tropit

I Luuuuuv cookies, but I'm trying to cut back on things like butter and eggs and overall, eat a little more healthy. (I had to put the butter in the freezer to keep myself away from it.) These cookies are soooo yummy; no one will ever know what's missing. Just be sure not to over bake them, or they'll get hard...still good, but more crunchy, rather than soft and chewy. *

2 Cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups sugar (I use 1 cup regular sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar)
4 teaspoons ground flaxseeds (optional...I rarely put them in and the cookies turn out fine.)
1/2 soy or almond milk (I like regular, unsweetened almond milk by ALMOND BREEZE, Blue Diamond)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup chocolate chips (Vegan version, if you prefer)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (You can use cashews, almonds, etc. Whatever you prefer.)

Preheat over to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

In a separate large bowl, mix together the oil and sugar. Add the flaxseed, milk and extracts and mix well.

Fold in the dry ingredients in batches. When the batter starts to get too stiff to mix with a fork, use your hands until a nice stiff dough forms. Add the chocolate chips and walnuts and mix with your hands again. Your hands will get covered in chocolate, but worse things have happened.

Wash your hands and line two baking sheets with baking parchment, or silpats. Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and flatten into disks about 2 inches in diameter. Place about an inch apart on the cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

*Adapted from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's and Terry Hope Romero's cookbook, VEGANOMICON. Copyright 2007.