Knock-off Paleo/Vegan Milano-ish Cookies (Paleo/Vegan/AIP Option/GF)

They may not look pretty, but holy cow these remind me so much of Milano Cookies and that makes me happy. As per usual, shot and styled by me, Jenna Peffley at home, during quarantine. Also vintage denim is my new favorite background.

I was watching my husband eat Girl Scout cookies and getting pretty jealous because I can’t have ANY of the ingredients in them (as a former Girl Scout, this is a huge bummer), so I decided I would make my own. While I typically stick to an AIP diet, I’ve been eating Paleo/soy-free/dairy free chocolate a lot lately, because we’re in quarantine and I feel comforted by chocolate. And what started as an experiment to make Samoas, after a few trial and error adventures became this knock-off Milano cookie. And then I got adventurous and made them into Mint faux-Milano cookies. And WOAH. Non-autoimmune eating husband approved too - I always ask “is this actually good or is it just good to me because I can’t have the other stuff?” These got 2 thumbs up.

INGREDIENTS - SIMPLE SHORTBREAD COOKIE (AIP/PALEO/VEGAN)

• 3/4 c coconut flour

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 c arrowroot starch

• 1/2 c coconut oil, softened (I was actually almost out of coconut oil on my second batch, so did equal parts ghee and coconut oil to make 1/2 c and it worked just fine)

• 1/4 c maple syrup

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (omit if strict AIP)

• Pinch of fancy salt

INGREDIENTS - CHOCOLATE DIPPING SAUCE

• About 15 paleo chocolate chips (I use these Hu Kitchen ones - they are THE BEST)

  OR 1 tbsp carob powder + 1 tsp coconut oil + 1 tsp Maple syrup for strict AIP

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

• 1 tbsp coconut butter

• 1 tsp maple syrup

• a big pinch of fancy salt

• Optional food grade peppermint essential oil or Orange essential oil (2-3 drops at most)

All cookies should be served up on a Moroccan pouf, don’t you think?

RECIPE - SHORTBREAD COOKIES

1. Preheat oven to 325° and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. Add all ingredients to a food processor or mixer (I don’t have a mixer, so I use a food processor) and process on high until dough forms.

3. Shape into desired cookie shape, flatten slightly, and poke holes in the top. For standard larger circle cookies, makes about 12 and for smaller oval cookies (like pictured) makes about 14-16.

4. Bake for 10-12 minutes - should be lightly golden on the bottom.

5. Remove from oven and LET COOL COMPLETELY before touching them. Paleo baking can be finicky and if you don’t wait (and I don’t always because I lack patience with cookies) they WILL crumble. My best hack for this is to gently transfer them with a spatula to a wire cooling rack with parchment underneath just in case of crumbles.

6. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes once cooled to prepare for dipping.

RECIPE - CHOCOLATE DIPPING SAUCE

1. Add all ingredients to a heat-proof bowl.

2. I don’t have a microwave, so I place my bowl into my Dutch oven, turn it on low/medium heat, cover for 2 minutes, then stir and continue to stir until fully melted, being careful to not let it burn to the bottom of the bowl. This entire process usually takes me about 5 minutes. I’m sure you could do this with a microwave, but I don’t have time recommendations for that so good luck.

3. Line a dish with parchment paper and working quickly, dip cookies into sauce or drizzle on top and then transfer to parchment paper. You could also try doing the whole sauce between two cookies thing, I just didn’t because it was already quite messy.

4. Put cookies in freezer for at least 10 minutes if you want to eat them right away, or fridge for at least 30 minutes. Keep them stored in the fridge.

Serve with tea! Enjoy!