(INSIDE OUT) CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIE BARS | dolly and oatmeal

december is undoubtably the season for cookies! so today we’re making these cookie bars. chocolate chip cookies in bar form. that's essentially what these are, but with 2 distinct differences: there's a good bit of almond butter in the batter, which gives them a fudgy quality. and we did an inside out kind of vibe when it comes to the chocolate chips. the chocolate completely melts that way, and creates these perfect little chocolate puddles which are so satisfying. these are actually my favorite cookies to make for the holidays. not because they’re overly holiday - no candy canes, gingerbread, peppermint here. but because they’re quite possibly the easiest to put together. most chocolate chip cookies require chill time in the fridge, but because these aren’t actual cookies (at least in shape) they go right into the oven, and bake in just about 20 minutes. and if i haven’t sold you completely yet, they’re super portable. bake them in the morning, then cover them with some parchment and foil, and bring them to your holiday get together, office potluck, etc, etc!

happy cookie season, friends!

(inside out) chocolate chunk cookie bars | gf & df

print the recipe!

| makes 20 cookie bars |

1 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped
1 1/4 cups fine brown rice flour
1/2 cup arrowroot powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted but cooled
1/3 cup unsalted almond butter
2 large eggs (preferably pasture-raised)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 ounces dark chocolate, 55%-65% cacao, chopped into rough chunks

method

preheat oven to 350°F.
spread the chopped almonds onto a baking sheet and toast until lightly browned and fragrant, about 5-6 minutes. let cool completely.
oil and line a 9x13-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough parchment to overhang on opposite sides.
in a large bowl, whisk together the brown rice flour, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. in another large bowl, whisk together the sugar, coconut oil, almond butter, eggs, and vanilla. a little at a time, add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix with a rubber spatula until everything is combined. (the batter will be quite thick - basically an arm workout!) add the toasted almonds and mix once again, until evenly distributed.
dump the batter into the pan, using the spatula to evenly spread it into the corners and sides of the pan.
bake in the center of the oven for 12-14 minutes, until the sides are just golden, and the center is puffy. remove from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chunks over top. place back in the oven a bake for another 5-7 minutes, until the chocolate has melted into little puddles.
remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool. let cool completely, then use the parchment overhangs to carefully lift the cookie brick from the pan. sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and slice into 20 bars. cookie bars can be stored in a lidded container at room temperature for 3 days.