Molten Lava Cookies

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)

It’s cookie season, and I wanted to make a decadent, chocolatey cookie. And what better idea than to convert molten lava cake into cookie form! 

My motto is that baking should be super easy and flexible, so that even if you make a few measuring errors, things still turn out great. Nobody has time to whip up butter and sugar and all that, so I use my trusty almond flour cookie dough, which works every time.

To make this simple dough, you just add all the dry ingredients to a bowl, mix really well, add some melted coconut oil and maple syrup, mix again, and that’s it! You have a dough! 

For this recipe, we’ll add cocoa powder to make a chocolate cookie dough. Then, we make a molten chocolate “lava bomb,” which is a melted chocolate ganache that goes inside the cookie. As the cookie bakes, it spreads and traps the chocolate ganache inside. When you break it open, it’s oozy, melty, and so delicious.

Why You’ll Love Lava Cookies

• easy, flexible, foolproof almond flour cookie dough
• chewy, chocolatey cookie outisde
• oozy, melty chocolate ganache filling
• naturally gluten-free and soy-free with nut-free options

Ingredients

• almond flour – This is the base for your cookie dough. For a nut-free option, use either my all-purpose flour chocolate chip cookie dough or chickpea flour cookie dough.
• tapioca starch, salt, and baking soda – To condition the dough.
• cocoa powder – To make the dough chocolatey.
• vanilla – You can use powder or extract.
• coconut oil – Adds texture to the cookies and to the ganache filling. Use refined coconut oil, if you don’t want your cookies to have a coconut flavor.
• maple syrup – For sweetness and to add moisture.
• non-dairy milk – To make the ganache. Choose soy-free and/or nut-free, if needed.
• chocolate – Use your vegan chocolate of choice: a chopped bar, chunks, or chips.

How to Make Lava Cookies

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.

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.

Once the ganache is ready, take small scoops and set them aside.

Preheat the oven to 335°F (170°C). 

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.