Vegan Double Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies, courtesy of Goop, are wheat free, gluten free and dairy free but they definitely aren't flavour free. They also aren't fat free or sugar free, so go easy, okay?

Don't be scared of the coconut oil either. While it's true ninety-two percent of the fatty acids in coconut oil are saturated, they are in a healthy class of fatty acids called MCT's. I'm no expert so, read all about the science and the health benefits of coconut oil here. Make sure you get virgin or extra virgin coconut oil NOT hydrogenated.

Double Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup coconut oil
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All-Purpose Baking Flour*
1/4 cup flax meal*
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum*
1 cup dark chocolate chips

*All of the Bob's Red Mill products are widely available at most larger grocery chains. I purchased all of mine at IGA, but they are also sold at Superstore and Planet Organic. Oddly enough, I didn't find any Bob's Red Mill Products at Safeway.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. (I used 2 small cookie sheets and ended up with square cookies all baked together!)

In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, applesauce, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla. In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, flax meal, baking soda and xanthan gum. Using a rubber spatula, carefully push the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and combine until dough is formed. With the same spatula, gently fold in the chocolate chips just until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Using a melon-baller, measure out the dough and place on the prepared baking sheets. Space the portions 1-inch apart. (There should be 18 on each cookie sheet.) Gently press each with the heel of your hand to help them spread. Bake the cookies on the center rack for 14 minutes, rotating the trays 180 degrees after 9 minutes. The cookies will be crispy on the edges and soft in the center. Remove from the oven.

Let cookies stand 10 minutes. They’re best served warm, but to save them use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool completely before covering. Place in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

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See this and a couple other gluten free and dairy free baking recipes in this weeks Goop's newsletter. It also has a good Q&A interview with the recipe creator and founder of Babycakes Bakery in NYC.

In case you didn't already know, Goop is a pretentious and often contrived e-newsletter written by Gwyneth Paltrow. Every Thursday Gwyneth's advice about dining, cooking, fashion, books, travel and parenting graces my inbox. It's quite something and there are loads of critics, but I enjoy her recipes so I keep my e-subscription going.

P.S. I'll admit that these cookies were not well received by my family. My sister said they were "okay" and my mom said they "weren't her favourite". It's to be expected. When you are used to the taste of refined white flour based cookies, it's tough to find a suitable alternative. As for me, I enjoyed the cookies. For being "free" from so many things, they still satisfied my sweet/chocolate craving. My one complaint is that they are a little greasy feeling. Next time I would cut back on the coconut oil or maybe sub in another oil.

Update: I took the cookies to work today and they were very well received. Even the guys who aren't into "granola stuff" ate them and enjoyed them. So there you go.