Description
Delicious and easy-to-make Vegan Chocolate Shortbread Cookies made with almond flour, cocoa powder, and sweetened with maple syrup. These rich, buttery-textured cookies are dairy-free, perfect for vegan diets, and topped with melted dark chocolate and colorful vegan sprinkles for a delightful treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Almond Flour (fine, blanched, packed)
- 3 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 pinch Salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons Coconut Oil (melted)
- 3 tablespoons Maple Syrup
Topping
- 1 cup Dairy-Free Dark Chocolate Chips
- 1 teaspoon Coconut Oil
- 1/4 cup Vegan Sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set it aside to prepare for baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt until evenly combined.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the melted coconut oil and maple syrup.
- Form the Dough: Using a spatula, combine the ingredients until a consistent chocolate cookie batter forms. It should hold together well, form a dough ball, and have a shiny, slightly oily texture.
- Chill Dough: Place the dough ball back into the mixing bowl and refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm up.
- Prepare Dough for Rolling: Remove the dough from the fridge and place it between two sheets of parchment paper.
- Flatten Dough: Press the top parchment paper with your palm to help the dough stick and flatten it into a thick disc.
- Roll Out Dough: Roll the dough out evenly to your desired thickness, recommended 5 mm (0.2 inches) for an ideal shortbread texture; thinner dough yields crisper cookies.
- Cut Cookies: Peel off the top parchment paper and use a cookie cutter to cut shapes. Use a flat tool to lift each cookie from the parchment and place onto the prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies at 350 °F (180 °C) for 10 minutes. The cookies will be soft when coming out of the oven.
- Cool Cookies: Let cookies cool for 4 minutes on the cookie sheet, then gently transfer them to a cooling rack using a flat spatula or knife.
- Cool Completely: Allow cookies to cool for an additional 10 minutes or until they reach room temperature before decorating.
- Melt Chocolate Topping: In a small saucepan, melt the dairy-free dark chocolate chips with coconut oil over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth.
- Decorate Cookies: Use a teaspoon to drizzle melted chocolate onto each cookie evenly.
- Add Sprinkles or Salt: While the chocolate is still wet, add a pinch of sea salt or sprinkle vegan sprinkles on top for extra flavor and color.
- Set Chocolate: Place decorated cookies in the freezer for 3 minutes to quickly set the chocolate shell.
- Store Cookies: Store cookies in a cookie jar at room temperature for up to 1 week. If it’s warm, refrigerate to prevent chocolate melting.
- Freeze for Longer Storage: For extended storage, freeze cookies in silicone bags and defrost them a day before serving.
Notes
- For best texture, keep cookie dough chilled before rolling and baking.
- Use fine, blanched almond flour to avoid a gritty texture.
- Thickness affects crispiness; thinner cookies bake crisper.
- Refrigerate or freeze cookies to preserve chocolate decoration in warm climates.
- Customize toppings by using different types of vegan sprinkles or sea salt flakes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, American-inspired
Keywords: Vegan Chocolate Cookies, Dairy-Free Shortbread, Almond Flour Cookies, Vegan Dessert, Gluten-Free Cookies
