Decadent Vegan Chocolate & Cherry Cookies

These chocolate & cherry cookies are 100% vegan. The perfect Christmas Day vegan treats for any chocolate lover.

There is perhaps no better dessert pairing than chocolate’s sweetness and dried cherries’ tart sourness. Chocolate and cherry flavors create decadent and rich cakes, tortes, and cookies, but these are not typically vegan. The good news is that cherries are good for you and are high in Vitamin C.

You won’t believe these cookies are plant-based and vegan-friendly. The secret is the organic raw cocoa powder which gives the cookies a delicious chocolate flavor without the dairy products.

The choice of flour is organic sprouted spelt flour which is high in nutritional value and easier to digest than wholemeal or white flour. Spelt flour has a nutty flavor and is widely used in bread making and baking, but it is not a gluten-free grain.

Best served fresh out of the oven after Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner or any time of the day for true chocolate lovers.

Ingredients Needed

• Spelt flour
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Cinnamon
• Cocoa powder
• Salt
• Cornstarch
• Olive oil
• Brown sugar
• Maple syrup
• Cherries (dried)
• Chocolate chips

Recipe

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2.  Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Method

• Step 1: Whisk 1/2 cup of organic sprouted spelt flour and 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda,
• 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/3 cup of cocoa powder, 1/4  teaspoon of sea salt, and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch together and set aside.
• Step 2: Whisk together 1/2  cup of olive oil, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, and 1/3 cup of maple syrup in a separate bowl.
• Step 3: Add the olive oil mixture to the dry mixture and stir with a spatula.
• Step 4: Add 1/4 cup of dried cherries and 1/2 cup chocolate chips.
• Step 5: Leave the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Step 6: Scoop the dough with a spoon, place the cookies on the baking trays, and allow them to expand as they bake.
• Step 7: Bake the cookies until firm on top. (no longer than 12 minutes)

Allow the cookies to cool before serving (if you can wait that long).

Baking Tips

• This recipe should bake 24 cookies which is the perfect amount if you prepare to share them at a Christmas event.
• These cookies are naturally a little crumbly, so don’t be surprised if the texture is a little different with each bake.
• Add extra chocolate chips if you want to boost the chocolate hit.