I make a lot of our treats and snacks with almond meal and dairy alternatives and hidden produce, but when it comes to a chocolate chip cookie, you need a back-pocket recipe for a classic. Make the dough in advance, and bake off the cookies just after dinner so they are nice and warm and your house smells like a dream. I make these for new moms, teachers, or to bookend a sturdy ice cream sandwich.You can keep balls of dough in the freezer so all they need is a quick thaw at room temp and run in the oven and warm cookies are served. They are rich and almost caramel and just chewy enough.

I often sub chopped, dark chocolate bars in place of the chocolate chips to make these look a little fancier. I wrote chips in for ease, but 4 oz. of chopped dark chocolate is a really nice touch. Bake them on parchment paper or a silicone mat for a softer bottom or straight on the tray for a slightly crisper bottom crust. You can use a dairy-free butter, but you don’t need to bother with the browning step in that case.