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These Double Chocolate Cookies are made with 100% whole food ingredients— no flour, no oil, and no added sugar. But don’t let these healthy ingredients throw you off. These cookies still have a rich and fudgy flavor and texture, almost like a brownie in cookie-form.
I based these cookies off the recipe for my Healthiest Cookies Ever, which remind me of my childhood favorite “soft batch” cookies, and since they’ve been such a hit with everyone who tries them, I figured a chocolate variation was in order.
For this version, I added a hefty dose of cocoa powder, and used pecans instead of walnuts for a more mild flavor.
(I tested this recipe with walnuts, as you can see from these photos, but I found their flavor overwhelmed the cookie, so I couldn’t taste the chocolate as much– keep this in mind if you plan on making substitutions!)
How to Make Date-Sweetened Cookies
When using dates as a natural sweetener, you’ll need a machine that can break them down, and I find that a food processor does that best. (I’m using this one.) Narrow blender jars tend to need more water to keep the dates moving, and that can cause the motor to give off a burning smell. In a pinch, you could probably finely chop the nuts and dates on a cutting board, and then mix them together with your hands for a chunkier cookie.
If you want a 100% naturally sweetened cookie, you can leave out the optional dark chocolate chips, but I love adding something extra for texture here, so I’ll usually throw them in for a “double” chocolate flavor that’s reminiscent of a brownie.
Some refined-sugar-free add-ins would be:
- cacao nibs
- extra chopped nuts
- dried fruit, like raisins (look for no added sugar on the label)
- shredded unsweetened coconut
- rolled oats
Feel free to experiment, and let me know in the comments below if you try something that you love.
Vegan Double Chocolate Cookies
I keep these cookies egg-free by using a flax egg, which is simply ground flax (or chia seeds) stirred together with water. These two ingredients will gel together within a few minutes, creating a gooey vegan “egg.”
If you’re not vegan, feel free to use a chicken egg in its place. (Omit the water and flax seed in this case.)
When making cookies in a food processor, be careful not to over-process them. If you process nuts too long, they will release their natural oils, making for a very oily, greasy cookie dough. The cookies will still bake fine, but they will be a little more messy to work with.
These cookies will not spread the way a cookie made with egg would, so you’ll need to use your fingers to press them down into a cookie shape before baking. They will look very similar when baked, but drier.
I hope you’ll enjoy this healthy cookie recipe the next time a chocolate craving strikes!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups pecan halves
- 1 cup Medjool dates , pitted (about 12)
- 6 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 chia or flax egg (1 tablespoon ground chia or flax seeds + 3 tablespoons water)
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with an “S” blade, process the dates and pecans together until a crumbly texture is formed. Add in the cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, vanilla, and chia or flax egg (see how to make a flax egg here) and process again until the batter is relatively smooth, a little stickier than traditional cookie dough.
- Add in the chocolate chips and briefly pulse, just to combine.
- Spoon the batter onto a lined baking sheet, and use your hands to gently flatten the cookie dough. These cookies don't spread much, so be sure to shape the cookies the way you'd like them to look when they're done baking. (Tip: Wet your hands with water to prevent sticking!) Bake at 350F for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are firm and your house smells like brownies. Allow to cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve immediately, and store the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge or freezer for best shelf life. These cookies should last a week in the fridge, and for several months in the freezer.
Nutrition
Per cookie: Calories: 75, Fat: 5g, Carbohydate: 7g, Fiber: 1g, Protein: 1g
Recipe Notes:
- As I mentioned above, feel free to make substitutions as you like, but keep in mind that different nuts and seeds will change the flavor of these cookies. I liked the pecan flavor best, but if you love walnuts or almonds, feel free to use those instead. I find that buttery nuts, like walnuts and pecans, are easiest to break down in the food processor, though.
- If you don’t have access to dates, another dried fruit, like raisins, may work.
As always, please leave any substitutions you try in the comments below, so that we can all benefit from your experience!
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Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite type of cookie?
I just made this and it is now my favorite healthy chocolate cookie recipe! I added 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes and 2 TBS of unsweetened apple sauce to hold it all together and add a touch more natural sweetness. They turned out amazing! I will definitely be making this again.
I really like this recipe, but before making the cookies was wondering if you have the ingredients by weight (grams)? I get the best results with any recipe when the ingredients are listed by weight, because with cups, there is room for variance depending on whether the cup is packed. Thank you!
I made them and they’re delicious. 😋
Looks great! Could I use carob powder instead or coco powder ?
These cookies taste INCREDIBLE! I used walnuts instead of pecans, and 3 tablespoons of cacao powder along with 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder. I no longer miss Ghirardelli brownies because these (way healthier) cookies taste just like them!
I absolutely love these cookies! Thank you for this recipe. One question I have is, I could feel my food processor having to work pretty hard to mix all of the ingredients up because while my dates are still good they are not as moist as when I first bought them… when you make date paste you add a bit of water to the dates to process. Would adding a bit of water to this recipe make the cookies too “soggy” in order to ease the strain put on my processor?
Absolutely delicious! Since going plant based, I haven’t found any cookie recipe that satisfied my sweet tooth. These were SO very good! Thank you for this yummy recipe!
Absolutely loved these! I am prediabetic and trying to cut out as much sugar and flour as possible. Used 1 cup walnuts and 1/2 cup pecans, a real egg, cacao instead of cocoa and almost a cup of sugar free dark chocolate chips. So happy to have your recipe! Thank you!!
This is my favourite Vegan Double Chocolate Cookie recipe!!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!
It is so good and easy to make for a super baking beginner like me😊
It is quite healthy, yet it is super yummy 😋
I used unsalted mixed nuts as they were only thing I had, and it turned out great!!
I love the nutty, chewy and chocolaty in these cookies~
Love it!
Thank you again 🙏❤️