Spicy Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I’ve been bitten by the cookie baking bug! (See yesterday’s blog post). Cookies are being created by the dozens in my kitchen in the name of holiday spirit. So, also in the name of holiday cheer, I offer you a bonus post this weekend. Here’s an additional recipe to add to your festive cookie arsenal.

My recipe is a vegan version of Dorie Greenspan’s famous World Peace Cookies. She updated them recently with additional add-ins, but I kept mostly to the original. The vegan substitutions were simple — using vegan unsalted butter for the dairy type, and making sure that all sugars were vegan. Then I added a bit of milk to help with the dryness at altitude. And, because I like the addition of spice in her newest version, I went with a spiced chocolate idea. Here’s to World Peace and chocolate; not necessarily in that order.

Spicy Chocolate Chunk Cookies adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s World Peace Cookies

1 cup + 7 tablespoons (173g) all purpose flour
1/3 cup (28g) Dutch-process cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
11 tablespoons (155g) room temperature unsalted vegan butter, cut into chunks
2/3 cup (142g) organic light brown sugar
1/4 cup (50g) vegan granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder (depending on preference)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon non-dairy milk
5 ounces (142g) vegan semisweet chocolate chunks, chopped if the chunks are large

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda together into a bowl. Set aside.

Place the butter and sugars into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a flat blade. Beat together on medium speed until smooth. Add the salt, chili powder, vanilla, and milk and beat until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. With the mixer turned off, add the dry ingredients and blend at low speed until just incorporated. Add the chocolate chunks and stir in with a spoon.

Turn the dough out onto a cutting board and knead it a bit to bring it together. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a log that is 1 ½” in diameter (the length will be between 7” and 8”). Wrap the logs with two layers of plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 2 hours, or in the refrigerator for 3 hours up to overnight.

When ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 325F. Take the dough out of the refrigerator or freezer and let it stand at room temperature for 5-15 minutes (depending on where you kept it cool). Line several baking sheets with parchment paper.

Using a sharp, thin knife, slice the dough logs into 1/2″-thick rounds. Arrange the rounds on the lined baking sheets, leaving 2” between the cookies. Bake for 12-13 minutes. They won’t look fully baked and they won’t be firm. Transfer the sheets to a wire rack and let the cookies cool until just warm or at room temperature.

Packed in an airtight container, the cookies will keep for five days at room temperature or for up to two months in the freezer. Makes 28-32 cookies.

Until next time, happy baking!

A Duet of Vegan Holiday Cookies

Dec18

chocolate peppermint cookies and oat thumbprint cookies

Ah, holiday cookie baking. The sweet scents that emanate from the kitchen this time of year are drool-worthy. They make you want to bake every cookie recipe you see.

Recently I got inspired by a friend who was madly baking like some Keebler elf, so I joined in the frenzy. The flour was flying and baking sheets were in heavy rotation. I thought that others would also begin their boisterous baking, so I have not one recipe for you, but two.

I wanted a classic Thumbprint cookie to start, and I found a recipe that was healthy and tasty. But, variety is crucial in a cookie tray, along with a bit of chocolate, so I have a chocolate cookie kissed with peppermint and slathered in vanilla frosting. The Thumbprints were already vegan; I merely changed the cooking technique to allow the dough to rest and absorb fluids to combat dryness found at altitude. The chocolate cookie was veganized by using non-dairy milk, and adjusted for altitude with the addition of liquid. I hope you are as excited for holiday cookies as I am!

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies with Vanilla Frosting inspired by NutraMilk

for the cookies
3 Tablespoons almond butter
1 Tablespoon non-dairy milk
1 Tablespoon applesauce
3 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons almond flour (not almond meal)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
for the frosting
1/2 cup vegan butter
1.75 cups organic powdered sugar, sifted if clumpy
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 cup almond milk

Make the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the almond butter, milk, applesauce, maple syrup, and peppermint extract in a bowl and whisk together. Combine the almond flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder in a bowl and whisk together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry bowl and stir until a dough forms. Roll the dough into 12 balls and place each ball on a baking tray, flattening each slightly. Bake for 11-13 minutes, until the cookies are firm.

Remove the tray from the oven and place on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then remove cookies from the tray and put on a wire rack to cool completely. Make the frosting: add the ingredients to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle blade. Start beating slowly and work up to medium speed. Beat until the frosting is light and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. When the cookies are fully cooled, add the frosting and decorative sugar.

Oatmeal Thumbprint Cookies with Jam adapted from Vegan Jam Thumbprint Cookies

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fruit jam, seedless

Place the oats, flour, and walnuts in a bowl and stir to combine. Whisk together the oil, maple syrup, orange juice, and vanilla, then add to the dry ingredients. Stir to combine everything. Place the bowl of dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the dry ingredients to absorb the liquids. It will become sticky.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets. Use the back of the scoop to create an indent on top of each ball. Fill the indents with jam. Bake for 14-16 minutes until the bottoms are golden. Remove the trays from the oven and place on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove cookies from the trays and put on a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 32 – 34 cookies.

Until next time, happy Holiday baking!

Cinnamon vs. Cassia: different types for a range of flavors

Dec12

Did you know there are over 250 types of cinnamon? I didn’t until I researched it after having a rousing discussion on the topic of cinnamon with my favorite taster, my hubby. That’s when my deep dive into cinnamon began.

He mentioned that he thought the cinnamon we had was old because the flavor was weak. I knew that I had recently purchased that particular cinnamon because I buy in bulk due to our intense love of the sweet spice. When I buy bulk cinnamon I choose the Ceylon variety because I have noted that I like the flavor. The company I get cinnamon from was out of it for awhile so I had to break down and get a jar from the market.

The one from the grocery store noted that it was pure Cassia Cinnamon. An article from Bon Appetit explained that “there are three specific types of cassia cinnamon—Indonesian, Chinese, and Saigon—all with different levels of flavor.”

The magazine’s post also mentioned that “Ceylon cinnamon, a variety sometimes referred to (as) ’true cinnamon’ … (has a) flavor and aroma (that) are extremely mild and delicate—it definitely reads as ‘cinnamon,’ but with subtle, almost floral notes.”

This could explain how hubby saw the fresh cinnamon as stale. The recent batch of cinnamon wasn’t stale but it did have a more mild scent. This was due to its variety, being the Ceylon type, and not its freshness. So, in comparison, the Cassia cinnamon we had before was perceived as fresher because it had a stronger smell. He was looking for the scent of Red Hots cinnamon candies.

Now I was onto something. I realized that not only did the flavors of the cinnamons change from mild to robust, but the aromas of the cinnamon varieties could be seen to range from subtle to powerful.

Okay, I know this is a baking blog, but this is important in baking. The type of cinnamon you purchase can have an effect on the outcome of the baked dish. The taste will still be essentially of cinnamon, but it may be more floral than in-your-face depending on the cinnamon you pick.

The recommendation from the Cinnamon Vogue spice shop says, “For fine desserts Ceylon Cinnamon is an absolute must because it is subtle, smells very mild and is slightly sweeter in taste. It never takes center stage in the recipe but adds a very complex flavor.”

Admittedly, I agree with these cinnamon purveyors, although they may be biased because that is the variety they specialize in. But I know that if you want pungency, then you should look to the Cassia varieties of Indonesian, Chinese, and Saigon.

Furthermore, it dawned on me that when one of my recipes lists “1 teaspoon cinnamon” in the ingredients, that your experience may differ if you use the more robust Cassia. You should test the amount and see what works for you with your spice brand and selection.

Then there’s the matter of taste preference. I’ll keep my complex Ceylon and leave the hot Cassias to my hubby. Whew! All this talk of cinnamon has made me thirsty, so I’m headed to the kitchen to make a sweet spiced chai. And then maybe some cinnamon muffins.

Holiday Layered Magic Bars

Dec5

With December comes holidays, and with holidays comes cookies. Some of the best cookies are those that connect you to fond holiday memories. For me, one of those involves a cousin who would always bring layered cookie bars to family gatherings. To be honest, they weren’t my favorites at the time because I am not a fan of the coconut which always graces the tops of these bar cookies. But I do remember that I would scrape that off to reach the decadent richness that lay underneath. So, my first cookie this holiday season is my version of the magic bar made without coconut. I’ve adorned it with Hanukkah colors to make it sparkle for the festival of lights.

To begin making this treat, I needed to prepare my own vegan sweetened condensed milk. After browsing Eagle Brand’s website, I discovered I would need to produce 10 ounces, as that was equivalent to one of their 14-ounce cans. You can buy the coconut canned variety if you prefer. To further adapt the classic recipe into a non-coconut sensation, I decided to swap out the shredded coconut and use chopped apricots in the topping. The other vegan change was to use vegan butter instead of dairy butter. No high altitude adjustments were required, so I was on my way down a new memory lane — one with no coconut but all of the vegan goodness of the bars they call Magic.

Holiday Layered Magic Bars adapted partly from VeganBaking.net

for the vegan sweetened condensed milk:
2.75 cups non-dairy milk, such as soy or almond
1/2 cup organic sugar
1 Tablespoon vegan butter, salted or unsalted
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
for the bars:
14 graham cracker sheets
1 4-ounce stick unsalted vegan butter, melted, plus more for the baking pan
1 cup vegan chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped apricots
1/4 cup organic sanding sugar
1-2 Tablespoons blue vegan sprinkles or sparkles

Place non-dairy milk, sugar, vegan butter, and salt in a saucepan. Cook over a medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until the volume is reduced to 10 ounces. Be sure to simmer gently; don’t let the mixture come to a roiling boil. This may take an hour or two. When the liquid is reduced, take the pot off the stove and whisk in the vanilla. Place the mixture into the fridge to cool and thicken further.

Meanwhile, position an oven rack on the lowest position and preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving overhang on two opposite sides for removing the baked bars. Butter the foil and set the pan aside.

Once the condensed milk has cooled, put the graham crackers in a food processor and process into fine crumbs. Place the crumbs in a bowl and add the melted stick of butter. Stir to combine. Pour the crumbs into the prepared pan and press into the bottom to form a crust. Pour the condensed milk over the crumb layer and gently spread it out with an offset spatula. Sprinkle the chocolate chips then the walnuts then the apricots over the top.

Bake until set and golden around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Decorate with sanding sugar and blue sparkles. Let pan sit on the rack to cool for another 2 hours. Remove the bars from the pan using the foil overhang then place on a cutting board to cut into bars.

Until next time, Happy Hanukkah and happy baking!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Espresso Cream Cheese Frosting

Nov20

With Thanksgiving only a few days away, ovens are being heated up across the United States. Cooks and bakers are frantically creating dishes that can be made ahead so the Big Meal is a little less stressful. But they’ll need breakfast (or a snack) that day too, and this tasty treat should still echo the flavors of the holiday. Iconic Pumpkin Spice can make an appearance long before the feast is at its end in the form of a pick-me-up cupcake for a harried chef to nibble on.

To come up with a snack or breakfast item that contains fall flavors, I modified a cake recipe to become a cupcake recipe. For high altitude I adjusted the amounts of baking soda and flour. To make the baked good more suitable for breakfast, its nutrition was elevated by using a combination of whole wheat and all purpose flour. I also topped it with a frosting rich in espresso flavor for a caffeinated morning boost. You may think a cupcake is too decadent for breakfast, but I see it as a reward for getting up so early to prepare the festive meal.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Espresso Cream Cheese Frosting adapted from Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake and Banana Cake with Coffee Cream Cheese Frosting

for the cupcakes
1.5 cups non-dairy milk
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1.75 cups + 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1.75 cups vegan granulated sugar
1.5 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
for the frosting
1/2 cup (112 grams) vegan butter (not margarine), slightly softened
8 ounces vegan cream cheese (the firmest you can find)
2.5 to 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1.5 to 2 tablespoons espresso powder (depending on how strong you want the flavor)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F. Fill 21 cups of two muffin tins with paper liners. Combine the non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar and set aside to curdle.

In a large bowl, sift together the flours, granulated sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the curdled milk, pumpkin puree, oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until combined.

Use an ice cream scoop to divide the batter into the 21 cups, filling them 2/3 full. Bake for 27-29 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Set the muffin tins on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. After that, tip the cupcakes out onto the rack to cool completely.

While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting. Cut the butter into pieces and add to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle blade. Beat on low to medium speed until softened. Add the cream cheese and continue beating at low to medium speed until blended.

In a small bowl, add the espresso powder and 1 teaspoon vanilla and stir to combine. Add this liquid to the bowl of the stand mixer and briefly beat to combine. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating on low to medium speed until fully blended. Use all 3 cups if the frosting is too soft to pipe onto the cupcakes.

When the frosting is blended and fluffy, spoon it into a piping bag fitted with a star tip and frost the cooled cupcakes. Cover and store frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 5 days so you have them for Thanksgiving.

Until next time, Happy Thanksgiving and happy baking!

Cranberry Orange Almond Cookies

Nov7

As I was adding cranberries and cinnamon to my fall oatmeal this morning, my thoughts went to holiday cookies. These two ingredients would make good additions to a cookie, along with orange to round out the flavor profile. The downside was that I was feeling lazy, but finding an easy recipe would make it a simpler task.

My search pulled up a quick cookie recipe, one that was already vegan. It had no leaveners so high altitude would not be an issue. The changes I made began with giving a nod to the holidays. My goal was to include my taste trio of cranberries, orange, and cinnamon. Upon adding those, I adjusted for the extra moisture and bulk. The result was a burst of seasonal goodness, wrapped up as a refined-sugar-free and gluten-free treat.

Cranberry Orange Almond Cookies adapted from The Easiest Almond Flour Cookies

1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon organic orange zest
2.5 tablespoons organic orange juice
1.5 cups + 1 tablespoon fine almond flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
pinch fine sea salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Place chopped dried cranberries in a small bowl with the orange zest. Cover with orange juice and stir to combine. Let sit for 15 minutes so the juice can soak into the cranberries.

Place the almond flour, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk. Add maple syrup and vanilla and stir. Add the cranberries and any juice from the small bowl, and stir to combine well. The dough will be shaggy but slightly sticky. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes to absorb fluid.

Scoop up 16 walnut-sized balls of dough and place on the baking sheet. The cookies will not really spread, so they can be placed fairly close together. Flatten the balls of dough using the bottom of a glass keeping a small piece of parchment paper in between to prevent sticking. Cookies should be about ¼-inch thick and 2 ½-inches in diameter.

Bake for 16-18 minutes or until the edges and bottoms of cookies are golden brown. Place the baking sheet with cookies on a wire rack until the cookies cool completely. Store fully cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.

Until next time, happy baking!

Chocolate Donuts with Strawberry Topping

Oct9

Is it donut season? Everyone is making donuts right now. My inbox and social media feeds are overflowing with pictures of chocolate, vanilla, and spiced varieties. They come glazed or dipped or sprinkled, and all of them look mouth-watering. So, it’s time to dust off the donut pan and dive in.

I wanted to bake chocolate donuts, naturally. My recipe search revealed a vegan version with a chocolate glaze. As good as that sounded, I knew that a strawberry topping would be perfect. For high altitude baking, I added a bit of liquid and reduced the leaveners. Next, aquafaba was added for good texture.

The non-dairy milk I chose for my treats was from Take Two Foods, a new kid on the block. They upcycle spent barley by turning it into delicious plant milk, thus helping to reduce food waste. You can find out more about them here.

Chocolate Donuts with Strawberry Topping adapted from Vegan Double Chocolate Donuts

for the chocolate donuts
2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon Take Two original flavor plant milk, or other non-dairy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup less 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1/3 cup dutch process cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon espresso powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
3 tablespoons salted vegan butter, melted
2 teaspoons aquafaba
vegan sprinkles for garnish, optional
for the strawberry topping
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
2 tablespoons coconut oil, solid
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon non-dairy milk

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease the six cavities of donut pan.

Add the non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar to a 2-cup glass measuring cup. Whisk and set aside.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Add the brown sugar, melted butter, and aquafaba to the curdled milk in the measuring cup. Stir the wet mixture, then pour it into the dry ingredients in the bowl. Stir until just combined.

Transfer the thick batter to a pastry bag or large ziplock bag. Snip off the bottom corner of the bag. Pipe the batter into the cavities of the donut pan. Spread the tops of the donuts flat with the back of a spoon.

Bake for 14-17 minutes. The donuts should be puffed up, and a toothpick inserted into a donut should come out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove the donuts from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the strawberry topping, heat the strawberries up in a small pan set on medium. When they have softened, add the coconut oil. When the oil has melted, remove the pan from the stove. Mash the mixture with a fork, then stir in the powdered sugar and milk. Stir until well combined, then let sit until cool.

Spoon the topping over the cooled donuts. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Eat immediately. Cooled and undecorated donuts can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for 2 – 3 days.

Until next time, happy baking!

Pumpkin Mini Tea Loaves with Tea Glaze

Sep26

Autumn has arrived without my permission. The weather is too cold for me, and I’m not ready to bundle up just yet. Although, this time of year does have it’s advantages. Imagine a kitchen scented with the warming spices of ginger and cinnamon swirled into pumpkin batter. Yes, that works for me.

Mini loaves of pumpkin bread were my goal. I found a recipe in a wonderful vegan cookbook by Nava Atlas. To adjust for high altitude, I lowered the amount of baking powder and added liquid. The liquid I chose was milk tea by Twrl. Because the canned beverage is unsweetened, I added a little more sugar and a sugared glaze. I also chose not to add dried fruit or nuts to allow the flavor of the tea to come through; you may add 1/3 cup of either of those to your bread, if desired.

Pumpkin Mini Tea Loaves with Tea Glaze inspired by Pumpkin or Squash Mini-Loaves

for mini loaves
1.5 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1.75 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 tablespoons Twrl black milk tea
for tea glaze
9 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon Twrl black milk tea

For the mini loaves: Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly oil three mini loaf pans and set aside.

Add the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and ginger to a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the pumpkin puree, oil, and 6 tablespoons Twrl tea to a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Stir until well combined.

Divide batter among loaf tins. Bake 25-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a loaf comes out clean. Cool loaves in their pans for 10 minutes on a wire rack, then tip out the loaves and place on a wire rack to fully cool.

For the glaze: add the powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon Twrl tea to a small bowl and stir to combine. Drizzle over the cooled loaves just prior to serving.

Until next time, happy baking!

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cookie Sandwiches

Sep18

Gluten-free baking is scientific, with lots of math involved. When attempted at high altitude it also involves laborious recipe testing. Okay, that kinda sounds fun to me but it is not something I usually attempt. I start with tried-and-true gluten-free recipes and tweak then just a bit to compensate for altitude. Not today. Today I threw caution to the wind and made every type of substitution possible … all at once … with fingers crossed. Luckily I was successful.

The massive changes I made were based on science, so that dialed down the luck factor. I started with a gluten-free cookie recipe from Bob’s Red Mill then used America’s Test Kitchen cookbooks as a reference for substitutions. I didn’t have all of the flours listed in the recipe so, armed with knowledge from the Test Kitchen, I made swaps based on what was in my cupboard. I added aquafaba and soy milk powder for enhanced vegan structure, as well as guar gum. Granulated sugars were used instead of liquid sweetener so the cookies wouldn’t be too mushy. The last step was to sandwich my cookies with a rich chocolate filling, because life can always be more decadent.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cookie Sandwiches loosely based on a recipe from Bob’s Red Mill Everyday Gluten-Free Cookbook

for the cookies:
1/2 cup teff flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/3 cup potato starch
1 teaspoon soy milk powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon guar gum
1/2 cup + 2 TBS creamy peanut butter, salted but unsweetened
1/2 cup vegan sugar
1/2 cup vegan light brown sugar
1/2 cup neutral-tasting vegetable oil
1 tablespoon aquafaba
3 tablespoons non-dairy milk
for the chocolate filling:
1/3 cup vegan margarine
3 cups vegan powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-3 tablespoons non-dairy milk

For the cookies: Whisk the flours, starches, milk powder, baking soda, salt, and guar gum together in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, sugars, oil, aquafaba, and 3 tablespoons milk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Cover the dough bowl with plastic wrap and put aside for 30 minutes to rest.

Meanwhile, line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place oven racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle positions, and heat the oven to 350F.

When the 30 minutes rest time has passed, scoop out small balls of cookie dough, 2-3 teaspoons in size, and place them about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. (The dough will be moist and slightly sticky.) Flatten the dough balls with the palm of your hand.

Bake the cookies until golden brown and firm, 14-16 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets halfway through baking time. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for five minutes, then remove to wire racks to fully cool. Repeat with remaining cookie dough.

For the filling: Place the margarine in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar, cacao powder, and vanilla and beat for another minute. Keep beating, adding milk as needed, until the filling is light and fluffy. Fill a pastry bag with the filling.

To assemble the cookie sandwiches: Place half of the cookies upside down on a tray. Pipe filling onto the center of each cookie. Top each with a remaining cookie, pressing down gently until the filling spreads to the edges. Store assembled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Until next time, happy baking!

Rosemary Lemon Shortbread

Aug29

The rosemary in my garden is incredibly lush and fragrant this time of year. It makes me daydream of Mediterranean flavors. I wondered, “How can I put that dreamy seaside feeling in a baked treat?” While perusing shortbread cookie recipes I realized they are fairly versatile and can stand up to a strong herbaceous taste. With a little lemon zest for summery nuance, I knew I could create something delicious.

The recipes I found needed a simple vegan adjustment — using vegan butter in place of regular butter. No high altitude changes were required, which just left my taste preferences. Using less sugar brought out the scent of the rosemary I added, and lemon zest rounded out the flavor profile. These are slightly savory but still a cookie. They go as well with a bracing cup of coffee as they do alongside strawberry ice cream.

Rosemary Lemon Shortbread adapted from King Arthur Baking’s Shortbread recipe

2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1 cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup unsalted vegan butter, cold out of the fridge
1/8 cup granulated sugar
1/8 cup + 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
up to 1.5 teaspoon water, if needed

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line the bottom of an 8″ round cake pan with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper. Set aside.

Run the rosemary leaves through a coffee grinder until you have coarse bits. Put the ground rosemary in a medium bowl along with the flour, salt, and lemon zest. Whisk until combined.

Add the vegan butter and both sugars to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream them until combined. Add the flour mixture and beat until it comes together. If the mixture is too dry, then dribble in the water a little at a time. The dough should be a bit stiff.

Press the dough into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with your fingers or the bottom of a measuring cup. Use a fork to prick the dough all over to allow the steam to escape. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the shortbread is a light golden brown across the top and the sides have pulled away from the pan.

Remove the pan from the oven and immediately flip the shortbread onto a clean cutting board. Using a pizza wheel or sharp knife, cut the shortbread into wedges. You want to do this while the shortbread is still warm and can be easily cut. Transfer the wedges to a rack to cool completely.

Until next time, happy baking!

Vegan Baking Up High

making tasty vegan treats at high altitude

Tag Archives: baking

Spicy Chocolate Chunk Cookies

A Duet of Vegan Holiday Cookies

Cinnamon vs. Cassia: different types for a range of flavors

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Espresso Cream Cheese Frosting

Cranberry Orange Almond Cookies

Chocolate Donuts with Strawberry Topping

Pumpkin Mini Tea Loaves with Tea Glaze

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cookie Sandwiches

Rosemary Lemon Shortbread