dairy-free

Name: Olive Oil Brownie Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 11 Cookies
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips; 1/3 cup olive oil; 1 tsp instant coffee granules (optional); 2 large eggs, room temp; 3/4 cup sugar (coconut or white cane); 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder; 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour; 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp salt

Olive Oil Brownie Cookies (DF)

March 17, 2020 by Rachael Ng 2 Comments

These cookies are literal brownies in cookie form. They taste like brownies, look kinda like brownies, and come together just like brownies! The batter is basically brownie batter but with a little more flour and a bit of baking powder.

For these cookies, you’ll whisk the eggs and sugar together until they’re nice and thick – this helps add lift to the cookies. You’ll want to make sure your eggs are room temperature for maximum thickness. Then you’ll add in the melted chocolate and oil and then the dry ingredients. Allowing the sticky batter to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes allows it to thicken just enough that you can scoop the cookie dough without trouble. If you prefer extra round cookies, like me, you can even roll and shape the scooped dough balls on the cookie sheet. The batter will be very soft, but it’s still roll-able. You’ll bake the cookies until they’re cracked and puffy and the centers no longer look wet.

Some of the ingredients I like for this recipe:

Chocolate chips bring tons of moisture and chocolate flavor to these cookies! I recommend using semi-sweet chips and steering clear of any chocolate bars – I’ve found the chips help with the crackly textured top.

Olive oil is a delicious, dairy-free alternative to butter. It’s better for you and, of course, lends a hand to the chewy texture of these cookies.

Instant coffee deepens the chocolate flavor of these cookies. Instant espresso powder works, too. If you don’t have any on hand, don’t fret, the cookies will still be delicious.

Eggs are necessary for traditional brownies, and I don’t recommend using any egg substitutes – the batter may spread in the oven and never set up into cookies.

Dutch process cocoa powder is a richer cocoa powder with more chocolate flavor. These cookies are best with Dutched cocoa! I’ve made them with regular, natural cocoa powder and though the cookies will turn out, they’re not as chocolate-y.

Yield: 11 Cookies

Olive Oil Brownie Cookies

Big, chewy chocolate cookies made from the most delicious homemade brownie batter!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp instant coffee granules (optional)
2 large eggs, room temp
3/4 cup sugar (coconut or white cane)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
In a small, microwavable bowl, melt the chocolate chips along with the olive oil and instant coffee. Heat in 30 second intervals, stirring each time, until chips are melted and smooth; set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the eggs and sugar. Whisk on medium-high until thick, fluffy, and light in color, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, sift the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until combined and uniform in color; set aside.
Once the egg/sugar mixture has fluffed up and thickened, whisk in the vanilla. Then add the melted chocolate mixture and gently fold it into the egg/sugar mixture until totally combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
The dough will be like a very sticky, thick brownie batter. Allow it to sit at room temperature, uncovered, for 30 minutes. This allows the batter to stiffen up a bit so you can roll the dough balls.
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop cookies, six at a time, 3 Tbsp in size onto one baking sheet. Gently roll and smooth each dough ball (optional). Flatten the tops of the dough balls so they look like thick discs or hockey pucks.
Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies look a crackly all over and the centers no longer look wet. Let cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, use the room temperature baking sheet to bake the rest of the cookies.
Enjoy these cookies warm - my favorite way! Then store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 213Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 143mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 1gSugar: 22gProtein: 2g

calculated nutrition information may not always be accurate

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More chocolate recipes:

Triple Chocolate Inside Out Cookies (dairy-free)

Salted Caramel Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies (vegan option)

Classic Weeknight Brownies (dairy-free)

Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Cookies (dairy-free)

Vegan Double Chocolate Muddy Buddies

January 9, 2020 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

Muddy Buddies (aka Puppy Chow) is another one of those super sweet desserts I remember eating as a kid. It’s so simple, easy to make, and combines three of my favorite things: chocolate, peanut butter, and sugar. Yes. the original recipe has loads of powdered sugar. I haven’t made original Muddy Buddies in ages as it’s tooth-achingly sweet and totally addictive!

I had a box of Chex cereal – a peanut butter flavored one that I bought on a whim during a major hunger strike at Target last week – that wasn’t going to get eaten (apparently I don’t like PB Chex), so I decided to whip up a quick batch of my own Muddy Buddies with ingredients that are a bit better for you. And, of course, I toned down on the powdered sugar coating by swapping some of the sugar with cocoa powder and arrowroot starch. The starch is flavorless while adding bulk to the necessary powder coating.

I’ve also used a smaller portion of fat – coconut oil – and opted for natural peanut butter instead of the oil and sugar-laden kind. If you prefer dark chocolate vs semi-sweet (which is what I used) you can make these with even less sugar! Choose whatever Chex cereal you’d like, and you’re on your way to an easy and delicious weeknight snack.

If you’ve never had Muddy Buddies before, then I promise you’re in for such an easy snack. You’ll basically coat the cereal with the melted chocolate, peanut butter, and oil and then toss it all in a mixture of powdered sugar, cocoa, and arrowroot. So. Simple. And you don’t even need to wait for it to set – you can dig in right away! Store the leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature, but I promise these won’t last long.

Some of the ingredients I like for this recipe:

Coconut oil replaces margarine or butter in this recipe and helps thin the chocolate peanut butter mixture. Feel free to use vegan butter instead!

Natural peanut butter adds that traditional peanut butter flavor without any of the added oils or sugar. For a nut free option, try using tahini or sunflower butter.

Arrowroot starch mixes with the powdered sugar to add volume to the powdered ingredients. It’s flavorless and makes for a great substitute in this recipe that traditionally calls for only powdered sugar.

Cocoa powder is another better-for-you alternative to the all-powdered sugar original recipe. It also adds a double chocolate element to this recipe, so feel free to use even more – replacing some/all of the starch – if you’d like!

Powdered sugar is necessary for that traditional, sweet Muddy Buddies flavor! If you opt for a powdered coconut sugar or sugar-free powdered “sugar” then the taste will be affected (and I cannot vouch for this).

Yield: 6 Cups

Vegan Double Chocolate Muddy Buddies

Classic chocolate peanut butter Muddy Buddy treats made better-for-you with coconut oil, natural peanut butter, and less powdered sugar! With a double does of chocolate, this indulgent treat is the perfect sweet snack!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

6 cups Chex cereal
2/3 cup dairy-free chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (semi-sweet or dark)
1/3 cup natural peanut butter
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup arrowroot starch
1/4 cup cocoa or cacao powder

Instructions

Line a baking sheet (or a portion of your counter) with parchment paper, wax paper, or foil. In a large bowl, measure out 6 cups of Chex cereal and set aside.
In a medium bowl, sift the powdered sugar, arrowroot starch, and cocoa powder. Whisk until totally combined and uniform in color; set aside.
In a small bowl, melt together the chocolate, peanut butter, and coconut oil. If microwaving, heat in 30 second intervals, stirring between each one. Stir in the vanilla extract. Pour the chocolate mixture over the cereal and gently mix with a large spoon or spatula.
In another large bowl, add the powdered sugar mixture and chocolate covered cereal. Cover the top with a lid or a flat object like a baking sheet or cutting board and shake the bowl until cereal is evenly coated with the powder.
Pour Muddy Buddies onto your prepared baking sheet to set or eat right away! Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

I recommend using a clean bowl to shake the powdered sugar mixture with the chocolate covered cereal so the powder doesn't stick to the sides of a chocolate-y bowl.
Recipe adapted from Chex

Oatmeal Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (DF)

December 16, 2019 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

These simple and sweet oatmeal cookie bars couldn’t get any easier! I took the oatmeal cookie dough that we always used when I was growing up (my mom says it came from a canister of Always Save oats), added chocolate chips and dried cherries, and threw it all into a baking dish. So. Easy. No fiddling around with a cookie scoop, or worrying that your cookies will spread. Just pop the dough into the oven and you’ll get a giant cookie bar that can be sliced into snack-able, individual bars! I drizzled mine with a bit of melted white chocolate for some holiday pizazz given that these are a part of my 12 Days of Dairy-Free Cookies countdown, but feel free to leave these babes as-is, or press extra chocolate chips into the batter pre-bake!

Some of the ingredients I like for this recipe:

Coconut sugar is my favorite, better-for-you replacement for white granulated sugar. It’s low GI, unrefined, and doesn’t taste like coconut!

Brown sugar adds moisture and sweetness to these bars. You can use coconut sugar instead, if you’d like, but I really like the flavor brown sugar lends to these.

Semi-sweet chocolate chips are a no-brainer when it comes to anything cherry. I love a good cherry + chocolate dessert, and I’ve found that dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips are easier, and more affordable, to come by than dark chocolate (which is surprising!).

White chocolate chips add a bit of sweet and some “color” to these bars. I love the contrast between the dark browns of the cookie bar, the red of the cherries, and the bright white of the white chips and drizzle.

Yield: 16 Cookie Bars

Oatmeal Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Chewy oatmeal cookie bars loaded with chocolate chips and dried cherries! An easy and quick spin on a traditional oatmeal cookie.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup vegan butter stick, softened
1 large egg, room temp
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
2/3 cup dried cherries
1/3 cup dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup dairy-free white chocolate chips + ~3 Tbsp more for drizzling

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare an 8x8" baking dish with non-stick spray (I used olive oil) and parchment paper. I like to cut one, long-ish strip of parchment paper to cover the bottom and 2 of the 4 sides, creasing it over the sides and trimming with scissors. Bring your egg to room temperature by placing it in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the vegan butter, coconut sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in the egg. And then the vanilla.
Use a large wooden spoon or spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Gently stir in oats. Finally, stir in the dried cherries and chocolate chips.
Press cookie dough into your prepared baking dish and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. Since we used both coconut sugar and brown sugar, the cookie bars will naturally be dark in color.
Allow cookie bars to cool in the dish on top of a cooling rack until firm enough to lift out (around 30-40 minutes). Lift the cookie bars out of the dish and allow to cool completely. Slice into 16 bars.
If desired, melt ~3 Tbsp of white chocolate chips in 15 second intervals in the microwave. Add melted chocolate to a small ziploc bag, snip the corner, and drizzle over each individual cookie bar.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

Recipe slightly adapted from Always Save

Cranberry Pecan Olive Oil Chocolate Truffles (Vegan)

November 25, 2019 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

Chocolate truffles are one of those simple desserts that always remind me of the holiday season. The combinations are endless, and who doesn’t want to bite into a big ball of chocolate on Thanksgiving or Christmas? They’re simple to put together (though the chocolate does take some time to firm up), and they’re also a fun treat to make with kids. My toddler loved helping me roll the truffles and dip them in chocolate sprinkles! But I did have to keep her from licking a couple of the truffles – ha!

For these truffles, you’ll make a simple chocolate ganache with your favorite chopped chocolate, coconut cream, and olive oil. The coconut cream helps give the ganache that thick and creamy texture – perfect for making truffles (and you can’t taste it in the final product). Then you’ll stir in some dried cranberries and chopped pecans, refrigerate the chocolate until firm, and then roll the truffles! This recipe is super customizable so you can leave out what you don’t like and add what you do. And you can roll your truffles in any topping you’d like or dip them in tempered chocolate for even more decadence!

Yield: 16 Truffles

Cranberry Pecan Olive Oil Chocolate Truffles

Simple and decadent olive oil chocolate truffles filled with dried cranberries and chopped pecans! These vegan-friendly truffles are ultra-creamy and so delicious!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Additional Time 5 hours

Total Time 5 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

8oz chopped semi-sweet or dark chocolate
1/2 cup canned coconut cream
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
6 Tbsp chopped pecan pieces
Cocoa powder, sprinkles, or extra chopped pecans to roll truffles

Instructions

Add the chopped chocolate to a heat proof bowl. Place the bowl over a pot of about 1" of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Stir the chocolate until totally melted; remove from heat.
Whisk in the coconut cream and olive oil until totally combined - mixture will thicken up. Stir in the dried cranberries and chopped pecans. Allow mixture to cool at room temperature for 10 minutes.
Cover and refrigerate chocolate mixture for 3-4 hours or until firm enough to scoop.
Line a plate or baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop truffles 1.5 Tbsp in size. Freeze for 5 minutes before rolling the truffles into smooth balls.
If the truffles are sticky, put them in the refrigerator for a few minutes before rolling them in the topping(s) of your choice (sprinkles, chopped pecans, cocoa powder, etc). If your truffles needed to be chilled again, gently roll them in your hands to heat up the surface before rolling them in the topping - this helps the topping stick.
Store truffles in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers in an airtight container.

Notes

Shake your can of coconut cream prior to opening. If the cream has hardened, scoop out all of the contents and heat them up until melted and combined. Then measure out 1/2 cup.

Mini Chocolate Bundt Cakes with Brown Sugar Icing (DF)

November 19, 2019 by Rachael Ng Leave a Comment

These Mini Chocolate Bundt Cakes have to be one of my favorite recipes. The cake batter is so easy to get together, and it comes out perfectly moist and tender every time! And the Brown Sugar Icing on these cakes is the perfect compliment to the chocolate flavor! I don’t eat all of most of the sweets that I bake, but I’ve been snacking on these the past couple of days, keeping them all to myself. They’re good. And I just can’t resist the convenient, “grab-and-go” size of the mini bundts!

For this recipe, getting the icing drizzle/drip just right can be a bit tricky. The Brown Sugar Icing will begin to set pretty quickly, so you’ll have to move fast and spoon a liberal amount of the icing around the tops and sides of each cake. If you try to go back over a spot, it won’t blend in with any previous drizzle, so I recommend spooning too much than too little. For the chocolate curls on top of my cakes, I tempered some dark chocolate and followed this video tutorial. If you’ve never tempered chocolate before, feel free to check out the post I made recently: Tempered Chocolate Bark.

Some of the ingredients I like for this recipe:

Olive oil makes for a delicious and moist cake! Feel free to use your favorite vegetable oil. If you choose to use melted coconut oil, you’ll need to make sure your other ingredients are room temperature (including your eggs).

Eggs add fluffiness to these mini cakes. I haven’t tried any vegan egg replacements for this specific recipe, so I can’t vouch for how the texture would turn out.

Instant coffee granules help deepen the chocolate flavor in these cakes. You don’t taste the coffee at all, and if you keep a jar of the granules on hand, you can use them in future chocolate recipes (muffins, brownies, etc)!

Brown sugar makes the brown sugar icing! I don’t recommend any substitutes.

Powdered sugar thickens up the icing and gives it that classic icing texture.

Yield: 6 Mini Bundt Cakes

Mini Chocolate Bundt Cakes with Brown Sugar Icing

Perfectly moist and tender mini Chocolate Bundt Cakes topped with a simple Brown Sugar Icing! Totally dairy-free and delicious! The perfect mini dessert!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

1/2 cup coconut sugar (or cane sugar)
2 large eggs (or 2 flax eggs if vegan)
1/4 cup plant-based milk
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp instant coffee granules (optional)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup regular cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Brown Sugar Icing

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup plant-based milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and generously spray six mini bundt pans with non-stick spray (I used olive oil spray).
In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut sugar, eggs, milk, oil, vanilla, and instant coffee granules. Whisk in the applesauce and set aside.
In a large bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder. Whisk in the baking soda, baking powder, and salt until mixture is well combined. Add in the wet ingredients and use a large utensil to mix until batter is totally combined and lump-free.
Divide cake batter evenly amongst the prepared bundt pans. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into a cake comes out clean or with a few crumbs. Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Turn each cake over onto a cooling rack, banging the pan once it's flipped - your cakes should pop right out. Allow cakes to totally cool.
Once your cakes are cool, you can make the icing. In a medium saucepan, add the brown sugar and milk. Whisk together and bring just to a boil. Immediately remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla. Allow mixture to cool for 5 minutes. Sift in the powdered sugar and whisk until icing is smooth and no sugar lumps remain.
Your icing should be thin enough to drizzle, but it will set quickly. Use a spoon to generously drip icing over the tops and down the sides of each bundt. The icing will begin to harden right away, so you only have once chance to get the perfect drip! If your icing starts to set before you get all of your cakes iced, hold the pan over a hot burner and whisk until the mixture is thin/warm again.
Allow your cakes to totally set before enjoying!
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Notes

If vegan, 2 flax eggs = 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 6 Tbsp warm water, allowed to thicken for five minutes
The bake time of 15-20 minutes is based on mini bundt pans 4" in diameter. You may need to adjust the bake time depending on the size of your mini pans.
For homemade chocolate curls, check out this video tutorial that I followed. To temper your dark chocolate, follow the steps in my post about tempering.
You may or may not use all the icing, which is why I don't provide generated nutrition information for this recipe.

dairy-free

Some of the ingredients I like for this recipe:

Ingredients