Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Makes: 18 to 24 cookies
Ingredients:
Cookies:
1 teaspoon unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 teaspoons flaxseed meal
3/4 cup coconut oil
3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 cup spelt flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Chocolate coating:
2 cups vegan chocolate chips
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
Crushed vegan candy canes, for garnish
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Combine applesauce and flaxseed meal in a bowl, then add coconut oil, almond milk, vanilla, and peppermint extract. Blend until smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually add dry ingredients, continuing to blend for another 3 minutes. Drop by the small spoonful onto the cookie sheet and bake for 15 to 17 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
2. To make mint-chocolate coating, place chocolate chips and coconut oil in a double boiler, stirring frequently until melted. (If you don’t have a double boiler, place a stainless-steel bowl on top of a pot of boiling water so that the bowl rests in the water but doesn’t touch the bottom of the pot, and melt the ingredients in the bowl.) Add peppermint extract and stir.
3. Line another cookie sheet with wax paper. Using a fork, dip cookies into chocolate to coat thoroughly, allowing excess chocolate to drip off. Place cookies on the cookie sheet, sprinkle with crushed candy canes, and refrigerate for 2 hours or until chocolate is completely dry. Store in the refrigerator.
