Chewy Dark Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

  Sunday already? Man, I hate the end of the weekend! But the holiday's are in sight!

   It was a regular weekend around here for me. Did some clearing of the driveway and deck, and managed to tunnel a path out to our hot tub! I have been desperately missing the hot tub since the huge snowfall we had. There was no way we were getting out there at first! I am so happy it's melted a bit today and the snow isn't waist deep anymore.

   I decided to try a cookie recipe today as a trial run for cookies I'd like to give away as little Christmas gifts. Never, I repeat never, give things away without a trial run! Or at the very least, try them first! I usually tend to avoid recipes with more than 10 million ingredients, but this one was haunting me. It does have a lot of components, but it was easy to do and was SO worth it. My fan club, aka my husband and kids, thought they may be my best cookies yet. Have you ever seen Medjool dates before? I see them in baking recipes all the time but they are pricey and I've never been in love with any recipes that needed them. Until now. I got my case of dates at Costco for $7.99. I saw them yesterday at Safeway for $14.99. The same container. That gives me serious rage. Needless to say, get them at Costco if you can. The difference between them and usual dates is the size and the sweetness factor. These suckers are big. And I'm not going to lie, they look gross as hell. Look away, they are worth it.They are supposed to be kept in the fridge for the "chewy" factor, and once they set they were amazing!

   Sometimes people ask how I stay away from all the baking I do. Most of the things don't tempt me, as I am more of a salty/crunchy kind of snacker. And the baking that I do is usually intended for my sons school snacks and breakfast for my little one. These cookies are up my alley though! Does this happen to you when you have baking at home?.................

   This tends to happen to a lot of people if you ban yourself too much from certain foods. You get a little taste of the wild life and you go bat crazy. Find yourself curled up in a ball in a blanket of crumbs, kind of crazy. A good rule of thumb is don't buy or make any food that you feel you don't have control over. A lot of Paleo literature suggests no baking for the first month of your transformation. Baking is a treat meant to be consumed sometimes. Even if there is no refined sugar or processed garbage, it's a treat none the less. A slice of banana bread is not meant to be 7 inches wide. Write that down. :)

   Don't shy away from this recipe because of the longer ingredients list. I promise you this will be one of the  best cookies you'll taste. And they made my house smell awesome all day. Double win. Mom of the year and great-smelling house, can I get a hallelujah!!! Now, hit the store and make these now, I demand it.

Chewy Dark Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies (or crack cookies if you prefer! :)

You need : (brace yourself)
12 Medjool dates, pitted
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
1/3 cup coconut oil
2 eggs
1 tbsp molasses
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup cacao powder
2 tbsp coconut flour (don't sub another flour, they aren't the same)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup dark chocolate chunks (I use "enjoy life" brand from Heritage Foods, found in most health food stores)

pre heat to 350

Pit your disgusting looking ugly dates by cutting them on the side and opening them with the knife. Pull out the pit.

Put the pitted dates in a bowl and add 1 tbsp water.Microwave for 30 seconds. Mash them to death with a fork, add the syrup and death mash some more. Make a paste.

Add the date mix, coconut oil, molasses, eggs and vanilla to your food processor and pulse until smooth.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients excluding the chocolate chunks.

Add the dry mix into your food processor and process until smooth and well blended. Scraping down the sides if needed. Stir in dark chocolate.

Using a tbsp, scoop dough onto parchment lined baking trays leaving at least an inch between cookies so everyone can spread out and get comfy.

Into the oven for 10 minutes. They will seem soft and not set when you take them out. Be patient my sweet. Let them cool for 10-15 minutes on the baking tray before you move them. Best stored in the fridge, if you have any left once your family gets a whiff!  Enjoy

original recipe pingback to "www.multiplydelicious.com"