• ½ cup butter, unsalted, room temperature
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ cup applesauce, unsweetened
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• 1 ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup superfine almond flour
• 1 ½ cup gluten free all purpose flour
• ⅓ cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup melted semi sweet chocolate chips
• Christmas nonpariels, optional

Frosting

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup melted and cooled, dark or semi sweet chocolate
• pinch of salt