Gluten-free Vegan Chocolate Orange Cookies (Top 8 Free too!) + VIDEO

Soft cookies loaded with chocolate chips and bursting with orange flavor are what your cookie plates need this holiday season. This one bowl recipe for Gluten-free Vegan Chocolate Orange Cookies is free of: wheat, dairy, egg, soy, peanuts & tree nuts making this top-8-free too!

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My favorite thing to get in my stocking as a kid (OK…still to this day) is my Chocolate Orange. That thing is pure bliss!

So, I’ve lamented for quite a long time that my dairy-allergic child can’t know the pleasure of the chocolate orange.

BUT–that doesn’t mean he can’t have the amazing combination that those two powerhouse flavors produce! So, I set out to make him a Christmas chocolate orange goodie.

I decided to go with cookies–because who doesn’t need more Christmas cookie recipes? Hello! Everyone??!!

Plus, I have a BOMB, no fail-double choco cookie, and I knew that would make a wonderful base for these cookies and all it’d need was some tweaking.

Now, I’m kinda picky about my chocolate/orange combo. If the orange flavor isn’t distinct I am super bothered. If you’re going to bother putting it in the title, it needs to SHINE. So, I made sure to not only use orange zest, but boost it with some orange extract. Those who have tried these cookies say it’s just right!

These would make a great additional to any Christmas goodie plate–especially because they look like unsuspecting chocolate cookies and will give a thrill and delight to anyone who takes their first bite to realize they’re anything but!

We SERIOUSLY might have to leave these out for Santa because Mrs. Claus wants to be able to eat these again and I’d take these over the tired sugar cookie!

I hope these Gluten-free Vegan Chocolate Orange Cookies help you and your allergic or dietary restricted loved ones enjoy baking this holiday season. Just because you can’t have many of the typical baking ingredients, doesn’t mean that you should have to miss out on the fun that comes in kitchens this time of year!

Commonly Asked Questions About These Gluten-free Vegan Chocolate Orange Cookies:

• Can I use another gluten-free flour blend than yours? Obviously, what has been tested has been using only m y flour. Each flour blend can drastically range. If you’re in a pinch, you can use a commercial blend like: Bob’s, Cup 4 Cup, or Better Batter.
• I can’t do xanthan gum, can I use something else? Yes, you can use guar gum.
• I noticed there is no egg replacer, is that a mistake? NO! These cookies are so wonderful in the fact that they need no type of egg replacer. Isn’t that cool?!!
• Can I just use my hands to roll the cookies instead of the prescribed cookie scoop? I wouldn’t recommend it, as this dough is sticky, so it’s better to use this instead of getting it on your hands.
• Can I use another oil? I picked canola oil because it stays liquid at a higher range than coconut oil–plus many readers can’t do coconut and I wanted to give them something they could use. Plus canola is cheap and easy to find. If you need to, swap with another cooking neutral oil.
• What if I can’t find vanilla rice milk? You can use regular rice milk. You could *probably* also substitute it with another non-dairy milk of your choice. I’ve only made it with rice milk, so I can’t say for sure, but think it would probably be fine.

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Gluten-free Vegan Chocolate Orange Cookies (Top 8 Free too!)

Yield: 24 cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 48 minutes

Soft cookies loaded with chocolate chips and bursting with orange flavor are what your cookie plates need this holiday season. This one bowl recipe for Gluten-free Vegan Chocolate Orange Cookies is free of: wheat, dairy, egg, soy, peanuts & tree nuts making this top-8-free too!

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Ingredients

• 1 and 1/4 cups gluten-free flour
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup Vanilla Rice Milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon orange extract 
• Zest of one large navel orange
• 1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl: flour, sugar, cocoa, xanthan, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Mix thoroughly, being sure to work out any lumps of cocoa powder with a whisk.
3. Next, add the wet ingredients: oil, rice milk, vanilla, orange extract, orange zest.
4. Mix until everything is combined.
5. Fold in the chocolate chips.
6. Chill covered for 30 minutes. (Otherwise, the dough is too sticky to roll effectively.)
7. Once chilled, remove from the fridge and using a cookie scoop place 12 on a baking sheet, evenly spaced.
8. Bake ONLY 8-9 minutes. You do not want to over bake these, otherwise you'll lose their amazingly tender quality. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven.
9. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for another five minutes.
10. Carefully remove them from the cookie sheet to a cooling rack until they are completely cooled.
11. Eat. Keep covered at room temperature.

Notes

Adapted from my Double Choco Cookies

DON’T FORGET TO PIN IT, SO YOU DON’T LOSE IT! BE SURE TO ALSO CHECK OUT MY OTHER ALLERGY-FRIENDLY PINTEREST RECIPES!