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! If you have espresso powder on hand, that 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!

Some of the ingredients I like for this recipe:

Semi-sweet chocolate brings lots of chocolate flavor (duh) and fudgy texture to this cookies. I chose semi-sweet to help balance the richness of these cookies. I don’t recommend any chocolate higher than 54%.

Instant coffee granules add depth to the chocolate flavor. It’s totally optional, so don’t fret if don’t have any on hand.

Eggs are necessary for the brownie-like texture of these brownies. I do not recommend any egg replacements as I have tried them in regular brownies with no luck.

Coconut sugar is my favorite, low GI sugar! It’s a great 1:1 replacement for granulated white sugar, and it tastes nothing like coconut. Plus, it’s unrefined.

Dark rye flour is a 100% whole grain flour complete with all the nutritious brand and germ. It’s rich in dietary fiber and is a source of antioxidants and nutrients.

Yield: 11 Cookies

Salted Chocolate Rye Cookies

Name: Salted Chocolate Rye Cookies
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 2 h 10 min
Yield: 11
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/2 pound dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate, chopped; 2 Tbsp coconut oil; 1/2 tsp instant coffee granules (optional); 2 large eggs, room temp; 1/2 cup coconut sugar; 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; 1/8 tsp salt; 1/3 cup dark rye flour; 1/4 tsp baking powder; 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips, divided; Sea salt flakes to sprinkle

Rich and indulgent brownie-like cookies loaded with semi-sweet chocolate! A thick and fudgy cookie perfect for any chocolate lover!

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 pound dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp instant coffee granules (optional)
2 large eggs, room temp
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 cup dark rye flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips, divided
Sea salt flakes to sprinkle

Instructions

Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes. Using the double boiler method, melt your chocolate: add an inch of water to a saucepan on medium heat. Set a heatproof bowl on the pan, making sure it doesn’t touch the water. 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.
Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the eggs and coconut sugar. Whisk on medium speed until mixture becomes thick and light brown in color, about 5-10 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla and salt.
Gently fold the melted chocolate into the egg/sugar mixture until totally incorporated - this will take more than a few seconds. Fold in the flour and baking powder until nearly combined, leaving some flour streaks. Mix in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate the dough for an least an hour.
After chilling for an hour, check to see how firm your dough is. It should be sticky but firm enough to scoop and roll. If you've refrigerated your dough for longer than 1 hour, you may need to let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before scooping.
Preheat your oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll dough balls (six at a time) 3 Tbsp in size and place on your parchment-lined baking sheet. This will be messy - I've found it's easiest to scoop six dough balls then roll each one and place on the parchment paper.
Press extra chocolate chips into the tops of each dough ball (using the remaining 1/4 cup of chips). Bake at 325°F for 10-12 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 flaky sea salt. Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
Once cookies have cooled, you can store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

It's normal for the dough to be sticky, even after refrigerating for an hour. This is what you want for proper spreading!
Your eggs must be room temperature in order for them to whip up properly with the sugar.
I like to use the Pound Plus 54% "Dark Chocolate" bar from Trader Joe's in this recipe. For about $5 USD you get a whole pound of chocolate!
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