Dark & Delicious: Dive into Lava Monster Cookies

Ever gazed into a freshly baked cookie, a molten heart of dark chocolate peeking from its cracked surface, and thought, “This needs more…mystery?” No? Just me? Well, hold onto your milk glasses, friends, because I’m about to introduce you to a cookie that’s as delicious as it is delightfully spooky: the Lava Monster Cookie.

Imagine this: a rich, cocoa-infused dough cloaked in a crimson swirl, like a portal to a forbidden bakery in the underworld. Bite in, and a molten core of velvety dark chocolate erupts, whispering tales of midnight feasts and mischievous imps. But wait, there’s a twist! A subtle hint of cherry dances on the tongue, a playful wink in the midst of all this chocolaty mayhem.

These aren’t your average cookies. They’re not for the faint of heart, the milk-and-cookies-by-the-fireplace crowd. No, these are cookies for the adventurous, the thrill-seekers, those who appreciate a bit of darkness with their dessert. They’re for the bakers who embrace the challenge of crafting two contrasting doughs, one fiery red, the other an inky black, and then weaving them together in a mesmerizing swirl.

So, gather your courage (and maybe a ghost story or two), preheat your oven, and prepare to unleash the monsters within. Because in the depths of your kitchen, a symphony of flavor awaits, ready to tantalize your taste buds and send shivers down your spine – in the best way possible, of course.

Are you ready to dive into the delicious darkness? Then let’s get baking!

How to Make Lava Monster Cookies

Ingredients

Red dough

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 sugar1 1/4
• cup 100% cherry juice, divided1/4 cup
• coconut oil
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• red food dye

Black dough

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 sugar
• 1/4 cup 60% cacao chocolate
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• black food dye (a lot. It takes A LOT of dye to get them black)
• 1/2 cup 70% cacao chocolate chips

Directions

Make the red dough

1. Pour one cup of cherry juice in a small skillet. Cook on medium high and let it reduce until it is a syrup consistency.
2. Mix in the coconut oil, food dye, cherry juice, and vanilla extract.
3. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl and add the wet mixture.
4. Knead together until smooth and place in a plastic bag to rest in the fridge for an hour.

Make the black dough

1. Place the coconut oil and 60% cacao chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat this until the chocolate is melted.
2. Add the other wet ingredients and the food dye and set aside.
3. Mix all of the dry ingredients (except the chocolate chips) in a medium bowl and add the wet ingredients.
4. Knead together until smooth. If you find that the dough is dry and won’t hold together but instead crumbles in your hands, knead in 1 tablespoon of water at a time until you have a shiny dough that holds together. (I would suggest no more than 2 tablespoons it is still a dry dough)
5. Knead in the chocolate chips and place, covered, in the fridge to rest.

Shape the dough

1. Removed both doughs from the fridge and cut each in half leaving 1/2 in the bag so it won’t dry out.
2. Cut each dough into 12 pieces and roll into balls. (24 balls total)
3. Now, take a black ball and squash it. Press it into a thin disk.
4. Place a red ball into the center of this disk and carefully wrap it in the black dough so no red shows.
5. You should now have what looks like a larger black ball. Press down gently until it is about 1/2 inch in height.
6. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining 23 cookies.
7. Bake 12-15 minutes at 400ºF
8. ENJOY!!!