Satisfying a Chocolate Craving When It's Too Darn Hot

I realize that I am an extremely odd person when it comes to my oven usage. I will crank up the oven without any regard for what the thermometer reads outside, a tendency that I'm sure my parents adored when I was a teenager and would go on baking sprees while the air conditioning was working overtime.

The following recipe is in honor of my parents and their patience, as well as a tip of the hat to the dog days of summer and the respect they so deserve. I started playing around with this recipe after I found it in The Vegan Scoop by Wheeler Del Torro, a fantastic ice cream cookbook (which I'm sure will be profiled in a later post). I decided to make these cookies after fulfilling a request from Greg to make banana ice cream, which, frankly, is a concept I wasn't sure I totally supported. Mr. Del Torro, though, in his wisdom, paired his banana ice cream recipe with this no-bake cookie recipe, so I made the cookies in an effort to get more excited about this crazy banana ice cream concept. Needless to say, these cookies became my downfall as I couldn't stop shoveling them in my mouth all week long.

As a side note, I feel compelled to tell you, I feel like when I make these cookies, I must be doing something wrong. The original recipe title is "Crunchy Chocolate Balls," but I have never been able to get them into ball form, and they have never, ever had a texture that has even come close to approximating crunchy. That said, they are sweet, soft, chewy, and delicious. If, however, you have luck turning these into said crunchy chocolate balls, please post a comment and share how you did it!

No-Bake Vegan Chocolate Cookies
Yields: 30-40 cookies

Ingredients:
1/4 c. non-dairy butter substitute, like Earth's Balance Vegan Buttery Spread
1 c. agave nectar or honey (please note, many vegans do not consider honey to be a vegan ingredient)
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1/2 c. soy milk
3 c. oats
1 c. shredded coconut
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1) Line cookies sheets with parchment paper.
2) Combine butter substitute, agave nectar or honey, cocoa powder, and soy milk in a large saucepan, stirring continuously on medium heat until the mixture begins to boil. (This may take a little bit of time, but be patient - it's worth it!) Put on low heat and let boil for exactly 5 minutes (with an occasional stir).
3) Remove the mixture from the heat and mix in oats, coconut, and vanilla.
4) Using a cookie or small ice cream scoop, or two spoons, form cookies that are roughly 1 Tbsp. in size.
5) Let set in the refrigerator, for 1-2 hours, until set (although cookies may still be sticky to the touch). Store in container in fridge.