Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

I’ve made these cookies many times over now, and I’ve improved on them a bit. The first time I was making them in a mini muffin tin, but I’ve realized now that that’s not necessary – they can be made just like regular cookies, flat and circular. I didn’t want to label them in the post title as vegan, because sometimes that scares people away, but they are vegan. But don’t worry my non-vegan friends – they still kick ass!

What’s not to love about these cookies? Whole wheat flour, check. They’re made vegan by using milled flaxseed instead of eggs, so they have no cholesterol and also good omega fats. Better still, they’re made with the best-tasting saturated fat you can get, coconut oil! SERIOUSLY, it’s sooooo much better than butter. Unrefined coconut oil is like buttery and just ever so slightly sweet and coconuty tasting, but it’s still really subtle. It will make your house smell so-good while these are baking. And, amazing things happen when the dough balls get rolled in a sprinkling of sea salt before baking. Mmm. Hmmm.

So, if you’ve had a few weeks like mine lately, make the cookies. I highly recommend it. It’s ok to eat cookies every now and then – it’s good for your soul. But if you need help finding your peace, these cookies should help. :-) Grab a nice, big cup of hot coffee, a plate of cookies, and relax!

Peace and love my friends,

Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

INGREDIENTS

3⅓ cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup unrefined coconut oil, still solid
¾ cup organic cane sugar
¾ cup packed organic brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp milled flaxseed plus 6 tbsp water (this substitutes for two eggs)
2 cups chocolate chips (vegan ones can be purchased at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's)
Coarse sea salt for sprinkling
Bread crusts for storage

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine the cane sugar, brown sugar, flaxseed and water, salt, soda, and vanilla using a stand mixer (or a large bowl if you don't own a stand mixer).

Add the solid coconut oil to the mixer and mix until all the oil is creamed into the sugar. If you don't have a stand mixer, at this point your should instead use a pastry blender or large fork to cream the sugar and oil together.

With the mixer still running, add the flour a little at a time until all the flour is incorporated into the dough. Alternatively, you can combine the flour and creamed sugar by hand.

Fold in the chocolate chips.Scoop out small balls of dough and place on baking pan about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle or pat each ball with a few (5-10) grains of the chunky sea salt.

Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown on top, about 12 min. Let cool on counter for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.

Store in an airtight container with a few pieces of bread crusts to maintain moisture. These cookies tend to dry out a little more quickly than traditional ones, because there is little water in them (butter contains water).

NOTES

Coconut oil can be tricky if it is liquid or the day is particularly warm, since coconut oil melts at a much lower temperature than butter does. You can chill the dough in the fridge or freezer if working with the coconut oil makes the dough too soft. It should only need about five minutes in the freezer and will then be very workable.

Since this cookie dough is vegan and there are no raw eggs involved, feel free to eat as much dough as you need to. I ate about five cookies of dough lol!