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Orange Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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Does anyone remember (or still love) those orange flavored chocolate oranges? You know, the ones shaped like an actual orange that you get to “smash” to loosen all the chocolate orange slices. I usually spot them at the store around Christmas time, and I’ll be real, I miss those freaking chocolate oranges. Going dairy-free to keep my skin clear has made me miss foods I didn’t even know I really liked all that well.

Anyways, these cookies are not chocolate oranges, but they are my Dairy-Free Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies with fresh orange zest, dried cranberries, and lots of chopped semisweet chocolate, and they are good. The orange zest adds a ton of citrus flavor, while the dried cranberries bring a bit of chew and tartness to the sweet and chocolatey cookies. I opted for chopped semisweet chocolate for these, because I like the messy look that you get when chopped chocolate melts into a fresh baked cookie. Chocolate chips would work just fine, too, and dark chocolate would make for an excellent cookie.

The recipe for these cookies is short and sweet. Be sure to use solid coconut oil and a big wooden spoon or spatula to do all the mixing. You don’t want to over-mix your dough or cause the coconut oil to become too soft. It’s normal for this dough to be a bit crumbly and even seem somewhat dry. That’s okay. The dough will easily press together and bake up to make a perfect cookie (with no refrigeration required)! I recommend using a cookie scoop for these cookies, and feel free to play around with the size! Happy baking!

Orange Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Makes ~25 small cookies

1/2 cup coconut oil, solid
3/4 cup coconut sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chopped dairy-free chocolate (semisweet or dark)
3/4 cup dried cranberries
Zest of one medium orange

1.) Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.) Using a large spatula or wooden spoon, mix together the solid coconut oil and coconut sugar in a medium bowl until combined – I like to mash my coconut oil into the sugar to make sure all the lumps get incorporated. Mix in the egg and then the vanilla and orange zest until totally combined; set aside.

3.) In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet (do not beat) until a few flour streaks remain. Stir in the chocolate chips and dried cranberries. Your dough may look a bit crumbly, depending on how hot/cold the temperature is where you are (the coconut oil may be more or less oily).

4.) Scoop 1 Tbsp dough balls onto your parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 375°F for 6-7 minutes. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temp. Re-heat to enjoy.

Dairy-Free Salted Chocolate Rye Cookies

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Okay, friends, we’re a few days into my 12 Days of Dairy-Free Cookies, and I could not be more excited to share these cookies with you!! The whole reason I started posting food to Instagram is because I was in search of good dairy-free recipes that were lower in sugar or utilized a low GI sugar like coconut sugar. These cookies are delicious. I brought my leftovers (after testing and shooting) to Thanksgiving, and they flew off the counter! I’d wished I’d baked more!

These cookies are full of chocolate. No cocoa powder needed here, because you’re going to use a whole 1/2 pound of chocolate for these. These cookies are rich, fudgy, and so satisfying, especially when they’re warmed up or fresh from the oven. I added a little bit of instant coffee to amp up the chocolate flavor – you won’t taste coffee at all. Espresso powder will work, too.

I used three whole tablespoons of dough per cookie, because I really wanted a thick cookie. If you follow the chilling instructions below, I believe you’ll have no problem with too much spread. I like my cookies fudgy, so I only baked them until the outside was set. You want the middle to look under-baked when you pull them out of the oven. Your cookies should come out thick, ultra fudgy, and seriously irresistible. Happy baking!

 

Dairy-Free Salted Chocolate Rye Cookies
Makes ~11 cookies

1/2 pound semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 Tbsp coconut oil, solid
2 large eggs, room temp
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp fine sea salt
1/3 cup dark rye flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 + 1/4 cup chocolate chips (1/4 cup is for topping)
1/2 tsp instant coffee granules
Maldon Sea Salt Flakes to sprinkle

1.) Add an inch of water to a saucepan on medium heat. Set a heatproof bowl on the saucepan, making sure it doesn’t touch the water, and add the chopped chocolate, coconut oil, and instant coffee. Stir frequently until chocolate and oil are totally melted. Remove bowl from pan and set aside to cool down.

2.) Meanwhile, in a bowl attached to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, add the eggs and coconut sugar. Whisk on medium speed until mixture becomes thick and light brown in color, about 8 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla and salt.

3.) Gently fold the chocolate into the egg mixture. Add the flour and baking powder and fold until nearly combined, leaving some flour streaks. Mix in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least an hour, or overnight for best flavor.

4.) Allow dough to set at room temp for 30 minutes to 1 hour before you begin to roll your dough balls. The dough will be sticky, but for proper spreading, you don’t want it to be too cold. Once your dough is soft enough to roll, preheat your oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

5.) Roll dough balls 3 Tbsp in size and place on your parchment-lined baking sheet (6 at a time). Press extra chocolate chips into the tops of each dough ball. Bake at 325°F for 12-15 minutes or until cookies look nearly set in the middle – you want them to look a little under-baked when you take them out. Immediately sprinkle your cookies with salt, and allow them to rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Enjoy warm! Store leftovers in an airtight container*

*cookies can be refrigerated or frozen ahead of time. If frozen, allow them to thaw in their container. Then, before serving, pop them in the oven for a few minutes to warm them up again!

Recipe adapted from Food & Wine

Dairy-Free Peanut Butter Blossoms

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Traditional Peanut Butter Blossoms are those little peanut butter cookies topped with a milk chocolate Hershey’s Kiss that people seem to just love around the holiday season. They’re familiar, they’re topped with chocolate, and they’re a favorite at cookie exchange parties. I set out to create a dairy-free version, and after a bit of back and forth as to wether I should buy a kiss candy mold, temper chocolate, and make my own kisses, I decided to do what I felt my followers are more likely to realistically do: melt some simple dark chocolate and pipe it into little “thumbprints” in the cookies.

These cookies are a bit crispy on the outside with a chewy, peanut butter-y middle. You get to control how much chocolate you add, so go wild! Or not. It’s really up to you. You want to create little “thumbprints” for the melted chocolate by using something around your kitchen – small spoon, end of a marker, etc – to gently press into the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven. Once the cookies cool, you’ll have a nice little spot, as shallow or deep as you like, for your chocolate!

The dough may seem a bit dry or crumbly, but once you work it in your hands, you should be able to form nice, smooth dough balls. The granulate sugar on the outside is totally optional, but since it’s the holiday season, I like to amp up the sparkle a bit with my cookies. I used a 72% dark chocolate bar for my topping, and it actually set on its own at room temp. If your chocolate doesn’t set at all, that’s okay. Just store your cookies at room temp in a single layer. The chocolate should firm up enough to not spill out of the thumbprints. Happy baking!

Dairy-Free Peanut Butter Blossoms
Makes 18 small cookies

1/3 cup coconut oil, solid
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup natural peanut butter
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
3 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3oz dairy-free dark chocolate, chopped

1.) Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine the solid coconut oil and coconut sugar until there are no more oil lumps and the two ingredients are well incorporated (I like to mash mine with a wooden spoon). Add the peanut butter and mix to totally combine. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and mix; set aside.

2.) In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix with a large wooden spoon or spatula, adding the almond milk along the way, until everything is well mixed.

3.) Scoop dough balls 1 Tbsp in size. Roll the balls until smooth and then roll in granulated sugar. Place them on your prepared baking sheet (11 will fit on a standard home baking sheet) and gently flatten a bit with your fingers until the dough edges begins to crack. Re-shape if necessary.

4.) Bake at 375°F for 5 minutes. Immediately press small “thumbprints” into the center of each cookie, using a small kitchen utensil – I had a wine bottle stopper that was perfect. Allow to cool on baking sheet for a minute before transferring to a cooling rack.

5.) Once cookies have cooled, melt your chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals (or using the double boiler method*). Allow your melted chocolate to cool for a few minutes. Pour it into a ziploc baggie or pastry bag, snip a small piece of the corner, and pipe chocolate into the thumbprints you created. I like to pipe in a swirling motion, ending in the center. Enjoy your cookies right away or store at room temp in an airtight container.

*add an inch of water to a pot and place on medium heat. Set a heatproof bowl on top of the pot, making sure it doesn’t touch the water. Add your chopped chocolate to the bowl, stirring frequently until melted

 

 

Dairy-Free Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies

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Okay, you guys. These ultra soft molasses cookies are one of the best cookies I’ve ever had. Yes. They’re that good. They’re spicy and soft and make you feel all kinds of warm feels. I had to stick my baked cookies in the freezer before I ate them all!

These cookies are so quick and easy to get together. The dough doesn’t need refrigeration – you just mix and bake! I rolled the dough balls in granulated sugar, because I really wanted that classic molasses cookie look. And the slight crunch from the sugar is nice, too. This dough is very soft, so shaping the dough balls will be more challenging than with other doughs. I like to roll my dough balls in the sugar, place them on a baking sheet, and then carefully re-shape them using my fingers to poke and prod the dough until I get a nice round shape.

If you’re a big fan of ginger spice, then I recommend adding a 1/4 tsp of extra ginger. That’ll kick the ginger flavor up a notch, and you’ll definitely get lots of yummy spice! Happy baking!

Dairy-Free Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies
Makes 8 cookies

1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup coconut oil, solid
1 large egg yolk, room temp
2 Tbsp molasses
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2-1 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp granulated sugar for rolling

1.) Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bring your egg to room temperature by placing it in a glass of warm water for 10 minutes.

2.) In a medium bowl, use a spoon or spatula to mix together the coconut sugar and solid coconut oil. I like to mash the coconut oil into the sugar, making sure that all lumps of oil are well mashed in. Add the egg yolk and mix until combined. Then add the molasses and mix until combined. Set aside.

3.) In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Add dry mixture to the wet ingredients and stir, leaving some flour streaks. Add 1/2 Tbsp of water and stir until all ingredients are totally combined. If your dough is looking dry, add the extra 1/2 Tbsp of water.

4.) Roll your dough into 2 Tbsp balls – the dough will be very soft. Add the granulated sugar to a small bowl and roll the dough balls in the sugar. I like to do 6 at a time right before I bake them. Place your sugared dough balls on your parchment-lined baking sheet, re-shaping the dough as necessary.

5.) Bake at 350°F for 7 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for two minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Your cookies will be a little puffy until they’ve cooled. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

Dairy-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

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These cookies are everything you want in a pumpkin cookie! The dough is loaded with all of the familiar pumpkin pie spices and juuust the right amount of pumpkin puree. And then, of course, I couldn’t resist adding chocolate chips! This dough doesn’t need to be chilled, so the cookies are ready to bake as soon as you whip them up! I used a wooden spoon for the whole mixing process, and then I let the flavors really come to life by refrigerating my dough overnight. It’s important to allow your dough to come back to room temp if you decide to chill it, or else your cookies will not spread enough. Happy baking!

Dairy-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes ~14 cookies

1/2 cup coconut oil, solid
3/4 cup coconut sugar
1 large egg yolk, room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips + more for topping dough balls

1.) Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.) In a large bowl, cream together the solid coconut oil and coconut sugar. Beat or stir in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined. Next, add the pumpkin puree and stir until combined; set aside.

3.) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined. Add your chocolate chips and stir until the dough is well mixed.

4.) Roll dough into 2 Tbsp-size balls. Press chocolate chips into the tops of each dough ball and place 2″ apart on your parchment-lined baking sheet. Slightly press down each dough ball. Bake at 350°F for 8 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Live Well Bake Often