As a kid, I LOVED the Chewy Chips Ahoy cookies. I would pop them in the microwave for about 30 seconds, and they were just perfect! So, when I set out to recreate those cookies, but in gluten free form, it was quite a task! I am usually able to recreate recipes fairly quickly. This one, however, took about 4 tries and the addition of several different ingredients to get the result I was after. It was WORTH IT!
These cookies are chewy on the inside, but crispy on the outside. They are loaded with chocolate chips and banana! The peanut butter adds just the right amount of nuttiness. Imagine banana bread in the deliciousness of a chocolate chip cookie! I also made these gluten free, so if you can’t have gluten, you’re all set!
So, what do you need to make these delicious cookies?
Gluten free 1:1 all-purpose flour: This has become my go-to baking ingredient. It’s a perfect way to enjoy your favorite goodies without the gluten. You want to be sure you are using the 1:1 ratio flour. There are several all-purpose options that are not a 1:1 ratio.
VERY ripe banana: Remember when the pandemic first began and we were all making banana bread 24/7??? Well, now you can use your extra banana for this instead!
Natural peanut butter: Be sure to use the natural peanut butter that isn’t sweetened. Extra sugar from sweetened peanut butter will cause the cookies to become too brittle.
Light brown sugar: Light brown sugar adds a bit more complexity of flavor to the cookies. It also gives them the best chewy texture!
Semi-sweet chocolate chips: You can actually use whichever chocolate chips you prefer, but in my opinion semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips are the way to go.
FAQ:
Do I have to chill the dough beforehand?
Chilling the dough allows it to rest a bit. It also allows the cookies to bake on the outside and remain soft on the inside. It’s not 100% mandatory, but I think the cookies turn out so much better if you follow this step. Plus, you can make the cookie dough ahead of time and freeze the dough balls. This way, you can simply pull them out of the freezer and bake a few at a time!
Can you use other nut butters like almond butter instead of peanut butter?
Absolutely! You can use almond butter, cashew butter, or any other nut butter you like for these cookies?
What if I don’t need to be gluten free?
This is why I always use the 1:1 gluten free flour. This way, if you want to use regular all-purpose flour, you can!
ENJOY! And as always, let me know what you think in the comments below and over on Instagram @sugarandsalt_co!
