Food of the Gods: Chocolate Chip Cookies

One of my favorite foods is cookies, and chocolate chip ones will send me right to the moon.  In my quest for the best ever tasting chocolate chip cookie, I happened to create a recipe that is also vegan.  Now as a word of caution: using banana as a binder (in this case, to replace eggs) and peanut butter as a fat leaves distinct flavors.  I for one love them, but if you don't, feel free to substitute.  You can use two eggs or another egg substitute for the bananas, and feel free to use shortening for the peanut butter.  Also, the banana should be just ripe, or it won't have the texture to hold up as a substitute.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1/3 cup vegetable shortening

1/3 cup coconut oil

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 large or 1 1/2 small bananas, diced or lightly mashed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 ounce of chocolate chips

 Cream together the shortening, coconut oil, peanut butter, and both sugars.  Continue to mix on medium until mixture is light and fluffy.  (About 5 minutes with a stand mixer, or about 10 minutes with a hand mixer.)  Stop a couple of times while mixing to scrape down the bowl and beater(s).  Then add the banana to the mixture and mix until fully incorporated, which should take 2 to 3 minutes.  Add vanilla and mix to incorporate.

Mix together both flours, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.  Add to the wet mixture 1/3 at a time to incorporate.  When fully incorporated, add chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed.

Scrape mixture into a clean container, cover, and refrigerate for 3 or more hours.  This step is necessary, as it allows the flour to fully absorb the wet ingredients.  If you skip it, your cookies will be flat and not hold together.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  On clean baking sheets, scoop cookies into 1/4 cup portions, place 2 inches apart on the sheets, and press the tops down lightly to partially flatten.  Bake the cookies for 15 to 18 minutes.  Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 to 8 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.  When completely cooled, store in a seal container for up to a week, but they don't last that long.  :-)

I am serious about not using this recipe (or changing it up) if you don't like bananas or peanut butter.  They really come through due to the simplicity of the dough.  Also, use whatever kind of chocolate you like for the exact same reason.  I used Ghirardelli 60% Cocoa chips, but feel free to use whatever you like: grain sweetened, milk, semi-sweet, etc.

Also, you can refrigerate the dough over night if you need to, but don't skimp on allowing it to sit.  I got the technique from Joanne Chang's Flour cookbook and have never looked back.  It even helps recipes that don't call for this step.