Gluten-free, vegan chocolate peppermint cookies that are crispy on the edges and fudgy in the middle! Uber chocolaty and perfectly sweet and minty. Just 30 minutes required!
1/2 cup melted coconut oil (use refined for less coconut flavor)
2/3 cup coconut sugar (or organic cane sugar)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp peppermint extract (add a little more if you like extra peppermint flavor)
1 1/2 cup almond flour
2/3 cup tapioca flour (also called tapioca starch)
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup vegan semisweet or dark chocolate chips (we like Enjoy Life)
4 Tbsp crushed candy canes (~2-4 candy canes)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
To a large mixing bowl, add flax meal and water to create flax eggs. Let stand for 5 minutes to thicken.
To the flax eggs, add melted coconut oil, coconut (or cane) sugar, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Whisk well to combine. The mixture should have the texture of caramel. To the wet ingredients, add almond flour, tapioca flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together with a spatula until thoroughly combined and there are no streaks of flour left remaining. Add in the chocolate chips and stir again. It should be a thick, scoopable batter.
Using a small (~1 ½ Tbsp) cookie scoop (we like this one) or spoon, scoop out 12 equally sized cookies and place them onto the prepared baking sheet. Flatten the cookies slightly so there is a place for the crushed candy canes to go. Onto each cookie, sprinkle 1/2 -1 teaspoon of crushed candy cane. Press down gently to help the candy canes stick to the cookies.
Bake for 12-15 minutes. The candy cane will be melted and the cookies slightly soft. Let cool at least 10 minutes before enjoying!
Best when fresh. Store leftovers covered at room temperature for 1-2 days, in the refrigerator 4-5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.