Barre 2 Barre Recipe:
Chocolate Chip Chia Seed Cookies 

One of the joys of having a flexible work schedule and a magnificent oven at home is all the time spent baking, when really you should be on your laptop catching up on some writing.

But surely – experimenting and indulging friends with treats should by default rid me of the crime of procrastination, no? In an attempt to rationalise my guilt-laden habit of making guilt-free snacks, I thought it’s only fair I share with my fellow barre ladies and health enthusiasts my recent favourite cookie recipe.

Imagine this: all-natural, gluten-free and grain-free cookies baked perfectly to your desired level of chewiness or crunchiness. These little guys are naturally sweetened to satisfy your sweet tooth, while packed full of fibre, healthy fats and protein to fill up your stomach after a workout!

To provide the moisture and binding needed, the key ingredient here is aquafaba. Aqua-what, you may ask?

Aquafaba is the viscous water leftover from cooked chickpeas, which works well as an egg substitute. All you have to do is drain a can of chickpeas, reserve the liquid and use a hand or stand mixer to whip it. Depending on the speed of your mixer, it generally takes 5 to 10 minutes (and some patience) to form semi-firm peaks. Feel free to throw in some cream of tartar to make the process easier and faster!

The cookies should last up to 3–4 days. You can also keep them fresh for even longer by storing them in the refrigerator or freezer. But, let’s be honest, will you be able to resist?

If you try this recipe, let us know! Share a picture and don’t forget to tag us @barre2barrehk on Instagram. Hope this recipe will bake your day a little better!

Ingredients

• 1¼ cups almond flour
• 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips, or bar oosely chopped
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/4 cup desiccated unsweetened coconut
• 1/3 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup aquafaba (use less for crunchier texture)
• 3 tbsps coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp maple syrup

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together almond flour, dark chocolate, chia seeds, coconut, coconut sugar, baking powder and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, whip aquafaba using a hand or stand mixer until fluffy with semi-firm peaks.
3. To the aquafaba, beat or whisk to combine coconut oil, vanilla extract and maple syrup (it’s normal for the mixture to deflate a little).
4. Add wet mixture to dry ingredients and mix until just combined. The dough should be firm and semi-tacky. If too wet, add more almond flour or coconut.
5. Loosely cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight to reduce spread. 
6. Pre-heat your oven to 175oC and line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. When dough is ready, scoop out 1½-tablespoon amounts of dough and roll into balls with your hands. Slightly press them down into discs and top with extra chocolate if desired.
8. Leave about a 2-cm gap between each cookie to allow for a little spreading.
9. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the tops appear slightly puffy and cracked, and the bottoms golden brown.
10. Remove from oven and let cool on the pan for 10 minutes. Then carefully transfer them to a cooling rack with a spatula.
11. Enjoy immediately or let cool completely before storing leftovers in a sealed container at room temperature, or in the refrigerator or freezer for longer!