These cookies are absolutely delicious. Rich and chocolatey, and a little crisp on the outside with a soft ganache like filling on the inside. Loosely adapted from a recipe on VeganRicha's site that has some other great recipes.

Chocolate ganache cookies

Ganache centre

2 teaspoons coconut oil
2 teaspoons non-dairy milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup
¼ cup or 45 g chocolate, dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips, I used a mix of both

For the cookie dough

1 cup or 100 g almond flour
2.5 tablespoons or 19 g tapioca starch
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2½ tablespoons or 19 g cocoa powder
1 tablespoon or 15 g sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla powder, or vanilla extract
2 tablespoons or 28 g coconut oil
4 tablespoons maple syrup

Instructions 

  1. Make the chocolate ganache.
    In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the coconut oil, milk and maple syrup, heat until it gently steams, turn off the heat and add the chocolate, and mix until melted. 
  2. Cool this mixture for about 15 minutes in the freezer or 30 minutes in the fridge, until it’s solid enough to scoop and shape into balls, but not fully solid. It needs to be a consistency that is scoopable. It should almost have the texture of play dough. 
  3. While this is cooling and firming up, make the cookie dough.
    In a bowl, add all the dry ingredients. If you are using vanilla powder, add it here too. 
  4. Mix very well, pressing to break up any almond flour lumps.
  5. Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan and then add the maple syrup. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and mix to make a smooth dough. If your dough feels stiff, add another 1 to 2 teaspoons of maple syrup. 
  6. Chill it in the fridge  while you make your ganache. You want the dough to be pliable and not too stiff, so don’t chill it for too long. It needs to flatten easily, so you can shape it around the ganache. If it gets too firm, leave on the counter for a few minutes until it gets to a workable consistency, where you can form it into balls.

Assemble and bake the cookies.

  1. Preheat the oven to 335°F (170°C).
  2. Once the cookie dough and ganache is ready, make 10 small balls of the ganache (about 7 – 8 g each) and set them aside. 
  3. Then do the same with the cookie dough, work quickly and don’t handle it overly much. Take about 2 tablespoons worth of cookie dough (about 24 g each) and make ten balls. 
  4. Flatten the cookie dough with the back of a spoon, and then place a scoop of ganache in the centre, then fold the dough over and pinch the edges to seal completely. If there are cracks, the chocolate will ooze out while baking. 
  5. Place the cookie ball on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 
  6. Once they are all made, use a spatula and flatten them down. Repeat for all cookies.
  7. Sprinkle with some salt flakes if you like and then place in the oven.
  8. Bake for about 10 minutes, then check if the cookies have spread nicely and the edges look firm, then remove from the oven. 
  9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. They’ll be soft and gooey when warm but will set as they cool. If you break them open when warm the melted chocolate centre will ooze out beautifully.

Storage: Store on the counter in a covered container for up to 3 days.

Make ahead: refrigerate the stuffed cookie dough balls for up to a week. Bake as needed. They might take a minute or so longer from the fridge.