These are rich chocolatey cookies and just the perfect amount of sweet. Don’t miss the sprinkle of salt, it makes these cookies.
Cacao nibs provide an interesting crunchy texture and a load of antioxidants.
Dark Chocolate Cookies with Cacao Nibs and Sea Salt
Servings
36 Servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 6 tablespoon cacao nibs
- 1 teaspoon fine or coarse sea salt
- 12 tablespoons 1½ sticks unsalted vegan butter
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 325°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour and cocoa powder. Mix the nibs and sea salt in a separate small bowl.
- In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until it is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract. Reduce the speed to low; add about 1/2 of the flour-cocoa mixture and mix well, then add the remaining flour-cocoa mixture, stopping as necessary to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 to 2 minutes. Stop the motor and fold in the nibs-salt mixture by hand until well distributed. The dough will be sandy and fairly stiff.
- Lightly flour a work surface and rolling pin, or flatten the dough and place it between 2 large pieces of plastic wrap; roll the dough into a square 1/4-inch thick. Using a cookie cutter, cut out the cookies and place them about 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake for 7 minutes, then rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back; bake for 8 minutes or until their aroma is apparent and the cookie bottoms are crisp.
- Let them cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- STORE: In an airtight container for up to 1 week. The dough can be refrigerated, well wrapped, for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 2 months.
OK – thank you
You are so welcome. I hope you both like them. I think it might be best to cut out the salt from the mix and instead sprinkle a little good sea salt, like Fleur de Sel, over top right when they come out of the oven. You can often get away using less alt when you put the salt on the outside this way, because it makes it taste saltier. Let me know how it goes.
These sound really good – I didn’t realize cacao nibs were supposed to be healthy. Thanks for this. My husband is currently on a no-sodium diet so I am trying to find little treats to tempt his failing appetite. These may do the trick – I wonder how they will be if I either omit the salt, cut the amount way down or use a salt substitute. What do you think?