Introducing...the fudgeooknie!
A light yet decadent, soft and gooey, cakey chocolate cookie that just melts in your mouth. It is chewy and cloud-like all at the same time, fully present at one moment and then impossible to find in the next because you devoured it too quickly, and not just one but the entire batch. This is my favorite type of indulgence because you don’t feel as guilty about eating too many! A great way to start a Monday!
What makes these cookies even more special is their slightly crisp exterior, sealing in all that goodness and adding a little bit of texture so the beautiful interior can only reveal itself when you take a bite. In this case, it's what's inside AND outside that counts.
You must be curious - what are these delicious treats made of? Well, they are actually entirely plant-based; the key ingredient is avocado. It creates the glorious, luxurious inside, and because it is not greasy and a healthy fat, it does not weigh you down. Then, there are lots of chocolate chips. Almost too many at first sight. But they disappear into the mixture as the fudgeooknies bake, furthering the creamy richness with their hidden oozy appeal and helping you to realize that the more there are, the merrier you will be! The last ingredient I want to point out is smoked paprika. I often like to include spices in my chocolate desserts - they provide a slightly savory note to balance out the sweetness of the chocolate, and their lingering tingle makes the joy of eating the treat last a little bit longer; I am a huge fan of extending the chocolate experience as much as I can, especially when I know that I will not have any left over for later.
In addition to the above ingredients, all you need is maple syrup, vanilla extract, baking powder, cocoa powder, salt, and almond flour - I bet you probably have these items in your house right now and could make fudgeooknies as soon as you are done reading! Just grab a bowl to mix everything together, and before the hour is up, you will understand why I had to come up with such a silly, collective name for this snack - it is just too remarkable to categorize as anything else!
The Chocolate Fudgeooknie
Yield: 15
¼ cup Avocado
2 T Maple Syrup
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
¼ tsp Baking Powder
1 T Cocoa Powder
½ tsp Smoked Paprika
¼ tsp Salt
1 cup Blanched Almond Flour
¼ cup Mini Dark Chocolate Chips
Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
In a small bowl, mash the avocado with a fork until it is as smooth as possible.
Whisk in the maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth.
Add the baking powder, cocoa powder, smoked paprika, and salt and whisk until fully incorporated.
With a spatula, combine the almond flour with the rest of the ingredients.
Fold in the mini chocolate chips with the spatula.
On a ¼-sheet tray lined with parchment paper and with a small cookie scoop, scoop the fudgeooknies onto the tray with 1-2 inches in between. Press them flat until they are about ½-inch thick and two inches wide (they will not spread beyond this in the oven).
Bake for 15 minutes, then let cool for five minutes.
Sprinkle with smoked paprika to finish and enjoy warm!