Vegan Double Chocolate Espresso Almond Cookies. These are everything I dream of in a cookie…super chocolatey, soft, moist, rich in flavor from the almond flour and robust from the espresso. Oil-free and dairy-free.
VEGAN DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO ALMOND COOKIES
Meet my all-time favorite cookies. These are one of my most popular cookies I’ve ever created and are continually requested from friends and family. Every single person who has had them asks for a batch again. I guess people love chocolate and espresso….I know I sure do! It’s my #1 favorite combo out of any combo out there. The almonds give these cookies such moisture and flavor, while the applesauce makes them incredibly soft and lighter than air.
I originally posted these back in 2012 on my old blog, The Healthy Flavor, that has obviously since been forwarded to this blog. It’s one of my oldest recipes, yet still one of my favorites. The photos were pretty bad though, so a new post with new photos was in order. Since first posting them, a couple of bloggers have made them, reviewed and raved about them.
You can see their reviews below:
Sensual Appeal Blog reviewed them here
Good Clean Food reviewed them here
ALMOND FLOUR COOKIES
Almond flour is pretty magical in baking, especially when baking oil-free. I use it in a ton of my desserts because I love the richness it provides to cookies, cakes and muffins, without having to use any oil! If you are interested in learning how to bake oil-free, check out all my tips and tricks at How to Cook and Bake Without Oil.
MORE THAN 8 INGREDIENTS
Since this recipe is from my old blog, it is 11 ingredients instead of 8, but it is one of my most popular cookie recipes to date and worth it and is so easy to make! They are absolutely, hands down, my FAVORITE all-time cookie!
These are vegan, oil-free, made with almond flour and coconut sugar and are simply divine. The flavors are out of this world and the texture is perfectly soft.
I really hope you all love these Vegan Double Chocolate Espresso Almond Cookies! They truly are a huge hit with every single person who makes or eats them. Be sure to leave me feedback below after you make them! You can also tag me on Instagram using my hashtag #thevegan8, so I don’t miss it!
Other Vegan Cookies to try:
- Vegan Almond Butter Blossoms
- Chocolate Coconut Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chai Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
- Old-fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Vegan Double Chocolate Espresso Almond Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (112g) super fine blanched almond flour (I highly recommend Kroger Simple Truth brand, HEB brand or Honeyvillle or King Arthur. Bob's Red Mill is not recommended, as it produces too flat and gritty results)
- 3/4 cup (90g) all-purpose or whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 cup (192g) coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup (36g) ocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon aluminum free baking powder
- 3/4 cup (180g) dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips (or use chunks for a more gourmet/bakery result, my original version I used chunks)
- 2 teaspoons fine quality ground espresso powder
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (150g) unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon (5g) vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (8g) lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
NOTE
- When measuring flours and baking in general, it is a good idea to use a scale for accuracy. Otherwise, scoop out an overflowing cup from the bag of flour and level off with a knife or your finger. With almond flour, you want to scoop it out and gently pat it down in the cup and level off.
- I use this scale.
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 375 degrees and line 2 dark metal sheet pans with parchment paper, not foil. These will bake better on dark metal pans, than aluminum. The bottoms tend to not brown well on aluminum.
- Add the first 8 ingredients (almond flour through to the baking powder) to a large bowl through a strainer (to catch any lumps) and whisk very well. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- In a separate small bowl or mug, combine the espresso with the wet ingredients (applesauce, lemon juice and vanilla). Now, add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until all incorporated and a sticky dough forms. It will seem too dry at first, but trust me, keep stirring and pressing the dough with the back of the spoon until it is thick, wet and sticky.
- Drop by large spoonfuls, spaced about 2 inches apart, as they will spread. Do not spread out or flatten the dough, it should be soft and a little loose. Bake each pan separately on the middle rack for 10 minutes. Let them cool on the pan for 10 minutes and transfer to cool completely on a rack. Bake the 2nd pan while the 1st pan is cooling.
Ooh yum Brandi these look fabulous!!! Right up my cakey cookie-loving alley 🙂 Thanks for sharing your thoughts on xylitol–I was actually JUST looking for it at Whole Foods last night, but I’m kind of glad now that I gave up on finding it because as sort of awesome as it sounds, the fact that it has side effects if you eat more than that relatively small amount sounds a little scary. I think I’ll stay away from it for now. So thanks!! 🙂
Thank you Erika! These are definitely fluffy/cakey and are SO SOFT and robust with flavor! I know a few people who use Xylitol regularly and are totally fine with it. You’d probably be fine with small amounts, but yeah, one should just start out with a small amount. I’m so paranoid, that I knew it wouldn’t be a good idea to do the whole recipe with Xylitol, lol! 🙂
Xylitol is a good sweetener, I totally agree about Stevia, yuck, the same for other artificial sweeteners. I would rather do without. I have to make these cookies, I saw this recipe before it went on the back burner and I am so glad to see it again.
Thank you so much Suzanne! Yeah, I definitely like my maple syrup, but this is a great sugar-free alternative for those who want to try something that actually tastes like sugar.
I have yet to try Xylitol,Brandi;I don’t trust many sweeteners either and aspartame gives me terrible headaches, so I trust that even less,(if that is possible!). Gotta love espresso powder for baking.My niece,(and former business partner when we had our bakery/restaurant) makes incredible biscotti with it. You cookies sound wonderful.I think the maple syrup would add to it, even though I usually stay away from too many flavors.This is on my ‘to-try’ list.
Thank you Tonette! Aspartame is artificial and definitely dangerous…I’d stay far away!
Aspartame gives me immediate headaches, even with a mistaken sip of diet soda. I already have Lupus; I have heard that if aspartame does not actually cause lupus, it will trigger in people who are predisposed.Bad stuff.
Those cookies look delicious and the photos make me want grab one right away. Thanks for the review on xylitol, I am kind of skeptical using sweeteners primarily because of the media. what is good today turns out to be terrible in few weeks. So I try and stick to sugar and maple syrup in moderate quantities.
I agree…maple syrup is natural, practically unprocessed and does not make me feel weird afterwards. I agree…all these other sweeteners have so many different opinions every other week!
I love Xylitol! The rest are all just cancer sticks in my opinion
Any sweetener in excess is bad, whether “natural” or not! So, controlling it is important! 🙂
Brandi, thanks for introducing this great product although I’ll still prefer maple syrup for now 🙂
Me too Danny!
What a great review!! I’m glad you liked it. I used the rest of mine the other day in some more chocolate chip cookies, and I DID notice some gas haha. That’s what I get for eating too many cookies. These cookies look great.
Haha, oh no! Gas is not good!
It’s funny how people say Stevia has a terrible lingering aftertaste, I don’t taste it at all – but maybe that’s cause I have been using it for so long? lol
Oh, yeah possibly, lol! I think it’s awful!! Do you use the powdered white stuff or drops? I’ve heard they taste different…
I use both depending on what I am using them for. I think the liquid is great in iced coffee 🙂 I use NuNaturals. I have a feeling it all depends on the brands!
Ok, I will definitely have to try the NuNaturals. Thanks girl!
I can’t wait to try this recipe, Brandi. Is it the one you commented on in my “can’t we all get along cookies” post that you said people would post but not credit to you? I can see why it’s so popular – it looks and sounds delicious. Thanks for being so honest about xylitol. While I really should use sugar substitutes, given the crazy amounts of dessert I make, a lot of them scare me, or like Stevia, leave such a weird taste that I won’t use them. I like your idea of using maple syrup as your go-to sweetener. Natural all the way, baby!
Yes, Nancy! This is the one! I was so upset I removed the old recipe for quite awhile. I obviously have now posted it again…oh well…I realized that if I’m going to have a food blog, I can’t control what others do. I just have to believe in the whole karma thing and keep doing what I love 🙂
I hope you love them if you try them!!
I would love to try X my friend (it is so hard to spell) you review beautifully and love the recipe!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thanks so much Uru!
I have nominated you for the Versatile blogger award.See the details on my blog.Congratulations.I have nice weekend ,my dear.
Thank you!
I had never heard of this alternative sweetener before so I must look for it! Like you, I don’t like stevia at all,…and I am also in love with coconut blossom sugar! 🙂 Your cookies are another must make! They look absolutely beautiful just like you, inside & out! 🙂 xxx
You’re so sweet Sophie! Thank you my dear!
These look amazing Brandi. Lovely and fudgey. Xylitol sounds interesting. I’ve seen it in the bakery aisle often and have been curious about it. We eat A LOT of beans and lentils though – I’d worry about adding to the natural gas build-up in our house.
Hahaha! Yes, too much gas is not a good thing! Thanks girl! They are very fudgy and my favorite dessert I’ve ever made 🙂
Hi Brandi How are you doing ? Your photos as always look so good and that is equal to your recipes too… We are making right here right now a vegan baked cherry and blueberry cheesecake with Xylitol… I too have stevia which I do not mind however some people have said it is slightly bitter after taste !!! Great recipe !!
Thank you so much Thom! I’m doing great! Oh, that cheesecake sounds fabulous! I’ve heard the stevia Nunaturals liquid drops taste much better. I will have to try those!
Yum! These look so good!
Lovely cookies – glad you are sharing them again since they include two of my favorite flavors. I also received a Xyla sample and have been baking with it to much success. And like you, I generally bake with either maple syrup or maple sugar – but it’s been fun to test out something new. Thanks for the heads up on the side effects! I’ll keep a check on my intake ;-).
I just made these last night and they are amazing!! The perfect combination of fudgy and cakey and the espresso powder brings out so much more of the chocolate flavor it’s a must!! These taste like they are from a high end bakery and I bet no one could guess they are actually kind of healthy!! 😉 lol Thank you for such an amazing recipe!!! Love your blog!!
Thank you so much Jenn for the amazing feedback!! Wow, such a wondeful compliment, you made my day! They are a favorite around here with family and friends for a reason, too. There really is no better combo than chocolate and espresso, is there??!! Thanks again 🙂
I just made this and I was so stupid because I forgot the coconut sugar! Amazingly, they still turned out delicious! I just sprinkle it on and they tasted great!
Haha! That is so funny, but remarkeable they still were delicious, that makes me happy! Thank you so much for letting me know! 🙂
haha I redid them and they turned out even greater! I will DEFINATLY be making these again!!!
These cookies are amazing! So easy to make and delicious!
I’m thrilled you loved these Joanna, thank you very much for the feedback!
I made these with organic evaporated cane juice but the rest of the ingredients were as written. I am not real careful at measuring but they still came out fantastic! I can see why they are your favorite vegan cookies. The crispy edge and gooey center are delectable. Your recipes never disappoint. Thanks!
Awesome Lori, so happy to hear that! Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback. Mmmmm, reading your comment is making me crave them, lol!
Brandi, these are delicious! Thank you for creating them. 🙂
What types of flour substitutes can be used, if using?
These cookies are amazing! I had just the right amount of everything to make a batch of these, and like all of Brandi’s recipes—not only did they not disappoint, they exceeded our expectations! These cookies are the real deal, and will win over anyone who likes a sweet treat!
Thank you Brandi, for all the time you spend in developing these amazing recipes for us! You are amazing! XOXO
Hi Brandy!!! Happy new year, girl! Excited for the new recipes coming in 2018 and for your cookbook!!
I made those amazing – delicious -best cookies ever yesterday and apart they tasted like heaven, I`m not sure why they didnt get the right texture after cooked. I used a scale and measured all ingredients. I cooked on a silicon sheet for 10min, and even after cooling in the fridge for hours they didnt get hard enought for me to remove them properly, they still a bit stick. I`m wondering what I did wrong… Any idea? Maybe I should cook longer? Maybe I need to cook on a metal sheet? Hope you can help me before I bake the next bacth!!! Thank you for this delicious recipe! Muah!
Hi Tatiana! Yes, I know exactly the issue, the silicone! That’s why I always recommend baking on parchment paper on a metal sheet. Silicone mats and bakeware tend to stick or be gummy and bake sticky cookies that don’t release well. Since these cookies are not made with oil or butter, that will make them stick even more. Use parchment paper and it works perfect everytime. I’ve been baking these for years and they are always perfect. Try the parchment and metal pan and it will be much better. 🙂 🙂