Recipe Redo: Chocolate Dipped Coco's

Guys this is the third time I’m revisiting this recipe and making more changes; I can’t make promises but I think this will be the last time I’ll have to do so. I gotta admit I’m finding these to be pretty darn tasty! The first time I made these cookies was three years ago and while they tasted good, they were also packed with way too much sugar for my liking and the dough was sticky and difficult to work with; if that wasn't bad enough the additional step of dipping the bottom of the cookie in chocolate made quite a mess. Then two years ago, I tried making adjustments and replaced the brown sugar for maple syrup, turbinado sugar and added a touch of molasses; again, good but not 100% there for me.

Somehow I forgot all about the cookies until my mom recently told me she loved them! Funny how people manage to remember and enjoy my least favorite recipes… For the sake of my mommy, I revisited the recipe and ended up with a delicious little coconut cookie dipped in melted chocolate; I was a fan! I brought them to my mom and sister as a late Christmas present and they were fans too. Just for kicks, this time around I decided to add the addition of crushed almonds after dipping the cookies in chocolate for an elegant touch. If you like coconut, chocolate and almonds (think: Almond Joys) then you’ll dig these!

Chocolate Dipped Coco’s

makes 21 bite size cookies

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1/3 cup organic shortening or unsalted butter

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup cane sugar

1/3 cup almond milk

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground flax seeds (optional)

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ cup slithered almonds or chopped raw almonds

1 heaping dark chocolate or semi-sweet chips, plus 2 tablespoons coconut oil

Directions:

In a large skillet, pour the coconut and toast over medium heat for about five minutes, or until the coconut is golden brown. Stir occasionally and be careful not to burn it. Once the coconut is toasted, remove from heat and let cool. In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or large bowl with electric mixer, cream together coconut oil, vegan butter or butter and both sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy. Mix in almond milk, vanilla and almond extract until well combined. Add in flour, ground flax, baking soda and salt and beat on low-speed until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula if necessary, and fold in shredded coconut. Refrigerate dough in saran wrap for at least 2 hours or overnight. (This will make the dough easier to work with and prevent the dough from being too thin and delicate.) Preheat oven 350, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Using a tablespoon or your hands form dough balls, flatten them slightly and transfer onto baking sheet. Bake about 10 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Allow cookies to cool 2 minutes before transferring onto cooling rack.

Chocolate Dip 2 ways:

1. By creating a makeshift double boiler or using a real double boiler. Simply melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small saucepan underneath a bigger saucepan with simmering water.

2. Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil by placing them in a microwave safe bowl for thirty second intervals until completely melted.

After melting the chocolate glaze, allow it to thicken and cool for at least five minutes. Dip half the cookie in the chocolate glaze then coat the chocolate side with the almonds. Repeat with all the cookies. Transfer cookies onto parchment paper and allow the chocolate to set before serving. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container about 5 days. 

xo, Jessica

Repinning Recipes All Day Long

Hello!
So, it’s the second week since I’ve been home from the hospital, and I must say everything is going rather splendid and I’m feeling a little bit better each day! On Tuesday I graduated to one crutch and should be walking unassisted by next week which I’m really looking forward to. Crutches are not fun! I remember when I was little, I always wanted to break my leg so I would have to use crutches or break my arm so people can sign my cast. I have no idea why I thought those would be fun experiences because having to use crutches has been anything but fun! Sometimes people stare at me like they’ve never seen a person on crutches before, other times I’m bumping into other people with them or people are bumping into me. Anyway other than that I’m super optimistic about how I should be feeling these next few weeks, and I am still blown away by the absence of hip pains that I had been experiencing for over  a year.  It's such a relief.
Now that I’ve been spending a lot more time at home, I’ve been obsessing drooling over food blogs and have been repining gorgeous foods from Pinterest nonstop! Most of the time I’m drawn to the foods I’ve never made at home and I dream of making them instantly. But because I’m still healing and get tired easily, I’ve limited myself to cooking new things only on the weekends. The weekends are also the only time I see my lovely boyfriend Michael. He helps me tremendously in the kitchen and we both have a blast cooking new foods together! Last Sunday we made “Dirty Chai Pancakes” with bacon and boy did those pancakes taste incredible! They were perfectly spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and COFFEE. Yes, coffee. Oh, and we both loved how perfectly they absorbed the maple syrup like a sponge. I’m not a huge pancake lover and neither is Michael, we would definitely choose waffles (and ice cream!!) over pancakes any day, but these were wonderfully delicious!
I am coming to the realization that breakfast is indeed my favorite meal of the day and it should be eaten without hesitation. I’ve wrote about the nutritional importance of it but the comfort it provides is what I truly love. Coffee, fellowship with those you love and the sweet & savory flavors joining forces make me feel so delighted. I honestly don’t know where I was going with this post… But I guess all I can say is I’m going to continue enjoying to eat with the people I love and not hesitate to make the beautiful foods I’ve been daydreaming about for weeks! That’s all I got to say.
-Jessica