These Chocolate Chunk Cookies Have One Seriously Nutritious Secret
These cookies aren't just sweet and satisfying. Thanks to one key ingredient, they're also filling and good for you.
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If you’ve ever wished that your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe was even more chocolatey and better for you, nutrition-wise, then we’ve got great news. We’ve come up with a recipe that offers big chunks of dark chocolate, sweet shredded coconut and a secret ingredient (well, not-so-secret!) that offers a heaping serving of vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein and other must-have nutrients. Our Sunflower Chocolate Chunk Cookies are made with sunflower seeds, and they’re both completely crave-worthy and good for you.
It’s the little sunflower seeds mixed into the batter of these cookies that make them so fantastic for you. While they aren’t a super common cookie ingredient, they are a wonderfully healthy – and nutrient-dense – addition. In just 1 ounce of sunflower seeds, you’ll get 37 percent of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of vitamin E and 32 percent of your daily selenium. Plus, these tiny seeds pack impressive amounts of folate, vitamin B6, copper, and zinc too. And, of course, you can’t overlook the brain-boosting flavanols that you’ll get from every chunk of dark chocolate.
Our Sunflower Chocolate Chunk Cookies recipe makes 24 cookies in total, which sounds like a lot. But once you taste the combo of succulent chocolate and nutritious sunflower seeds, you’ll be glad you have so many. You can keep them handy for when those snack cravings hit, or enjoy them as a treat at the end of each day throughout the week. Either way, you might want to make more than one batch once you give these chocolatey cookies a taste!
For more chocolate-filled cookies and treats beyond the recipe below, try:
- Chocolate Peanut Squares
- Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies
- Clean Coconut Macaroons with Chocolate Chips
Sunflower Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup large flake oats
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 heaping tbsp raw cacao powder
- 1 tbsp arrowroot starch
- 1⁄2 tsp each sea salt and baking powder
- 1⁄3 cup coconut oil, melted (at room temperature)
- 1⁄2 cup sunflower butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1⁄3 cup raw honey
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1⁄2 cup chopped dark chocolate (70% cacao or greater) + more for garnish
- 1⁄2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut + more for garnish
- 1⁄2 cup sunflower seeds, roasted and unsalted + more for garnish
Preparation
- Arrange oven racks in top and bottom thirds of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- To a food processor, add oats, almond flour, raw cacao powder, arrowroot, salt and baking powder. Pulse 10 to 15 times, until oats are broken up and ingredients are blended. Transfer to a large bowl.
- To food processor, add coconut oil, sunflower butter, eggs, honey and vanilla and process for 20 seconds, until blended. Transfer wet ingredients to bowl with dry ingredients. Stir just until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- To mixture, add chocolate, shredded coconut and sunflower seeds; fold in, mixing just until evenly distributed.
- Drop batter onto prepared sheets, about 2 tbsp each, making 24 cookies. Press cookies down with the bottom of a glass (wet bottom of glass slightly to prevent sticking). Sprinkle a few chocolate chunks, shredded coconut and sunflower seeds on top of each cookie.
- Bake cookies in top and bottom thirds of oven, rotating and switching baking sheets halfway through, until golden and just starting to brown on edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely on sheets. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1 cookie
- Calories 189
- Carbohydrate Content 12 g
- Cholesterol Content 16 mg
- Fat Content 14 g
- Fiber Content 3 g
- Protein Content 4 g
- Saturated Fat Content 6 g
- Sodium Content 78 mg
- Sugar Content 6 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 3 g