Dark Velvet Beet Cookies
I've been on a red velvet kick lately. Red velvet cupcakes, red velvet cookies, red velvet anything. Though I would love to gorge myself on a big slice of red velvet cake, the scary thought of how much butter and sugar I'll be eating haunts me. Plus, you know, how could you stop at just one serving.
So I made a healthier alternative: dark velvet beet cookies. Yes, beets!
I was aiming for a rich red colored cookies but ended up with a darker color (oops), so dark that it looks like a chocolate cookie. I think I added too much cocoa to the dough, I got too carried away by the yummy smell the cocoa gives and kept adding more and more...hoping to mask the earthy taste of beets.
I couldn't taste any earthy beet flavor at all (even my dad doesn't, and he's the most critical eater I know), all thanks to the richness of cocoa.
It's a happy coincidence that my mom had just juiced some beetroots, so I steamed the remaining juice pulp of 3 beetroots (and drank the juice) for about 20 minutes instead of using a beet puree. Yay for using my waste-not, want-not juice pulp!
Dark Velvet Beet Cookies Recipe
Makes 9 chewy and velvety cookies
Ingredients
3/4 cup puréed beets (or juice pulp of 3 beets), steamed
1 tbsp date paste (3 blended dates)
1/2 cup milk of choice (use plant-based milk for vegan option)
2 tsp raw apple cider vinegar
1 flax egg (1 tbs ground flax + 2 tbs water)
2 tbsp honey (or agave for vegans)
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp stevia
6 tbsp oat flour
4 tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1/4 tsp baking soda
Directions
1. Peel and steam two beetroots (or use the juice pulp from three beets) for 15-20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, mix a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar into the milk. Let sit for 10 minutes and it will start to curdle, resembling buttermilk.
3. Preheat oven to 175 C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
4. Add three soaked dates in a blender to make date paste.
5. After your beets are cooked, add into the blender to make a puree with the dates.
6. Mix in your "buttermilk" mixture to the beet purée until the milk is well incorporated. Set aside to cool completely.
7. Combine flax egg with the cooled beet purée and honey. Mix well with spatula.
8. Mix in the oat flour, cocoa powder, stevia and vanilla.
9. In a separate bowl or spoon, mix one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar with baking soda. The mixture will start to bubble and immediately mix into the dough.
10. Using an ice cream scoop, place the cookie dough on the lined baking tray. Flatten the dough with the back of a spoon or a fork.
11. Bake for 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of your cookies. Cool the cookies on a cooling rack for an hour before serving.
12. Eat them as it is or serve with a glass milk (Yum!)
Vegan. Gluten Free. Oil Free
