chocolate chocolate chip pomegranate cookies

cookie cookie mmmmm

A week ago, a friend gifted me a box of pomegranates. The day before that, my mother in law gifted me a gallon of pomegranate juice. Since then, I've been splashing pink juice everywhere in the kitchen - peeling and freezing seeds and juice, using the food mill to squish some, and making a ton of pomegranate jelly.

For my hubby's birthday, I made him chocolate cupcakes with pomegranate buttercream frosting and ever since then I've been dreaming about a cookie version. Cupcakes are awesome, but sometimes you need something a little more portable!

Cookies adapted from this recipe. 

1 earth balance buttery stick
1/2 cup of vegetable shortening
2/3 cup of unfiltered cane sugar (or regular white sugar)
2/3 cup of turbinado sugar (or regular brown sugar)
2 tbsp flaxseed mixed with 6 tbsp warm water (let sit for 5 minutes or so)
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or other flour)
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 cups non-dairy semisweet chocolate chips (I love guittard brand - the ones in the yellow package)
1 cup pomegranate seeds (arils) (about 1 medium sized pomegranate)

preheat oven to 350
beat together buttery stick, shortening, sugars, flaxseed mix, and vanilla. beat until creamy (2-3 minutes, I used this time to peel and seed the pomegranate)
mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in batches into buttery stick mixture
mix in cocoa powder
fold in chocolate chips and arils

scoop the dough onto greased baking pans, and place into oven for 10-12 minutes. makes about 3 dozen.

eat, and good luck keeping these away from the other people in your house! the pomegranate seeds stay crisp, and these cookies are fudgy and addicting.