Chocolate Peppermint Whoopie Pies

If you can't decide between a cookie, cake, or Oreo, make these. The cookies are soft, the middle is fluffy, and we added a layer of minty crunch by rolling them around in crushed up organic candy canes and Paleo Chocolate Cheer. They're also completely free of refined sugars, totally gluten-free, and paleo-friendly. Watch us make it here!

This recipe is from our dear friend Kalejunkie (who, if you don't already follow, what are you doing?!).

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cup almond flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons coconut oil melted and cooled
2 medium eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 cup candy canes crushed into pieces
3/4 cup Paleo Chocolate Cheer, crushed
plant-based frosting of your choice (we used Simple Mills vanilla)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients (first 5 ingredients).
Then mix in the wet ingredients one by one, until the dough is smooth.
Use a cookie scoop to form 16 - 18 small cookies (should be 8 - 10 total whoopie pies) depending on how big your cookie scoop is.
Bake 11-12 minutes.
These must cool completely so the frosting spreads on easily.
Spread the frosting on the cakes and form them into sandwiches.
Next, seal your candy canes into a large ziplock bag and press out the air.
Using a rolling pin, gently roll over the bag and crush the candy canes into tiny pieces.
Using a rolling pin, gently roll over the bag and crush the candy canes into tiny pieces. You can also do this step in a food processor, if you prefer, by pulsing your candy canes until they break apart into pieces.
Transfer your candy cane pieces & Paleo Chocolate Cheer into a bowl.
Gently take your whoopie pies and roll them into the bowl of holiday goodness, until all the granola + candy pieces stick to the frosting.
Serve, and enjoy!