My Favorite Almond Joy Cookies - Lighter

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Smart Balance light butter spread, softened (this should be the stick butter, not the soft tub-style)
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 egg whites
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup Splenda granular
• 2 cups white flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mini chocolate chip
• 1 cup almonds, toasted and roughly chopped
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut, toasted until golden brown

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 375 and prepare cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. 2

   Toast almond and coconut (not together) and chop almonds once cooled. To toast almonds, I bake at 350 for 10 minutes until fragrant. To toast coconut, I use a small skillet on medium heat and shake until coconut is golden brown (removed quickly as unsweetened coconut goes from done to burnt very fast).

3. 3

   Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

4. 4

   Using stand mixer, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

5. 5

   Continuing to run mixer on medium, add egg, egg whites and vanilla, one at a time and mix until combined.

6. 6

   With your mixer turned to low, add dry ingredients until flour is incorporated.

7. 7

   Stir in mini-chocolate chips, toasted coconut and toasted chopped almonds.

8. 8

   Drop with a cookie scoop (1.5T) onto cookie sheet.

9. 9

   Bake 10-12 minutes until golden brown on edges.

10. 10

    Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire rack to cool completely.