soft bake chocolate chip cookies {leftovers club}

Living in NYC has all kinds of advantages, but the fact that I can meet some of my Leftovers Club partners in person and swap goodies sans the postal system is a welcomed one.

This month I am paired with Susan from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen. We met yesterday briefly before lunch and swapped our goodies. She gave me some amazing pistachio cranberry white and dark chocolate bark. I think I got the better of that deal!

If you are not familiar with The Leftovers Club, imagine getting a new surprise treat every month and getting a chance to meet a new food blogger. Connections, confections, what could be better?

I did a lot of altering to this recipe, which was originally a peanut butter cookie. First thing is I don't generally have peanut butter, so I used organic almond butter. Second thing is I generally don't put two cups of sugar into anything, so I halved the sugar. I also don't stock brown sugar ever since I read on Joy the Baker's blog that you can easily make it. No more rock hard brown sugar for me, thanks. Much easier this way. So this is probably why the cookies are soft and not the traditional crunchy peanuty ones we're all used to. I also added chocolate chips, because... do I really need a reason?

No problem. They were devoured in just a couple of days.

Soft Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 60, adapted from Westie Mom on Tasty Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 cup pure almond butter
• 2  eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1-½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, and sugars. Mix in almond butter, eggs, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. 
2. Mix the dry ingredients gradually into the butter mixture and mix until thoroughly combined. Add chocolate chips
3. Chill the dough at least an hour or two to make it easier to handle. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Form the dough into balls using a 1 1/2-tablespoon cookie scoop.
4. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Flatten with a fork. Bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes and then remove to cooling racks. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

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