Sparkling Sugar Chocolate-Coated Cookies & the Boston Marathon

Sparkling Sugar Chocolate-Coated Cookies & the Boston Marathon (vegan, dairy-free)
I grew up in Boston. I went to college in Boston. I don’t live there now, but Boston will always be my hometown. So I am in a good position to know that Boston is also home to the sugar cookie. Bakeries abound there dedicated to the sugar cookie.
One of my favorites was in a marketplace downtown there called “Faneuil Hall.” My friends and I would head there first on every excursion to grab a cookie to munch while we walked the market.
They actually made all flavors of sugar cookies, not just vanilla. And although this recipe here is traditional vanilla, I think perhaps I might in the future try for my favorite from that bakery, a chocolate cardamom sugar cookie.
Anyway, one year, in my 20s, I was preparing to run the Boston Marathon for charity, not officially.
It was in support of a charity dear to my heart, and it was to be my first marathon and I was wildly excited.
I had been running for years, but typically only 3 miles or so a few times a week. To train for this 26+ mile run, I stepped up my runs to 3-miles daily and 7 miles once a week. Later, I was told I probably didn’t train hard enough, at least long distance. They might have been right?
The day of the marathon came, and I headed there with ride-home subway money zipped in my wind-breaker pocket.
Yes, I actually expected to take the subway home when I reached the finish line. (Needless to say, no one had warned me about the jelly legs I would experience after 26+ mile run.)
Don’t ask me why I didn’t arrange a ride or ask a friend to join me – I guess I was very much into doing my own thing at that time.

Anyway, I put on my charity bib, joined the unofficial runners at the back, and we were off!
The weather was stunning, quintessential New England spring, cool and dry. I was running well, even bumped into a famous Boston district judge who I knew from work. And as I inevitably tired, I was somewhat refreshed by the tiny cups volunteers offered runners as we passed their tables.
But by the time I had neared Heartbreak Hill, about 20 miles in to the 26+ mile race, I was fading fast.
I was not just tired. I remember so many feelings that I can’t even list them all, but the memory is still strong. The biggest was that I felt so hungry that the image of me eating my Nike sneaker actually entered my head.
So imagine my joy when I saw a little bakery off the path, with its door open and a number of people crowding around the tiny counter.
I jogged right in, and kept jogging in place as I handed over my subway money for a sugar cookie.
No. Cookie. Ever. Tasted. So. Good.
And so that is why sugar cookies will always hold a special place in my heart.
In this variation, I decided to coat them with a dark chocolate, 85% cacao in fact.
And as if there was not enough sugar, I decided to top them with a heavy coating of diamond-tiara-worthy sparkling sugar by our friends at Bob’s Red Mill. This sugar is like sparkling diamonds! And hikes any dessert to a celebratorial level.
And did I finish the marathon? Yes!
Did I take the subway home? No. Not only did I no longer have the fare, but I couldn’t have walked to the station, haha.
Luckily my lovely kind roommates were at the finish-line, cheering me to the end!
Thank you for reading.
I hope you enjoy my sparkling sugar chocolate-coated cookie recipe.

5 from 1 vote

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Sparkling Sugar Chocolate-Coated Cookies

(makes 12)

Author Dee Dine

Ingredients

Vegan Sugar Sandwich Cookies

• 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 6 tbsp powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup organic non-hydrogenated shortening
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 white chia powder egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla powder
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• pinch of salt

Dark Chocolate Dipping Sauce

• 1 bar (3.5oz) dark chocolate bar (85% cacao) (I used this vegan brand)
• 1 tsp coconut oil

Instructions

Instructions

To make cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet pan and set aside.
2. Grind 1 tbsp of white chia to a powder using the back of a spoon, stir in 2 tbsp of water and set aside for it to gel.
3. Stir in a bowl the flour, soda, salt, vanilla powder. In another bowl, use a mixer (I used a hand-mixer) to combine the sugars and shortening. Then add the chia egg, and mix to combine.
4. Bake them 9-11 minutes or until you see the cookie edges appear dry. You want the center to be soft; it will harden as the cookies cool.

Make the Dipping Sauce

1. Break up the bar, put the pieces and the tsp of coconut oil in a micro-wave safe bowl, and zap it for 60 seconds. Stir the melted chocolate until completely smoothie.
   

2. Dip cooled cookies, and sprinkle immediately with the sparkling sugar. Store in a cool dry place in an air-tight container.
   

Thank you Bob’s Red Mill for sponsoring this post. The recipe, ideas, content and opinions expressed here are all my own. I do recommend you try Bob’s Red Mill products, you will be so inspired by all their healthy unique products!