Christmas Eve... Double Dark Chocolate Cookies

I have one more tour of duty at work to complete, and then, on Christmas morning, right after my Christmas Eve work shift, I drive straight to the airport... and for the next week I'll be on glorious, glorious vacation with Zach in Louisiana!

I might not be able to download photos or blog while I'm away (although I'll certainly try, and you can be sure I'll be happily reading all of your wonderful blogs!) so if I don't have the opportunity to post again until after Christmas and possibly even until after the New Year, I want to take this moment to wish each of you a Merry Christmas, a beautiful, peaceful, glorious, and delicious holiday season, and a New Year full of blessings. I also, with all of my heart, want to thank you all for bringing such inspiration, light, and joy into my life, every single day! I am so incredibly grateful for your friendship!

Thus, in the spirit of holiday cheer, I simply cannot resist sharing this recipe for gloriously gooey, dark-chocolaty cookies... :-) One of the many things I'm looking forward to over vacation is baking plentiful Christmas cookies, as I fully believe the season for Christmas cookies can extend all the way to New Years!

I'm quite certain I shall start baking with these sticky, soft, gooey cookies, which are a current favorite of ours... They may not be the most prudent cookies I've ever made, but their health profile is still rather spiffy with whole wheat flour, raw turbinado sugar, and egg whites. Additionally, Zach just called and told me about a glorious salad recipe he learned yesterday, so we shall thus plan on fixing salads and cookies for everyone... After all, the art is the in balance, right?

Double Dark Chocolate Cookies

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup dutch process cocoa powder

1 cup light, nonhydrogenated vegan margarine

1 1/2 cup raw turbinado sugar

1 tsp vanilla

4 egg whites, beaten

1 (12 oz) package dark (at least 60% cacao) chocolate chips

~ Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

~ Gently stir together the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.

~ Beat the vegan marg, turbinado sugar, and vanilla until creamy.

~ Add the eggs to the sugar mixture, and beat until well mixed.

~ Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined.

~ Fold in the chocolate chips.

~ Drop the batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes - until the cookies are just beginning to set around the edges.

~ Allow the cookies to cool slightly, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. Of course, they're incredibly delicious warm as well... :-)

On the blog this time last year... Cannelloni with Mushroom Cream!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year, Y'all!!