To preface the post, I want to start out by saying..I'm not the best baker. I can cook up anything and it's usually pretty good, but when it comes to baking..I ALWAYS mess things up. So needless to say..my vegan "chocolate chip" cookie turned out interesting.
I found the recipe on vegweb.com called Happy Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies. I am aware that chocolate is not animal friendly because it has milk in it, so the recipe called for carob chips as a substitute. A carob chip which is produced from the carob plant, looks just like a chocolate chip but tastes more bitter and nuttier.
Even though I am a terrible baker and I was using fake chocolate, I think the cookies turned out surprisingly well! They are not too sweet which is what I prefer anyway. I have let some friends try them and the general consensus is "dislike" and "this tastes too healthy" but I think you either love them or hate them. I was going to bring them to work today, but there were only 3 left this morning so they cant be that bad! I am impressed with my baking ability here, so I will try more in the future!
Ingredients:
2 cups unbleached flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp.salt
cinnamon to taste (I used a lot)
carob chips
1 cup raw sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup water
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon. Add chips. Make a well in the center and set aside.
3. In a medium size bowl mix raw sugar and oil. Mix it well. Add the vanilla and then add the water. Mix it well.
4. Add the wet to the well in the dry. Mix it well but be careful not to overwork it. Add more chips if you need to.
5. Spoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Put them in the oven. Bake for 5 minutes and then flip and rotate the sheets.(top to bottom,and 180 degree rotation) Bake another 4 minutes and check them.
The cookies are done when they seem a little bit softer then you want them to be.
I love the Happy Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe! I used to use it all the time (about once a week...haha), but lately have switched over to another.
ReplyDeleteI usually use Ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate chips, which can be found at any grocery store and have no milk in them. They go on sale at Kroger frequently for about $2.50 a bag. I have to drive 35 miles away to find carob chips. :(
Here is the recipe I use now...I started with a normal chocolate chip recipe and tweaked it to my liking over the course of about a dozen batches of cookies. You can play around with the types of flour you use as long as the total is always 2 cups (I experiment with different amounts of whole wheat, unbleached all purpose, and oatmeal flour, which tastes really good in vegan baked goods, btw). For vegan butter, I recommend Earth Balance. It can be found at Kroger also or most health food stores, if you haven't heard of it, and it comes in soy or non-soy types. (I use Kroger a lot because I don't have a Whole Foods) In this recipe, the ground flax seed and water substitute for an egg. You can use this substitution in any recipe that calls for 2 eggs or less.
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 c vegan chocolate chips
2/3 c unbleached cane sugar
1/2 c oatmeal flour
1/2 c canola oil
3 Tbsp vegan butter
3 Tbsp molasses
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp ground flax
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp baking soda
In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, molasses, canola oil, and vegan butter, until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine water and ground flax. Microwave (or heat on the stove) until the mixture reaches the consistency of an egg (about 20 seconds). Add flax, vanilla, salt, and baking soda to the large bowl and stir. Combine wheat and oat flours and add them in gradually until the dough is consistent. Stir in chocolate chips.
Bake heaping tablespoonfuls at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes until just slighty under-done. Allow cookies to cool and firm on the pan before removing.
Good luck with your vegan baking! It can be really rewarding. Don't let anyone discourage you by telling you your cookies taste too healthy! Tell them a Twinkie is not real food. ;) If you need any recipes let me know.
THANKS for the advice! Ya I have a Kroger right by my house back home, so when I move back in a week, it should be much easier!
ReplyDeleteAngela never gave me my cookie back last night...but the bite I had of it was awesome!
ReplyDelete