Veg*n Cooking and Other Random Musings: Whole Wheat Chocolate Chocolate Cherry Pecan Cookies

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chocolate Cherry Pecan Cookies

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I did a lot of baking over the weekend for a project that I am working on. I've gotten a few spiced bread recipes down (nothing special, just basic pumpkin and zucchini bread recipes, I just used whole grain spelt flour), have worked on brownies and blondies (they need a little work before I blog about them), so over the weekend, I focused on cookies. And who doesn't like cookies?

These are really good - but really, really rich. I was only able to eat one and I was more than satisfied. I love dark chocolate and this is a great way to highlight an excellent, high quality bar of the dark stuff. I took some of these, and the other cookies I will be posting about over the coming days, to my coworkers. They seem to be enjoying them so far!

This recipe was modified from here. I made the recipe dairy free and whole grain - oh, and I halved it because I was making tons of other cookies too.















The local booty legend (aka revealing my sources):
no asterisk = grocery store
+ = local produce from The Root Cellar
++ = The Peace Nook (will denote whether product is local or just from the Nook)
* = farmer's market
** = CSA
*** = Container or Community Garden
**** = the non-profit buying club, Blue Planet or Purcell Mountain Farms

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chocolate Cherry Pecan Cookies

Makes about 12 large cookies

6 tbsp Earth Balance
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 packed brown sugar
1/2 cup organic raw sugar
1 egg or egg replacer ++
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp whole wheat pastry flour
6 tbsp dutch processed cocoa powder
1/4 +1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 ounces 71% cacao fair trade organic chocolate (I used 3/4 of a 3.5 oz bar), chopped
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 375.

Combine Earth Balance, vanilla, sugar, and egg (or replacer) with an electric mixer.

Slowly add the remaining ingredients except the chocolate, cherries, and pecans.

Once dough well blended, stir in chocolate, cherries, and pecans.

Drop by rounded tablespoons a few inches apart on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 12-14 minutes.

Brett also had a great idea on how to "up" these cookies' visual appeal. He thought it would be neat to make the cookies a lot smaller, and rather than mixing the cherries in the batter, putting one in the center of each cookie like a thumbprint cookie. I think we might have to try that.

I will leave you with this...

J's Playlist of the Day (the best songs I heard from our music collection today)
"Out of Love" Aberfeldy
"One with the Freaks" The Notwist
"Original Spies" Karate
"Drenched" Calexico
"How We Breathe" Pinback
"Back on the Chain Gang" The Pretenders
"Blackbird" The Beatles
"Subdivisions" Rush
"Don't Ask Me Why" Billy Joel
"Green River" Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR)
"Sultans of Swing" Dire Straits
"Goin' Mobile" The Who
"Strange Brew" Cream

'Til next time.

8 comments:

hmd said...

Yum, cookies! I'm making a bunch of different kinds for holiday gifts this year. One of them is called a chocolate covered cherry delight. Sounds similar to what you're thinking about doing with your cookies:

http://www.recipezaar.com/Chocolate-Covered-Cherry-Delights-319680

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

SENSATIONAL!!

Bianca said...

Oh Jennifer, I just love it when you bake! Sometimes you just gotta make dessert to follow up those savory Mexican meals.

Anonymous said...

You only ate one? Geeze, you've got willpower woman! I don't think I've ever managed to eat only one cookie, and these look so yummy!

Anonymous said...

Those look great! I wonder if they freeze well? I like to make a bunch of cookies to give out for holiday gifts--I get started early and freeze them until it is time to give them out. I will have to try these soon!

Thanks!
Courtney

Alicia said...

Are you trying to improve your baking skills? because it looks like your nailing it!

jessy said...

ooooooooooooo! those cookies look divine! wow! cherry, pecans, chocolate?! sounds like one glorious combination to be! yay! hooray for The Beatles, too! they're my absolute fav!

J said...

Heather - They were pretty yum, a little decadent for my tastes, but they were definitely very tasty!

That's a wonderful idea, and in fact, what I am doing as well. I love the name of that cookie, it SOUNDS like a delight, I will have to check it out.

Veggie Girl - Thank you.

Bianca - Hahaha, I think Brett feels that way too. I don't do it often, but you are right, it is necessary every once in awhile!

Shellyfish - Hahaha, I don't know if it is willpower or bad teeth. I used to be able to eat all those rich, decadent things til I was almost sick when I was little, but now it just hurts my teeth and gives me a tummy ache. I guess, in a way, it is a good thing though. Now, I can go to town on some chocolate chip cookies, there is no "only one cookie" limit there. :-)

Courtney - Thank you. I'm not sure. I imagine the dough would freeze at the very least. If you have successfully frozen other cookies, I wouldn't see why these couldn't be frozen as well.

I hope you like these!

Alice - The pictures are not a testament to my baking skill. I am getting better, but there is still generally some cursing and a damn big mess when I am done!

Jessy - It is a wonderful combination and sure to please any chocolate lover. I really love dried cherries and could just sit and eat them like candy - yum!

The Beatles are super cool.