black bean - chocolate - coconut cookies

these are definitely a don't-knock'em-till-you-try-them type of thing. you would never know there are black beans in these... oh my goodness are they delicious!! they are more like a brownie bite than a cookie, but decadent none the less. easily adaptable to other flavor combinations too - try nuts, or dried fruit, or maybe some spicy cayenne pepper to liven things up. not to mention, they are extremely simple!

black bean - chocolate - coconut cookies

3 cups cooked black beans, drained

4 tablespoons coconut oil

2/3 cup dark cocoa powder

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

2/3 cup brown rice syrup (or 100% maple syrup or honey)

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2/3 cup dark chocolate bar or baking chocolate, shaved or chopped into small chunks

1/2 cup large unsweetened coconut flakes + extra for sprinkling

in a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients except the chocolate and coconut flakes. blend until smooth. the texture should be wet but not soupy. fold in the chocolate and coconut flakes. spoon about 1-2 tablespoons of the mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. sprinkle each cookie with extra coconut flakes. bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until the edges of the cookies and coconut start to brown. serve warm! to be honest, these cookies are best straight out of the oven and don't make the best leftover if stored in a tupperware. instead, freeze the cookies in single layers between sheets of wax paper. when you want some cookies, heat the oven to 350 and bake for 5 minutes until warm again. sure, a little more work on your part, but entirely worth the extra effort to enjoy these cookies warm!