When cookies, brownie and salted caramel meet up to bring the perfect treat to life. These Vegan Salted Caramel Brownie cookies have everything one could ask for : soft in the inside, perfectly crispy edges, topped with a thick and creamy caramel frosting and crunchy hazelnuts chunks. They are so irresistible you won’t believe they are gluten-free AND oil-free.

Easy and healthy soft cookies

Everybody love a good batch of freshly baked cookies! But when this cookies craving hits you, you want them right now! These Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies are the answer. These are quick and easy to prepare, with a few simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, no resting time. You’re just a few minutes away from your nez favorite treat!

Not only are these cookies extremely good, but they also happen to be very healthy! Yes! Believe it or not, they are vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free and oil-free. I know it’s hard to believe when you look at these decadent beauties!

I’ve used almond meal and brown rice flour as a naturally gluten-free base for these cookies. Almond meal is amazing to add softness and fluffiness to all your preparations, cakes and cookies. Rice flour is my favorite gluten-free flour. It is easy to work with and has a neutral taste.

These Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies are very low in sugar. No refined sugar here, only a few tablespoon of maple syrup to bring a little sweetness and moisture to your cookies. Just the perfect touch of sweetness needed in in addition of the amazing date caramel.

Aquafaba, the secret ingredient

These Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies ask for a special ingredients: aquafaba. In this recipe, the aquafaba replaces the oil, add moisture and gives the cookies golden crispy edges. Aquafaba is a very helpful ingredients into plant-based cuisine, as it is an amazing substitute for egg whites. Thanks to these properties, aquafaba opens up a much wider array of possibilities for recipe creation and produces those light, fluffy baked goods.

Aquafaba is the name given to the liquid leftover from cooked chickpeas. You know, the one you probably throw in the sink when you open a can of chickpeas. You can obtain aquafaba two ways:

• Directly from a can of chickpeas: drain and reserve the liquid. This is the easiest way, as well as my favorite.
• Or cook your own chickpeas and reserve the leftover cooking liquid. This second method is less reliable and more time consuming.

Aquafaba can be whipped up with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, to be incorporated in a variety of recipes to replace whipped egg whites. Think about vegan meringues, chocolate mousse, mayo, buttercream and more …

For this Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies, we even don’t need to whip up the aquafaba. We’ll simply add the runny liquid directly to the dough.

Tips for making the best Caramel Brownie Cookies

Simple things are the best. And these Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies are so easy to make. All you have to do is to mix, shape, bake and voilà! The kind of perfect recipe if you are new to baking or to prepare with kids. But every cookie has its specificities, and every baker has their own secrets. Here are a couple of tips to nail these cookies:

• Use your hands! This cookie dough is not like traditional dough. It will first be a little crumbly and then turn thick as soon as you add the wet ingredients. To make sure all the ingredients are well combined, use your hands to massage the dough.
• If you notice the dough is too dry or too wet, don’t hesitate to adjust a little the ingredients to get the right consistency: thick, shapable and not too sticky. I if the dough is too wet and sticky, add a little of rice flour. If it’s too dry, add a little aquafaba, one teaspoon at the time.
• These cookies won’t spread a lot during baking. That’s why it is important to properly shape them before. Form balls by rolling the dough between your hands and gently flatten onto the baking tray to form round cookies.
• Ingredients in the salted caramel are very important to get this thick and creamy consistency.  For the dates, I highly recommend to use medjool variety that is very smooth, juicy and sweet. If you can’t find medjool dates or if your dates are dry, soak them in hot water for 15 minutes to soften before using. For a perfectly creamy caramel, I recommend to use thick full-fat coconut cream, with at least 85% of coconut. 
• Toppings for these cookies are an option but they really add something to the recipe. So I really recommend not to skip them. The pinch of salt flakes is the final touch to enhance the flavors and the sweetness of the cookies.

For more decadent snack and desserts, check out these recipes:

• GF Mini Chocolate Loaf Cakes with Caramel Sauce, your new go-to recipe
• 5-Ingredient Flourless Peanut Butter Brownie Mug cake, ready under 3 minutes
• Pecan Chocolate chips Cookie Bars, your favorite treat made healthy
• Cookie Dough Cheesecake with Caramel Sauce, probably my most decadent recipe
• The Ultimate Banana Bread GF, an all-time favorite

I love to see your creations! Don’t forget to tag me @alicepages on your photos on Instagram and give your feedback in the comments below if you make this recipe at home! Your opinion is my best reward.

Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies

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• Author: Alice Pagès
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 cookies 1x
• Category: cookies
• Method: oven
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

When cookies, brownie and salted caramel meet to bring the perfect treat to life. Vegan, gluten-free and oil-free brownie cookies with a creamy caramel frosting and crunchy hazelnuts on top. Soft in the inside with perfectly crispy edges.

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Ingredients

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Brownie cookies

• 2 cups almond meal
• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt
• 6 tbsp aquafaba (canned chickpea brine)
• 4 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp crushed roasted hazelnuts

Salted caramel

• 8 pitted soft dates (see notes)
• 1/3 cup thick coconut cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt

Toppings

• 1 tbsp crushed roasted hazelnuts
• a pinch of sea salt flakes

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
2. Combine the almond meal, brown rice flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the aquafaba, maple syrup and vanilla. Fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients using a spatula, then with your hands, until a thick and uniform dough forms. If the dough is too dry and crumbly, add a little more aquafaba, one teaspoon at the time, until you get the desired consistency.
4. Fold in the crushed roasted hazelnuts and mix with a spatula until evenly dispersed throughout the batter.
5. Split the dough into 6 equal size portions using a medium cookie scoop or a measuring spoon, and roll them into balls in your hands.
6. Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking tray, leaving 2 inches between each cookie. Gently press them down with the palm of your hand to flatten. The cookies won’t spread a lot. Bake for 12 minutes as a first step. 
7. Meanwhile, prepare the salted caramel sauce. Place the chopped pitted dates, coconut cream, vanilla and salt in a high speed blender and mix until perfectly smooth and creamy.
8. After the 12 minutes, remove the cookies from the oven and add one tablespoon of caramel sauce in the middle on top of each cookie and sprinkle with crushed hazelnuts. Return to the oven for 2 minutes more.
9. Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and sprinkle with sea salt flakes. Let them cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes. Then transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely before eating.  

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Notes

1. You can get aquafaba either by cooking dry chickpeas from scratch or straight from a can of chickpeas. You don’t need to reduce or beat the aquafaba for this recipe, simply add the liquid to the preparation.
2. It’s really important that you use soft dates to get a smooth and creamy caramel. I highly recommend to use medjool dates, a natural smooth, juicy and sweet variety. If you can’t find medjool dates or if your dates are dry, soak them in hot water for 15 minutes before using to soften.
3. For the caramel, I recommend to use thick full-fat coconut cream, with at least 85% of coconut. 

Recette version française

Cookies Brownie et Caramel Salé

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• Author: Alice Pages
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 6 cookies 1x
• Category: cookies
• Method: four
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

La rencontre décadente entre le cookie, le brownie et le caramel, pour un résultat irrésistible! Ces cookies chocolaté vegan, sans gluten et sans huile sont tendres à coeur et croquants sur les bords. Ils sont garnis d’une sauce caramel et de noisettes concassées pour encore plus de gourmandise. 

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Ingredients

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Cookies brownie

• 180 g d’amandes en poudre
• 110 g de farine de riz complet
• 10 g de levure chimique
• 40 g de cacao en poudre, non sucré
• 1 c. à c. de cannelle 
• 1 pincée de sel
• 100 g d’aquafaba (eau de conservation des pois-chiches, voir notes)
• 45 g de sirop d’érable
• 2 c. à c. d’extrait de vanille
• 40 g de noisettes torréfiées concassées

Caramel salé

• 140 g de dattes tendres dénoyautées (voir notes)
• 150 g de crème de coco ou lait de coco entier
• 1 c. à c. d’extrait de vanille
• 1 pincée de sel

Garniture

• 20 g de noisettes torréfiées concassées
• Une pincée de fleur de sel

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Instructions

1. Préchauffer le four à 180°C et chemiser une plaque de cuisson de papier sulfurisé.
2. Dans un grand saladier, mélanger la poudre d’amande, la farine de riz, la levure chimique, le cacao en poudre, la cannelle et le sel. 
3. Dans un bol à part, mélanger l’aquafaba, le sirop d’érable et la vanille. Verser la préparation dans les ingrédients secs et mélanger à l’aide d’une spatule puis directement avec les mains, jusqu’à obtenir une pâte épaisse et malléable. Si la pâte est trop sèche et s’émiette, ajouter un peu d’aquafaba, une cuillère à la fois et remuer. La pâte ne doit pas être trop collante.
4. Puis incorporer les noisettes concassées dans la pâte de façon à bien les répartir.
5. Diviser la pâte en 6 portions de taille égale et former des boules en les roulant entre les mains.
6. Déposer les boules de pâte sur la plaque de cuisson en les espaçant chacune de 4-5 centimètres. Appuyer délicatement sur les boules avec la paume de la main afin de les aplatir et de former des cookies. Enfourner pour 12 minutes dans un premier temps, jusqu’à ce que les cookies soient dorés et gonflés.
7. Pendant que les cookies cuisent, préparer le caramel salé. Hacher grossièrement les dattes dénoyautées et les placer dans un blender avec la crème de coco, la vanille et le sel. Mixer à pleine puissance jusqu’à obtenir un caramel lisse, onctueux et sans morceaux.
8. Après les 12 minutes de cuisson, retirer les cookies du four. Déposer une cuillère de caramel salé au centre de chaque cookies et garnir de noisettes concassés. Enfourner pour 2 minutes supplémentaires.
9. Une fois les cookies cuits, retirer du four et saupoudrer d’une pincée de fleur de sel. Laisser les cookies refroidir 5 minutes sur la plaque avant de les transférer sur une grille de refroidissement.
10. Les cookies se conserveront jusqu’à 3 jours dans une boite hermétique à température ambiante.

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Notes

1. L’aquafaba est le nom de la substance aqueuse dans laquelle ont été cuits ou conservés les pois-chiches. Vous pouvez l’obtenir en récupérant de l’eau de cuisson de vos des pois-chiches (à partir de pois-chiches secs) ou directement en ouvrant une boite de conserve de pois-chiches. 
2. Pour réaliser un caramel onctueux, il est important d’utiliser des dattes bien tendres. Je recommande d’utiliser des dattes de la variété medjool, tendres, juteuse et sucrées. A défaut ou si vos dattes sont sèches, faites les tremper dans de l’eau chaude pendant 15 minutes pour les attendrir avant de les utiliser. 
3. Pour réaliser le caramel, je recommande d’utiliser de la crème de coco entière, avec une teneur en coco à minimum de 85%.