Who of you doesn’t know this: in the pre-Christmas period, there are hardly any plates with delicious cookies around, and you’re already at it. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve just eaten, wanted to “hold back” a bit this year (forget it – life’s too short!), or don’t even fancy anything sweet at the moment. It seems to run like an automated mechanism – if there are cookies, they are also snacked on. First, of course, the favorite varieties, then the ‘are not my favorites, but somehow belong to’ cookies and finally, even those varieties that you do not like so much…an act of pure desperation, so to speak.
So because we collectively eat too much sugar in the cozy wintertime anyway and can thus – often unnoticed – quickly feel flabby and tired, and to prevent it from coming to the desperate act of stuffing the leftover varieties, we have three recipes for you today that are guaranteed to taste so good that in the end nothing at all will be leftover. Oh, by the way, you do not need to develop a guilty conscience, because the treats are made without conventional, refined sugar and consist of organic ingredients and spices. The cookies are also vegan and thus a great gift for those who unfortunately fall through the grate with grandma’s baking skills 😉
Raffaello
2 tablespoons coconut oil
8 tbsp. coconut puree
2 tbsp. almond paste
2 tbsp. maple syrup
4 tbsp. grated coconut
vanilla paste or pulp
whole almonds or cashews
coconut flakes for rolling
These melt-in-your-mouth Raffaello truffles are incredibly close in taste to the original and actually low carb at that. Plus, the recipe is so simple that it doesn’t require elaborate instructions. Simply mix the room-warm creamy ingredients, stir in the coconut flakes with the vanilla and maple syrup, and chill the mixture for 10 min. Then portion with a spoon, envelop a nut, and form into a ball. Roll in cocosette and store the finished balls in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
Chocolate oat cookies with sea salt
80g rolled oats
60g grated nuts of your choice
40g baking cocoa 80g cornflour
70g dark chocolate 120g pitted dates
100g coconut oil 4 tablespoons maple syrup
1 flaxseed egg (= soak 1 tbsp. flaxseed in 3 tbsp. warm water for 5min) 1 tsp. tartaric baking powder (‘normal’ is not vegan!) 1 pinch of salt
For decorating: 80g dark chocolate and salt flakes
This variety is also incredibly good and has a chocolaty brownie flavor. To make this, first, melt the coconut oil and chop the chocolate. Then grind the oatmeal and dates in a blender and add the rest of the ingredients. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips and let the mixture sit for 10min. Preheat the oven to 170°C top/bottom heat and place small balls of dough on a tray with baking paper. Flatten them and make sure to space them a bit. Bake for 12-15min, in the meantime, melt the decor chocolate. After baking, decorate and sprinkle with salt flakes.
Speculoos
250g flour (wheat and spelt or rye mixed)
1 tsp. baking soda or 2 tsp. baking powder
1 pinch of salt 2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground cloves
1 pinch nutmeg 45g vegan butter (room temp.)
100g coconut sugar or approx. 70g brown sugar
80g maple syrup 1 flax seed egg or 4 tablespoons applesauce
This speculoos recipe tastes deliciously like gingerbread and is as crunchy as speculoos are supposed to be – perfect for dipping in tea and coffee. To make it, first, mix all the dry ingredients together and then, in a second bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Stir maple syrup and the flaxseed egg into this mixture. Now slowly add the flour mixture and form the dough into a ball. Refrigerate for one hour. Then preheat the oven to 175°C, roll out the dough ball on a floured work surface and cut out any shapes. Carefully place on a tray with baking paper and bake at top/bottom heat for 8-10min.
