Trader Joe’s Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cooking Baking Mix, reviewed

I always look forward to trying baking mixes from Trader Joe’s when they release new ones, since they not only tend to be tasty, but they tend to have short ingredient lists that mirror what you might use in a from-scratch recipe. Trader Joe’s Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cooking Baking Mix is a new mix from the popular grocery chain. The mix is gluten free, made with a blend of almond flour, coconut flour and tapioca starch. The mix can also be made to be vegan or non-vegan, as the box includes baking instructions for both. I love a good chocolate chip cookie, so I put this mix in the oven almost as soon as I got home from shopping!

The Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cooking Baking Mix is easy to make. For the non-vegan version, you add butter and milk to the dry mix, which is chock full of chocolate chips. For the vegan version, you simply add oil and a non-dairy milk (or water). I tried both and the cookies were ready to go into the oven as soon as it has preheated. The non-vegan version tasted a little bit more buttery, but the vegan version was a standout compared to some other vegan mixes I’ve tried and I think the fact that it works as a vegan recipe is a huge plus for this mix.

Overall, this mix really exceeded my expectations. Although coconut flour is not the main component in this mix, I’ve previously found it very finicky to work with and worried that it might adversely impact the texture of these cookies. But my worries were unfounded because the cookies made with this mix were absolutely delicious! They were crisp on the edges and chewy in the center, delivering that classic chocolate chip cookie texture in every bite. They’re loaded with chocolate, too! The one downside of this mix is that the yield is relatively small: only 12 cookies. The cookies are a good size when baked, but you would still need two boxes to bake enough to serve a crowd. That said, when it comes to flavor and texture these cookies are well worth it and I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up a couple of boxes to keep on hand in my pantry.