chocolate

December 10, 2020 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

no doubt this holiday season will look and feel quite different. we’re all making sacrifices in order to keep our loved ones and even complete strangers healthy. but that doesn’t mean we are forgoing cookie season. as strange as this season will likely feel, i’m determined to make the most of it with my kids. the other week we made sufganiyot for this upcoming weekend’s hanukkah celebration. but i’m already thinking ahead to christmas cookies, because even as much as ames loves a doughnut, he loves a cookie even more.

last year he was still a bit too young to really bake with. but this year i’m putting him to work, starting with these chocolate sesame thumbprints with maple-tahini caramel 😊. they’re quite an easy cookie to make, and only call for a handful of ingredients. they also happen to be gluten-free, grain-free, vegan, and refined sugar free. basically a cookie free of lots of things - but one that doesn’t lack one bit in over-the-top, christmas cookie decadence!

we start by making the maple-tahini caramel, our 4-ingredient (and oh so easy) star of the show. we cook the maple syrup down slightly, remove it from the heat; whisk in the tahini, vanilla, and salt. we let it cool, and then move on to the cookies!

we sift together our dry ingredients, and then separately our wet ones. everything gets folded together to make our dough. like with any thumbprint cookie, we pinch off small pieces of dough, roll them between our palms, and roll them in our toasted sesame seeds (we toast them ahead of time for optimal flavor). we flatten them slightly, make indentations with our thumb, and then bake them off for roughly 12 minutes. they cool, get filled with our maple-tahini caramel, and then topped with a healthy pinch of flaky salt.

while they may not be the typical jammy thumbprint, you will be quite the happy camper with these. they’re full of chocolatey, toasted sesame flavor, with even more sweet, toasty notes from our caramel. truly delicious, i can’t wait for you to make them!

chocolate sesame thumbprint cookies w/ maple-tahini caramel | gf & v

PRINT THE RECIPE!

| makes 18 cookies |

cookie ingredients

2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
maple-tahini caramel sauce
flaky salt, for topping

maple-tahini caramel (makes extra)

1/2 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

method

preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
in a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cacao, and salt - break up any bit of almond flour with your fingers.
in another large bowl whisk together the maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla. add the wet ingredients to the dry until combined.
place your toasted sesame seeds in a large shallow bowl. pinch off a tablespoon amount of dough and roll between your palms to form a smooth ball. roll the cookie in the sesame seeds until its covered in seeds. place on your cookie sheet, and repeat with remaining dough, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
use the bottom of a jar or glass, and gently press the cookies down to form little disks (don’t press down too much, you’re looking to have roughly 1/2-inch thickness). gently make an indentation in the center of each cookie.
bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until fragrant, and edges are toasted. remove and let cool completely.
once cookies are cool, plop roughly 1/4 teaspoon of the tahini caramel into your indentations. top with flaky salt, and eat!
cookies can be stored in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

tahini caramel:

in a small heavy bottomed pot, heat the maple syrup over medium heat until it starts boiling. adjust the heat to maintain a steady boil, but not so much that the maple syrup boils over, medium-low should be sufficient. continue to cook the maple syrup until it’s reduced by about half, roughly 4-5 minutes.
remove from heat and whisk in the tahini, vanilla, and salt. pour the caramel into a jar and let cool. once cool, fasten the lid on and store at room temp for up to 3 days.

more festive cookie recipes:

(inside out) chocolate chunk cookie bars

NUTTY CARDAMOM COCOA GRANOLA / October 8, 2020 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

NUTTY CARDAMOM COCOA GRANOLA | dolly and oatmeal

cozy granola season has arrived! as soon as september/october roll around i’m usually making a few batches, while also making some equally cozy nut milks. it always feels like the right move to gently ease into fall.

today we’re making this cardamom-spiced cocoa granola. it’s crunchy and nutty, and chocolate-y, with a subtle spice that makes your kitchen smell like autumn. we start by making the chocolate mixture - combining coconut oil, maple syrup, and cacao powder over a low heat to get everything nice and smooth. then we toss a variety of nuts and seeds (please feel free to sub in what you have/like), and cacao nibs together. everything gets mixed together and covered in the chocolate sauce. from there it gets a little bake time in the oven. when it’s done cooking, we pan-toast the coconut, and combine everything. (coconut side note - i don’t know about you, but i love coconut flakes/shreds in granola. but when i combine it with the granola, it usually gets too burnt in the oven for my liking. this is why i’m adding the extra step to toast it in a pan.)

it’s a perfect breakfast, smoothie topper, yogurt garnish, or snack eaten right out of the jar. i hope you love this little recipe :)

nutty cardamom cocoa granola | gf & v

print the recipe!

| makes about 3 cups |

notes: you could of course use whatever nuts and seeds you have on-hand. if you don’t have cacao nibs, replace then 1:1 with something else - more nuts or seeds, or even chocolate chips if you wanna get crazy ;)

ingredients

1/4 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
2 cups mixed raw chopped nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, etc.)
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup cacao nibs
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup coconut flakes

method

preheat oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
in a small saucepan over low heat, melt the coconut oil. remove from heat, and whisk in the maple syrup and cacao powder until smooth. then whisk in the vanilla and salt.
in a large bowl, mix together the chopped nuts, seeds, cacao nibs, and spices. pour in the chocolate mixture, and use a rubber spatula to combine until everything is evenly coated.
spread the granola evenly into your prepared baking sheet. bake in the center of your oven for 30-35 minutes, stirring halfway through for even baking, until fragrant and nuts are toasted. remove from oven and let cool.
while the granola is cooling, heat a pan over medium-low heat. once hot, add the coconut and toast, shaking the pan every now and then for even toasting. add the toasted coconut to the granola, and toss together.
once cool, store in a lidded jar for up to 7-9 days at room temperature.

similar recipes:

CRISP & CHEWY FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES (GLUTEN-FREE, DAIRY-FREE W/ A VEGAN OPTION)) / July 2, 2020 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

CRISP & CHEWY FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES (GLUTEN-FREE, DAIRY-FREE W/ VEGAN OPTION) | dolly and oatmeal

if you asked frank how many chocolate chip cookie (CCC) recipes i’ve tested in the past few years, and how many of them that i was happy with, he would probably answer you: zero! so there’s a reason i lean on a CCC recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks (sweet laurel bakery) each and every time we have a craving for them. the recipe has a few simple ingredients, it’s easy to make with amesy, and they’re on the healthier end of the cookie spectrum. while i love all these things about them, they still miss the mark (IMHO) of a typical CCC with that crisp exterior, and that melty, gooey center.

that’s where these CCCs come in. they’re still made with simple, gluten-and-dairy-free ingredients, but they have the taste and texture of my dream CCC! crisp, crackly on the outside, with chewy and soft centers. i wanted to keep the ingredient list on the simpler/traditional side, so maybe for the first recipe ever i’m only calling for 1 type of flour (!!!). from there, we use just general pantry staples: baking powder, baking soda, some salt, coconut sugar, coconut oil, and 1 egg (peep the recipe notes below for a vegan option). it’s a super straight forward recipe - no special ingredients, no soaking, no grinding your own flour, we’re just trying to keep everything easy-peasy here.

wishing everyone a safe and healthy start to summer 💛

crisp & chewy flourless chocolate chip cookies | gf & DF (w/ a vegan option!)

notes:

vegan option: swap the egg for a flaxseed egg: 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed+ 3 tablespoons water. whisk together and let the mixture sit for roughly 10 minutes, until it forms a gel-like consistency. use as directed in the recipe method. these came out delicious as well. however, the texture of the cookie is a bit softer and chewier than when using an egg.
can i use vegan butter instead of coconut oil? i tested these with equal amounts of miyoko’s vegan butter and to my surprise, i didn’t love them. the coconut oil gives these cookies that crisp exterior, while the vegan butter made the entire cookie soft. they still tasted delicious, but i personally prefer coconut oil.
as for dairy-free/vegan chocolate chips, my preference is lily’s brand, and in a close second is hu chocolate gems.
these are best eaten on the day of, as the CCCs sit they will get a bit softer.

PRINT THE RECIPE

| makes roughly 18 cookies |

dry ingredients

2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
flaky sea salt, for topping

wet ingredients

1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup melted (and cooled) unrefined coconut oil
1 large pasture-raised egg, at room temperature (or 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed plus 3 tablespoons water)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips or chunks, plus a few more for topping (i use these)

method

prepare 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.
in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. set aside.
in another large bowl, whisk together the sugar and coconut oil until combined. add the egg (or flaxseed egg) and vanilla and whisk until combined once again.
add 1/2 the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, use a rubber spatula and mix until combined. add the other half of the flour and mix once again until everything is completely combined. fold in the chocolate chips or chunks.
use a medium cookie scoop (roughly 1.5 tablespoons) to scoop your cookie dough out onto your cookie sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between each cookie. refrigerate for 20 minutes, until firm to the touch.
while the cookies are chilling, preheat your oven to 350°F.
one tray at a time, bake cookies in the center of your oven for 12-15 minutes, until edges are lightly browned and golden. sprinkle with flaky salt and let cookies cool on a rack for about 20 minutes before eating. these are best warm on the first day, but can be stored at room temperature covered with parchment for up to 3-4 days (if your house is hot, store in the fridge and warm in the oven if need be).