Paleo Double Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Chewy on the outside with a soft brownie-like interior. These Paleo Double Chocolate Cranberry Cookies are perfect for the holiday season or anytime you get that chocolate cookie craving!

Are you guys getting hit with this Arctic blast? It rolled into Colorado yesterday and it’s been so cold! The nights and mornings have been the worst, tonight it’s supposed to be -1.

My way of coping with cold, snowy weather is to turn on the fireplace, crank up the heat and bake something in the oven. I made a batch of these Paleo Double Chocolate Cranberry Cookies last week and I think I’ll be making them again today!

Sometimes I think that the term “holiday season” should be replaced with “cookie season”. Everywhere you look there are cookies! Pinterest, magazines, TV, the office and even your front doorstep. It’s the only month where making 5 or more different kinds of cookies is normal.

A couple of my favorite Christmas cookies to make and share with family and neighbors are Vanilla and Chocolate Pizzelles and Danish Vanilla Rings. Both are variations of family recipes that I grew up eating way too many of every December…and still do.

This year I wanted to go a totally different direction with my cookie baking. I’ll still be making the classic family recipes, but I’m also adding some of my own recipes, like these Paleo Double Chocolate Cranberry Cookies.

The texture of these cookies is soft and chewy, almost brownie like in texture. You won’t find any flour or dairy in them, instead almond butter and cocoa powder and dairy-free chocolate chips. They may sound like health cookies, but they absolutely don’t taste like them.

Another sneaky ingredient added to these protein filled chocolatey bites is Vital Proteins’ Cocoa & Coconut Water Collagen Whey. I figured that if I was going to be baking cookies I might as well give them a little extra protein plus all the benefits of collagen.

Collagen is basically the glue that’s holding everything together in our bodies. The older we get the faster we use it and the more necessary it becomes to supplement it.

It’s an easy supplement to add to anything from hot or cold drinks, your morning oatmeal, a favorite dinner or desserts like Paleo Pumpkin Pie Bites or these awesome Paleo Double Chocolate Cranberry Cookies! Go ahead and embrace the “cookie season” and give your baking a healthy kick by adding in some collagen!

Paleo Double Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Yield: Approximately 15 cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 9 minutes

Total Time: 24 minutes

Chewy on the outside with a soft brownie-like interior. These Paleo Double Chocolate Cranberry Cookies are perfect for the holiday season or anytime you get that chocolate cookie craving!

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Ingredients

• 3/4 cup thick almond butter, I used Justin's Almond Butter
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup Vital Proteins' Cocoa & Coconut Collagen Whey
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 1/4 cup dairy-free mini chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries (use naturally sweetened or unsweetened)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat.
2. In a large bowl or in the bowl of an electric mixer beat together the almond butter and coconut sugar until combined.
3. Add in the egg and vanilla and mix until well combined.
4. Add in the cocoa powder, collagen whey, baking soda and pinch of salt and mix until combined. The dough will be thick and if you aren't using an electric mixer it may be easier to combine everything with your hands.
5. Mix in the mini chocolate chips and dried cranberries.
6. Use a cookie scoop to scoop out approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough.
7. Roll the dough into a ball (it will probably be somewhat oily, but shouldn't be liquidy or dripping) and place it on the prepared baking sheet.
8. Use the palm of your hand to press the cookies down slightly then place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven.
9. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes then remove them from the oven.
10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for another 5-7 minutes before removing them onto a cooling rack.
11. As always cookies are best the day they are made, but they can be stored in an airtight container for several days or in a freezer bag and frozen for a later date.

Notes

* Be sure to use a thick almond butter or the cookies will spread too much and be an oily mess.

* I always stick my prepared cookie dough on the cookie sheet in the freezer for about 15 minutes before baking to help prevent the cookies from spreading. It might just be a high altitude problem, but if you have that issue give it a try.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 15 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 160Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 78mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 2gSugar: 14gProtein: 4g

Thanks to my friends at Vital Proteins for sponsoring this post. As always all opinions are my own.