Shortly after graduating from college, I lived in a small house in a cute little neighborhood not too far from campus. Most of my neighbors in the surrounding homes were couples with at least one or two kids, which made me happy… There were always plenty of people willing to gobble up the dozens and dozens of treats I baked for my blog!
Yet most of the time, I usually ended up stopping by the house directly to the left of mine. Their two adorable children, a boy about four and a girl about seven, always waved at me in the street when I walked my dog and frequently invited me over to play. Their big smiles and sweet hugs melted my heart every time!
A week or two after the holidays, the little girl mentioned that her birthday fell towards the end of January, and her mom was letting her invite a few friends over for a party during the last weekend of the month. I knelt down to give her a pre-birthday hug, and I quickly asked about her favorite cake flavor.
“Chocolate!!” she exclaimed, her eyes bright and shining. “Chocolate, with chocolate frosting!”
I laughed at that… She sounded just like me — a true chocoholic!
So the week after her birthday, I baked a special batch of supremely rich chocolate cupcakes topped with decadent fudgy chocolate frosting. As a little kid, I remembered feeling slightly disappointed when all of my leftover cake had disappeared after my birthday party… So I thought the adorable girl might appreciate extending her birthday magic for another day or two as well!
When I knocked on their door to deliver the treats and wish her happy birthday again, her brother immediately asked, “Will you make me cupcakes for my birthday in September too??”
I laughed and nodded, then inquired about his favorite cake flavor.
“Red!” he shouted. “It’s my favorite color!”
My smile widened at his response. Although not technically a cake flavor, red was my brother’s favorite color as a kid too… And, given the chance, I bet he would’ve requested the same thing!
So even now, many years later, I always think of that little boy whenever I bake any red velvet treats… Including these Healthy Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies!
They’re supremely soft and chewy with the perfect iconic red velvet cake flavor and plenty of rich chocolate morsels liberally sprinkled throughout. This recipe is also really simple to make (no mixer required — just bowls and a fork!), and even with no eggs, dairy, refined flour or sugar… These are the BEST red velvet cookies I’ve ever eaten — and they’re 92 calories too!
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