Lava Cookies

5 from 3 votes

These decadently delicious chocolate lava cookies use my soft, chewy, almond flour cookie dough and a flowy, chocolate ganache filling that oozes out when you break them in half! (gluten-free and soy-free with nut-free options)

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Cooling/Chilling Time20

Total Time45

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: lava cookies, molten lava cookies

Servings:

Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

For the Cookie Dough

1 cup almond flour
2 1/2 tablespoons tapioca starch
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cane sugar or powdered sugar , optional
1 teaspoon vanilla powder or vanilla extract
2 tablespoons coconut oil solid or semi-solid
4 tablespoons maple syrup divided, or more, as needed

For the Chocolate Ganache Center

2 teaspoons coconut oil
2 teaspoons non-dairy milk oat or coconut milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup
¼ cup chocolate chopped or semi-sweet chocolate chunks or morsels

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the cookie dough.

In a bowl, add all the dry ingredients. If you are using vanilla powder, add it here too. Mix very well, pressing to break up any almond flour lumps.
Melt the coconut oil either on the stove or in the microwave. I usually combine the maple syrup and coconut oil in the same cup and microwave until the maple syrup just starts to bubble; the coconut oil will melt from the residual heat. Once the coconut oil melts completely, pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and mix to make a smooth dough. If your dough feels stiff, add another 1 to 2 teaspoons of maple syrup. If it’s too sticky, chill it in the fridge for 5 to 10 minutes. You want the dough to be pliable and not too stiff, so don’t chill it for too long. It needs to flatten easily, so you can shape it around the ganache. If it’s not sticky, just set it aside on the counter.

Make the chocolate ganache.

In a small skillet over medium-low heat, add the coconut oil and non-dairy milk and bring it to a boil. Add the chocolate, and mix until it starts to melt. Then, add maple syrup and an optional 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Turn off the heat, and continue mixing until it’s really smooth.
Refrigerate this mixture in the skillet or transfer it to a bowl. Chill for about 15 minutes in the freezer or 30 minutes in the fridge, until it’s solid enough to scoop and shape into balls, but not fully solid. It should almost have the texture of play dough.

Assemble and bake the lava cookies.

Preheat the oven to 335°F (170°C).
Once the ganache is ready, take small scoops and set them aside. Grease your hands lightly. Take about 2 tablespoons (or more) of cookie dough and flatten it into a flat cookie. Place a scoop of ganache in the center, then fold the dough over and pinch the edges to seal completely. Roll the sealed cookie between your palms to form a smooth ball. If there are cracks, the chocolate will ooze out while baking. Place the cookie ball on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat for all cookies.
Bake for about 10 minutes, then check if the cookies have spread nicely. If they’re still thick in the center, bake for another 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from the oven.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes or so, then transfer them to a tray. They’ll be soft and gooey when warm but will set as they cool. When you break them open, the melted chocolate center will ooze out beautifully.
Storage: Store on the counter in a covered container for upto 3 days.
Make ahead: refrigerate the stuffed cookie dough balls for upto a week. Bake as needed. They might take a minute or so longer from the fridge.

Video

Notes

These lava cookies are gluten-free and soy-free, as long as you use soy-free chocolate chips and non-dairy milk.

For a nut-free version, replace the almond flour dough with a regular flour-based cookie dough or chickpea flour cookie dough and add cocoa powder. Fill with the same ganache and bake as directed.

Nutrition