Gluten free, vegan peppermint chocolate cookies

Gluten free, vegan peppermint chocolate  cookies

I originally saw a gluten free recipe for mint chocolate cookies, but really wanted to make them for Mark, so I overhauled the recipe to suit my needs... The original recipe can be found on glutenfreeonashoestring.com

These are actually quite good, could do with no sugar I think... Next time...

Ingredients

• COOKIES
• 5 tablespoons coconut oil
• 100g vegan chocolate, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon pure peppermint extract
• ¾ cup (105g) high-quality all-purpose gluten-free flour
• ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
• ½ cup (40g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (100g) sugar (take or leave)
• GLAZE
• 200g vegan chocolate, chopped
• pure peppermint extract, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 170 degrees. Line tins with baking paper, and set them aside.
2. In a medium-size microwave-safe bowl, place the coconut oil  and all of the chocolate except for 3 to 4 1½-inch-size chunks. Microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Add the reserved chunks of chocolate, and stir until the chocolate has begun to thicken a bit and the chunks have melted. Add the vanilla extract and peppermint extract, and stir to combine. Set the chocolate aside.
3. In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and sugar, and whisk to combine well. Add the chocolate mixture, and mix until the dough comes together and is well-integrated. 
4. Put teaspoon sized blobs on the baking powder, tablespoon if you want a bigger cookie
5. Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake, rotating once, for 7 - 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet.
6. Once the cookies are cool, make the glaze. Place all of the dark chocolate except for 3 to 4 1½-inch-size chunks in a medium-size, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Add the reserved chunks of chocolate and the peppermint extract, and stir until the chocolate has begun to thicken a bit and the chunks have melted.
7. Place the cookies, one at a time, in the glaze. Carefully place it on a clean sheet of baking paper. Allow the chocolate to set at room temperature (chocolate was setting fast so I basically iced the cookies)