Sweet Vegan Treats

I’ve been a vegan for a long time, so I’ve had plenty of time to tinker with my recipes. Here are four of my favorites to make this time of year.

Ginger Cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegan butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4  cup blackstrap molasses
1/4  cup sugar, for coating

Preheat oven to 350° F.
In a bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
In another bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until the mixture is fluffy and creamy.
Slowly incorporate coconut oil and blackstrap molasses into the butter/sugar mixture, stirring as you pour.
Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, mixing while you do. Don’t overmix; stop once the ingredients are just combined. 
Cover the bowl with a towel, then place in the refrigerator for at least one hour. 
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then put coating sugar into a shallow bowl. 
Divide your dough into golf ball-sized balls and roll each between your hands to make them even and round. Roll the dough ball in sugar, then place it on the baking sheet. Note: Make sure to leave a few inches between each cookie, as the dough will spread.
Bake at 350° F for 12 minutes. Remove and allow the cookies to cool for 3-4 minutes, then remove the cookies from the tray and allow them to cool on a cooling rack.

Short Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup vegan butter, room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325° F. 
Add room temperature butter and vanilla extract to a bowl, mix until smooth.
Then, sift in flour, salt, and sugar. Mix with your hands to bring the dough together; it will be crumbly, but be sure not to overmix. 
Add the dough to a half baking sheet and gently roll out, making sure the mixture is an even thickness and reaches the edges of the sheet. 
Bake for 30 minutes at 325° F until the top starts to brown. 
Remove from the oven and let it cool for about 30 minutes.
Using a bench knife or other sharp knife, slice the cookie into rectangles about 2”x3” each.

Winter Crackle

1 sleeve of saltine crackers
1 cup vegan butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper. 
Lay out the saltine crackers in a single layer on your parchment-lined sheet tray.
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, but take care not to burn your butter.
Once butter is melted, add brown sugar to the saucepan, mixing until the sugar fully dissolves and is well incorporated into the butter.
Bring the butter and brown sugar mix to a boil; as soon as it begins to boil, turn down the heat and simmer for five minutes.
Pour the butter and brown sugar mixture over the single layer of crackers on your sheet pan, spreading evenly with a spatula and making sure that all crackers are evenly coated.
Bake at 350° F for five minutes.
Remove the tray from the oven, and sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips. Then return to the oven to cook for another two minutes.
Immediately after removing the tray from the oven, use a spatula to spread the melted chocolate evenly across the crackers. Let cool for at least one hour. 

Oatmeal Chocolate No-bake Cookies

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegan butter
1/2 cup alternative milk (oat, almond, etc.)
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoons salt
3 cups quick oats
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add sugar, margarine, milk, cocoa powder, and salt to a saucepan, and bring to a low boil. Mix well, taking care that everything is well incorporated. 
Let the mixture boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
Add quick oats, peanut butter, and vanilla extract to the saucepan and mix well.
Using a spoon, scoop the mixture; using your other hand, gently form into a loose ball and then quickly drop onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Let cool in the fridge for six hours.

By Jordan Swartz