Valentine's Day is quickly approaching and I've created these irresistibly moist Red Velvet Cookies with Cashew Cream for the occasion. Having spent the majority of my life in the south, I figured a healthy spin on this classically southern flavor would be a welcome twist on the chocolatey dessert. The red color is saturated and vibrant making it feel very Valentine's Day-esque! The coconut butter in the cashew cream literally melts in your mouth, while the cookies are chewy, sweet and dense. 

These sweet treats don't require any baking or cooking so you can turn them around in a pinch. Gift them to yourself, share them with your partner or bring them to work or school and spread the love. 

You need:

Cashew cream:

• 3/4 cup cashews soaked overnight in water
• 1/3 coconut butter
• 1.5 tbl almond milk
• 1/5 tbl honey or maple
• 1tsp vanilla powder 

Red Velvet Cookies:

• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 20 pitted Medjool dates
• 1 tbl cacao butter melted
• 1 tbl maple syrup 
• 1 tsp almond extract
• Red food coloring 

Get cooking:

1. Drain and rinse your soaked cashews
2. In a high powered blender or high powered food processor, pulse together all cashew cream ingredients. 
3. Once they are blended and smooth, place into a bowl and cool in fridge
4. Wipe out the food processor and add the cookie ingredients and pulse until combined. If you’d like smaller flakes of oats, pulse the oats on their own before adding other ingredients. Add enough food coloring until you get a beautiful saturated red velvet color! (You can also use beet juice but just know you’ll get an earthy flavor in your cookies). 
5. Once combined, scoop out 2 tablespoons of cookies dough for each cookie. Roll into a ball and then flatten with your palm.
6. Remove cashew cream from fridge and scoop onto cookies, spread to edges. 
7. Put your cookies back in the fridge for about 20 minutes to set.
8. Store these in the fridge, they will stay fresh for approximately 5 days

Makes ten cookies! Much love to you on Valentine's Day! XO - Cait