These chocolate hazelnut Christmas cookies are gluten-free, sugar-free, and 100% vegan. So decadent they could be a vegan dessert cuisine!
Everything tastes better with chocolate, especially at Christmas time, so these decadent vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies are sure winners. Imagine blending Medjool dates, cacao powder, and ground hazelnuts to create a flavor profile that resembles Nutella; yum!
Dairy-free cookies can still bring that much-loved chocolate flavor without cow’s milk. You won’t be able to tell the difference! If you are lactose intolerant or have a milk allergy, these cookies will be safe to eat because they are made with plant-based ingredients.
This recipe uses almond flour to create a vegan and gluten-free cookie that looks indulgent but is good for you. Almond flour is lower in carbohydrates and has a slightly sweeter taste than regular flour. The earthy flavor also makes almond flour perfect for baking.
The cookies take only 10 minutes to bake in the oven, and you can prepare the mixture in advance. These cookies tick all the boxes – vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and delicious.
This recipe only calls for a few simple ingredients, including a quick and easy vegan egg replacement with only two ingredients. This egg replacement is also known as a Flax Egg because it mixes ground flax seeds with water to form a jelly-like paste that replicates the consistency of an egg. A flax egg is a fantastic way to ‘veganise’ many traditional recipes, including these cookies.
Ingredients Needed
- Flax seeds
- Hazelnuts
- Medjool dates
- Cocoa powder
- Sea Salt
Recipe
Flax Egg
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
- 3 tablespoons water
To make the Flax Egg, add the ground flax seeds and water to a small bowl or cup and stir. Let it rest for 5 minutes or until it thickens. It will look like a paste and stick together this is how you know it is set, and you can add it to your cookie dough.
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup ground hazelnuts
- 1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts
- 1/2 cup pitted Medjool dates
- 2 tablespoons organic cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon water
- A pinch of sea salt
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 320F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- If you are not using a store-bought hazelnut meal, place one cup of whole hazelnuts in the bowl of a food processor to make a powder.
Method
- In a food processor bowl, add the Medjool dates and make a paste by adding one tablespoon of water and the flax egg.
- Add 1/3 cup of chopped hazelnuts (not ground) and spread them onto a tray.
- Combine the ground hazelnuts, date paste, salt, and cacao powder in a large mixing bowl and mix well.
- Divide the dough into ten equally sized pieces.
- Roll a small amount of the dough in your hands to form a ball. Flatten gently and press each portion into the hazelnuts.
- Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking tray. Bake for approximately 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool down. Enjoy!
Baking Tips
- The cookies will appear soft when you remove them from the oven but don’t worry; they will go crunchy once they are on the cooling rack.
- Add some extra dark chocolate chips into the dough if you want to play with the recipe and go for a more intense chocolate flavor.
- Make the dough in advance and store it in the refrigerator to bake the cookies when you are ready – saving time and stress.
- Don’t skip the sea salt. It is only a pinch, but it makes a massive difference to the balance of the flavors and ensures the cookies don’t taste too sickly sweet.
Serving Suggestions
Cookies and Christmas go hand-in-hand, so no matter how you present these beautiful vegan cookies, they are sure to look decadent. In addition, these cookies make a great gift idea.
Bake them the day before and allow them to cool before placing them in an air-tight container decorated with Christmas wrapping. Another suggestion is to place all the ingredients in a jar with a recipe card so your friends and family can bake the cookies at home!
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