Sugared & Stirred

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Soft & Chewy Confetti Cookies (dairy-free!)

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So about a week ago I decided I wasn’t going to worry about coming up with Valentine’s Day-specific recipes. I thought, Eh, there’s already enough pink and red and heart shaped treats to go around. But then I got on Instagram, like I do everyday, and my feed was bursting with the cutest Valentine’s themed desserts. And it just so happens that I’ve had these pink, red, and white sprinkles in my baking drawer for so long it’s embarrassing. I decided to take my Soft & Chewy Coconut Sugar Cookies, swap the coconut sugar for cane sugar, and add sprinkles! What I got is a super festive, ultra chewy cookie that honestly tastes like I’m eating raw sugar cookie dough. Yep. You’ve been warned.

This recipe is honestly so easy. The hardest part is waiting for the dough to chill for that two hours. But once the dough is ready, you’ll shape your dough balls, dip the top and sides of each dough ball in sprinkles, and bake! And if eating a cookie covered in sprinkles is too much for you, you can skip that step. You’ll still have a delicious, chewy cookie with bits of festive colors inside! Happy baking, friends!

Soft & Chewy Confetti Cookies (dairy-free)
Makes 16 cookies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
3/4 cup cane sugar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (or a neutral tasting vegetable oil*)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, room temp
1/4 cup + 1/2 cup sprinkles

1.) Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2.) In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar, oil, and vanilla. Whisk in the egg + egg yolk until mixture is completely combined and smooth. Add liquid ingredients to dry and use a large spatula or wooden spoon to gently mix until a few flour streaks remain. Gently stir in 1/4 cup of sprinkles. Cover and chill the dough for at least two hours.

3.) Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add 1/2 cup of sprinkles to a small bowl. Scoop cookies 1.5 Tbsp in size, rolling the dough into smooth balls – the cookies spread more evenly when rolled. Roll each dough ball in sprinkles (optional). I only rolled the top and sides of my dough balls! Place six cookies on your prepared baking sheet and slightly press down on each dough ball, reshaping as necessary into a neat circular shape.

4.) Bake cookies at 350°F for 5-7 minutes or until cookies have spread and puffed. Be careful not to overbake them. Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 1-2 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Cookies will deflate and soften as they sit. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

*I like adding olive oil to these cookies, but if you’re looking for something more neutral in taste, you can try grapeseed, avocado, canola, or safflower oil.

Soft & Chewy Coconut Sugar Cookies (dairy-free!)

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If you’ve been following me and my recipes for any length of time, then you know I’m a huge fan of coconut sugar. I actually prefer it over white or brown sugar, honey, and maple syrup. It’s tasty, has a low glycemic index (unlike honey and maple syrup), and it’s an easy 1:1 replacement for white, refined sugar.

Now, when I think of a sugar cookie, I have something very light in color, sweet, and simple in mind. But since coconut sugar is brown in color, it produces darker colored baked goods. These Coconut Sugar Cookies may be slightly different than you’re used to, but the flavor and texture will not disappoint. They’re seriously soft and chewy, and they’re the kind of cookie that will be even softer the day after they’re baked!

The recipe for these cookies is super simple. Aside from the coconut sugar (which you can now find at most stores that carry groceries) all of the items are easily already in your cabinet. The mixing process is quick and easy, but refrigerating the dough is super important since you’ll use olive oil instead of a solid fat for these cookies. Keep in mind that the dough will be very soft and, once rolled, will spread a bit before baking. Your cookies will take less time to bake than you think, so keep an eye on them, and remember that they should look puffy when you take them out of the oven. As they cool, the cookies will settle and look more like what I have pictured. As always, happy baking!

Soft & Chewy Coconut Sugar Cookies (dairy-free!)
Makes 12 cookies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
3/4 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (or other vegetable oil)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, room temp

1.) Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2.) In a medium bowl, mix together the coconut sugar, olive oil, and vanilla. Whisk in the egg + egg yolk until mixture is completely combined and smooth. Add liquid ingredients to dry and use a large spatula or wooden spoon to gently mix until no flour streaks remain. Cover and chill for at least two hours.

3.) Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop cookies 1.5 Tbsp in size, rolling the dough into smooth balls (the cookies spread more evenly when rolled). Place six dough balls on your baking sheet. Your dough will be quite soft, so It’s normal for the dough balls to spread before you bake them. Top with sugar if desired.

4.) Bake cookies, six at a time, at 350°F for 5-7 minutes or until cookies have spread and puffed. Be careful not to overbake them. Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 1-2 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Cookies will deflate and soften as they sit. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

Chewy Black Sesame Olive Oil Cookies (dairy-free!)

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Okay, so I’ve been meaning to create some kind of sesame cookie for the longest time. I mean, who can resist all the cute, sesame-covered cookies on Instagram? I can’t. They’re beautiful, I love sesame, and I love cookies. When I set out to create my own black sesame cookie, I quickly ditched the idea of rolling my dough balls in sesame seeds. It was just too much for me. Instead, I whipped up a quick black sesame powder by toasting and then blending my black sesame seeds. And OMG. The powder is amazing. I added it to the dough and then sprinkled the dough balls with sesame seeds, and these cookies are the perfect, chewy black sesame cookie. Like, three days later these cookies are still chewy and delicious.

I added olive oil to this dough, because I really wanted these cookies to be chewy. And I love olive oil. I like the taste, and we use it for everything at our house. But if you’re only here for the black sesame, that’s cool, too. You can use any kind of neutral, vegetable in these cookies. I don’t recommend any other replacements as I haven’t tried them, and cookies in general are usually pretty finicky. You’ll definitely need to chill your dough, and even then, the dough will be quite sticky and wet when you go to make your dough balls. With this recipe, the final, cooled cookie will look totally different than what you pull out of the oven, so keep that in mind (and don’t worry when you pull puffy cookies out of the oven) and happy baking!

Chewy Black Sesame Olive Oil Cookies (dairy-free!)
Makes 12 cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup black sesame seed powder*
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup coconut sugar
1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 Tbsp black sesame seeds to sprinkle (optional)

1.) Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for 10 minutes.

2.) Meanwhile, make your black sesame seed powder by toasting at least 1/2 cup of black sesame seeds in a dry pan set on medium heat. Stir sesame seeds frequently until the nutty aroma fills the air and the pan begins to smoke a bit. This step took me between 5 and 8 minutes, and it was very obvious when the seeds began to release their aroma. Next, you’ll blend the toasted seeds in a blender or food processor until you have fine crumbs.

3.) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, black sesame powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

4.) In a large bowl, mix together the coconut sugar and olive oil. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until totally combined. Add liquid ingredients to dry and use a large spatula or spoon to gently mix the ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

5.) Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop 1.5 Tbsp balls of dough, 6 at a time, onto a small plate or cutting board. Your dough will be very soft, so you’ll want to put the rest back in the refrigerator. Roll each dough ball smooth and place on your baking sheet, using your fingers to gently shape the dough into a neat ball. The dough balls will begin to spread and flatten a bit while you’re working – this is normal. Sprinkle the tops with whole black sesame seeds (toasted or untoasted).

6.) Bake the cookies at 350°F for 5-7 minutes or until cookies are puffy and the centers no longer look wet. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. After the first minute, you can use your fingers to gently push the edges of each cookie into a neater circle, if desired (I did this). Transfer to a cooling rack. Your cookies will deflate and soften up the longer they sit. I actually found them to be softer the next day! Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Enjoy!

*I highly recommend making your own – it’s super easy! Plus, there may be a difference in moisture content in homemade vs store bought black sesame powder.

Zucchini Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Have you ever had zucchini in a cookie? I seriously considered eating these for breakfast, because, ya now, oatmeal + zucchini = breakfast, right? Consider these the better-for-you, not-so-traditional version of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! I wanted to use tahini in these because I love the nutty taste, and I really liked the idea of creating a cookie that’s free of both dairy and oil.

These cookies are so easy (and quick!) to get together – shredding your zucchini will be the “hardest” part! I like to use coconut sugar when I can since it’s a low GI sweetener (maple syrup and honey are not). You can really play with this recipe, adding and subtracting whatever add-ins you like: add nuts or seeds, leave out some of the chocolate chips, add dried fruit, etc. Happy baking!

Zucchini Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with Tahini (dairy-free + oil-free!)
Makes 19 cookies

1/2 cup tahini
3/4 cup coconut sugar
1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup oat flour
1 1/2 cup oats
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
3/4 cup finely grated zucchini
1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips

1.) Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix together the tahini, coconut sugar, egg + egg yolk, and vanilla extract until totally combined; set aside.

2.) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet and fold until combined. 

3.) Squeeze the excess juice from your zucchini shreds – I like to place mine on a paper towel and squeeze over the sink – before folding them into your dough. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips.

4.) Scoop 2 Tbsp dough balls onto your prepared baking sheet. Bake 6 at a time at 350°F for 9 minutes. Let cool for 2 minutes on your baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Cookies (dairy-free!)

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Marshmallow. Stuffed. Cookies. Does it get any better?! If you like chocolate, and you like marshmallows, then you have to make these cookies. They’re crispy on the outside, fudgy on the inside, and filled with a delicious, melty mallow. I can only recommend eating them warm since I popped mine in the microwave each time I wanted a cookie! That way, you’ll experience the hot cocoa cookie goodness in all its glory. I mean, marshmallows are just better when they’re melted!

These cookies are a pretty standard chocolate cookie – one you can customize by adding peppermint extract or a little cayenne pepper! – stuffed with a marshmallow pre-bake. I took large marshmallows and sliced them into thirds. You can get away with doing halves, too, if you want more marshmallow in your cookies. You’ll flatten your dough balls, place the marshmallow in the center, and then wrap the dough up and over the mallow. Them you’ll shape and smooth each cookie and bake! If your cookies come out a little puffy, you can gently tap the tops until they flatten a bit. Happy baking!

Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Cookies
Makes 15 cookies

6oz semisweet dairy-free chocolate, chopped*
1/3 cup coconut oil, solid
3/4 cup coconut sugar (or granulated sugar)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup natural cocoa powder (regular, non-dutched)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
5-8 big marshmallows

1.) Place a medium pot with about an inch of water over medium heat. In a heatproof bowl (big enough to sit on top of your pot) add the chopped chocolate and coconut oil. Place your bowl on the pan, making sure it doesn’t touch the water, and stir frequently until chocolate and coconut oil have totally melted; set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

2.) Whisk in the sugar, two eggs, and vanilla extract until totally combined. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet. Cover and refrigerate dough for 1 hour.

3.) Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Prepare your marshmallows by cutting them into halves or thirds (I cut mine into thirds).

4.) Begin making your dough balls by scooping 2 Tbsp of dough. Flatten dough to a circle, placing the marshmallow in the middle. Wrap the dough up and over the marshmallow and shape the dough into a smooth, neat disc shape – think hockey puck. Alternatively, you can roll the dough into a ball, place on you baking sheet, and flatten with your fingers. 

5.) Place cookies 6 at a time on your baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 7-9 minutes, or until cookies have spread. Let cookies rest for 1 minute on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack. Use your fingers to gently press the tops of the cookies down if they look too puffy – I think this will depend on what kind of marshmallows you use; I’ve found that the “all-natural” variety doesn’t melt/spread as much as the regular ones (with corn syrup). Enjoy your cookies hot and fresh or warmed up! Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temp.

*I love the Pound Plus bars from Trader Joe’s. They have 54% and 72% cacao bars that are vegan-friendly. They’re super affordable, and they’re basically the only bar I use unless I splurge on something special