Cacao Nibs Cookies, made with pure unsweetened cacao nibs or chips, in a butter shortbread cookie, for real chocolate lovers!
What Are Cacao Nibs?
Real cacao nibs are cacao beans in their most natural, least processed form. Chocolate chips, on the other hand, are a sweetened, manufactured product designed to melt, behave, and taste like dessert. Here’s the simple breakdown:
- Pure cacao: They’re just roasted, cracked cacao beans, no sugar, no dairy, no added fats.
- Texture: Crunchy, a bit like a roasted coffee bean.
- Flavor: Deep, earthy, slightly bitter cocoa flavor with no sweetness at all.
- Nutritional profile: High in antioxidants, minerals (magnesium, iron), and healthy fats. No added sugar.
Real Cacao Chips For Baking vs Chocolate Chips
The first indication of their differences are in the ingredients. Cacal nibs are 100% cacao, while chocolate chips are cocoa mass, sugar, usually cocoa butter, sometimes emulsifiers and flavoring.
When tasting, each without knowing which is which, Cacao nibs are bitter and intense, whilce chcolate chips are sweet, smooth and ready-made for baking.
In short, Cacao nibs are to chocolate chips what whole coffee beans are to a caramel latte, one is pure and raw, the other is sweetened and crafted for indulgence.
Cacao Nibs Cookies
Who doesn’t love a chocolate chip cookie, or any cookie, for that matter! Adults and kids alike, and always with a swig of milk, no matter what kind of milk you drink.
Milk and cookies are simply ‘a thing’! Chocolate chips, the kind we often buy, however, are loaded with sugar!
Instead of overloading a cookie with more sugar than a sweet treat needs to be, I wanted to make a chocolate chip cookie that was buttery rich, but real cacao.
Just enough sugar to make it sweet, but I wanted chocolate chips that taste as close to real chocolate as possible, only healthier! Cacao nibs, or chips as they are also called, was exactly what I was looking for.Â
Let’s Look Deeper Into These Nibs
Cacao nibs, or cocoa nibs, are bits of dried cacao beans from the cacao tree, part of the bean used in the making of chocolate, as we know it.
The flavor of the cacao powdered or crushed cacao bean is bitter, earthy and robust in flavor, much as cinnamon is bitter, earthy and a bit of heat on the tongue after tasting.
Both require sugar to soften their bitterness, add that element of sweet and brighten the flavor. But, let’s not overdo it with the sugar!
Real Chocolate Cacao – For Health
When we hear that chocolate is good for our health, it is not that sugary ole chocolate candy bar we all grew up with.
It’s the ground bean, dark, unsweetened, unrefined cacao/chocolate that has the health benefits.
In fact, the high content of antioxidants, natural minerals and heart healthy flavonoids makes it an ingredient to seriously consider adding to many of your recipes, savory chocolate recipes included.
Cacao nibs offer the truest expression of chocolate. They bring that earthy, slightly roasted flavor that chocolate has before sugar and dairy soften it. For people who love intense cocoa (like coffee lovers enjoy bold espresso), nibs are a treasure.
Sweet Options For Unsweetened Cacao
Most dessert recipes require something sweet, obviously, to make them the sweet treats we desire. Where that sweetness comes from should be left up to you:
- Honey adds more than sweetness, it brings floral notes and a gentle moisture that keeps cookies soft in the center. Its natural sugars caramelize beautifully during baking, giving the cookies a golden hue and a little extra chew.
- Raw Sugar has larger crystals that hold their shape, adding sparkle and crunch on top of the cookie or folded throughout. Its subtle molasses undertone pairs perfectly with the earthy bite of cacao nibs, keeping things sweet without being overly refined.
- Agave is mild, smooth, and sweeter than sugar, so a little goes a long way. It blends seamlessly into cookie dough and adds a soft, tender texture. Because it doesn’t overpower, it lets the deep cocoa flavor of the nibs shine.
- Monk Fruit Sweetener is a great choice for a low-sugar cookie that still tastes indulgent. It’s clean-tasting, doesn’t spike blood sugar, and bakes well when blended with erythritol. It sweetens without masking the complexity of the cacao nibs.
- Stevia brings a quick, bright sweetness. Because it’s so potent, you only need a small amount, and often it’s best combined with another sweetener for balance. Used thoughtfully, it keeps cookies light and sweet without adding bulk.
- Molasses is the deepest and most dramatic option. It adds moisture, chew, and a dark caramel intensity that wraps around the bitterness of the cacao nibs like a warm coat. Just a spoonful transforms the cookie into something rich, rustic, and almost gingerbread-like, even without spices.
In my Cacao nibs, real chocolate chip cookie recipe, I use raw sugar in the cookie dough, but added the rich dark flavor of unsweetened cacao nibs to the batter.
What’s Not To Love About Real Cacao Nibs Cookies
If you’re in a hurry to bake these chocolate chip cookies, you can simply place a dollop of the cookie dough onto a baking sheet and bake, once the dough is mixed.
If you’re looking for a nicely shaped round cookie, simply roll the dough into a log shape inside of parchment paper, chill, slice and bake. Totally up to you!
Savory Cacao Nibs Recipes
Have you ever had a Mole sauce over a Mexican meat dish? The flavor pings off of many areas of the taste buds!
It’s hot, it’s spicy, dark, earthy, somewhat chocolate in flavor and even a ring of sweetness.
Cacao nibs, or simply raw cacao, is the perfect ingredient to add to a slow simmered meat sauce abundant in dried chiles, a little wine, and served over a favorite meat.
If you’ve never experimented with cacao in a savory dish and want to try something a bit milder first, Chocolate Chili Pasta is definitely the way to start.
But for today… let’s make cookies!
Ingredients Needed For A Great Shortbread Cookie With Cacao Nibs
- Butter – Good shortbread begins with great butter. It’s what gives these cookies their tender crumb and melt-in-your-mouth richness. As it creams with the sugar, it creates tiny pockets of air that help the dough stay delicate instead of dense. Use the best quality you have, its flavor truly shines here.
- Raw Sugar brings a gentle sweetness and a subtle caramel note that complements the earthy cacao nibs. Its slightly larger crystals add the faintest crunch, giving these cookies a rustic charm while keeping them from becoming overly sweet.
- Egg – Though traditional shortbread is often made without eggs, adding one creates a softer, more cohesive dough that’s easier to shape and slice. The egg also lends a little richness and helps the cookies bake with a lovely golden edge.
- Flour – All-purpose flour provides the structure these cookies need while still keeping the texture tender. It absorbs the butter, sugar, and egg just enough to hold everything together without losing that signature shortbread melt.
- Salt – A whisper of salt is essential, it wakes up the flavors, balances the sweetness, and sharpens the chocolatey depth of the cacao nibs. Without it, the cookies taste flat; with it, every ingredient stands a little taller.
- Unsweetened Cacao Chips (Cacao Nibs) – These little gems are pure cacao bean pieces, bringing a bold, slightly bitter chocolate note that contrasts beautifully with the buttery sweetness of the dough. They stay crunchy as they bake, adding texture and a sophisticated, grown-up chocolate flavor.
Equipment Needed For These Very Easy Cookies
- Hand Mixer or Food Processor – Either tool works beautifully for bringing the dough together. A hand mixer gives you that classic creaming method, softened butter and sugar whipped until light and fluffy. A food processor, on the other hand, makes quick work of blending everything into a smooth, cohesive dough with almost no effort.
- Wooden Spoon – Even with modern tools, a wooden spoon is still the baker’s trusty companion. It’s perfect for folding in the cacao nibs at the end or giving the dough one last mix before shaping.
- Parchment Paper makes the rolling and chilling process so much easier. Lay a sheet underneath the dough to prevent sticking, then wrap the rolled log in parchment to help it keep its shape in the refrigerator.
- Knife – A sharp knife ensures clean slices once the dough has chilled. It cuts through the cold butter and crunchy cacao nibs without crumbling the edges, giving you neat, uniform cookies.
- Baking Sheet Pan – A sturdy sheet pan gives the cookies an even bake. Line it with parchment for easy cleanup and to prevent over-browning on the bottoms.
- Oven – The final stop on the journey, where the butter melts, the edges crisp, and the cacao nibs toast ever so slightly. A properly preheated oven ensures each cookie bakes evenly to that perfect golden finish.
Cacao Nibs Cookies – Real Chocolate Chips
Equipment
- Cookie sheet
- Parchment paper or wax paper
Ingredients
- 16 oz Unsalted Butter softened
- 3/4 cup Raw sugar
- 1 Egg
- 2 cups All-purpose Flour
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Unsweetened Cacao Chips/Nibs
Instructions
- Place the softened butter in a large bowl. With a hand mixer, or a large fork, whisk in the sugar until it looks light in color. Whisk in the egg until well incorporated.
- Slowly whisk in the flour and salt. Gently fold in the cacao nibs chips.
- On a large piece of parchment paper, transfer the batter to the paper and form a long log and roll the dough in the parchment paper, and chill in the fridge for 30-minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350. Slice the cookie dough into quarter-inch thick rounds and place on a parchment paper covered baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
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