Mint Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (vegan)

an homage to the favorited ice cream flavor

There's something incredible about the combination fresh mint leaves, creamy coconut milk, and crunchy chocolate chips that make mint chocolate chip ice cream so dreamy.

And unlike chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, this flavor is pretty much only found in the freezer. Yes, there may be mint chocolate lattes and girl scout cookies, but without the contrast of bright green  freckled with chips, the integrity is missing. Mint chocolate ≠ mint chocolate chip.

If I didn't box away my ice cream maker for the winter, I would have frozen over by now. Never fear, these chewy, gooey bars will hold you over until summer. These Mint Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are very fudgy. So don't be fooled by the beans and oats - you will feel indulged!

Mint chocolate chip for all seasons

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Yields a full 13x9x2 pan

1 bunch mint leaves, blanched and shocked
1/4 cup coconut milk

1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup agave nectar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons ground demerara sugar (or any vegan sugar)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup light olive oil (or any baking oil)
1 tablespoon mint extract
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 3/4 cup white wheat flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt


3/4 cup nondairy chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a brownie sheet tray and dust with flour.

To blanch and shock the mint, plunge the leaves into a small pot of rapidly boiling, salted water. Remove five seconds later and shock them in an ice water bath until cold. In a high speed blender, combine mint leaves with the coconut milk until smooth.

In a food processor, puree the beans with the agave nectar. Transfer to a large bowl and add in your coconut milk/mint leave mixture, sugar, applesauce, oil, mint extract, and vanilla extract. Stir well.

In a medium bowl whisk flour, oats, baking powder, and salt. (If you want the chocolate chips to be on the inside of the bars, like I did, add chips to dry ingredients.) Add the dry mix to the wet ingredients and combine well. (If you want the chocolate chips to stud the outside of the bars, add chips at this stage.)

Spread dough evenly on prepared baking sheet and bake until golden and an inserted toothpick removes clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool in tray before cutting up into bars.

"Lazy Samoas": Chocolate Coconut Cookies

 The "Lazy Samoa", a creation of the The Post Punk Kitchen, is known in the vegan cookie community as the alternative to the popular Girl Scout Cookie.

"Lazy" because, unlike its go-getting forefather who can only be obtained through ambitious small girls in funky green uniforms, these cuties feel more nourishing, as they are solely powered by coconut and chocolate. That said, they still will quite possibly be the most surprisingly yummy cookie that no one will believe are homemade.

For the chocolate and toasted coconut lover who wants a chewy cookie, put down the purple box and get you and your sweettooth in the kitchen.

The Lazy Samoas from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar will impress all of your omnivorous and herbivorous friends. (And I don't say that about every vegan dessert I make, remember those Beet Cookies that we agreed not to bring to social events with people who already are suspicious of a cookie without butter, let alone with beets in them?).

Lazy Samoas / Chocolate Coconut Cookies
Yields 2 dozen

2 cups shredded coconut flakes, toasted
1/3 cup coconut oil (I used melted Earth Balance)
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup almond or any nondairy milk
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 1/2 teaspoon  vanilla extract
1 cup white wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup vegan chocolate chips
2 tablespoons coconut oil

Heat oven to 350F. Lightly grease or parchment-line two baking sheets.

To toast coconut, heat in a dry saucepan until lightly browned. They can go from brown to burned quickly,  so remove from heat as soon as golden and let cool.

In a large bowl, beat oil, sugar, almond milk, flax, and vanilla with a hand mixer until smooth. Sift in flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold in toasted coconut.

Using a tablespoon, measure out cookies and place 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Shape a hole in each; if your hands get sticky have a bowl of water nearby to dip your fingers in. Flatten down each cookie and bake for 8 minutes, until bottoms are light brown. Cool on sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.


While cookies are cooling, melt chocolate chips in a double boiler. Stir in oil. Turn off heat and let sit for a minute to cool down enough to handle comfortably. Have parchment-line baking sheets cooled in the fridge and remove when cookies are cooled and ready to be chocolated.

Using an offset spatula or spreading knife, lightly line each cookie's bottom with chocolate. Let firm in fridge while you transfer remaining melted chocolate into a pastry bag, then give each cookie some stripes of chocolate on top. Or you could just skip the whole pastry bag thing and use a spoon to drizzle some rebellious patterns over. Let set in fridge until chocolate is firm and enjoy.