Do you also sometimes find yourself on chilly February afternoons thinking how nice it would be to curl up with a steaming drink and some cookies, and just wait for spring indoors? What better cure for that mood than a bit of chocolate! Delicious, and when eaten in moderation, even healthy – so let’s bake some good chocolate cookie discs!
Chocolate has been cherished by humans for millennia. Early observations that it benefits our nervous system, skin, and even heart are now supported by scientific research. But before you rush to the store with a basket of sweets to instantly prevent heart attacks and depression, note that these super benefits refer to dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa content. Of course, moderation is important even with this now superfood chocolate.
What makes a good piece of chocolate?
Primarily, at least 70–80% cocoa, cocoa butter, and a small amount of sugar for palatability – completely unsweetened, bitter chocolate can only be eaten by the most determined.
And the invisible ingredients: cocoa contains appreciable amounts of zinc, selenium, iron, and flavonols. The mood- and memory-enhancing effects are thanks to the latter.
So consciously eaten chocolate is proven to be a good thing.
We’ve made a not-too-sweet, fiber-rich cookie with it, as follows:
Ingredients
- 250 g Mimoosa Simple Cookie Flour
- 110 g sugar
- 1 packet vanilla sugar
- ½ tsp gluten-free baking powder
- pinch of salt
- zest of 1 untreated orange or lemon
- 50 g 70% dark chocolate, gluten-free
- 100 g lactose-free butter, or plant-based fat (e.g., coconut oil)
- 2 eggs
- 3 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1–3 tablespoon lactose-free or plant-based milk (adjust depending on egg size) – we used almond rice milk
Instructions
Mix the dry ingredients and citrus zest thoroughly in a bowl. Crumble the fat (butter or plant-based substitute) into the flour until the mixture is finely crumbly. Break the chocolate into small or large pieces as you like, and add to the mixture.
Beat the eggs in a small bowl with a fork, add the orange juice, and start with just 1 tbsp plant-based milk. Pour the mixture onto the flour mixture and mix quickly with a spoon. Once it starts to come together, finish mixing by hand. If the dough feels too stiff, add more (plant-based) milk.
In a few minutes, the dough will start separating from the bowl walls. It should be soft but moldable.
Flour your hands and roll the dough into 2–3 cm diameter balls. Place them on a greased or parchment-lined baking tray with at least 7–8 cm between each. Flatten the balls into 1 cm thick discs with a spoon or your palms – irregular shapes are fine.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 12–15 minutes until lightly golden.
While your cookies bake, you can prepare a fragrant tea or coffee and start your winter mood boost!
Cookies keep very well in a jar or metal tin, so no matter how tempting, there’s no need to eat them all at once ☺️.
Enjoy!
