We love our oatmeal chocolate chip cookies but we wanted to mix it up a bit and have something that would make for a healthier pre-workout snack. Well, oh my lord, these are incredible! Wow! They taste just like moist brownies. But, believe it or not, they have very little added sugar and require no baking, and include the health-promoting ingredient maca, which means we can better justify indulging in several cookies on a daily basis.
Ingredients:
Makes about 18 cookies.
(Some of these ingredients may require a visit to a health food store or the “green” section of your supermarket. Or you can use the links I’ve provided and order the ingredients online. Trust me, these are so good, it’s worth it!)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2/3 cup coconut flour
4 tbsp cocoa powder
4 tsp maca powder
3 tbsp agave nectar
4 tbsp almond butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
12 large Medjool dates, pits removed
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions:
1. Heat a small frying pan over low heat and add the coconut. Toast coconut until it has turned an amber color, about 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
2. Place the toasted coconut, coconut flour, cocoa powder, maca, and agave into a food processor and start the machine.
3. Add the almond butter and vanilla extract, then one at a time, add the pitted dates and process until a crumbly dough has formed. The dough should be, well, doughy. Like a thick cookie dough. If too wet, add additional coconut flour. If too dry, add water, a little at a time, until optimal doughiness is achieved.
4. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the dark chocolate chips. Using clean hands, grab about a table spoon and squeeze and roll to form a tight ball. Flatten the ball using your palm to form a small cookie. You’re welcome!