Vegan choc chip cookies with smoked almonds and cacao nibs

There is great satisfaction in being organised in the kitchen.  I can  go for days and days without the right vegetables or snacks and then I suddenly switch into domestic goddess mode.  It happened yesterday.  I baked choc chip cookies and sourdough bread and put a lot of it in the freezer.  I've done all the grocery shopping I need.  I feel unusually virtuous.  (Just don't look at my carpets.  I'll do them later!)*

These chocolate chip cookies with smoked almonds and cacao nibs were actually a repeat of those I made on my visit to Adelaide.   I feel good about that.  It can often take me ages to repeat a recipe despite good intentions.  Yet fate took a hand when I found a neglected packet of smoked almonds.

Then I bought choc chips on the way home and was all set.  Except for eggs.  I haven't had eggs in the kitchen for a few weeks.  Perhaps they just haven't felt so necessary in my life after seeing Kari could even make lemon meringue pie without eggs.  Though Sylvia recently has expressed a fondness for boiled eggs so they might reappear soon.  Meanwhile a couple of flax 'eggs' worked well.

When I made these biscuits at Yaz's place, they were quite darkly coloured.  After the suggested 10 minutes, they still looked quite pale after cooking in my oven.  (If only I could compare ovens for every recipes I blog!)  So I left them a few more minutes.

They came out and looked slightly domed.  I have written before that a good choc chip cookie looks slightly wrinkled like the skin of a pug dog.  After 5 or 10 minutes the cookies sunk pleasingly.  They were wrinkly delicious.  I was really pleased with their texture: slightly chewy about the edges, firm enough to keep their shape but soft and nubbly with the nuts, nibs and chips. 

The cookies are quite sweet but I think I should have followed Joanne's lead and sprinkled the dough with smoked salt.  I have tried sprinkling smoked salt on a cold cookie and it works well.  I have added the smoked salt to the recipe even though I didn't use it.  And even with the extra salt I think less sugar would be fine in these cookies.

These cookies aren't technically vegan because the choc chips I used were not vegan.  I used dark choc chips and also some caramel chips that Sylvia requested.  I don't think I would use the caramel chips again.  They probably contributed to the sweetness of the cookies.  If you want vegan cookies you could easily do this by using vegan chocolate.

So I can highly recommend these sweet, smoky, salty, nubbly cookies to you.  We have a pleasingly large stash in the freezer as they make heaps.  They are up there with the almond butter choc chip cookies as the most successful vegan choc chip cookie I have made.  We all loved them.  In fact I have a feeling this will not be the last time I make these cookies.  After all if they are good enough to make twice in a few weeks then that is proof this recipe is a keeper!

I am sending these cookie to the Biscuit Barrel Challenge at I'd Much Rather Bake Than....  This month the theme is Comfort.  And aren't choc chip cookies always comforting!  I am also sending it to Vohn's Vittles for Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary's No Food Waste Challenge.  Not only did the smoked almonds need using but the cacao nibs were bought in 2008!

*Update: the domestic goddess feeling never lasts long - today I forgot about some soup I had simmering and when I came home 3 hours later it was very burnt.  Dinner was like a mash that we scraped off the top.  I hope (and think) my saucepan will survive!

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
One year ago: The Getting of Wisdom Birthday Cake
Two years ago: Vegan Sweet potato and cheeze scones
Three years ago: CC Tamarind Tempeh with Noodles
Four years ago: Spinach Rice Gratin
Five years ago: All About Apples: history, culture and soup
Six years ago: Milestones and Rissoles

Chocolate chip cookies with smoked almonds and cacao nibs
Adapted from Eats Well With Others
Makes about 36 medium cookies

2 tbsp ground linseed (flax)
6 tbsp water
250g vegan margarine (I used Nuttalex)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar (or less)
1/2 cup raw sugar
2 cups plus 3 tbsp plain flour
1 1/2 tsp bicarb soda (baking soda)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 cups choc chips (I used 1 cup dark and 1 cup caramel)
1 cup smoked roasted almonds, finely chopped*
1/2 cup cacao nibs
smoked sea salt, for sprinkling

Put together the 2 flax eggs by mixing linseed (or flax) and water in a small bowl.  Set aside so it becomes gloopy.

Preheat oven to 180 C or 350 F.  Line a few oven trays with baking paper.

Cream margarine and sugars (I used electric beaters).  Add flax eggs and cider vinegar.  Beat until combined.  Stir in flour, bicarb and salt.  Gently mix in choc chips, smoked almonds and cacao nibs.

Drop slightly heaped tablespoonfuls of dough onto lined trays leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.  I only put about 8 onto my smaller oven trays which usually bake about 12 biscuits.  They will spread.  Sprinkle dough with smoked salt

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly golden brown.  Cool for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

* I find smoked almonds easy to find in the shops but from the comments it seems this is not the case with everyone.  If you don't have smoked almonds you could make some using this smoked nuts recipe or just substitute roasted almonds and maybe a drop of liquid smoke as well as the smoked salt.  The smokiness of the smoked almonds isn't that detectable but I think it does add to the depth of flavour.

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