In my pre-vegan days, Raisinets were my movie theatre snack of choice. There’s just something about that combination of sweet, chewy raisins and milk chocolate. Yum. I haven’t tried making homemade vegan Raisinets yet, for fear I’ll eat them all in one sitting. We all have our weaknesses, right?

When I discovered this “Raisinet” Cookie recipe in my Let Them Eat Vegan! cookbook (written by vegan guru/goddess, Dreena Burton), I was so excited to try it. For one, Dreena keeps it as healthy as possible AND her recipes ALWAYS taste great. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – whether you’re vegan or not, you NEED this cookbook. Trust me. I would elaborate, but I’ll be doing a lengthy elaboration in an upcoming post (you’ll see).

The verdict on this recipe test? These cookies are AMAZING. If you are a fellow Raisinet lover (vegan or not), you will LOVE these cookies. They are soft and chewy and chocolatey. In fact, I’d rather have one of these cookies than a bag of Raisinets – and not just because it’s a healthier option – they really DO taste that good. Oh, and they are also wheat-free and soy-free!

MAKES 15 to 18 COOKIES

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INGREDIENTS:

1 cup barley or sifted spelt flour (I used spelt flour.)
⅓ to ½ cup rolled oats*
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. (rounded) baking soda
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup vegan chocolate chips*
3 Tbsp. unrefined sugar
¼ tsp. sea salt
⅓ cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp. blackstrap molasses
1½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
¼ cup neutral-flavored oil (I used melted coconut oil.)

MY OPTIONAL ADD-IN: 1 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce

*NOTES:
Using ⅓ cup of oats will give a slightly softer cookie that spreads a little more when baking. Using ½ cup will result in a firmer cookie. I used somewhere between ⅓ and  ½ cup. That batch was very similar in appearance to Dreena’s Double Chocolate Chippers. They were perfect on day one. By day two, they were kind of dry. So, when I made them again, I added 2 tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce – which made for a much moister cookie, but they didn’t hold together well. I think 1 tablespoon might do the trick. I also had to bake them for about two minutes longer when I added the applesauce. For the chocolate chips, Dreena recommends the Enjoy Life Mini Chips, which is what I used.

STEP 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

STEP 2
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats and cocoa, sifting in the baking powder and baking soda. Add the raisins, chips, sugar and salt, and stir well. Notice how the raisins become coated in this chocolatey dry mixture.

STEP 3
In a separate small bowl, first combine the maple syrup with the molasses and vanilla, then stir in the oil until well mixed. If you use the optional 1 Tbsp. of unsweetened applesauce, your wet mixture will have a slight bumpy texture like the photo above.

STEP 4
Add the wet mixture to the dry, and stir until just incorporated.

STEP 5
Place spoonfuls of the batter (about 1 tablespoon each) on the prepared baking sheet and flatten a little. Bake for 11 minutes.

STEP 6
Remove from the oven, let cool on the pan for just a minute (not much longer, to prevent drying), then transfer to a cooling rack.

I’ll bet these would be great with dried cherries, too. If you can stop at just one cookie, then you have twice as much willpower as I do. Actually, maybe three times as much. Weaknesses, remember?! Oh well, it’s still healthier than Raisinets ;)