Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies & Hot Chocolate

After a big holiday blow-out, there’s nothing better than spending a cozy night in! These Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies and my yummy Hot Chocolate go perfectly together. Eat them while watching your favorite movie!

Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup unbleached white flour
• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup safflower oil
• 2/3 cup maple syrup
• 2 t vanilla extract
• 1 t fine sea salt

Chocolate Coating

• 2 cups grain-sweetened, nondairy chocolate or carob chips
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 T safflower oil

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Combine the flours and baking powder in a large mixing bowl
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, syrup, vanilla extract, and salt
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir to form a smooth dough
5. If the mixture is too crumbly, add a bit of water, 1 teaspoon at a time, and up to 1 tablespoon more oil until the dough just holds together
6. Roll the dough out to ½” thickness between two sheets of parchment or wax paper
7. Use cookie cutters or a knife to cut the dough into desired shapes
8. Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheet
9. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned
10. Transfer the cookies to a baking rack to cool completely
11. While the cookies are cooling, combine the chocolate chips, syrup, and oil in the top of a double boiler and place over simmering water
12. If you don’t have a double boiler, place a stainless steel bowl over boiling water and melt the ingredients in it
13. Turn off the heat, cover, and let stand for 5-10 minutes or until the chocolate melts
14. Stir until smooth
15. Dip each cookie halfway into the chocolate sauce, and place on a sheet of wax or parchment paper
16. Chill in the refrigerator until hardened

Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

• 1 cup soy/rice milk blend
• 1 t unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 T grain-sweetened, nondairy chocolate or carob chips
• 1/4 t vanilla extract
• 1 t maple syrup
• Optional toppings: vegan marshmallows, nondairy whipped topping, or chocolate shavings

Steps

1. Whisk the milk, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, vanilla extract, and syrup together in a small saucepan
2. Place over medium heat
3. Cook until the chocolate chips are melted, whisking occasionally
4. Serve naked or with your choice of topping