Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

 

The first thing we do when planning a long train / bus journey in India is to book tickets as it is hard to get reservations at the last moment if you don't plan ahead. Here in US, it is complete opposite. Though the fares are drastically cheaper and tickets would be readily available, long bus / train journeys are practically zero occurrence for us. While exploring these options, we have noticed that sometimes one might need to take a very, very long route than required, ending up spending more time than needed in travel. If it is a 1000 mile round trip and it is summer, we prefer our minivan to travel and if the distance is more, we just fly. I prefer to travel in our own vehicle than a flight because of the convenience and more luggage space. Besides, we get to visit and explore whatever catches our fancy along the route. And I can stuff as much as food as I like. :)
Though I don't sit and make rotis for our travel here, I use ready made puliyogare mix or prepare tamarind gojju in advance so that we have one substantial meal during the travel. Besides savory stuff, I bake a subtly sweet bread and a couple of variety of cookies for my kids. These chocolate crinkle cookies inspired from here is one such variety of cookies that are good for travel and especially for kids like my daughter who loves chocolate. They are easy, "no fuss" cookies, taste good with an appealing crinkled look. The only catch is the dough needs to be chilled for at least 6 hours. If you are interested, here are lime crinkled cookies that taste fabulous as well. 

Ingredients: (Yields 1 & 1/2 dozen cookies)

1/2 cup + 4 tsp all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt
1 tbsp. flax meal powder

3 tbsp water

7 tbsp. sugar

3 tbsp. vegetable oil (I used canola oil)

1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract

Powdered sugar / Icing sugar for coating

Preparing cookie dough:
* Mix flax meal and 3 tbsp. of warm water in a small bowl and keep aside for about 5 minutes.
* Mix flour, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl and keep it aside.
* Beat oil and sugar in another large mixing bowl. Then add cocoa and beat just until combined.
* Next add flax meal mixture and vanilla to the sugar mixture and beat once again.
* Add the flour mixture gradually to the cocoa mixture, beating well. If the dough becomes thick and if you are not able to beat at this stage, work with hands until the dough is formed. It would be slightly sticky.
* Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 6 hours. I refrigerated it overnight, for about 10 hours.

The Baking Part:
* When ready to bake, preheat the oven at 350 deg F / 175 deg C for 10 minutes. Grease the baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.
* Take the dough out of the refrigerator and shape it into 1/2 tbsp. sized balls and roll them in icing sugar.

 * Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, 2 inches apart.

 

* Bake for about 10 to 13 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched lightly. Don't be tempted to bake longer.
* Let them cool slightly and transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely. Store them in airtight container.

This is my post under "Travel Dishes" theme for BM#36. Check here to know what other marathoners are cooking. 

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