Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies (dairy and egg free)

Since Camden's started an egg-free diet, I went over all of my recipes and retested them using absolutely no eggs. It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. I mean, the last time I baked without eggs was when he was a baby. Then I added quail and duck eggs into this diet when he was over a year old. But to not have eggs in any baked sweets at all? Perplex, right?

I started off easy. Chocolate chip cookies. Then I tested the cookie dough with nuts, dried fruits, even freeze dried fruits, like my strawberry cookies.

After testing different combinations for awhile, I came to luv hazelnut flavor the most. The hazelnut flavor pairs well with chocolate. And then the hazelnut aromatic brings it to another level. Ok enough said. Let's bake some cookies.

I bake just hazelnut cookies for my kids' nighttime snack. Because they don't allow to eat chocolate after 5pm, they can still have these cookies without the caffeine.

Hazelnut Chocolate Chips Cookies
makes 16

1/4 cup (2 oz.) palm shortening
1/4 cup (1.8 oz.) light brown sugar
1/4 cup (1.8 oz.) granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons (1.4 oz.) unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup (3.7 oz.) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup raw or roasted hazel nuts, roughly chopped
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips or chunks

1. Preheat the oven to 375F degree. Line a baking pan with parchment paper or nonstick matt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the shortening, sugars, and apple sauce with a hand mixer until creaming.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, nuts, and chocolate chips or chunks.
4. Add the flour mixture to the shortening cream.
5. Mix it with the hand mixer until just combine.
6. Using a small scoop, scoop the cookie dough on to the prepare pan, making sure they are about an inch apart. TIP: I bake about 8 at a time and freeze up the rest of the pre-scooped cookie dough.
7. Bake in a preheated oven for exactly 12 minutes.
8. Allow the cookies to cool on a pan for 5 minutes then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!!!

STORING: These hazelnut chocolate chip cookies can be kept in an air tight container at a room temperature for up to 3 days.

Allergy Info: These strawberry cookies are free from or can be make without dairy, egg, corn, legumes (soy), and fish.