Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Makes 20 Cookies

“This is the dessert that I like to serve to plant-based-eating skeptics. They are super rich and buttery, just like the cookies most of us grew up with (you know the ones whose recipe came from the back of the chocolate chip bag). Before I take all the credit, I want to give major props to my friend Jamie Stelter (of NY1 fame) for inspiring this recipe. She created the base for these cookies and challenged me to make them 100 percent OPP.”

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon flax meal
3 tablespoons water
2 cups almond meal
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1 cup dairy-free chocolate chunks or dark chocolate

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Make a flax egg: mix the flax meal and water in a small bowl or glass and set it aside for at least 10 minutes.

3. Whisk together the flours, salt, and baking soda in a medium-sized bowl. Combine the maple syrup, vanilla, and flax egg in a large bowl.

4. Begin to pour the flour mix into the bowl of liquids a little at a time, stirring as you go. When it is all incorporated, pour in the coconut oil and chocolate chips and give it a few more stirs.

5. Use a tablespoon to drop the dough onto the prepared sheet. These cookies won’t spread much, so you can put them pretty close together. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, then check on them. They should be slightly brown on top and still feel a little bit doughy. If they’re not there yet, you can bake them for a minute or two longer, but you don’t want to overcook these. After they’ve cooled, they’ll harden a bit.

6. Store them refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week or in the freezer for even longer (I like cold cookies).

Photo: Courtesy of One Part Plant