Chocolate Olive Oil Cookies

Get ready for a mouth full of chocolate – crispy and chewey and when you add our Cyprus Flake Sea Salt to the top – you are simply going to love these… forever!

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed (regular or golden)
¼ cup milk (full-fat oat milk is what we used)
2 tablespoons black coffee (left-over or cold-brewed)
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup Dutch cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
¾ cup Ascolano extra virgin olive oil
2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cyprus Flake Sea Salt and/or chopped nuts for topping

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flaxseed meal, milk, and coffee. Mix well and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. (When measuring the flour, fluff it up with a fork and then scoop it into a measuring cup using a spoon.) Set aside.
3. Now that the flax mixture is ready, in the same bowl, add in the olive oil, sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix well. Slowly add the dry ingredients, a few scoops at a time. Do not over mix. 
4. Once the mixture is combined, mound into a ball and shape into a rounded rectangle. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours (or up to 3-4 days). We prefer chilling for at least 24 hours.
5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line one large baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove dough and cut into 12 even squares. Using your hands, round individual squares into thick circular discs.
6. Place the discs on the baking sheet and gently press down with your fingers. These cookies will spread and need a good amount of space so only bake off 6 at a time, in batches. Once flattened, generously sprinkle some flaky salt on top. 
7. Bake in the center of the oven for 16 minutes for a crispy, chewy texture. If you want them a little more gooey, try 14 or 15 minutes. You can also opt to not flatten them as much for an even more gooey interior.
8. Let the cookies sit on the pan for about 2 minutes. Then, using a very thin spatula, carefully transfer the cookies to a cooling wrack. Let cool for a few minutes and enjoy! 

Experiment with different toppings. At Christmas, we crushed up peppermint for the topping. 

If you are a severe chocoholic, add ¾ cups of dark chocolate chips to the batter when mixing. 

Recipe adapted from Mississippi Vegan