Chocolate Carob Chip Cookies

I was playing around in the kitchen, trying to make a healthier version of chocolate chip cookies for my son's lunchbox.   Both my hubby and I really liked them...my son, not so much.  I think he was hoping for a crunchy, Chips Ahoy!, type of cookie.  My cookies are softer, denser and more of a 'natural style' cookie including ~ whole wheat pastry flour, almond meal,  flax and honey.  Yeah, not even in the same cookie ballpark...  :)

Ya win some, and ya lose some, when you're playing around in the kitchen.  Two out of three of us really like them, so I still consider this a win.  :)   No worries, it's just more for the adults!  Here is the experimental cookie recipe I came up with...

Chocolate Carob Chip Cookies
makes approx. 20 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 3/4 cup almond meal (or almond flour)
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup honey
• 3 Tbsp water
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup carob chips (or chocolate chips)

Directions 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix first 5 ingredients (flour-salt) in a bowl until thoroughly combined.  In another bowl, combine next 4 ingredients (honey-vanilla) until thoroughly blended.

Combine almond mixture with wet mixture, when thoroughly combined then fold in carob chips. (or chocolate chips if you're using those instead)

Drop heaping teaspoons of dough, 1 inch apart, on parchment paper covered cookie sheet.  Flatten cookies into circles about 1/3" to 1/2" inch thick. (the cookies don't spread)

Bake 11-13 minutes, or until set.  Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then move to cooling rack.  They will firm up as they cool.  Store in covered container.