{Vegan} Minty Choco Cookies

I’ll tell ya right now, I’m no vegan.  I would describe myself as an almost vegetarian and justify that by saying that my husband and I very rarely buy meat to prepare at home, when we do eat meat we make conscious choices about where it’s coming from and try to eat locally, making sure it is “clean” meat (no hormones, etc.), and I hardly ever crave it.  I have found that I feel good eating meat once in awhile and eating eggs, fish, and dairy on a semi-regular basis.  I’ve cut way down on my dairy intake recently and I also feel good (mentally and physically) about that.

That all said, I love vegan baking.  For a few reasons.

Less to worry about.  Sometimes I get crazy about touching and using raw eggs.  Plus I like to eat cookie batter and when it’s vegan it’s totally ok! … Right?

Usually, I have everything on hand.  I don’t always have eggs and milk and butter in the house.

It’s just yummy.

Especially this time.

I remembered that I had some mint extract on hand from the holidays when I just had to make chocolate-mint biscotti.  I haven’t used it since then and I really felt that that was an issue.

Also, I finally went and bought myself a portioning scoop for cookie dough.  I think it’s actually meant to be used for melon but we just won’t talk about that.

Obviously, I needed to use my new cookie dough scoop a.s.a.p.

Isn’t it cute?

Look how perfect those mounds of cookie dough are.

And they even crinkled!  As my Minnesot-an Aunts would say “Oh, for cute!”.

I also busted out my brown rice flour for the first time.  I loved the texture it gave to these cookies- a little gritty, super moist and a bit crumbly.  I might never go back to using wheat flour for cookies ever again.

I know it’s August and it’s flippin’ hot out there, but trust me on this one.  I mean, they’re minty cookies.  That means they’re refreshing.

Vegan Minty Choco Cookies

Makes 12 cookies

adapted from Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan

Prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup evaporated cane juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 heaping cup brown rice flour (or substitute flour of your choice)

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup agave nectar

3 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey)

1 teaspoon mint extract

Preheat oven to 350.

Line cookie sheet with parchment.  Or, grease it.  Or, if you’re fancy, use a certain silicone mat, one of which I am dying to acquire.

Combine dry ingredients in one bowl, and wet ingredients in another, slightly smaller bowl.

Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and combine.

Drop by tablespoon or scoop onto cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

Allow to cool or not.

Devour!

No joke, these are so simple and incredibly scrumptious cookies.  They’re like the inside of a thin mint but more of it and it’s softer and chewier.

Next time I’m doubling the recipe.

-Annie

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