Chocolate is my favorite special treat. So, I am often finding new ways of incorporating chocolate into my life. However, most chocolate at the stores has a ton of sugar added. I’m also “off” of dairy right now ( more on that later) which adds just another reason to make my own chocolate treats at home. These chocolate shortbread cookies are mildly sweet, very chocolately, and quite rich. Perfect for my taste buds!
I use agave syrup in this recipe, which is a very interesting sweetener that is becoming more popular in the “health food” groups. It doesn’t raise your blood sugar very much. In fact, it is actually low on the glycemic index (stevia would be the only other natural sweetener that could boast this)! It is much sweeter than sugar, so you don’t have to use as much, and apparently is traditionally used in Mexico. I know one thing, it certainly works well in recipes!
If you like these cookies sweeter, you can always add in more agave syrup and adjust the texture with more flour. Don’t have agave syrup? Honey would work just as well, though won’t be as sweet. This recipe is actually a recipe I converted for a crust for a chocolate tart, which I will have to post sometime as well. But when I was making the tart, I realized that this would make a perfect cookie. Because it is gluten free, it has a very light, crumbly texture (which speaks of shortbread, to me), but you can use whatever flour you want. I am still mulling about how to make this into a “soaked” recipe (any ideas?), and may do an updated version if I figure out how to do that. You could also replace the coconut oil with butter. Made this way it is gluten, egg, and dairy free, but would appeal to everyone, even if they can have dairy and gluten.
Bittersweet Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
2 cups of millet flour
1/2 cup of cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
3/4 cup of coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons organic agave syrup
Stir together the millet flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Combine the melted coconut oil, vanilla, and agave syrup. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix together. In parchment paper, roll up the cookie dough into log about 2-2 1/2 inches in diameter. Put in the fridge for about an hour, or until hardened enough to cut easily. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees, and grease a cookie sheet. Cut your cookie log into 1/4 inch slices and set on cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes. The cookies should be firm and set and when done. Because of the high amount of chocolate powder, these cookies will not be easy to tell when they have “browned”. You can tell they are done by gently touching the surface of the cookie. It should not feel moist or super soft, but hardened and firm. I found ten minutes to be perfect, but if you left them in the fridge for longer, it could take a little longer.
Carefully remove from cookie pan, and let cool. I find that these cookies harden as they cool so they aren’t crumbly anymore (I am assume this is because of the high coconut oil content). If you can have dairy, enjoy with a nice big glass of milk!
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Do not handle the cookies until completely cooled (ok, you may have to eat a few); the chocolate will make them extremely soft, and very hot. You can use numerous variations, like adding white chocolate chips or macadamia nuts and walnuts.
Anyway nice post 😀
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The photo and the recipe made my mouth water. Chocolate makes a daily appearance in my diet, and I’ll happily add this to my addiction list!
Hi, I just discovered your blog, and you do a great job! I guess I found you through Nourished Kitchen.
Wow, I am so excited to try these, they look great! Thanks!
What a delicious treat! I increased the agave nectar to 5 Tab, as I was using a very rich cocoa (‘Now’ brand—high in fiber, high in protein, gluten free product.) Once completely cooled I stored these in an airtight container in the fridge and to my surprise their flavor seemed to develop after a day of being in there! I also discovered that when these are cold from the fridge they make excellent little platforms for a dollop of peanut butter, or better yet some vanilla coconut milk ‘ice cream.’ I am going to see what happens if they are made into little ‘ice cream’ sandwiches and stored in the freezer for a week or two…thanks for this one!
I just made these today as I am learning to cook without many, many ingredients we just found out my children are allergic to. I did have a problem with the bottoms burning even though I didn’t have the pan on a low rack in the bottom or bake them longer than 10 minutes. Was that just me? Something I maybe did wrong? The flavor is good, though. I don’t know if it will be sweet enough for my kids (who are just coming off all their “normal” sweet foods), but I’ll find out soon! Thanks for the recipe!
Hi! Just wondering what the yield for these portions would be? I have a tiny tiny gas oven. Also, if I wanted make them non-chocolate, maybe with raisins or ginger, what can I replace the cocoa powder with – reason being, I want to make these for my 15 month toddler? I know this post is 2008, still hoping you get a chance to reply!
thanks!
I’m afraid you’re going to want to swap out the agave nectar called for in this recipe after reading this article- trying to spread the word, because I was so scandalized when I read this- agave is actually more chemically refined than corn syrup, folks- we’ve been duped, myself included. Luckily, I never used tons of the stuff- you just can’t get me off my maple syrup. Read on: http://www.foodrenegade.com/agave-nectar-good-or-bad/