CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT COOKIES (NO SUGAR)

 

Ingredients

• Chopped and ground hazelnuts: Organic whole crunchy hazelnut is ideal for this recipe. Grinding hazelnuts helps to get the perfect nutty texture and a deeper flavor, but you can use hazelnut meal if you want.
• Cocoa powder: Organic raw cocoa powder, but any dark cocoa powder will work. 
• Medjool dates: These dates are much softer than regular dates. When you grind them in the food processor, they dissolve into a chewy caramel-like paste, and that’s what makes them perfect for sweetening these cookies.
• Ground flax seeds: Ground flax seeds are a crucial part of vegan baking. You can use them to make flax eggs to substitute regular eggs.
• Water: To bind the ingredients together.
• Sea salt: Just a pinch to enhance the chocolaty flavor.

Directions

1. Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 320F (160C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper. 
2. Make the flax egg: Add the ground flax seeds and water to a small bowl and stir. Let it rest for 5 minutes to thicken.
3. Grind and chop: If you are not using hazelnut meal, place one cup of whole hazelnuts in the bowl of a food processor and grind them into a coarse powder. Don’t worry if you get some bigger chunks. They will add extra texture to the cookies. Set aside the ground hazelnuts in a large bowl. In the same food processor bowl, add the Medjool dates and blitz into a paste by adding 1 tablespoon of water and the flax egg. Chop the remaining 1/3 cup of hazelnuts into chunkier pieces and spread them onto a tray or a plate.
4. Combine: Combine all the ingredients with the ground hazelnuts, to form a soft, sticky ball.