Chocolate Chunk Cookies

It is very hard to find chocolate chips that are purely good for me.  The sugar-free ones are sweetened with gluten-filled barely malt, the dairy-free ones are full of cane sugar, and even the carob chips aren't pure.  I finally got the idea to make my own chocolate chips, or chunks rather.  It was much easier than I thought and it got me dreaming of homemade chocolate truffles and chocolate peanut butter cups...  For now, I used these chocolate chunks to make some good old chocolate chip(chunk) cookies.  I also tried using coconut sugar for the first time in this recipe and it worked out nicely.  Enjoy these babies with a cold glass of rice milk!

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups of gluten free flour (I used buckwheat, rice, and garbanzo flours)
• 1/2 tsp of baking soda
• 1 tsp of xanthan gum
• 1/4 tsp of salt 
• 1/8 cup of Spectrum vegan shortening
• 1/8 cup of Earth Balance
• 3/4 cup of coconut sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten.
• 1 cup of homemade chocolate chunks (see recipe below!)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
3. In another bowl mix the shortening, Earth Balance and coconut sugar.  I use my hands because it works best!
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients together and mix in the beaten egg.
5. Mix in the chocolate chunks.
6. Place small circles of dough onto a baking pan lined with parchment paper.
7. Bake in the oven for about 12-15 minutes, until the edges get crispy and golden.  Cool cookies on a wire rack before eating!

Chocolate Chunks- sugar/dairy/gluten free!

Ingredients

• 12 oz of 100% unsweetened chocolate
• 1/3 cup of coconut oil, warmed to a liquid state
• 1/4 cup of maple syrup
• optional:  1 tsp of vanilla or peppermint extract

Directions

1. In a double boiler melt the chocolate.
2. Mix in the coconut oil and maple syrup and extract.
3. Pour the chocolate onto a tray or pan lined with wax paper.  Smooth it out as evenly as you can and cover with paper or a lid.
4. Freeze the chocolate for about 2 hours.
5. Take out of the freezer and chop into chunks.
6. Store in the refrigerator for baking or a late night snack!