Fudge Cookies

Today I also made these fudgey cookies from a recipe on Bread without Butter.  I ended up following the recipe exactly, as all the things I would have changed--using flax as an egg replacer, adding almond extract, subbing in whole wheat flour--were already that way!  A kindred cookie spirit, perhaps?  Of course, I did make smaller cookies.  Almost across the board, anyone's 2-dozen-cookie recipe usually yields 3 dozen when I make it.

These cookies were pretty good, but given the proliferation of chocolate cookie recipes out there, they weren't my favorite.  Although I LOVE molasses and peanut butter, in this recipe they felt like flavor adulterations rather than accents.  Who knew I was such a purist?  Still, the texture of these cookies is really good, and they're actually sort of healthy, as far as chocolate cookies go.  :)

Fudge Fix Cookies

(from Bread Without Butter)

Ingredients
1/4 c vegan butter
2 TB unsalted peanut butter (I used salted and then added less salt)

1/4 c light brown sugar
1/3 c molasses
1 TB milled flaxseed
3 TB warm water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 c whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 c rolled oats
1/2 c semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, mix the flaxseed and water well, until viscous.  Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream vegan butter and peanut butter.  Add brown sugar and molasses, and mix until well-combined.  Add flaxseed mixture and the extracts, and mix well.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Stir the dry mixture into the wet, until just combined.  Gently stir in oats and chocolate chips.  Drop dough in approximately two tablespoonful amounts, one to two inches apart, on prepared baking sheets.  Flatten the dough mounds slightly, then bake for 10 minutes.  The cookie tops should no longer look glossy, with the interiors still soft and gooey.  After removing the cookies from the oven, allow them to remain on the pans for five minutes to firm up a bit before removing them to wire racks to cool more.  Makes 2-3 dozen.