After a big holiday blow-out, there's nothing better than spending a cozy night in! These Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies from my book (p. 187) and my yummy Hot Chocolate (p. 211) go perfectly together. Eat them while watching your favorite movie!

Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup unbleached white flour
• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup safflower oil
• 2/3 cup maple syrup
• 2 t vanilla extract
• 1 t fine sea salt

Chocolate Coating

• 2 cups grain-sweetened, nondairy chocolate or carob chips
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 T safflower oil

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Combine the flours and baking powder in a large mixing bowl
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, syrup, vanilla extract, and salt
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir to form a smooth dough
5. If the mixture is too crumbly, add a bit of water, 1 teaspoon at a time, and up to 1 tablespoon more oil until the dough just holds together
6. Roll the dough out to ½" thickness between two sheets of parchment or wax paper
7. Use cookie cutters or a knife to cut the dough into desired shapes
8. Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheet
9. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned
10. Transfer the cookies to a baking rack to cool completely
11. While the cookies are cooling, combine the chocolate chips, syrup, and oil in the top of a double boiler and place over simmering water
12. If you don't have a double boiler, place a stainless steel bowl over boiling water and melt the ingredients in it
13. Turn off the heat, cover, and let stand for 5-10 minutes or until the chocolate melts
14. Stir until smooth
15. Dip each cookie halfway into the chocolate sauce, and place on a sheet of wax or parchment paper
16. Chill in the refrigerator until hardened

Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

• 1 cup soy/rice milk blend
• 1 t unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 T grain-sweetened, nondairy chocolate or carob chips
• 1/4 t vanilla extract
• 1 t maple syrup
• Optional toppings: vegan marshmallows, nondairy whipped topping, or chocolate shavings

Steps

1. Whisk the milk, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, vanilla extract, and syrup together in a small saucepan
2. Place over medium heat
3. Cook until the chocolate chips are melted, whisking occasionally
4. Serve naked or with your choice of topping

What is your favorite movie-night snack?