Vegan Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have chocolate on my mind today.  What's better than a chewy chocolate chip cookie and a tall cold glass of almond milk?  Probably not all that much, except maybe getting to eat the dough beforehand.  Being that this dough is vegan, and therefore has no egg to make you sick, it's a little too easy to eat a few spoonfulls or more, but who's counting.  These cookies have a slight hint of coconut because of the coconut oil, but personally I prefer it.  I would suggest a quality brand, such as Spectrum, because I've used a generic organic coconut oil in the past and they don't turn out nearly as good.  I always have coconut oil on hand in the kitchen as well as in the medicine cabinet.  For cooking it has a much higher smoke point than other oils and is over all healthier than most oils.  I also use it to moisturize my skin,  shave, and remove eye makeup.  I firmly believe that since your skin is your largest organ one should be extra careful of what you put on it.  Those fancy fragrance and chemical laden lotions and potions are absorbed through your skin and end up in your blood stream.  Besides coconut oil being healthier and having a plethora of purposes, its also cheaper and works better than anything else i've tried.  Your skin and what's beneath will thank you no doubt.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes approximately 15 cookies, but this was after the kids and I ate several bites of the dough :)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

-1/2 cup coconut oil (best if not completely solid or liquid)

-1/4 cup sugar (the Wholesome Earth brand is vegan)

-1/2 cup light brown sugar

-1 Tbsp vanilla extract

-1/4 cup almond milk

-2 cups all purpose flour

-1 tsp baking powder

-1 tsp baking soda

-1/2 tsp salt

-1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

In the bowl of a stand mixer add sugars and oil.  Mix for a few seconds until incorperated.  Add vanilla and almond milk, mix again.  In seperate bowl combine dry ingredients and sift together.  While the mixer is running, carefully add the dry ingredients.  Once fully mixed, stir in the chocolate chips.  Using a tablespoon drop onto ungreased cookie sheet a couple inches apart.  Bake for 10 minutes.  They will seem a bit soft when they are finished, but this makes for a perfectly chewy cookie.