Cookies sweeten friendship. You are invited to join this cookie recipe swap. The more, the merrier.

Yesterday I shared a fun ingredient list for friendship. If you missed it, you may read it here.

Cookies. Cookies and friends go together like kitties and catnip (or dogs and squeaky toys).

Years ago I developed an amazing chocolate chip cookie while working as an editor at a food magazine. It received rave reviews from friends and co-workers. It even is healthy. . .for a cookie, that is.  🙂

It has a secret ingredient you may omit and replace with butter, bumping up the fat content a bit (which does not deter a serious chocolate chip cookie lover. Ha!) Here, then, is the BEST chocolate chip cookie EVER! Tell me if you agree. Or if you have an even better one.

Lucy’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Ever

Chewy, chocolate-y, just sweet enough, and very low in fat, this cookie uses a secret ingredient: apple butter, found near the jellies in your local grocery. You may replace it with 2 tablespoons of butter.

3 Tbs. apple butter

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

Up to 2 tablespoons of melted butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup unbleached white flour

1/4 cup whole-wheat flour or unbleached white flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Makes 36; serves 12

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, thoroughly combine the apple butter, sugar, egg, melted butter, and vanilla. In another bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Add the chocolate chips and pecans, and stir until combined.

Drop the batter by spoonfuls onto baking sheets. Bake until lightly golden brown, about 8 minutes. Watch carefully. Let cool on paper towels. Store the cookies in an airtight container.

PER SERVING: 171 calories, 3g protein, 5g fat (26 percent calories from fat), 1g fiber, 154mg sodium.

Your turn.

Please share a cookie recipe in Comments. This is our very own cookie recipe swap. Woot!

You Are Blessed,