Vegan Chocolate Dipped Eclipse Shortbread Cookies


We're in the 'path of totality' so I thought I'd bake some cookies. Who needs an eclipse to be inspired to bake? Not me, but the idea of something coated in chocolate to munch on while the sun disappears tomorrow is where I was going. (Apparently this is kinda a big deal and maybe the first and last one I'll witness in my fifty-some years of living on this planet! So we'll call it a BIG DEAL!)

The dough will come together in under fifteen minutes or so. It requires about two hours of chilling (and I will tell you the dough is quite solid after this chill)--you'll need a sharp knife to cut into the quarter-inch thick sliced miracles. There's a bit of cinnamon in the mix to add a little zing to the flavor with all the chocolate happening. Also, there's coffee for good measure and then, THEN, the chocolate dipping thing happens. These are so crunchy and melt-in-your-mouth, you'll love 'em. (We had to taste-test before the eclipse!)  
See you after the eclipse St. Louis!



Vegan Chocolate Dipped Eclipse Shortbread Cookies
(makes about 20 cookies--double recipe if you'd like more)

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/4 cup vegan butter, room temperature
1/4 cup vegan shortening
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 t. coffee granules
2 t. warm water (to mix in with the coffee)
1/2 t. vanilla extract
2 t. ground flaxseed plus 2 T. water AND 1 t. light flavored olive oil (egg replacement)
1/8 cup chocolate chips melted

For dipping sauce:
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 1/2 T. shortening

In a medium bowl, sift dry ingredients together. In another bowl, mix together the butter, shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the flax egg, melted chocolate chips, vanilla extract and coffee mix, blend until well mixed. Then add the dry ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms. (Your dough will be a little sticky, but just flour the counter before you roll it into a log--about six inches long.) Wrap in plastic and place in fridge for about 2 hours until firm. 

Preheat oven to 350. Remove the dough and slice into 1/4" slices and place about an inch apart on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes--until the cookies are just getting a little color around the edges. 

Allow to cool completely. While cookies cool, prepare the dipping sauce. (I used the "20 seconds at a time in microwave" to melt the chocolate/shortening for dipping.)

Dip cookies and place on parchment. Enjoy! Store in the fridge for best results once the dipping edge has solidified. 








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