Chocolate Chip Cherry Almond Cookies

I was talking to a group of guys about computers earlier today, and the role that cookies play on the internet...Okay, if you know me, then you know the route my mind took. It was a lazy rainy afternoon, and there were no baked goods in my house, so I started formulating a plan to spice up my classic gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipe.

I decided to change up the flavors and incorporate a favorite flavor pairing of mine, cherry-almond. They were so good, I barely had time to snap a picture before they were gobbled up.

Chocolate Chip Cherry Almond Cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Yields 18 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 14.5 oz can of chickpeas
• 1/2 cup plus 1/8 cup PB2 powder or equivalent amount of nut butter
• 1/4 cup water or almond milk (only if you use the PB2 powder)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (or honey)
• 2 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips (substitute vegan or carob chips if desired)
• 1/2 cup dried cherries

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a food processor, process the chickpeas until they form a grainy paste. Add the PB2 powder, water (if using), sweetener, almond extract, and baking soda, and process until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips* and cherries. 
2. Roll the dough into golf ball sized pieces and arrange on the cookie sheets. If you prefer your cookies to be more disc-like, then flatten the balls slightly on the sheet, if not, then they will cook into small mounds. Bake for 10 minutes.

Notes*
If you add the chocolate chips to the food processor and pulse to incorporate them, then your cookies will have chocolatey fudge swirls in them. Yum!