Most raw chocolate cookie recipes are loaded with nuts and oils to create that perfect ‘fatty’ texture we all crave. Although I like to indulge in a classic raw treat once and a while, I actually prefer raw vegan desserts that are lower in fat and easier to digest. So I got creative in the kitchen and designed this lighter version of a nut-based raw chocolate cookie. These Nut Free Chocolate Chia Cookies contain everything your body needs: a small amount of essential fatty acids, a healthy dose of plant-based protein and plenty of healthy carbohydrates to help you beat those afternoon sugar cravings and keep your energy level high throughout the day.
Nut Free Chocolate Chia Cookies
SERVES: 25-30 cookies (depending on the size)
EQUIPMENT: food processor, rubber spatula, mixing bowl, dehydrator
INGREDIENTS:
1 ½ cup zucchini, mashed (about 2 ½ cup roughly chopped)
1 cup apple, mashed (about 2 finely chopped)
½ cup dates, pitted & finely chopped
¾ cup raw oats, ground into a meal
½ cup coconut flour
½ cup chia gel (2 tablespoons of chia seeds + 8 tablespoons of water)
5 tablespoons of cacao
3 tablespoons of carob
2 tablespoons of extra virgin coconut oil (or more depending on your personal taste)
Pure liquid Stevia, to taste
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon of Himalayan crystal salt or sea salt
large pinch of cinnamon (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
- Combine zucchini and apple in the food processor fitted with an S-blade. Mix until mashed.
- Add the finely chopped dates and mix again. Transfer the wet mixture into a bowl.
- Combine oats and coconut flour in the food processor. Ground into a fine meal.
- Add the wet mixture of zucchini, apple and dates to the dry dough. Mix well.
- Add chia, cacao, carob, coconut oil, Stevia, vanilla extract, salt and cinnamon to the dough. Mix again.
- Form the cookie dough into forms of your choice. The dough will be quite moist, so round cookies will be the easiest choice.
- Place the cookies onto a dehydrator tray lined with a Teflex sheet. Dehydrate at 115°F for 16 hours or more until they are dry and crunchy on the outside, but still slightly soft on the inside.
JULIE’S TIPS & TRICKS:
- Store these cookies for at least 10 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- If you don’t like the mild apple taste in this chocolate cookie, use 1 extra cup of mashed zucchini or even 1 cup of finely grated carrot to replace the fresh apples.
- Are you a big fan of bananas just like me? Then replace the mashed apples with 1 cup of ripe banana. Chocolate and banana are a match made in heaven!
Do you have a favorite cookie recipe that hasn’t been transformed into a healthy raw version yet? Let me know, and I might just use it for my future culinary creations!
Did you like this low fat raw vegan cookie recipe? Let me know what you think of these Sticky Apple Cinnamon Cookies too.
