XXL dark chocolate & sea salt brownie cookie

So I'm kinda on this chocolate kick lately… Exceeeeept when am I not on a chocolate kick? Hi, my name is Sophie and I am addicted to Lindt 70% cocoa dark chocolate. {Hiiiii, Sooooophiieeeee.} No but really. This is getting out of hand. Looking back, I just realized there hasn't been a day in the last- oh, I don't know- EVER, that I haven't had chocolate in some way shape or form. It's a crazy love for the stuff. A yearning. A desire as strong as Channing Tatum's abs. A BURNING PASSION IN MY SOOOOOUL. 

I'll stop. 

I've come to the mature decision to feed this obsession in a good, healthy way. Although if you ask me, chocolate is pretty healthy in and of itself. It's just probably not very good if you go and eat the whole bar of chocolate, batch of brownies, pint of ice cream… You get my gist. I'll admit. I basically eat chocolate in every single way possible. In my oatmeal? Dunnniiitttt. Definitely not a bad idea, if you're wondering. Smoothies? Check. Healthy brownies? Shooosh yahhhh. Eaten the whole dang pan, in fact! But let's not go there. 

AND NOW. COOKIES. Actually, cookiEEEEE. Just for you and your pretty little chocolate loving face. 

This cookie is kind of sort of a freaking SUCCCCESSSS. I've tried making a healthy single serving cookie before and oh my gross, you guys. So did not work. That experience kind of scarred me for life and I was hesitant about trying out a new recipe. Thank heavens I did though. I basically saved all of humanity with this cookie. {things get baaaaad if I don't satisfy my cravings fast.}

This cookie is going to blow your mind. It's soft and chewy AND CHOCOLATEY. So much chocolate. So much happiness. GET EXCITED. The cookie itself is like a little hunk 'a fudgalicious brownie. And if that couldn't get any better, I pressed some of my beloved 70% on the top. And if THAT couldn't get any better… Sea salt. This is just pure chocolatey, fudgey greatness made JUST for you in a matter of minutes. 

It's actually healthy too. I know, weird huh? WHOOODA THUUUUNKED IT? It's dairy-free, gluten-free, and processed sugar free. Which MEANS. You can eat it for breakfast. With a cup of hot coffee? Oh my gosh, that is like. Heaven. Like suddenly, all is right in the world while you dip your fudgey cookie in a ginormous mug of coffee. 

No more werrrrrrds.

…… Except I do have a few more. My sincerest apologies.

You know that song "Give Me Love" by Ed Sheeran? I am making a parody… Caaaaaalled. {drumroll please.} "Give Me Fudge". Give me FUUUUUUUUHHUUUUDGE… Hmmmm myyy myyyuhhhh hmmm myyyyyy myuuhhh. Give me fuuuuuuudgeeeeee. I sure hope you've heard that song before because otherwise, you're totally thinking I'm a fool right now. And you would be correct. 

Ok, thanks for listening! Now go make yerrrsehhhlf a cookie.

XXL dark chocolate & sea salt brownie cookie

1 egg

1 1/2 tbsp. coconut oil

1 tbsp. nut butter {I used peanut butter. duh.}

dash of vanilla

2 tbsp. pure maple syrup

1/4 c. gluten-free flour

2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. baking powder

pinch of sea salt

1 square 70% cocoa dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine egg, coconut oil, nut butter, vanilla, and maple syrup. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and sea salt. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and form into a disk. Press dark chocolate chunks onto the top of the cookie and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 10-15 minutes. 

fudgey double chocolate brownies with peanut butter cookies 'n cream frosting

I typically only make rich, indulgent desserts when there are other people that are gonna eat it. I enjoy making other people fat, but put spinach in my smoothies every morning. 

Riddle me that one.

It's even better when said rich, indulgent dessert is made for three teenage boys. That way I am guaranteed no leftovers. 

No leftovers means I don't have the temptation to stand at the fridge with the door open, digging into a pan of brownies with a fork. 

Hey, it happens. At least I'm willing to admit it. 

I love when I bake something and it's gone in minutes. Because A) that means it was good. and B) I don't have to wait to get rid of leftovers and can bake something again!

Moooooore sugaaaaaaar fooo yooo faaaace.

SO let's talk. About brownies, cuz DUHHH. 

These brownies are my fave recipe. I've made them multiple times and have memorized the recipe. True love right derrrrr. 

I actually made these same brownies the other day and trashed them up with cherry baking chips. Note to self- I don't care what the package says, those things are far from cherry. They smelled like lip smackers. 

Don't you love lip smacker flavored brownies? Yahhhnoooo. 

GRODYYYY.

Chapstick flavor aside, these brownies are pretty bomb. Simple, fudgey, and moist. Yah, I went there. MOIST. I made them again sans cherry chips and topped them off with FROSTING. Peanut butter frosting. With crushed Oreos in it. So yah. 

I was technically on a "raw diet" but my tongue somehow found its way to the spatula covered in brownie batter. And then my finger found its way into the bowl of fluffy peanut butter dreams. I mean frosting. 

BUT seriously. How the heck am I supposed to make frosting without tasting it? That's not even legal. I don't think.

Butter, peanut butter, vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and oreos are kinda sorta destined for greatness, but you know what I mean. At least that's what I tell myself.

You understaaaaand me!

fudgey double chocolate brownies with peanut butter cookies 'n cream frosting

brownies: 

3/4 c. butter, softened

1 1/2 c. granulated sugar

2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. chocolate chips 

frosting: 

1/4 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. creamy peanut butter

1/3 c. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 c. powdered sugar

10 oreos, chopped

Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease a 9x13 pan; set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, and vanilla. Whisk in eggs. Add flour, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan; bake for 25-30 minutes. While brownies are cooling, prepare the frosting by combining all ingredients until smooth. Add more powdered sugar or milk as needed. Once brownies are completely cooled, spread frosting evenly. 

{raw} banana & toasted coconut brownie pie

I don't what came over me, but the last few weeks my health-freak-ism has freakishly increased. The result? I got it in my big 'ol noggin that I could totally go raw for a week. 'Cuz, ya know. I have serious discipline and stuff. I messaged my friend on Facebook who's in the States at the moment {yay for fellow Freaks!!} and said I wish she was here to do it with me because, uhh. My family would never even think of doing anything remotely close to a diet. They love their pasta and doughnuts and Doritos way too much for that. My friend said she'd do it with me even though she's approximately 8236 miles away. Hey, whatever works, works.

If you don't know what a raw diet is, it's pretty self-explanatory. You just eat foods that are raw! It's mostly fruit and veggies, but also beans, nuts, and whole grains. I'm really getting creative with the grains. JUST KIDDING. The only way I can think of to eat whole grains RAW is overnight oats. So yes, I'll be living on raw oats for the next how many days. HA.

We started on Monday and about 5 minutes into it, I decided I needed coffee and cookies. It was the only way I could do to get through a morning of studying without passing out on my bed. Not even joking. I couldn't study in my room because I was afraid I was going to just fall over into a lack-of-coffee-coma. Don't worry though, guys. You know that serious discipline I mentioned? Turns out. It actually exists. I've gone 3 days without coffee and I'm still breathing! If you're not surprised by that bold statement I just made than you obviously don't know that coffee is basically what keeps me alive on a day to day basis. Well coffee and insulin.

Just because I'm going raw for a week does not mean I'll just eat spinach all the live long day and forget about the sweets. Uhh no. Sophie never forgets about the sweets. EVER. I need dessert every. day. whether that be ice cream with chocolate, peanut butter sauce, caramel, peanuts, banana, cherries, pineapple, and butterscotch {for the days when I'm feeling rather piggish.}, a smoothie, or some sort of healthy concoction like this herr pie. 

Remember when I made that chocolate peanut butter banana pie? That stuff is seriously, like… UGH. It shouldn't be healthy. But thank heavens it is because I could eat half the thing in one sitting. I seriously could. Don't test me. {although if ya wanted toooo….} I shnazzied up that pie and made this pie. GUUUUUYYZZEEEZ. It's better. The filling pretty much totally tastes like brownie batter. Yah. Brownie batter. And the crust is like a chocolate truffle. And the top if like crunchy munchy coconutty greatness. Don't you love the way I describe things? Har harrrr.

 I strongly urge you to make this pie. It's what dreams are made of!!! There's a little bit of everything in there. Peanut butter, chocolate {loooots and looooots and loooooots of chocolate.}, coconut, and banana. Plus it's no bake and super quick and easy. The only hard part is waiting. Which if you're kinda running low in the area of patience like yours truly, you could make this at night, pop it in the freezer, and it's ready to be chowed down upon for breakfast! Mhmmmm. 

{raw} banana & toasted coconut brownie pie 

crust: 

1 c. chopped dates

1/4 c. honey

3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 c. quick cooking oats

Blend all ingredients in a blender until the mixture resembles a coarse crumb. Press into a greased pie dish; set aside. 

filling:

2 bananas

3 tbsp. honey

1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 c. creamy peanut butter

2 tbsp. soymilk {or any kind of milk will work} 

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into prepared crust. Top with sliced bananas and toasted coconut.

{skinny} brownie in a mug

Today was one of those days. Ya know... Lounging around in your pajamas literally ALL day. Pajamas to pajamas is how I roll. Skipping your run in the morning. Plopping your tush on the couch and taking quizzes, tests, and writing essays on the Eiffel Tower aaaaaaaaaaall the live long day. Did you know that the Eiffel Tower was sold as scrap by a con artist TWICE? I don't kid. 

It was also one of those OHMYGAWSHIWANTTOSHOVEVERYTHINGINSIGHTINMYFACE kinda days. I just kinda... grazed throughout the whole day. I had a normal breakfast. Ate two homemade energy bars while I was doing school. Had a carrot and hummus. Made this brownie. And then ate guacamole by the spoonful. That's how Sophie does it.

A few weeks ago, I came home from French and had a serious case of chocolategetinmymouth. I googled "healthy single serving brownie" and came across a recipe that claimed to be 100 calories. After I whipped it up, it ended up being approximately two tablespoons of batter. What kind of sick joke is this?! Not fair. 

I then proceeded to take matters into my own hands. Like usual. This brownie turned out SPECTACULAR, especially for being under 200 calories for the whole dang thing. It's perfect for when you're craving something chocolatey and fudgey without spending half your daily calorie count on a bowl or 5 of ice cream. Also. If you eat this for breakfast, I promise I won't judge. Imagine with some bananas on top. Or berries. Or peanut butter. Ooooooooooooooooor homemade whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Kinda defeats the whole skinny part of it, I guess.

{skinny} brownie in a mug

2 tbsp. wholewheat flour

2 tbsp. granulated sugar

1 1/2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

pinch of baking powder

1/4 tsp. vanilla

3 tbsp. plain yogurt

In a microwave safe bowl or coffee mug, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, and baking powder. Add in the yogurt and vanilla and stir until smooth. Microwave for about 1 minute. Depending on how gooey you like your brownie, you could microwave it for more or less since there's no egg in it.