Vegan Red Velvet Cookies

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

• 1/2 cup organic brown sugar (you could also try this with xylitol for sugar-free cookies)
• 1/3 cup organic coconut oil
• 1/4 cup cooked beetroot puree
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup date molasses
• 1 1/4 cups organic wholewheat pastry flour*
• 1 tsp raw cacao powder (unsweetened cocoa will also work)
• 1/2 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

For the frosting:

• 1 cup cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
• 1 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp of cornstarch – to thicken

*I can’t always find this, so sometimes I sieve regular wholewheat flour to remove some of the coarser wheat bran an just use that.
Directions:

• In a bowl, combine the wet ingredients (coconut oil, date molasses, vanilla extract and beet puree) with the sugar and whisk till well incorporated.
• In a separate bowl combine the flour, cocoa power, salt, and baking power and add to the wet ingredients. Mix well and then place in the fridge (or freezer, if you’re in a hurry) until the dough firms up.
• To bake, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F an line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough into uniform balls about 2 inch thick, place on the sheet and flatten. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the cookies puff up and are just starting to brown – careful not to overbake as they should be slightly crispy on the outside but soft and chewy in texture.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting (otherwise you will end up with a sticky mess, trust me.)
• For the frosting combine all the ingredients in a small food processor and pulse till blended. Add cornstarch as needed to thicken and place in the fridge to firm up.
• Frost the cookies using a piping bag or a dessert spoon if you’re feeling lazy. Scrounge up some red cookie crumbs to garnish and serve!