Chocolate-Chocolate Cookies with Love

Nothing beats a cookie for me when it comes to little daily celebrations sprinkled throughout the year.  Valentine's Day, for instance:  I'll take a cozy night at home anyday where I can eat some favorite foods and celebrate with my sweetie sans crowds.  Instead of my regular go-to "healthy" cookie, a Valentine's Day cookie called for chocolate, and I imagined something densely chocolate and satisfying while still avoiding sugar, gluten and dairy.  I had just run across a recipe called "World Peace Cookies" from Dorie Greenspan - a well-published cookbook author, and they sounded delicious. A couple of tries adapting the recipe to eliminate the sugar, butter and wheat and the results were exactly what I was looking for.  Easy, intensely chocolatey and perfect for dipping in hot tea or a glass of almond milk. Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Chocolate-Chocolate Cookies

dairy-free, gluten-free and sugar free

1 1/4 cups gluten-free baking mix with a pinch of xantham gum added (preferably brown rice-based), or spelt flour 1/2 cup organic unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 5 oz coconut oil 5 oz maple syrup, preferably Grade B 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 5 ounces dark chocolate vegan grain sweetened chips (or 70-85% bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped into chip size pieces)

Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda and sea salt into medium bowl. With a wooden spoon, mix coconut oil and maple syrup together in a second medium bowl until smooth. Add vanilla extract and stir well.  Add flour mixture and stir just until blended- the mixture will be crumbly. Add chopped chocolate and mix to distribute, kneading lightly in bowl to form a ball. Divide dough in half. Place each half on sheet of parchment paper. Form each into 1 1/2-inch-diameter log. Wrap each log in parchment and again in aluminum foil; chill until firm, about 2-3 hours.  Dough can be prepared 3 days ahead at this point. Keep covered and chilled.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a thin sharp knife, cut logs crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. If the slices crumble or break apart, just press them back together in a disc shape.  Space 1 inch apart on prepared sheets. Bake 1 sheet at a time until cookies appear dry (cookies will not be firm or golden at edges),  about 11 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool.

Cookies can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature. Dough can be frozen in the log; slice and bake as directed but add 2-3 minutes to the baking time.

Makes about 36 cookies

adapted from Dorie Greenspan