Pretty in Pink Chocolate Chippers

These are the prettiest chocolate chip cookies I've ever seen, and they taste amazing thanks to a slight earthiness from shredded raw beets. Guess what - they're gluten free and vegan too!

I can't believe it took me so long to appreciate the sweet, earthy deliciousness of beets. As a kid, they were "old people food" - served cold, out of the can, in a sticky-sweet sauce I couldn't stand. When I started growing my own - mom loved the taste and I loved the variety - I realized how good they were either raw or slow-roasted. No sugar or butter required, just the smooth flavour of caramelized roots or the bright, sweet crunch of raw shreds.

Of course, baking with beets has been something I've done for ages, and since they are inherently sweet they play so well in the dessert arena. Of course, dark chocolate with it's bittersweet tones is a natural pairing for beets, but for the holidays I wanted something that really let the deep magenta colour of the roots shine through. Beantown Baker had a recipe for the cutest pink vegan chocolate chippers that I had stashed away for years, and with the last of this year's beet glut I finally got around to making them!

I switched up the all-purpose flour with my Artisanal Gluten Free Flour blend (and found I needed a little more to get a "dough" consistency) but otherwise kept everything the same. During baking, the house was filled with the lovely sweet, earthy aroma of roasting beets just tinged with melted chocolate and vanilla, and the resulting cookies had a complex, not too sweet flavour that both kids and grownups enjoyed. None of my taste testers could tell it was gluten free, and those who followed that diet were glad to have a special holiday cookie in their gift baskets. Next year I might add in some chocolate chunks as well, because more chocolate is ALWAYS better!

Pretty in Pink Chocolate Chippers
Makes 18
1 cup Artisanal Gluten Free Flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup shredded raw beets
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tbsp water
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1. In a food processor, pulse together the shredded beets, oil, vanilla, water and sugar until thoroughly combined.
2. Pulse in the flour, baking powder and salt until well combined. Pulse in the chocolate chips.
3. Wrap in plastic and chill 1 hour.
4. Heat oven to 350F.
5. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto lined cookie sheets and flatten slightly.
6. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool on the sheets.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 57.5
Total Fat: 1.6 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 2.7 mg
Total Carbs: 10.8 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.6 g
Protein: 0.7 g