Beanie’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
Our neighbor Beanie is a force of nature – an 80-something artist with a lifelong appetite for joy, color, and just the right amount of chaos. She’s known for her wild annual parties where guests sing, play music, and perform. But in quieter moments, she treasures her nightly ritual: a long bath, a bit of meditation, and maybe one of these cookies.
Like me, Beanie is a lung cancer survivor with a story that could only happen to her – diagnosed after a sharp-eyed doctor noticed something unusual about her finger and insisted on a chest scan. She’d lived life on her terms, and somehow, that spirit shows up in these cookies: bold, indulgent, a little unexpected, and deeply comforting.
- 1 cup unsweetened almond butter (or or pecan or peanut butter)
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or maple sugar)
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Mix nut butter and sugar in a bowl until smooth
Add the egg and vanilla; stir until fully combined
Sprinkle in the baking soda and salt (if using), then fold in the dark chocolate chips
Scoop the dough into tablespoon-sized balls and place them on the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly with a fork or your fingers, they won’t spread much
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are golden but the centers are still soft
Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack
