A Christmas treat!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup coconut blossom sugar (or any cane sugar)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (or inside of one vanilla bean)
• 1 vegan egg (I used 1tbsp chiaseed mixed with 30 ml water, but you can also use flaxseedmeal mixed with water)
• 90 grams of pumpkin puree
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 3/4 cup spelt flour (or all purpose flour)
• 3/4 cup almond flour *
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 ginger powder
• 1/4 cardamom powder (by choice)
• 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
• * you can replace almond flour by using 11/2 cup all purpose flour, or any flour to your choice

Preparation:

If not using canned pumpkin puree start by roasting a deseeded pumpkin in the oven for 30 min. (until soft) at 180℃. Let cool and mash with blender.

Mix the chiaseed (or flaxsead) with the water, stir and let set for 15 minutes. In the meantime melt the coconut oil. Mix the pumpkin puree, the melted oil, both sugars, vanilla extract, maple syrup in a bowl and whisk until sugar is well incorporated.

Mix in a separate bowl the flour, spices, salt and baking powder and stir through. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients and whisk well. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula. The dough will be very sticky. Cover the dough and place in the fridge for at least an half an hour.

Pre-heat the oven at 175℃. Cover a baking sheet with baking paper. Form little balls in your hand and place them on the baking sheet, slightly flattening with a spatula or by hand, or maybe you want to use a form (I used stars). Using a form is a bit of a sticky job, but with some patience you will pull it of.

The cookies will spread lightly when baking, so make sure there is enough space between them on the sheet.

Place them in the oven for 10 minutes only. They will appear way to soft after ten minutes, but that’s what it takes, only ten minutes! Leave them to cool for ten minutes (maybe press some additional chocolate chips on top for decoration) and then place the cookies on a cooling rack. Leave them to cool there for a couple of hours and then transfer them to a plate and place in the fridge overnight. If possible even a day extra, but maybe that’s is pushing it a bit….

Good luck and enjoy!

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