melted cinnamon chip cookies

It’s not what it looks like.Or maybe it is, depending on what you’re thinking.

If you thought melted cinnamon chips poured on top of addicting cinnamon-and-almond-butter cookie dough, you were right.The only thing I wanted to do tonight was perfect the dough I used in the cinnaBOMB cookies.  As much as I liked the cookies, the dough was lacking in something.  It didn’t have the melt-in-your-mouth-and-eat-straight-from-the-bowl effect I was going for.  So tonight I planned on tweaking the dough.Butter.  That was my solution.  My Paula Dean solution.  Because, apparently, butta’ can solve any problem.

Dry cookies?  Add butta’.

Flavorless bread?  Add butta’.

Not so saucy sauce?  Add butta’.

Dry lips?  Use butta’.

Razor burn?  Use butta’.

Basically, butta’ is like a supa’ fat, ampin’ up the flava’ and makin’ everythin’ betta’.  (Don’t say it.  I know I need a life.)

I was exaggerating just a bit about the butter.  It does do amazing things to food, but it should definitely not be used in everything.  Unless your name is Paula and you get paid to add butter to everything.  In that case, it’s totally OK and totally acceptable to add butter to everything.  Right?

Since it’s obviously getting late and I’m starting to ramble about butter, let me get to the point.  The addition of butter and a few other adjustments made this cookie dough 10 times better than the cinnaBOMB cookie dough.  They had the melt-in-my-mouth-and-eat-straight-from-the-bowl effect I was going for.  The final cookie reminded me of a cloud, if it’s possible for a cloud to be compared to food.  They were incredibly light and fluffy and it was seriously hard to just stop at one.  Which is why I didn’t.  I stopped at three (plus the dough I ate straight from  the bowl).

Good luck with your self restraint.  Mine was pretty much non-existent.

Melted Cinnamon Chip Cookies

dry
1 cup + 3 T whole wheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup ground flaxseeds
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 t cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/8 t ground cloves

wet
1/2 cup milk (or non-dairy alternative)
1/4 cup creamy almond butter
4 T butter, melted
1 t vanilla extract
1/4 t almond extract
2/3 cup cinnamon chips
1/3 cup dates, pitted and chopped

1.  Preheat oven to 325*.

2.  In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients.   In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients.  Pour wet ingredients in to dry and stir until just combine.

3.  Place cinnamon chips and chopped dates in a microwavable bowl, and microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds or until melted.  Stir to combine.  Fold melted cinnamon chip mixture into cookie dough.  Cover bowl and refrigerator for 1-2 hours or until firm (or freeze for 20 minutes).

4.  Form dough into balls and place on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 325*F for 12 minutes.  Let cookies rest on tray for one minute then transfer to a cooling rack to cool.  Enjoy!

**If you’re feeling adventurous, skip the baking phase and eat the dough straight from the bowl.  That’s what I did!