Dried cranberries and chocolate hemp cookies! Made with the perfect crispy outside and melt-in-your-mouth caramel-y center, you won’t be able to resist grabbing a second. Ready in just 20 minutes for a quick and delicious sweet treat.
This post was sponsored by Eaton Hemp. All thoughts and opinions are mine.
You’re going to love these vegan chocolate hemp cookies! They are chewy, sweet, and filled with flavor in every bite. There is nothing quite like the delicious flavor combination of chocolate and hemp. Sweet, nutty, bitter, and rich, these cookies are a complete show-stopper.
What makes them so wonderfully chewy? The secret ingredient in applesauce. It adds moisture to these vegan cookies while making them melt-in-your mouth good.
And best of all? These cookies are highly versatile! Feel free to swap out the cranberries for peanuts, raisins, pumpkin seeds, or extra chocolate. Whatever you do you are going to love this easy vegan cookie recipe.
These cookies are sweet and chewy with the perfect caramel flavor. And you’re going to love how simple they are. They can be made in just 20 minutes with a handful of versatile ingredients that you probably already have on hand.
Here is everything you need.
Ingredient Notes
Hemp Hearts – The hemp seeds give these cookies a lovely texture and a delicious nutty flavor, plus a big nutritional punch. For the best quality, I recommend Eaton Hemp Organic Hemp Hearts(read more about them below).
All-Purpose Flour – I have also made these cookies with a 1:1 baking flour blend with great success.
White & Brown Sugar– Check out my guide to vegan sugars and alternative sugar replacements.
Applesauce – This is the binder of the recipe. You could replace it with equal amounts of mashed bananas or a variety of other egg replacers.
Chocolate Chips – Most well stocked grocery stores should carry at least one brand of vegan chocolate cihps. For a festive variation, swap them out for vegan white chocolate chips!
Dried Cranberries – Cranberries make these cookies perfect for the holidays but feel free to swap them out for pumpkin seeds, raisins, peanuts, or omit them all together.
Go-To Hemp Hearts
There are a lot of hemp hearts on the market but not all hemp hearts are created equal. That’s why I recommend Eaton Hemp Organic Hemp Hearts.
Here are a few reasons why they outperform their competitors. Eaton Hemp Organic Hemp Hearts are:
100% USA grown, processed, and packaged
USDA Certified Organic
Farmer-owned, Farm to table.
Processed with100% clean energy.
Beyond that, Eaton Hemp stems from the first farmed licensed to grow hemp in New York State and is the only brand to use the Hemp Plant in its ENTIRETY. Nothing goes to waste! By choosing Eaton Hemp Hemp Hearts, you’re supporting organic hemp farmers across America to: significantly reduce our carbon footprint, rejuvenate our soil, purify the air we breathe, and make significant strides towards a healthier and cleaner planet.
Wanna try them for yourself? Use the code “MYDARLINGVEGAN” and get 30% off all Eaton Hemp Organic Hemp Heartsand their other food products.
As if that weren’t enough to convince you, hemp hearts are one of nature’s most nutrient-dense foods. Packed full of iron, magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin D, E, and zinc, they are truly what I would consider a superfood. And they are the only vegan food with the same Omega 3:6 ratio as fish oil (the body’s ideal omega ratio). Beyond that, they have all 20 amino acids, including each of the 9 essential amino acids. This makes hemp seeds a complete high-quality protein.
Recommended Equipment
For all my cookie recipes, I recommend a stand-up mixer. These make whipping, beating, and blending so much easier. However, they are pricy and if they are not in your budget, you can make cookies by hand or with a handheld mixer.
First combine the dry ingredients. That’s the hemp hearts, flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Whisk them together until they are evenly mixed and set aside.
Pro Tip: The most accurate way to measure flour is to spoon it into your measuring cup, leveling it off with the back of a knife.
Step Two – Combine the Wet Ingredients
In a liquid measuring cup or small mixing bowl, combine the melted coconut oil, applesauce, white and brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk it together until it is evenly combined.
Next, add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until you have an evenly hydrated dough. This is best done with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Lastly, fold in the cranberries and chocolate chips.
Pro Tip: You may need to mix the last of the cranberries and chocolate by hand as they tend to stick to the bottom of the bowl.
Step Three – Shape and Bake
Roll the dough into balls about 2 tablespoons in size. I recommend using a cookie scoop for this recipe to prevent mess and ensure even cookies. Place them on a baking sheet and press them down ever so slightly with the palm of your hand.
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, pulling them out when they are slightly underdone. They continue to harden as they cool. This is the secret to getting chewy, melt-in-your-mouth cookies.
Serving and Storing
Serving – Let the cookies cool slightly before serving. They will continue to harden as they cool.
Storing – Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Be sure to keep them well sealed to prevent them from going stale. You can also freeze these cookies for up to a month. Let thaw at room temperature for a few hours before enjoying.
Tips and Tricks
The most accurate way to measure flour is to spoon it into your measuring cup, leveling it off with the back of a knife.
Applesauce varies a lot. If your applesauce seems thin, first strain it through a fine-mesh strainer to get the excess liquid out.
For cakier cookies, add an extra 1/4 cup of flour and bake for 2 minutes longer. For chewier cookies, use all brown sugar and remove from the oven when slightly underdone.
Let cookies cool on baking sheets 10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack. This prevents cookies from falling apart as they cool.
Try some variations. Add about 1/2 cup of peanuts or pumpkin seeds to this recipe for a new flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy Eaton Hemp Hemp Hearts
Head over to Eaton Hemp’s website to pick up these high-quality hemp hearts. Use the code “MYDARLINGVEGAN” and get 30% off all their other food products!
Can I add nuts?
Yes! I recommend adding 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or peanuts to this recipe.
Can I make these cookies in advance?
These cookies are great as a make-ahead dessert or snack. If you only want to make only a few at a time, you can store the remaining dough in the freezer.
To do this, roll all the dough into balls. Place them on a baking sheet in the freezer to freeze all the way through. Once frozen, transfer your cookie dough into a large ziplock bag and return them to the freezer. You can store the cookies this way for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to bake, remove from the freezer and bake. Note: they may need a few extra minutes in the oven if they are chilled.
Can I make these cookies gluten free?
Yep! For a gluten free option use a 1:1 baking flour blend. Also, make sure to use gluten free rolled oats.
Dried cranberries and chocolate hemp cookies! Made with the perfect crispy outside and melt-in-your-mouth caramel-y center, you won't be able to resist grabbing a second. Ready in just 20 minutes for a quick and delicious sweet treat.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Combine the dry ingredients. That's the hemp hearts, flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Whisk them together until they are evenly mixed and set aside.
In a liquid measuring cup or small mixing bowl, combine the melted coconut oil, applesauce, white and brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk it together until it is evenly combined.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until you have an evenly hydrated dough. This is best done with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Once you have a thick dough, fold in the cranberries and chocolate chips.
Scoop out 2 tablespoons of dough at a time and round them between your hands. Place rounded cookies on the prepared baking sheet, about 3 inches apart from one another. Repeat until both cookie sheets are filled up. You will likely have extra dough for a 3rd sheet. Press each cookie down slightly with the palm of your hand and bake for 10-12 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. They will appear slightly underdone when you pull them out of the oven but will continue cooking on the baking sheet.
Video
Notes
Serving and Storing – Serve these cookies once they are cool. Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze leftover cookie dough for up to two months. To do this, roll all the dough into balls. Place them on a baking sheet in the freezer to freeze all the way through. Once frozen, transfer your cookie dough into a large Ziplock bag and return to the freezer. When you’re ready to bake, remove from the freezer, let thaw slightly, and bake!Recipe Tips
The most accurate way to measure flour is to spoon it into your measuring cup, leveling it off with the back of a knife.
For cakier cookies, add an extra 1/4 cup of flour and bake for 2 minutes longer. For chewier cookies, use all brown sugar and remove from the oven when slightly underdone.
Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack. This prevents cookies from falling apart as they cool.
Variations – Add about 1/2 cup of peanuts, chocolate chips, or pumpkin seeds to this recipe for a new flavor.
If you give this recipe recipe a try, snap a photo and share it on Instagram. Make sure to tag @mydarlingvegan so I can see your creations!
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the 4-Week Vegan Meal Plan.
Fabulous! I used coconut sugar instead of brown, and dried cherries instead of cranberries, but otherwise exactly as written. Will be making these again and again!
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
Cheryl VanDyck says
Fabulous! I used coconut sugar instead of brown, and dried cherries instead of cranberries, but otherwise exactly as written. Will be making these again and again!
Fran says
Made these exactly as noted in recipe- absolutely wonderful. Will definitely be making again. Worth the calories!