Peppermint chocolate teff cookies are a healthy upgrade to a traditional Christmas cookie. Slightly sweet, rich, with a fresh hint of mint. These teff flour cookies are vegan and gluten-free. Teff flour is rich in calcium, iron, and magnesium, and is a good source of plant-based protein. It’s a nutrient dense flour that makes any cookie healthier. A perfect cookie for the holiday season!
This month’s Recipe Redux theme was to take a recipe from a cookbook and revamp it with a healthy twist. Since we are in the holiday season, with all the holiday cookies and treats, I chose to update a cookie from Isa Chandra’s cookbook  Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar
Last month, I used the program InsideTracker to analyze my blood results and get training and nutrition specific recommendations based on my results. The lab tests came back mostly great, but I was deficient in magnesium. Magnesium is crucial for over 300 body processes; on the athlete level, magnesium aids with proper muscle functioning, strong bones, and energy production.  My stress and inflammation levels were also really high.  InsideTracker recommended that I seek out more magnesium-rich, anti-inflammatory foods in order to improve. I chose to add teff flour and tahini.
These recommendations sat at the forefront of my mind as I set out to make these peppermint chocolate teff cookies. The original recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour. The first nutrition upgrade I decided to make was replace some of the flour with teff flour. Teff flour is high in calcium, iron and magnesium.  It also contains 7 grams of plant-based protein per 1/4c serving! It has a naturally mild, nutty taste.
The original recipe also combines 1/2 c of oil with 3/4 c of granulated sugar. To make a healthier vegan chocolate cookie, I swapped the oil for tahini. Tahini contains anti-inflammatory healthy fats, in addition to calcium and iron. Opting for healthy fats like nut and seed butters that contain additional nutrients, upgrades the nutrition profile of cookies. While almond butter or cashew butter would work well too, I chose tahini because I think the flavor pairs well with teff.
3/4 c of sugar seems like a lot to me, so I replaced 1/2c of granulated sugar with maple syrup and only 3 tbsp of brown sugar. I think brown sugar pairs better with the rich cookie ingredients. Like swapping a nut butter for oil, adding a natural sweetener instead of straight sugar also boost the nutritional value of the cookie.
The final update I made to these cookies wasn’t necessarily a healthy update, just a preference. While I love anything chocolate, I do not like coffee. Mocha Mamas quickly became… peppermint papas? I think that peppermint is more appropriate for the Christmas holiday anyway. ‘Tis the season for peppermint and chocolate.
Vegan peppermint chocolate teff cookies are healthy holiday cookie. They’re rich in magnesium, iron, calcium and plant-based protein. Minty, chocolatey, nutty, tender, puffy, rich cookies. Seriously, I can’t get enough of them. Since they are both vegan and gluten-free AND peppermint flavored, they make a great Christmas cookie to make is you’re hosting people with various dietary preferences.  If you try this recipe, let me know!  Rate it, leave a comment, take a picture and tag @Rabbitfoodruns on Instagram. I would love to see your teff cookie creations!Â
Buen provecho,
Becca
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 15 minutes |
| Servings |
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- 1/2 c tahini *make sure it's drippy
- 1/3 c maple syrup
- 3 tbsp brown sugar *Optional, or add more maple syrup
- 1/4 c unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- 2/3 c teff flour
- 3/4 c almond flour
- 1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Ingredients
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- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the tahini, maple syrup and brown sugar with a hand mixer until smooth. Add in the almond milk, flaxseed, cornstarch vanilla extract and peppermint extract. Blend well to incorporate.
- Sift in the teff flour, almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well until thick dough forms. Add up to 2 tbsp more of almond milk if dough appears too cakey (depends on moisture in your flour).
- Drop by tablespoonfuls onto parchment paper. The cookies don't spread much, so you can space them out 1/2 an inch apart to fit. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly firm to touch.
- Remove and let sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to finish cooking and then allow to cool on a wire cookie rack.
- Based on original recipe from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar
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Love the upgrades you’ve made to these. They sound delicious!
I really like the sound of the tahini and maple syrup in those!