Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

These delicate, fudgy, plant-based cookies are a firm favourite in my household. They are so easy to make and incredibly delicious!

I recommend using dark chocolate to keep the sweetness in check. Peanut butter works well too or use a seed butter or tahini to make the recipe nut free. For gluten-free cookies, make sure your icing sugar is gluten-free (in New Zealand, Chelsea® icing sugar is gluten-free). You will need a food processor to make the cookie dough. We sometimes skip the icing sugar crinkle effect in favour of a block of dark chocolate (popped on the top of each cookie before baking) instead - think gooey, melted chocolate. Freshly baked, these fudgy cookies are fairly delicate - they do firm up a little and are certainly better the next day.

Watch me make them here:

Alana Smith (@alanasmithsweetphotography) • Instagram photos and videos

Makes about 20 cookies

VEGAN DARK CHOCOLATE COOKIE DOUGH

dark chocolate (70% - 75% cocoa solids), 125g

cooked chickpeas, 250g (1 tin, drained and rinsed)

almond butter, 60g (60ml or 1/4 cup) - or any nut or seed butter you prefer

brown sugar, 50g (60ml or 1/4 cup) - or coconut sugar

bicarbonate of soda/baking soda, 1.25ml (1/4 teaspoon)

CRINKLE EFFECT

icing sugar, about 40g (60ml or 1/4 cup)

To make the dough, melt the dark chocolate:

Break the chocolate into blocks and place in a heatproof bowl before microwaving in 10 - 20 second bursts stirring in-between, until completely melted (or use a bain-marie).

Place all the remaining dough ingredients in a food processor fitted with a blade attachment.

Add the melted chocolate and blitz until smooth.

Place the dough (I leave it in the food processor bowl) in the fridge for about 15 - 30 minutes (this allows the dough to firm up before rolling it into balls - makes the process much easier).

Once the dough is firm, pre-heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).

Roll tablespoon amounts into balls before rolling each one in icing sugar.

Place the balls on a large baking tray lined with baking paper, spaced apart (the cookies spread as they bake so you want at least 2cm between each one).

You can flatten each ball slightly with a spatula - completely optional though, as they will still flatten in the oven as they bake.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Once baked, remove the tray from the oven but leave the delicate cookies to cool on the tray.