Healthier Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

½ cup butter, softened

¼ cup sweet potato puree

½ cup white sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

½ cup orange juice

4 egg whites

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons hot water

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Beat butter, sweet potato, white sugar, brown sugar, and orange juice with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Add eggs whites one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into butter mixture before adding the next. Beat in vanilla extract. Dissolve baking soda in hot water in a small bowl. Add to sweet potato batter. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and walnuts. Roll dough into walnut-sized balls and place 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake in preheated oven until edges are nicely browned, about 10 minutes.