Vegan Citrus Chocolate Chunk Cookies with a secret ingredient...

In the deli where I work, every time there is a pot of white beans cooking on the stove one of my coworker's always says, "Uh oh...Amy has a big pot of white beans again!" Even if they are not mine, it is assumed they are.  This is because I am known for always using white beans at work, and they even labled the big bin of white beans "Amy's White Beans" once because I probably use 75% of the bin in my cooking.  They may tease me about it, but I heard recently that white beans are supposed to be quite nutritious, so I am on to something!  Actually, I credit my frequent white bean use to my Mother, who always would buy white beans when I was little.  I grew up with them being the main bean used in cooking, as many of her recipes were italian based and they went well in them.  

My coworkers were teasing me about the beans last week, and it got me to thinking more about them.  I was in a daydreaming sort of mood on Friday and desserts to make this weekend were a big part of the daydreams.  I know people use black beans in brownies, but why not use white beans in something?  At frist I thought maybe blondies, but I decided I didn't want to make bars, so cookies it would be!

But what to pair with white beans?  Well, it didn't really matter because they have no flavor in the cookies, just add nutrition and texture.  So, I decided on citrus!  I had oranges, lemons and limes and it is the season to use them, so it was a great idea!  I didn't want the cookies to be too plain, however so I thought I would add some chopped dark chocolate because it goes so beautifully with citrus.  To the unsuspecting eater, they would simply taste like upscale chocolate chip cookies (the citrus and dark chocolate chunks being the upscale). 

The dough was amazing!  Yes, I always eat a good amount of it, and I wanted to make sure the beans were undetectable.  Plus, I cannot wait to try it until the next day when I bake the cookies because it has to chill overnight for best results.  But seriously, it was like extra delicious cookie dough all smooth and citrusy with rich chocolate bits!

Once the cookies were baked, I admit I tried one after it was only out of the oven for about a minute...you know, where you break off a piece and blow on it because it is still so warm.  But it was amazing!  It was soft and citrusy, buttery from the coconut oil and the chocolate was still gooey and melty!  I had to have another once they had cooled a little more, but the chocolate remained liquid for quite a while making them extra delicious! 

You would not know they had beans in them at all, which was the idea, but they were still there making the cookies hold together and be delicious!  If you don't believe me, you can make them for yourself, as I have included the recipe.  But I will warn you, you will eat a lot of dough should you decide to taste it, and you will eat a lot of warm cookies while they are cooling because they are irrisistable with the aroma of citrus and chocolate they create in your kitchen!

Vegan Citrus Chocolate Chunk White Bean Cookies

makes 1 1/2 dozen

Cookies:
1 cup maple sugar, or granulated organic sugar
2/3 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup cooked, pureed white beans

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp orange extract

1 Tbsp organic orange zest

1 Tbsp organic lemon zest
1 Tbsp organic lime zest
1/2 cup agave nectar
2 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
8 oz vegan dark chocolate, chopped

In a food processor, combine coconut oil, sugar, beans, vanilla extract, orange extract, zests, and agave nectar and process until well combined (alternatively place in a bowl and use an immersion blender), then scrape mixture into a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, then add to the large bowl, and mix until well combined. Mix in the chocolate, and place in the fridge to chill until firm, preferrably overnight. To bake, Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll balls into about 2 1/2 inch balls, and place on prepared cookie sheets a couple inches apart (refrigerate unused dough while baking the other trays). Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until puffed and just starting to brown slightly. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining cookies.