Rocky Road Cookies

It's "The Holidays" now, and everywhere you look is some sort of sweet, treat or picture of people celebrating while eating those sinful delicious goodies that are "supposed" to be indulged in this time of year.


I am definitely one of those people who wants to still eat healthily during this time and honestly, our food consumption doesn't really change around Christmas because we've never done a "Traditional Christmas Dinner". I figure Thanksgiving is more than enough calories and indulgence for a whole season. :)
My family  growing up never really did a big Christmas dinner either, and I'm completely fine with just having a normal dinner on Christmas, like tacos or chili or chicken soup or something.

Anyway, that being said, I do like to make cookies. Not just at Christmas time of course, but I've been wanting to make cookies for a few days and today seemed like a good day to make them.

I made up this recipe, (mostly) using a basic no-egg sugar cookie that I found on Marcus Samuelsson's website and modified it using ingredients I had  in the kitchen to make...

Rocky Road Cookies

Or, Maple Chocolate Pecan Marshmallow cookies.  (is your mouth watering yet? Mine is.)
Whichever floats your boat.
They're kinda like rocky road ice cream, in a cookie form.
They turned out so yummy!
Perfect for when you need to indulge in chocolate decadence.

Would you like to make some yourself??

Here's how:

(I didn't measure the pecans, marshmallows or maple syrup, so I'm just guessing on those. Just put in as much as looks like it would be good and still mix well. Also, because this recipe is egg-free or (vegan if you use vegan butter..and no marshmallows... )  it is kind of  really crumbly. I just smush the crumbles into small balls with my hands and they cook up just fine. So don't worry if your batter is crumbly. Mine is too.)
This makes about 24 small cookies (think doughnut-hole sized)

Rocky Road Cookies
(Taken from Easy  Vegan Sugar Cookies )

1 cup flour
1/2 cup vegan (or regular) butter  (1 stick)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
________________________________
 (this is where the vegan recipe ends and mine begins...)

2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
1/8 cup small marshmallows


Cream butter and sugar together. Add Maple syrup and stir til incorporated.
Add dry ingredients and vanilla, mix til crumbly. Add pecans, marshmallows, mix together.

Smush into doughnut hole -sized balls, place on greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 min. at 350 F, or until tops of marshmallows are  lightly toasted.
Remove from oven, let cool on cookie sheet for 3-5 min, then transfer to wire rack to cool.
Taste test while still too hot and burn your tongue. :)

Seriously, I wasn't sure what would happen when I put the marshmallows into the oven, but they toast and caramelize and taste amazing. I am definitely making these again.
They are kind of rich, so it's good that they are small because woah. Really. Try them.
These would be great for a cookie exchange or party or something. Or just to eat at home, anytime. :)