Buckwheat Chocolate Cherry Cookies

I am a sucker for anything dark chocolate. And when it's gluten free yet ghee-full, I am a very very happy camper. These cookies were an experiment - and one I wasn't quite sure would work out. After all, I do not have an electric or even hand mixer (as the original recipe I then adapted called for). Also, the random healthy sprinklings I added like ginger and hemp seeds (which are totally optional, BTW), were a risk, as was the shift from refined to coconut sugar. 

Upon final batter-taste though, I knew I had struck gold. These beauties were a bit crumbly at first but still super tasty and as they cooled, they held together and took on the consistency of brownie-cookies, which is totally fine with me. 

I hope you enjoy them and eat them for breakfast (as I've been doing). They are, actually quite healthy.

Ingredients:

• 3 TBSP ghee or unsalted butter
• 3 TBSP olive oil 
• 2 cups chopped bittersweet chocolate: I used 3 bars of Theo 85% cacao (anything over 70% is good to go!)
• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
• 2 TBSP tapioca flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt + flaky salt (like Maldon) for the top (*optional*)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup dried cherries (or chopped dates, figs, raisins. Use what you've got!)
• 1/4 cup hemp hearts (*optional*)
• 1 inch knob of raw ginger finely minced (*optional*)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place the ghee + oil in a large saucepan over low heat and add the 2 cups of chopped dark chocolate chunks. Stir frequently to melt the chocolate without burning it. Make sure it gets hot enough to melt but not too too hot. Remove from heat.
3. In a separate bowl, sift the buckwheat flour, tapioca flour, and baking powder.
4. Place the eggs, sugar and salt in a separate bowl (or a stand mixer bowl), and mix for about 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. A hand mixer is fine too or, as in my case, use your guns and whip it good. 
5. Add the vanilla to the whipped egg/sugar/salt mixture, and then slowly add the chocolate mixture. Add the flour and stir slowly until just combined. 
6. Add the dried cherries, and any optional ingredients like hemp seeds and chopped raw ginger, gently folding in with a spatula. 
7. Use a spoon to scoop onto the parchment paper and sprinkle with flakey sea salt if desired.
8. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until the edges are set and the middle of the cookies are puffed and cracked. Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container for 3 days. 

This recipe was adapted from cookie and kate's double chocolate buckwheat cookies.