Carob is carob (not chocolate)!

Double Carob Cashew Cookies (using raw carob powder)

Growing up there was one health food store in our city. It embodied everything one might envision about a health food store at that time. It was a crunchy-granola little spot where tofu was available (but probably unsafe to eat) in bulk bins, and a woodsy-sweet aroma greeted you at the door. It was the place to buy carob treats, and at that time carob was the health food movement’s answer to chocolate – unfortunately.

Wait, I actually enjoy carob! When carob is presented as itself, and not ‘masked’ or otherwise misrepresented as chocolate. Though they can function similarly in recipes, carob and chocolate have distinctly different flavors. Carob offers a sweet, earthy flavor while chocolate delivers rich, smooth, and bitter notes. Yes, when I need a chocolate fix, carob is a weak contender. Plus, we now know that dark chocolate is rich in health-supporting antioxidants, so we can guiltlessly indulge in our little chocolate fix. (A little… there’s no need to go overboard folks… and sorry, milk chocolate doesn’t contain those healthy antioxidants).

For many years carob was the chocolate replacement for vegans. I’m not sure why. Certainly good quality dark chocolate wasn’t widely available as it is today. But perhaps vegans simply didn’t know dark chocolate could find a place in their diet, that there was an entire chocolate world to discover beyond the ‘milky way’. (I am still asked how it’s possible I eat chocolate as a vegan, so this lack of knowledge is entirely possible.) Whatever the reason, carob was the chocolate stand-in, and I remember sampling carob “chocolate” treats years ago thinking “this just isn’t right”!

Now, after many years baking and playing with ingredients, I enjoy using carob in recipes. I think it plays well with flavors like cherry, almond, vanilla, and orange; spices like cinnamon and nutmeg; and combines nicely with nuts and dried fruits. In my third cookbook, eat, drink & be vegan, I feature a cookie recipe that combines carob with cashew butter and cinnamon. I’m sharing this recipe for Double Carob Cashew Cookies so that you too can enjoy the flavor of carob. Just please don’t say they are chocolate (or “vegan chocolate”) cookies!

1 cup spelt flour, see note*

¼ cup carob powder (raw or roasted, see note)**

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ cup unrefined sugar

¼ tsp sea salt

1/3 cup carob chips

3 tbsp pure maple syrup

3 tbsp agave nectar (or more maple syrup)

2 tbsp cashew butter (raw or regular)

1½ tsp pure vanilla extract

¼ cup + 1–2 tsp organic canola oil

¼ cup raw or toasted cashews, crushed

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). In a bowl, sift in flour, carob powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Add cinnamon, sugar, and salt and stir until well combined, then stir in carob chips. In a separate bowl, combine syrup, agave nectar, cashew butter, and vanilla, stirring until well combined and then stir in oil. Add wet mixture to dry and stir through until well combined. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spoon batter onto baking sheet and evenly space apart. Press a few pinches of crushed cashews on each cookie, ever so slightly flattening each cookie. Bake for 11 minutes (no longer, or they will dry out). Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 1 minute (no longer), then transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Makes 10-12 medium to large cookies.

*Note: Spelt flour is an alternative to wheat flour. I prefer its texture and taste to wheat flour, however, if you prefer to use white or whole-wheat pastry flour, use a scant 1 cup measure; about 1 – 1 ½ tbsp less flour

**Note: Raw carob powder will give cookies with a paler color, as in top image, while roasted carob powder will produce darker cookies, as shown in ice cream sandwich photo.

Double Carob Cashew Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches

Make ice cream cookie sandwiches – they’re dreamy and a cinch! Simply let cookies fully cool, then slather some softened non-dairy ice cream on the underside of one cookie. Sandwich with another cookie, then transfer immediately to freezer to firm.