Ingredients:
¾ cup Vegan Butter
½ cup Raw Pecans
¾ cup + 2 TBSP Brown Sugar
2 TBSP White Sugar
1 Tbsp Milled Flax Seed + 3 Tbsp Water - combine and set aside to thicken. This is called a "Flax Egg"
1 Tbsp Applesauce
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 2/3 cups All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Espresso Powder (or replace the flax egg liquid with coffee. This is an optional addition)
¾ tsp Sea Salt
¾ tsp Baking Soda
⅛ tsp Baking Powder
¼ tsp Cinnamon, optional flavor booster (if you don't have any, don't fret. Just leave it out!)
3/4 cup Chocolate, coarsely chopped (can sub with chocolate chips)
STEP 1:
Melt vegan butter in a skillet on medium low heat. Once it has just melted, add in your nuts. Toast the nuts in the fat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 5 minutes, turn off the heat and transfer your nutty butter to a heat safe bowl. Chill it in the fridge for 1 hour to chill.
I know. I'm sorry, but this chill time is very important. That hour will fly and I promise your taste buds will appreciate your self-restraint!!
STEP 2:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, (or in a large bowl with a hand held mixture,) combine you chilled nut-butter mixture, brown sugar, white sugar, flax egg, and applesauce. Mix on medium low speed for 60 seconds. If you are using a handheld mixer, you may need to go for an additional 30 seconds.
STEP 3:
Add all of your dry ingredients and mix for 30-40 seconds, or until a cohesive dough forms and there are no wet or dry spots!
STEP 4:
Chop your chocolate.
I had a chocolate bar on hand, but if you don't, you can use chocolate chips. This is also prime time to be creative and embrace your inner chef. Toss in a handful of craisins or rolled oats. Even additional chopped nuts would elevate these to the next level! Toss your chocolate and other unique additions into your dough and mix for 15 seconds.
Make sure that you don't over mix your dough at this point.
****Once your flour is added, it is important not to agitate the gluten too much. That will result in very tough cookies, and while it's great to be one, you don't want to bake one. Trust me! *cringe....shiver*
STEP 5:
Preheat your oven to 350*F (175*C), and line a sheet pan with parchment paper or lightly greased foil. While your oven is heating, chill the dough for 10 minutes. During this time, the gluten in the flour will relax and the cinnamon and espresso will become acquainted with the rest of the ingredients-- forming a perfect union.
STEP 6:
Scoop rounded tablespoon-fulls of the lightly chilled dough onto your pan. They should be about the size of a ping pong ball. Leave about 3 inches of space between each dough ball.
Bake your cookies (for best results, bake on the middle rack) for 10 minutes. Make sure you rotate your pan after 5 minutes.
Allow your cookies to cool for 10 minutes -- I know! We are so close! Just 10 minutes! We don't need any unnecessary hospital visits for scorched tasted buds during this pandemic. Be honest, when your food is piping hot, can you really taste it?? We've come this far, don't give up now! Just wash your hands 5 times and come back!
STEP 7:
REJOICE! You did it! Your patience has paid off!
Pass the cookies around, give a few to the neighbors, or scoop and freeze your dough balls for up to 1 month! You can store fresh baked cookies in an airtight container for 2 days.
After 2 days, they become quite stale, so if you're not eating them all right away, storing balls of dough in your freezer for a quick snack later is your best bet! Simply let them thaw for 5 minutes and then bake as following the instructions above.
Thank you for baking with me! I hope you've found a new, calming self care ritual in baking! If not, that's okay too. At least you did a thing. I've found that it's so easy to do nothing all day, but you did it! And the reward-- cookies!