These cookies are deep, dark, fruity, and delicious. Not exactly a health food, I’ll grant you, but read the recipe before you judge too harshly. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.

And I figure, it’s April, there is a sniff of spring in the air, and before the rhubarb pokes its nose out of the warm earth and the new produce season begins, it’s time to squeeze in a cookie recipe or two.

Because, why not?

Life is short, chocolate makes me happy, and raspberries are delicious. Aren’t those reasons enough?

And as far as indulgences go, these are pretty rich and amazing, but they also score a few health points. They are made with coconut oil, chickpea and brown rice flour (so they’re gluten-free), and high quality dark chocolate (72%!). They also contain raspberries, which are amazing little tangy health explosions, and they’re made with coconut palm sugar and coconut milk.

And they take all of these healthy ingredients, spin them around, and then come out like brownies. I couldn’t decide originally about making chocolate raspberry brownies or chocolate raspberry cookies. In a moment of genius, it occurred to me that I didn’t really have to labour over the decision. I’d just make really fudgy, chewy, rich brownie cookies.

And as Col. John Hannibal Smith from the A Team says: “I love it when a plan comes together.”

Fudgy Dark Chocolate and Raspberry Brownie Cookies

• Author: Emily Joldersma, R.H.N. (original cookie recipe from Veganonicom)
• Recipe Notes: vegan, naturally-sweetened, gluten-free

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon himalayan pink salt (or other sea salt)
• 2/3 cup melted coconut oil
• 3/4 cup coconut palm sugar
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (or other non-dairy milk)
• 4 teaspoons ground chia seeds
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup frozen raspberries

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Whisk in salt.
3. Whisk together, vigorously, the melted coconut oil and the coconut palm sugar.
4. Add the vanilla.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together chia seeds and almond milk, then add to sugar/oil mix.
6. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until almost fully mixed. Add frozen raspberries and chocolate chips and stir just to incorporate.
7. Scoop 1-2 tablespoon size balls of dough onto a baking sheet and gently press flat.
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until slightly golden on the bottom (hard to tell, I know. But luckily these cookies are okay a little under baked – makes them more brownie-like).
9. When cool, pack in tupperware or glass containers. These also freeze beautifully.

© Eat Well, Live Vibrantly