I realize I’ve had a lot of chocolate desserts on this blog lately. This is slightly out of the ordinary, since I wouldn’t even really consider myself "a chocolate person," but I chalk (choc?) it up to the fact that I’m dating a chocolate-lover. Thankfully, said chocolate-lover is also open-minded when it comes to my nuttier (to others) forays into cooking and baking with natural ingredients, so he’s welcomed such sweets as these carob chip cookies from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar.
1/3 cup soymilk
2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/4 cups Sucanat (or other natural sugar)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup roasted carob powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup carob chips
3/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine soymilk, flaxseed, canola oil, Sucanat, and vanilla; whisk until smooth.
Sift in the flour, carob powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Stir to combine, but don't overmix. Fold in the carob chips and peanuts.
Drop dough in 2-Tbsp balls onto the parchment-lined baking sheets, about two inches apart. Bake 8-10 minutes, remove from the oven, let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, and then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
I’d never experimented with carob before, and I’m happy to report that I liked it! I found the carob flavor to be very pleasant, and I loved the crackled tops and crunchy nuts. You’re not going to fool anyone into believing these are chocolate, but if you think of them as a separate taste and enjoy them for what they are, I think they’re great. Even my chocolate-lover approved!
Yield: 24 cookies. Per cookie: 167 calories, 9.1g fat (2g sat), 20.3g carbs, 2g fiber, 2.8g protein.
If you like this, you might also like…
Chocolate peanut butter cookies
Choc-oat banana walnut cookies
Chocolate chip cookies
Posts
I really want to make these! I just tried a carob bar for my blog (though haven't blogged it yet) and thought the same as you - that it's good in its own right, but doesn't taste like chocolate.
ReplyDeleteI'm also amused because I did a candy swap with an American friend and asked for exactly those chips, but got the dairy and unsweetened kind instead. Took a while to use them up, I must admit...
These look great! I bought some carob powder and used it in some recipes and hot cocoa (or carob!) and it just isn't the same as my beloved chocolate!
ReplyDeleteI like your sifter too! Maybe I should get one...do you think they are a must have?
Hannah—A candy swap? This intrigues me :]
ReplyDeleteKati—It can't compare with chocolate, but I urge you to give carob another try! The flavor grows on you.
Actually I "made do" with that little sifter until just recently, when I finally got a REAL flour sifter! If you only bake occasionally, though, I'd get one like you see here. I'd say it's pretty close to a must-have, especially for making cakes and brownies.
These remind me of some "chocolate" cookies I've made many times through the years....but healthier, of course.
ReplyDeleteAmber: Intrigued enough to perhaps engage in one once I'm home..? :D
ReplyDeleteHannah—I would love to!
ReplyDeleteI could send you all chocolate if you wish, though in return I'd be interested a kind of variety pack of items...including chocolate, certainly, but I'm thinking also perhaps peanut butter, golden syrup, some soy products, jam/jelly/chutney, maybe some spices...or just any interesting vegan products you have in Oz that we don't! We will have to discuss this further once you're home :]
YES!!!! I don't think we have anything much in the way of interesting peanut butter, but there is a raw chocolate coconut butter that pretty much costs as much as a small car but is soooo good, and I can definitely send you interesting spices like Tasmanian pepper berry, and maybe wattleseed... when I'm home, we'll have serious email-planning to do!
ReplyDeleteOh.my.gawd, you are making my mouth water. Raw chocolate coconut butter?!?! I'd be willing to pay a premium to try such a thing. I wouldn't have the slightest idea what to do with Tasmanian pepper berry or wattleseed, but I'd take suggestions! And I know you've got some interesting fruit jams and hard-to-find-here soy products down there, among other things...email planning will be necessary indeed! Can't wait!
ReplyDelete