Chocolate Chunk Almond Butter Cookies

I respect fellow bloggers and each person's choices.
I respect fellow bloggers that keep it real and honest all the time.
I respect fellow bloggers who donate their time and talents to publish beautiful pictures, wise words, great recipes and innovative ideas.
Fellow bloggers who educate, entertain and enlighten me daily.
I’m very proud of being part of this immense community, because it allows me to do something that I thought it was not possible to do: share my passions.
But today allow me to rant a little about something that is currently happening in the food blogosphere.
I just need to get it off my chest.
What’s up with these ridiculous brownies/cookies/bars/cupcakes, that seem to appear everywhere and that are basically an amalgam of multiple desserts smushed together?
Like cupcakes stuffed with cheesecake, topped with oreos, topped with refrigerated cookie dough, with some crunched up pretzels, topped with dulce de leche and sprinkle of caramel popcorn.
I’m not sure how this trend took off, but it’s a trend, and I don’t think it’s for the greater good.

In all honesty, I find this “How many desserts can we mush together” concept unappealing, it’s like the turducken of dessert — and just like turducken, I’m not sure we need it. 

Maybe because I’m a simpleton that prefers to have a dessert he truly enjoys, and where he can  actually taste and appreciate the individual components, such as dark chocolate, butter, nuts, etc.
I do not like cronuts: can you imagine how I feel about an apple fritter cake topped with caramel popcorn or a Peanut Butter Cup and Oreo stuffed brownie cupcake with Root Beer syrup?
I guess my question is if there's really a need for these kind of desserts...
...I dunno...I really dunno.
Maybe I’m just becoming an old fart who’s losing contact with the new trends and that longs for the good old days, when cookies were cookies and brownies were brownies.
TheIronOldFart....how’s that sound?
Ha!

Take these chocolate chunk almond butter cookies, for instance.
This is an honest and simple recipe for irresistibly fudgy chocolate cookies, where you actually taste the richness of the almond butter and the deepness of the chocolate.
Cookies that are delicious, healthy and can be whipped up in no time flat.
I would never trade one of these cookies for say a Peanut Butter Cup and Oreo stuffed brownie cupcake with Root Beer syrup (yes, I think I've been scarred for life by that mishmash.)
Because these cookies are so legit, words can’t describe.
My only advice is that you make them asap: only eight simple ingredients and 20 minutes stand between you some of the fudgiest chocolate cookies you’ve ever tested.


Chocolate Chunk Almond Butter Cookies                                                     Print this recipe!

Barely adapted from SunnySideUps

Ingredients
Yields 16 cookies

1 cup / 8.5 oz / 240 gr almond butter
½ cup / 3.5 oz / 100 gr raw coconut palm sugar*
1 large free-range organic egg, at room temperature
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup / 2.4 oz / 67gr coarsely chopped +70% dark chocolate

*if you don’t care about the paleo thing, you can use brown sugar.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and place a rack in the middle. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl lightly beat the egg. Add almond butter, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, salt and vanilla.
With a wooden spoon mix ingredients very well until combined. The dough will be very thick, that’s how it’s supposed to be.
Gently fold in chocolate chunks.
Scoop one heaping tablespoon of cookie dough and using your hands roll into a ball.
Place onto the lined baking sheets (place 8 balls on each baking sheet.)
Using a spatula, gently press down balls to form a more flat, circular cookie (the cookies will not spread much when baked.)
Bake, one baking sheet at a time, for 8 to 9 minutes - the cookies will look underbaked, that’s okay.
Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes.
With the help of a spatula transfer cookies to a rack and let cool completely.

Nutrition facts

One cookie yields 119 calories, 10 grams of fat, 7 grams of carbs and 4 grams of protein.