Veg*n Cooking and Other Random Musings: Chocolate Espresso Orange Cookies (and a grocery store wrap up)

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Chocolate Espresso Orange Cookies (and a grocery store wrap up)

I was in the baking mood today, and I had an idea, so I decided to try it out. I made Chocolate Espresso Orange Cookies. This recipe only makes 10 cookies, as I was just trying to see how they would turn out, but they are fantastic! They are rich, soft and cakey, with a subtle espresso and mild orange flavor.




























Chocolate Espresso Orange Cookies
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground flax seeds
2/3 cup organic vegan sugar
1/3 cup plain hemp or rice milk
1/3 cup applesauce
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 tsp orange zest (I used one small organic orange)
1 tbsp instant espresso coffee

Preheat the oven to 350.

Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and flax seeds in a medium bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients.

Stir into the dry mixture in batches, using a fork if necessary.

Drop by heaping tablespoons onto a cookie sheet (non-stick or parchment lined). Leave about 1 1/2 inches between cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

So, as I'm sure most of you who have read this blog for any significant period of time know (or those who have looked at the recipe index), I like Mexican food. A lot. It's just my thing. If you don't like Mexican food, this blog is probably not for you. :-) Anyways, I have been working on veganizing authentic, traditional Mexican cusine, trying to keep the integrity of the dish (accenting the herb, spice, pepper, etc. the original recipe does), as well as working on creating recipes for more 'fusion' style dishes. I really like this kind of food so it's fun, we'll see how these recipes turn out. I plan on trying a few of the more 'fusion' style ones this week.

I thought I'd end this post with a little 'grocery store wrap up', maybe it'll give you an idea of what's going to be on the menu. The only things not pictured here are corn tortillas and canned black olives. We're pretty stocked up on dried beans and rice.















Let's see, we've got serrano peppers, 2 organic oranges, a tomato, 2 avocados, jalapenos, a lime, a red bell pepper, about 1lb. of tomatillos, organic mixed baby greens, a red onion, 2 organic jewel yams, garlic, a yellow squash, 2 zucchini, a bunch of organic cilantro. 4 organic Pink Lady apples, 2 organic kiwi, and some habanero peppers.

'Til next time!

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Omgosh!! Chocolate cookies!! =) I love this combination... espresso, chocolate and orange. Never had it before but it sounds delicious. Makes me miss Terry's Chocolate orange a bit, hehe.

Anonymous said...

lovely cookies! I think they too have a Mexican feel to them (you mentioned you love Mexican food)
I also love looking at what people buy at the grocery store- is this weird??

Anonymous said...

Those cookies sound great! Good luck this week with your Mexican inspired cooking adventures...

Courtney

Leng said...

gosh, these cookies look wonderful. They remind me of ginger snaps.

Orange and espresso...I'll have to work up the courage to mix the two together.

Billy said...

I love orange and chocolate!

Those look really good. Send me one? :)

Kumquat Peekapoo said...

Those cookies are pure genius!

J said...

Romina - The espresso taste was really mild, which I appreciated, it adds, I don't know, a more rice, dark chocolate flavor, which goes really well with orange.

I used to like those chocolate oranges too!

Bean_Mix - Thanks! You know, the espresso I used WAS Mexican actually. :-) All I would have needed to do was add cinnamon and it would have really had a Mexican flair, I'm just not sure about how that would have tasted...

No, that's not weird at all! No weirder than someone (me) thinking that others have any interest in my obvious obession with hot peppers. ;-)

Courtney - Thanks! I hope to have a lot of success. We'll see.

Leng - OH TRUST ME, this is nothing you have to work up courage for, oranges and chocolate were meant for each other. It's really good.

Billy - It's a great combo! Thanks! Hehehe.

Kumquat - Thanks!

ChocolateCoveredVegan said...

Ooh I spy chocolate! And nothing makes me happier than chocolate ;o)
(ok, well very few things...) Chocolate orange cookies sound really good... even though I am stuffed with Easter food right now!

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bianca said...

I love the combination of chocolate and orange. And it looks like a fairly low-fat recipe. And since it only makes 10, I can't eat too many! I'll definately have to try those.

Lizzy said...

Ohh these cookies sound wonderful. Espresso alone makes me drool already =p

I'm so excited to see what you'll create!
And I can assure you that there's some girl in Germany who's very jealous of your fantastic groceries =p

VeganCowGirl said...

Mmmm...these look great. Ok - I am on it, but I am going to try something I just read in my 6pound (!!!! I can't believe I just spent what amounts to 15 Canadian dollars on a magazine...damn european living) Shape magazine - Apparently avocados are as good in cookies as they are in chocolate cake.

Animal-Friendly said...

The cookies look really awesome! A nice soft, cakey cookie sounds sooo good right now.

And all of those fresh fruits and vegetables- talk about vegan heaven!

T said...

Oooh, I love the idea of combining chocolate and orange. And they say that expresso is the best thing to bring out chocolatey flavor. Yum!

And that array of veggies is beautiful. Although, its making me annoyed that I've been working too much to go to grocery store this week... :P

Simple and Divine said...

THESE LOOK SO YUMMY! Like yum X 100 million...You know what they remind me of? ....MUFFIN TOPS!!! My faaavorite treats ever. Do they have that consistency? Someone needs to create an amazing muffin top recipe! OK, FINE I'LL DO IT :)

J said...

Chocolate Covered - Somehow I imagined these might attract you. I wonder why.... :-)

Bianca - It's a wonderful combination, isn't it. I didn't notice, but yes, it does look like they are low fat. I don't like greasy baked goods so I tend to shy away from oil.

Lizzy - Yeah, you mention espresso and my ears are perked. :-)

Aw I can't wait for the farmer's market. It's one of the times I most enjoy being a Midwesterner, we have such a wide variety of fruit and veg.

Animal Friendly - They were yummy! I love fresh fruit and veggies, I tell Brett I got a college degree and a decent job so I could afford my cooking habit.

T - It is wonderful. I think you're right about the espresso, it made the chocolate seem, I don't know, richer and chocolatier.

That sucks! I hope you get some time to get yourself some good grub soon.

Simple and Divine - Aw thanks so much, you are too sweet. They DO have the texture of muffin tops, almost exactly. Thank you for noticing that, I couldn't put my finger on what they reminded me of. :-)

Oooooh, I'd love to see what kind of creations you come up with.

Vegan_Noodle said...

I love love love cakey cookies.

And I think your love of mexican food will make me read your blog even more!! I love mexican food too. It's sad cuz it's hard to get it when I eat out now, they cook everything in lard at the restaurants in Houston!! Ugh.

Pink lady apples, so tart and crisp! Looks like you got lots of great produce!

Simple and Divine said...

BTW Jennifer, I'd love to add you to my blogroll so let me know! Have a fabulous Tueday!

J said...

Simple and Divine - Of course, no problem at all, I'll add you as well.

Unknown said...

Espresso orange cookies sound like a Cookiemouse chocolate dream come true. When I opened up my chocolate bar it was all broken in bits, but still tasted great.

muebles en pozuelo de alarcon said...

Well, I don't really think it may have success.