Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook (85 page)

Read Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Online

Authors: Isa Chandra Moskowitz,Terry Hope Romero

Tags: #food.cookbooks

 
 
Variations:
You can do so much with these!
 
 
White Chocolate Chip-Cherry-Chocolate Cookies:
Replace the chocolate chips with white chocolate chips and replace the walnuts with dried cherries.
 
Orange-Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Omit the walnuts. Add 3 teaspoons of finely grated orange zest to the liquid ingredients.
 
Chocolate-Hazelnut Cookies:
Omit the chocolate chips. Replace ¼ cup of the soy milk with hazelnut liqueur. Replace the walnuts with chopped, toasted hazelnuts.
WHEAT-FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
 
MAKES 18 COOKIES
TIME:
45 MINUTES
 
 
These cookies couldn’t be any easier to make, unless you had someone else make them for you. Oat flour makes a dense and crumbly style of cookie that is perfect for all cookie monsters, not just those avoiding wheat. Note: Although oats do not contain gluten, some people with wheat allergies still avoid them. If you’re making these for a celiac friend, ask if they eat oats first.
 
➣
Oat flour is available in many supermarkets, but if you can’t find it or don’t think you’ll be using it much, you can make your own by whizzing rolled oats in a blender or food processor until it resembles flour.
1¾ cups oat flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup canola oil
1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
¼ cup soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup chocolate chips
 
PREHEAT THE oven to 375°F.
Sift together the oat flour, baking soda, and salt.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flaxseeds and soy milk. Add the brown and granulated sugars and stir, add the oil and vanilla, and whisk vigorously until all ingredients are emulsified (about a minute).
Mix the wet ingredients into the dry; fold in the chocolate chips.
Drop the batter by the tablespoon onto an ungreased baking sheet, leaving 1½ inches of space between the cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way.
PEANUT-GINGER-SESAME COOKIES
 
MAKES 42 COOKIES
TIME:
35 MINUTES
 
 
This chewy, shortbreadlike cookie is the perfect, light finale to any Asian meal. Or just great paired with a dark and smoky black or oolong tea. The peanut butter flavor in these dense little morsels is subtle, while chunks of candied ginger and a coating of crunchy sesame seeds make a big, bold statement.
2¼ cups flour, either all-purpose, whole wheat pastry,
white whole wheat, or a combination of these
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup nonhydrogenated vegan shortening, softened
½ cup chunky peanut butter
¼ cup brown rice syrup
1¼ cups sugar, plus additional sugar for rolling
½ cup soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
5 ounces candied ginger, diced finely
⅓ cup each white sesame seeds and black sesame
seeds, or ⅔ cup of just one kind
 
PREHEAT THE oven to 350°F and lightly grease two cookie sheets.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, ground ginger, and cinnamon, and set aside.
In a large bowl, use electric beaters to cream the shortening until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the peanut butter, rice syrup, sugar, soy milk, and extracts, and continue to beat until creamy, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture, then add chopped candied ginger and stir until a very firm dough forms. You can use your hands toward the end to mix the dough.
Roll scant tablespoons of the dough into walnut-size balls. Roll each ball in either white or black sesame seeds (or a little of both), then roll in a little sugar and place on a prepared cookie sheet, leaving about 1½ inches of space between each cookie.
Flatten the balls just slightly (optional) and bake for 10 to 11 minutes for chewy cookies, up to 14 minutes for firmer, crunchier cookies.
Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to remain on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.
RUMNOG PECAN COOKIES
 
MAKES 24 COOKIES
TIME:
45 MINUTES
 
 
This grown-up holiday cookie spiked with rum and nutmeg still retains a sense of good old-fashioned fun, with its topping of lots of frosting and sprinkles. Before baking, the dough is rolled in crunchy pecans, and after cooling they’re topped with creamy, rum-infused icing. The flavor improves after a few hours and the icing firms up, making them ideal for gift giving.
 
 
Cookies:
⅓ cup canola oil
¼ cup soy or rice milk
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
2 tablespoons dark rum
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups coarsely chopped pecans
 
Frosting:
2 tablespoons nonhydrogenated vegan margarine,
softened
2 tablespoons soy milk, soy creamer, or rice milk
2 tablespoons dark rum
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
 
Optional decoration:
Freshly grated nutmeg
Colored sugar sprinkles
 
PREHEAT THE oven to 350°F and lightly grease two baking sheets.
 
 
Prepare the cookies:
 
In a large bowl, combine the oil, soy milk, granulated sugar, molasses, rum, and vanilla, and beat until slightly foamy. Sift in the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt, and mix until a soft dough forms.
Roll the dough into walnut-size balls (about 1 heaping tablespoon), roll in the chopped pecans, and place about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies have puffed.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
 
 
Prepare the frosting:
 
Use electric beaters to cream the margarine until light and creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar and stir with a fork until crumbs form, then beat in the soy milk, rum, and vanilla. The frosting should have a consistency similar to that of buttercream frosting. If it’s too thin, beat in more confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Spread 1 teaspoon or more frosting on each cooled cookie. Sprinkle with nutmeg and colored sugar, if desired, while the frosting is still moist.
These are best when allowed to sit for a few hours so that frosting becomes firm.
CHEWY OATMEAL-RAISIN COOKIES

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