Vegan Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies (updated November 2014)

This is different from the recipe that I've shared before. The cookies are chewy and even better than any I've ever made.

1/2 cup organic coconut oil
1/2 cup Trader Joe's organic brown sugar
1/2 cup Trader Joe's organic white sugar
2 tablespoons ground flax seed mixed with 6 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon gluten-free real vanilla extract
1 cup Pamela's gluten-free flour blend, plus 1-2 tbsp. extra
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 scant teaspoon sea salt
1 cup gluten-free oatmeal (optional)
1 cup Trader Joe's chocolate chips
1/2 to 1 cup coarsely chopped almonds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix flax seed with water in a small bowl. Combine coconut oil and sugars in a large bowl. When flax mixture has gelled to the consistency of beaten egg (it only takes a few minutes), combine it with oil and sugars along with the vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Then add oatmeal, chocolate chips, and almonds. Use a cookie dough scoop, scoop one scoop of dough onto cookie sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes; don't overbake. If this looks good (not too greasy looking or runny around the edges), scoop and bake the rest. If it doesn't look good, add 1-2 tbsp. more flour and bake another test cookie. Let cookies rest on pan for one minute before transferring to cooling rack. Note: The longer you let the dough sit in the bowl before baking, the higher and less flat the cookies will be after you bake them.