Dawa Dawa Chocolate Cookies

Dawa Dawa chocolate cookies are rich, chocolatey, umami cookies that will wow your friends this festive season. Fermented Locust beans are quintessential ingredients used in various West African soups and stews. While many see it purposely for these dishes, I think the possibilities are endless. The chocolate flavour pairs well with this funky condiment to make a unique cookie and delicious cookie. I am not the first person to think about this pairing, but I want to encourage more people to do so.

What is Dawa Dawa (Fermented Locust Beans)?

Dawa Dawa is an alkaline fermented condiment made from the seeds of the African Locust Tree. The African Locust tree grows across the grassland regions of West Africa where it serves many functions. The tree is used for many things, but, its most priced products are the beans/seeds it produces. The seeds/beans are harvested from the dried locust fruit and subjected to a three-day process to get an intense umami condiment. Across West Africa, fermented locust beans go by many names such as dawa dawa, dadawa, iru, ogiri okpei, soumbala, netetou, nere, kolgo and more I can’t list. As dawa dawa is one of my favourite cooking ingredients, I have travelled far and wide to learn how it is made and have documented it for my social media pages here.

What is the flavour profile of dawa dawa?

Dawa Dawa is peculiar in its flavour and smell, which is very hard to miss in a dish. The intense umami and funky flavour it adds to food is a flavour profile that separates West African cooking from other regional African cuisines. The flavour profile is hard to explain. Some have described it as gamey, coffee-like, funky like blue cheese, rich like coffee or chocolate, and warm like wheat. These flavour notes are why I think dawa dawa pairs beautifully with chocolate. The African locust tree is also a distant cousin of the carob tree, which grows pods that some grind and use as an alternative to chocolate.

What you will need for this recipe

• Sugar: For this recipe, we are using white granulated sugar. Castor sugar should work okay but the weight per volume will be different. I do not recommend brown or any other alternative sugar as sugar (both the type or combination of sugars) in baked goods does not only serve the role of a sweetener but is important in the texture and cooking process of the cookie.
• Butter: I use a vegan-friendly butter for my recipes. Make sure the butter is soft and at room temperature.
• Apple Sauce: I use this as an egg replacer for extra moisture.
• Dawa Dawa: For this cookie, I am using the dried powdered dawa dawa. This is the easiest to use for the cookie. If you cannot find it in powdered form, you can purchase the dried dawa dawa seeds and grind them with a coffee grinder.
• Cacao Powder: I am using raw cacao powder for a strong chocolate flavour.
• Cloves: Cloves offer a rich flavour to any dessert.
• Cornstarch: this reduces spreading and makes the butter cookie nice and fluffy
• Flour: This recipe is made with all-purpose flour. Cake flour can be a great alternative for a softer cookie.
• Salt: Salt helps to bring out flavour and balance out the sweetness.

Purchasing Dawa Dawa and Substitutions

Dawa Dawa can be found at many African stores. The packaging can list any of these names — iru, ogiri okpei (make sure to verify it is locust beans because there are many types of ogiri), soumbala/soumbara, netetou, nere. Besides African stores, you can purchase dawa dawa online at Burlap and Barrel (US and Canada), MyChopChop (Canada) or on Etsy (US).

There are no substitutions for dawa dawa. You can remove it from the recipe to make a delicious chocolate cookie. I suggest adding a pinch of instant coffee to bring out the chocolate flavour.

How to make dawa dawa chocolate cookies

• Cream the butter and sugar
• Add the apple sauce

• Mix in the dry ingredients with the spices
• Combine everything with a spoon and your hands
• Cut out your desired shapes

• Bake the cookies at 340°F for 12 minutes.
• Frost with melted chocolate

Storage

Storing baked and frosted cookies. These cookies stay fresh for a few days at room temperature. After which they can become stale. To avoid this, you place can them in an airtight container and put them in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezing raw cookie dough. You can freeze cookies at many stages of making it. Once your raw cookie dough has come together, you can roll it out and wrap it in plastic wrap before freezing. To bake, just thaw on your counter then proceed with the cooking instructions.

Freezing cooked baked cookies. You can also bake the cookies and freeze them before frosting. Make sure they have fully cooled before freezing them. Once the cookies are frosted, you can also freeze them. Depending on how you frost with the chocolate, you might lose some in the process. If you want to freeze it, I recommend not frosting the cookie until you are ready to enjoy it. To enjoy these frozen cookies, allow them to thaw on the counter or microwave for up to 30 seconds for a faster process.

Check out the rest of the Christmas Cookies

• Double Chocolate Teff Cookies (instead of teff, I used millet)
• Grains of Paradise Orange Cookie
• Roasted Millet and Peanut Cookie
• Moringa Lemon Cookies
• Spiced Tamarind Sandwich Cookie