Dutch chocolate pepernoten

Dutch pepernoten with dates, buckwheat flour, coconut oil, speculaaskruiden, chia seeds vanilla powder and a gluten-free vegan chocolate bar

Ingredients
1 ½ handfuls of dates (about 150 g)
150 g buckwheat flour
100 g coconut oil
2 tbsp speculaaskruiden* (or 1,5 tbsp speculaaskruiden and 1/2 tsp koekkruiden)
1 tsp chia seeds
Pinch of vanilla powder
1 bar vegan gluten-free chocolate

Instructions
Weigh the ingredients and add to a bowl. Mix till you have a solid and smooth batter. Make sure the date pieces are very small after mixing.

When ready leave the batter in the fridge for half an hour. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Put baking paper on the baking try and start making small balls (the size of a coin) from the batter and place on the tray. Bake the pepernoten in the oven for just over 20 minutes. When prepared let them cool down for half an hour in order to get them nice and crispy.

In the meantime start melting the chocolate au bain-marie. Role the pepernoten one by one through the chocolate and place on baking paper. When finished place the chocolate pepernoten in the fridge to set. After another half an hour you can enjoy your gluten-free and vegan Dutch delicacy.

*Since this is a typical Dutch delicacy you might not be able to buy speculaaskruiden in your local shop. Below the ingredients you can use for the right mix.
4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground mace
1⁄3 tsp ground ginger
1/5 tsp or a pinch
white pepper, cardamom, nutmeg, coriander and anise seeds

Recipe & photos by Anne