Ride a Cowboy Cookies

Save a horse! Or just save yourself, and eat my acd-friendly variation of an old standby: the Cowboy Cookie.

Cowboy cookies are a combination of many aspects of what makes a cookie delicious. First, good ol' chocolate chips provide gooey pockets of flavor. Nuts add a satisfying crunch (and protein!). And, granola makes them hearty enough to be a worthwhile snack, and hey-- might even let them pass as breakfast! The harmonious combination of smooth chocolate, rich crackling nuts, chewy granola, and the cakey cookie dough itself make the Cowboy Cookie a grand showcase of textures. These elements balance each other, creating a cookie that's not quite "too"anything... except AWESOME.

In my recipe, coconut oil adds an additional unique flavor. Spelt flour, with its "heavier" flavor, blends well with the granola. Brazil nuts are juicy and slightly sweet. The combination of carob and chocolate cuts the caffeine while maintaining the overall melted-chocolate effect of the chips.

THE RECIPE:

2 cups spelt flour
2 cups whole rolled oats (not instant)
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp sea salt
¾ cups (non-dairy) grain sweetened chocolate chips
½ cup vegan carob chips
(1/2 cup optional raisins)
½ cup chopped brazil nuts
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
¾ cup softened organic coconut oil
¾ cup agave
1/3 cup boiled sweet potato, smashed
1 tsp alcohol-free vanilla extract
1 egg

If you're a raisin fan, those can easily be added too.

Preheat oven to 350F.
Whisk together coconut oil, agave, sweet potato, and egg.
In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients, including chips and nuts.
Slowly whisk dry ingredients into bowl of wet ingredients.
Drop 1-2 inch balls onto cookie sheet.
Bake for ~12 minutes, or until edges of cookies become golden.
Makes about 30 cookies.

For a REALLY delicious treat, make this the base for an kream sundae. I recommend using Purely Decadent coconut milk-based Vanilla Bean ice cream. For an easy chocolate sauce, mix coconut oil and cocoa powder, and drizzle on top. Garnish with shredded coconut!

Yum! And, save a horse: ride a cowboy.