If you’ve ever been on Pinterest before, you’ll probably have seen a few photos pinned from the likes of the dreamy shops of Food52 Provisions, Herriott Grace, Ariel Alasko and Sweet Gum Co. – gorgeously styled images of beautiful hand carved spoons, rolling pins, cheeseboards and bowls. I have definitely spent a lot of time lusting over all that tableware and the fact that it’s all hand made just makes it extra special. The problem is that they’re all based in the US and either don’t ship to the UK or else the cost of the shipping overseas is like £20 (*sad trombone*).
About a year ago my brother found a shop in Hackney called ‘Barn the Spoon’, owned by Barnaby Carder who sits inside the tiny, glass-front shop all day, surrounded by feathery shavings of wood, carving spoons. Intrigued, I visited the shop a couple of times (and if you’re ever in East London, I definitely recommend it as a place to drop by!) to check it out for myself and buy some presents. A few months later I went to his studio in Stepney Farm and we chatted about him making a custom spoon for me (dream. come. true.).
As a baker I’m used to having normal wooden spoons for mixing batters but that’s a bit boring, isn’t it!? A wooden tablespoon measure is anything but. This adorable little 15ml scoop, carved out of English sycamore, is what we settled on (I have some pics of the process of making it below).
I thought it’d be a cool idea to challenge myself to make a ‘tablespoon recipe’ – using only the scoop as my measure! I ended up creating this small-batch recipe for vegan chocolate chip cookies. It only makes 4 small cookies so it’s perfect for when a craving hits and you don’t want to be standing in the kitchen scooping cookie dough all evening (plus, because there’s no egg in the dough you can go to TOWN on eating it raw).
Now, treat yourself to some chocolate chip cookies!!! They’re slightly chewy with a crunchy edge and have a hit of coconut flavour from the coconut oil. If you’re not a coconut fan just sub some plain vegetable oil instead and of course you can switch some of the flour out for cocoa powder for double choccy bites!
Notes:
– Don’t like the taste of coconut? Use plain vegetable oil instead of the coconut oil!
– Use vegan chocolate chips, if needed (such as the Enjoy Life brand).
– For double chocolate cookies: reduce flour to 2 1/2 tbsp and add 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil , , softened
- 2 tbsp raw sugar
- 4 tbsp all purpose flour
- pinch of baking powder
- ~3/4 tbsp water
- splash of vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp mini dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
- flaky salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C)
- Cream the coconut oil and sugar together. Add the flour and baking powder and rub into the oil mixture with your fingertips until crumbly. Pour in the water and vanilla, knead together into a dough then knead in the chocolate chips.
- Divide into 4 balls (roughly 1 tbsp of dough each) and flatten onto a parchment lined cookie tray, sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake for 8-10 minutes until they are starting to turn golden.
OMG!!!The most beautiful wooden spoon I’ve ever seen!MASTERPIECE!And those cookies!!!I WANT THEM NOW!
I agree wit’ u Bea
What a cute idea! The cookies look amazing. Going to give them a try by substituting almond meal for the flour.
ORDERED! Waaaaah. Thank you Izy (:
Those beautiful hand crafted wooden utensils are quite expensive indeed, and they’re always sold out so quickly! But, now I’ll have my own; can’t wait!
And these cookies look amazing, perfect for single-person and quick cravings. And your photography..as always; SO gorgeous!
So precious! I want to eat them alllll (and I can – they’re small batch!) And although I’m not vegan, I love making feel-good vegan recipes.
I love this recipe and that adorable little spoon!! I’m definitely going to be making these!
W h a t – these cookies are a deam come true. Every time I bake a batch it ends up being breakfast, lunch & dinner. Well the “healthy” snacks too. Loving the spoon too 🙂
Oh my goodness I have a spoon from this amazing spoon man too! It’s the most beautiful, wonderful thing in my kitchen! I’m thrilled that you’re blogging about him and his amazing craft x
That spoon is so lovely! I’ve bought my little sister some beautiful hand-painted measuring cups for Christmas – there’s something so gorgeous about properly crafted little gifts 🙂
those wood tablespoons are the cutest!
What an adorable little spoon! The cookies look fantastic too 🙂
How cool isn’t it that you have your own custom made spoon?!?! I’m kind of jealous! 😉
What an adorable little spoon, so cute! With this kind of beautiful tools I’d be willing to bake every day! 🙂
Yummy cookies! Love the flaky salt on top!
What an awesome project. These spoons are freaking rad, and I love that you’re teaming up with such a champion spoon-maker. I’d spoon that spoon.
Love the spoon! and can’t wait to make the cookies for my vegan friend! She’ll love em!
Love how you challenged yourself with this tablespoon recipe… and a small batch of vegan cookie dough?? YES! That spoon is the cutest… I’m obsessed with the bottom design.
HOLY MOLY This spoon is GORGEOUS. I’m so jealous of you and your custom carved spoon!
This is why you are genius! Taking something as mundane as the kitchen spoon and turning it into a multitasking tool of cookie delight. It is such a great opportunity to get to make your own spoons. Of course I want them all. 😉
Absolutely in love with these! Yes!
Swooning over that spoon! I love that you made these small batch, especially so if I eat all of them, it is ok, right?
this is such a great idea! I love s mall batch recipes, thank you.
Believe it or not, but I have been dreaming about a wooden tableware for ages! Wooden bowl or spoon can make the photo so alive! But I have the same problem – US is across the water;(
And luckily I have found Kyiv-based instagram accout where passionate people create wooden tableware of my dreams. Guess what? they ship all over the world! here is their instagram, if you are interested (this is not an advertising, really just sharing what I am into) http://instagram.com/belaya_hvoya
These cookies look delicious! That wooden spoon is adorable; you need to restock soon, pleeease!
Is there a way I can double/triple the recipe so I can share it with my friends or will that mess it all up? please answer asap!
Yep! As 1/4 cup = 4 tbsp, if you double the recipe its: 1/2 cup flour, ~1/2 tsp baking powder, ~1/2 tsp vanilla, 2 tbsp coconut oil, 1/4 cup sugar, ~1.5 tbsp water, 1/4 cup chocolate chips
These look amazing Izy! What an easy recipe and the spoon is too cute! Will definitely check out the shop!
Um… greatest spoon EVER!!
I wanna of those! that spoon is absolutely gorgeous .
Perfect for making these delicious cookies, vegan oh yeah!
Thanks izy!
Nothing beats raw cookie dough! I need that little spoon too!
Ahhh that is such an adorable tablespoon!!!! I love anything woodsy because it oddly makes me feel all warm and fuzzy, hehe.
These would make great decorations for a rustic wedding. Give them to your guests as a take home as a find your seat treat.
They look amazing!!! I recently was gifted a small wooden spoon and I love love it! What better way to compliment the spoon but with some amazing cookies – yum.
Bec x
Don’t know how I missed this but so sad I did because those spoons are beauts and I would have loved to have snatched one up. Guess I have next year to look forward to!
Great recipe and awesome spoon!
Mmm, these cookies look incredibly delicious, I can’t wait to try your recipe! Wishing you a very happy New Year!
Love the cute wooden spoon! and the cookies look divine! 🙂
What a beautiful spoon!
That spoon is a masterpiece and those cookies look to die for! Happy 2015!
I LOVE your new spoon & the whole idea of this recipe.
Lovely spoon. Absolutely lovely! And I’m craving cookies now. Thanks for that! 😉
What a beautiful spoon, that is not to say the cookies aren’t as well but that spoon really caught my eye…
Love the spoons, awesome photos Thank you
I love..LOVE that adorable little spoon!what a great easy recipe:)
That wooden spoon was a brilliant ideas!
These are such beautiful creations – the spoons and the cookies 🙂
Handmade crafts where you have met the creator are such a treasure. I can’t wait to try these cookies on a weeknight when you just need something leeetle after dinner. Two for me and two for him 🙂 Perfection!
Chocolate and cookie! Two magical words!
This is perfect for the moments when I absolutely need a cookie! Lovely!
I just tried them and they taste as good as they look! I doubled the batch and ended up wanting more. Thanks for sharing this lovely recipe!
Things like that little spoon make your work even more sublimated.
Love the recipe! I want to try it but definitely need that adorable little spoon for the process to be fulfilled. Where can I find this spoon?!?!
Thank you! I’m hopefully going to have more in stock in early February 🙂 . I can add your name to the waiting list if you’d like and email you when I have some spoons again!
That is the sweetest dang divvying-up utensil I’ve ever seen- what a treasure! I am also swooning from your beautiful ring, can I ask where you purchased it from?
x
Hi Kitty! It is my fave measuring spoon 🙂 I got the ring at a local craft fair last winter! X