cookie standards-these are LEGIT.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies with Toasted Coconut-Zainab of Blahnik Baker's Baby Shower!

In my years of blogging I have never had a close friendship develop so quickly as my friendship with Zainab of Blahnik Baker has. She is literally one of the sweetest people I've ever known. She is endlessly supportive, giving, funny, smart, and kind. I am so lucky to have "met" her (someday it will be in real life and no longer needing quotation marks for "met"!) And I am SO excited for her because SHE'S HAVING A BABY!!! And Zainab is going to be such an incredible mom, and just some of the reasons why are the ones I just listed (her hubby is going to be a great dad too, btw). Zainab supported me with guest posts when I moved and when I was busy wedding planning so of COURSE I had to be a part of her SURPRISE VIRTUAL BABY SHOWER!

I'm so excited that my first official recipe that I'm sharing post wedding is for Zainab and the celebration of her becoming the sweetest momma ever! And-since Zainab loves all things coconut-we decided to only share coconutty treats for this "party"! Up until semi-recently I wasn't a huge fan of coconut (with the exception of Samoas). But I have learned that, especially when toasted, I loooooove coconut. And it pairs so deliciously with chocolate. And...I love cookies. And cookies are my go-to when I'm bringing a treat to a party, like..oh say a baby shower! Which is why I threw together these lovelies!

These cookies are sturdy (so they're perfect to ship to loved ones or to bring to a paaaarty) and super chocolatey (and-when warm-deliciously gooey). They're made a smidge healthier thanks to the fact that we're using coconut oil instead of butter (mo' coconut=mo'betta!) and the toasted coconut flakes REALLY make them special! There's all kinds of delicious textures and they were a big hit with Michael's friends...Michael...and me!

I know Zainab would like them too and so will you!

Coconut Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

My brother and I are 2 and a half years apart (but he's tall and I'm short so we tend to look the same age) and don't really look alike. Now, this isn't really a big deal, who cares if my brother and I don't look like each other, right? Well, here's the problem: sometimes Josh and I hang out, and oftentimes (note: almost all the time) when we're out together, people think we're together. Like a couple. This is very traumatic, as I'm sure you can imagine. When it first happened we were horrified. Now it's this thing we expect and fear. To the point where we will literally go out of our way to mention that we are siblings. The worst/best was when I went to look at one of the reception locations with my mom and Josh (this was not the place we ended up choosing) the woman came over to talk to us and, according to Josh, kept glancing at him, as well as me, when she asked questions. When she stepped away, Josh turned to me and hissed, "MAKE SURE SHE KNOWS I'M NOT YOUR FIANCE' I'M YOUR BROTHER!" Ugh. It is unfair that this is a necessary thing. 

Anyway, what's all of that have to do with cookies?

Nothing.

I just wanted to share.

SHARING however, does have to do with these cookies!

I would looove to share some of these with you!

These cookies are little bites of coconut-y goodness. Chewy and full of amazing texture, and, duh, chocolate. All wins. PLUS they're actually not too bad for you. They don't contain any butter-just coconut oil. AND I used all white whole wheat flour in these. So I occasionally found it acceptable to have one of these for breakfast. That's totally ok with you guys, yeah?

Chewy Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies + Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil

The winner of the Tropical Traditions giveaway is "Ha-v-v"!! She says about her plans for the coconut oil: "I plan to use the coconut oil for one thing is those chocolate chip cookies first!!!!!!! I cannot wait to try them. I have actually been researching coconut oil for a carrier oil and a natural sunscreen ingredient. The research has shown me some wonderful things, coconut oils properties are something I want to incorporate into our foods, homemade salves etc." 

Congratulations! I'm so excited for you :D. Please email me at cookingactress@yahoo.com to claim your prize.

And thank you to everyone who entered!

(Thank you everyone for all your support and well wishes for the premiere this weekend, I absolutely loved the movie and we won the People's Choice Award!!)

Today is a very exciting day! Tropical Traditions is sponsoring my first ever giveaway (scroll past the recipe)(giveaway closed)-AND they were sweet enough to provide me with a jar of their Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil. OMG (I think I overuse OMG, sorry!)-if you haven't heard about the awesomeness of coconut oil yet, look into it. I have a friend who uses it (in place of butter or shortening) in every recipe she bakes, she puts it in her hair, to cleanse/moisturize her face (which I tried-it's awesome, and smells amazinggg-even though Michael refuses to kiss me because I "smell coconut-y"), and for a bunch of other stuff! There's a lot of great information on all the links in this post, and you can also just google to find out more about the wonders of coconut oil :).