Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is simple, tasty, and much healthier than regular chocolate chip cookies. They are made of whole wheat pastry flour, so you are not consuming "empty" white flour calories. They have only 1/4 cup of sugar in the whole batch compared to 1 1/2 cups in the classic Nestle Toll House Recipe**.

I often make these cookies for non-vegans who are impressed by how tasty they are. A few years ago, I had an incentive in my classroom that resulted in my baking for them at the end of the week. These cookies were among their favorites!

One problem can be finding vegan chocolate chips. Whole Foods sells them guaranteed vegan. Trader Joe's used to sell a dairy free version. Last I checked they still don't have dairy added, but are not guaranteed dairy free.  You can also buy the Chocolate Dream Chocolate Chips at a health food store. Finally, some people (unfortunately I am not one of them) enjoy carob as a replacement for chocoalte. You can easily use carob chips in this recipe.





Cook Time:
Prep 8 minutes
Cook 10 minutes

Yield: 24 cookies

Recipe
2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips
1/4 cup raw sugar (try to find a version that is finely ground. If you cannot, let the sugar sit in the milk for a few minutes to dissolve).
1/2 canola oil (or any vegetable oil)
1/3 cup soy or any non-dairy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2.Place the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl. Mix with a whisk  until well combined.
3. In a smaller bowl combine the sugar, oil, soy milk, and vanilla. Mix until well combined with a whisk.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir with a cookie spatula until the flour is completely mixed in.
5. Roll into small balls (about one inch) and place on parchment paper or a greased cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 10 minutes.
7. Place the cookie tray on a cooking rack and let cool for about 5 minutes before removing cookies and placing them on a cooking rack.






**The Nestle Toll House Recipe yields about twice as many cookies. Therefore, to compare more equally Nestle's recipe would require about 3/4 cup of sugar to make the same number of cookies.

Leave a note to let me know how they turned out!

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake is one of my all time favorite vegan things to make and eat! I made it this past weekend for my dad's birthday. It was enjoyed by vegans and non-vegans alike!

The cake itself is chocolate and moist. There is a little sweetness, but the overwhelming flavor is chocolate with a hint of coffee. The frosting brings it all together. The frosting is sweet and chocolatey with a peanut butter flavor. Together, the frosting and cake make for a delightful after dinner (or anytime as we proved with the leftovers) treat.

This cake is inspired by a Moosewood Cookbook favorite.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of unbleached white flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons of freshly ground coffee
1/2 cup oil (you can use coconut or vegetable oil)
1 cup of cold brewed coffee
2 teaspoons of vanilla
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

Frosting
6 oz unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup soy milk
1 cup confectioners' sugar

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 375 Degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Line a 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
3. In a small bowl, mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, sugar, and coffee together until well combined.
4. In a large bowl, combine oil, coffee, and vanilla.
5. Combine liquid and dry ingredients.
6. Add vinegar and combine without over-stirring.
7. Bake for 25-40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.
8. Let the cake cool.

The cake cooling

9. Melt the chocolate over medium-low heat until melted.
10. In a food processor or with an electric mixer, combine peanut butter and soy milk until smooth.
11. Add confections sugar and the melted chocolate.
12. When the cake has cooled, spread the frosting on the cake.
13. Sprinkle with coconut and coco powder.

Leave a note to share what toppings you could add!

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Puffed Rice Bars

I have been craving chocolate all weekend. First I wanted to make chocolate chip cookies but I ran out of time. Then I wanted a vegan chocolate chip cookie sandwich at Crazy Burger but I was too full.

I wanted decided to make something sweet but somewhat healthy. I found an awesome recipe for puffed quinoa cookies on Pintrist that inspired me to make these bars. These bars were very easy, quick, and delicious!

This recipe is great because it doesn't use sugar but maple syrup. I am trying to stay away from using sugar, especially refined sugar, in my desserts as much as possible. The chocolate went really well with the Kumquats!


Ingredients
1 tsp vegan butter (Earth Balance)
1 cup of vegan chocolate chips
1 cup of homemade peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/8 cup of soy milk
3 cups of puffed rice

Method
1. Heat 1 tsp of Earth Balance on medium low heat until it melts evenly.
2. Add the chocolate and mix consistently until all the chocolate is melted.
3. Mix together the peanut butter, vanilla, cinnamon, maple syrup, and soy milk together until well combined.
4. Fold in the puffed rice until the peanut butter mixture is evenly distributed.
5. Line a 8X8 baking dish with parchment paper.
6.  Pour the rice mixture into the baking dish and press down.
7. Pour the chocolate mixture over the top and spread with a spatula so that all of the rice is covered.
8. Put the baking dish in the freezer for about 2 hours. You can leave it in for longer if needed.

Before Freezing

After Freezing

9. When you take it out, let the pan sit for about 5 minutes before cutting so the chocolate doesn't crack.
10. Your treat is ready to eat!

Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter!

I have two addictions, chocolate and peanut butter. I have been obsessed with peanut butter ever since I can remember. As a child, I ate it right out of the jar (but of course never anymore). I still remember when I discovered Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter from The Peanut Butter Company in college. I would splurge on a $6 small jar and eat it all in a few days. In an attempt to replicate this, I decided my first attempt at making peanut butter would be chocolate peanut butter.

The Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter that I loved so much in college

Ingredients

1. 2 1/2 cups unsalted organic peanuts

2. 4 dates

3. 3 tbsp coco powder

4. 1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

5. 1tsp vanilla

6. 1tbsp honey (or any other sweetener)

7. 1/2 tsp salt

8. 1 tbsp oil (You can use most kinds in your house. I used grape seed oil and it worked well)

Method

1. Blend the peanuts in the food processor. At first it will just seem very dry, let it continue for about 2 minutes, scrapping the sides as needed, and it will start to become a little more moist. 

2. Add the dates and blend again. The dates help to sweeten the peanut butter as well moisten the peanut butter. This will mean less added oil later.

3. Add coco powder and chocolate chips and blend again.

4. Add vanilla, honey, salt and blend. 

5. Slowly add 1 tbsp of oil. You can add more if you would like, I found that I really didn't need any more than that.

6. Place in canisters and refrigerate.

I got 3 canisters of peanut butter (I made two batches). 

This recipe is low in added oil, salt, and sugar (for a chocolate peanut butter). Most importantly, it is delicious! It is also really cost effective. I got the peanuts I needed in the bulk bin and the other costs were miniscule. I figured out that each jar costs about $2 if you use organic ingredients compared to $6 in the store.



Next time I will try a honey roasted version. :)

Vegan Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Last night I was craving something sweet but healthy. I combined a couple of recipes to get Vegan Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies. Probably the best part of vegan baking is the fact that you can eat the raw batter without having to worry about raw eggs.  I took full advantage last night, the raw batter was just a good as the final product!

Ingredients

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup peanut butter

2 TSP vanilla

1 cup of whole wheat flour 

1 cup of oats

1 TSP baking soda

1/8 TSP salt

1 TSP cinnamon 

1/2 cup soy milk  

1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

3/4 cup jumbo raisins 

The batter will be very dry before you add the soy milk. 

The batter after soy milk is added.

  

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit. 

2. Mix brown sugar and peanut butter until well blended.

3. Add vanilla, flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. The batter will be very dry at this point, don't worry!

4.  Add soy milk and stir until everything is blended. 

5. Fold in chocolate chips and raisins.

6. Take a sample taste!

7. Roll into 1.5 inch balls and place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. 

8. Bake for 10 minutes.

9. Enjoy with a cold glass of your favorite non-dairy milk!

Valentine's Day Vegan Love Drops

I thought the frozen peanut butter bars were addictive but these are a whole new level. They taste so much like coconut ice cream bars (specifically the Dove ones). They have a soft chocolate outside with a cold but creamy inside. They are sweet and divine. They are also easy (although quite messy) to make. They are a prefect vegan Valentine's Day treat! I got the originally recipe from another vegan blog and didn't believe it would really work out.  I made some adjustments to the original recipe and I was very happy with my end result.

For the inside filling

2 cups of unsweetened shredded coconut

2 tbsp. coconut oil

¼ cup of cane sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tbsp. coconut milk

For the chocolate outside

1/3 cup almonds ground

1 cup of shredded coconut

2 tbsps. coco powder

2 tsps. cane sugar

2 tbsps. vegan butter

½ cup vegan chocolate chips

6 tbsps. coconut milk

Method

1.       Mix the inside filling ingredients in the food processor until blended. Add the coconut milk last until the consistency is such that you can roll the coconut into balls but you do not have excess liquid.
2.       Roll the coconut drops in your hand and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
3.       Freeze the drops for 15 minutes.
4.       Melt vegan butter in a pot and add chocolate. Melt slowly so the chocolate temperature never rises too high.
5.       Place this to the side to cool.
6.       Chop almonds in the food processor until ground.
7.       Add shredded coconut, coco powder, and sugar. Mixed until combined.
8.       Mix in melted (and cooled) chocolate.
9.       Add coconut milk until you have a creamy consistency to cover your coconut drops with.
10.   Take the coconut drops out of the freezer and roll them in the chocolate (this was really messy!)
11.   Place the drops back in the freezer for ½ hour.
12.   Take out as many drops as you would like to eat and put them on a place for about 5 minutes.
13.   Enjoy with a nice cup of tea!
Note: I am storing the rest in the freezer for new. When I take them out, I will give them 8-10minutes to thaw.

 

Frozen Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Frozen Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

A word of warning, these bars are highly addictive! I made these bars a few weeks ago because I wanted something to snack on at work besides celery. They only made it to work for one day before Rich and I devoured them. They are the closest thing I have every made to a chocolate  bar. When served cold, the first sensation on your tongue is chocolate followed by a sweet peanut butter flavor. They are the perfect midday pick-me-up with a little chocolate and some nuts to sustain you until your next meal.

You can experiment with your own variations but the recipe below is the most delicious version I have made so far!

Ingredients 
1/2 cup almonds (you can also use peanuts)
1 cup of dates
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup dried coconut
1 tbsp coco powder
1 tbsp soy milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

Method
1. Chop the almonds in a food processor.
2. Add the dates and chop in the food processor again.
3. Add the remaining ingredients besides the chocolate chips and process until well mixed. The consistency should be sticky and there should not be excess liquid.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.
5. Spread the mixture into a 9 inch pie tin on top of parchment paper.
6. Make sure the mixture is evenly distributed and flatten the top with your hand.
7. Freeze the mixture for at least one hour.
8. Place the finished product, bottom up, on a cutting board and chop into desired sizes with a chopping knife.
9. Store in the freezer, they are best when they are cold!
10. Hide in a secret place (I suggest under the frozen lima beans) where no one will eat them all on you!