Raspberry-Chocolate Bars

These yummy bar cookies use few ingredients and come together fast. I recommend seedless jam for the best consistency, but if you can't find a good vegan version, regular raspberry jam will do in a pinch. One to try: Santa Cruz Organic.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup packed vegan brown sugar
• 5 tablespoons vegan butter
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (such as Chocolate Dream)
• 1 (10-ounce) jar seedless raspberry jam*

1. Lightly spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife.  Combine the flour in a bowl with the oats, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the brown sugar and butter; beat at medium speed until smooth.

3. Add the flour mixture and stir until blended - your mixture will still be crumbly.

4. Transfer 3/4 cup of this dough to a bowl, and toss with the chocolate chips.

5. Press the remaining dough into the bottom of an 8-inch square metal baking pan.

Note: The mixture is crumbly, but as soon as you press it together, the stickiness from the butter and sugar helps it all glue together. Just make sure to pat firmly.

6. Spread the jam evenly over the dough - this stage is a touch delicate, to ensure you don't disturb the layer of dough underneath, but slow and steady will win the race.

7. Sprinkle with the chocolate chip mixture, then bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, until golden brown.  Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into 16 squares.

*Substitute a different flavor jam if you're not a raspberry fan, or just for a fun variation.

Nutrition Info:
16 servings (1 bar), Calories 175

Tasting Notes:
Ah-mazing. The top and bottom have the perfect blend of salty, crunchy, sweet, and chocolate, and a perfect layer of raspberry is sandwiched in the middle. Guests will easily believe these are a bakery creation, rather than something you whipped up at home.  I do recommend coating your pan with cooking spray, as these were just a touch hard to extract from the pan, especially where the jelly adhered to the metal sides.

How amazing are these? So amazing they deserve one more picture. Enjoy.

Rating:
5

Chocolate-Mint Cookies

I had my stint as a "Brownie" selling Girl Scout cookies many years ago, and Thin Mints were always my favorite. Here's an easy homemade recipe that recreates the taste, without the whey and other dairy products in the original.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa 
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup packed vegan brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vegan sugar
• 3 tablespoons vegan butter
• 3 tablespoons applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 Ener-G egg
• Cooking spray

1. Lightly spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife.  Combine the flour in a bowl with the cocoa and baking soda.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the brown sugar, sugar, butter, applesauce, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract.  Beat at high speed for 2 minutes.

3. Add the Ener-G egg and beat until blended.  Add the flour mixture and beat at low speed until blended.

4. Coat your hands lightly with cooking spray, and shape the dough into a 6-inch log.  Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for 1 hour.

Note: The dough is quite wet, but if you coat your hands with cooking spray, it actually will shape quite easily.

5. Cut the frozen log into 24 (1/4-inch thick) slices.  Place, 1 inch apart, on baking sheets lightly coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

6. Remove the cookies from the pans and cool on a wire rack.

Nutrition Info:
24 servings (1 cookie), Calories 76

Tasting Notes:
There's a veritable fiesta of chocolate and mint going on in these cookies. The texture is softer and chewier than real Thin Mints, but the taste really is quite similar (at least, as I remember them, 2 decades down the line...). A more recent parallel is the Cool Mint Chocolate energy bars from Clif Bar, except these cookies aren't as dense or heavy. A perfect end to the evening. With just a touch of icing on top, I'd rate these a "5."

Rating:
4

Update:
If you're pressed for time but need these cookies 5 minutes ago, you can skip the hour-long freezing process. Instead, drop the batter by tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets and proceed as directed.

If you want the cookies to be as wonderfully round as the sliced version, just neaten up with your fingers into balls:

The batch I made this way came out a little softer than the freezer batch; let stand on the baking sheets for 1 to 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Mocha Fudge Brownies

As I kid, I was warned not to lick the extra batter from the bowl when my mom made brownies, in case of salmonella in the raw eggs. Be forewarned: you will want to lick up every last bit of batter from this vegan brownie recipe, and you safely can! Just a hint of Kahlua (yes, it's vegan) makes these fudgy brownies extra decadent.

Ingredients:
For the brownies:

• Cooking spray
• 1 ounce dark chocolate*
• 3 and 1/2 tablespoons vegan butter
• 1 cup vegan sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
• 2 tablespoons Kahlua
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 Ener-G eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the glaze:

• 2 tablespoons vegan sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon corn syrup (such as Wholesome Sweeteners)
• 2 teaspoons vegan butter
• 1 ounce dark chocolate*
• 1 teaspoon Kahlua

1. To prepare the brownies, chop 1 ounce chocolate and combine in a large microwave-safe bowl with 3 and 1/2 tablespoons butter.  Cover and microwave until nearly melted (about 40 to 60 seconds).  Stir with a whisk until completely melted.

2. Add 1 cup sugar, the cocoa, the coffee granules, 2 tablespoons Kahlua, the vanilla, and the Ener-G eggs.

3. Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife.  Combine the flour in a large bowl with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add the chocolate mixture and stir just until moist.

4. Coat the bottom (but not the sides) of an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.  Spoon the brownie batter into the pan, spreading to the edges if necessary.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 22 to 26 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out almost clean.  Let the brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

6. To prepare the glaze, combine 2 tablespoons sugar in a small microwave-safe bowl with the water, corn syrup, and 2 teaspoons butter.  Microwave for 30 to 40 seconds, until the sugar dissolves, stirring once halfway through.

7. Chop 1 ounce chocolate and add to the glaze, along with the remaining 1 teaspoon Kahlua, and stir just until the chocolate melts.  Spread over the brownies evenly, and let cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting into squares. Nutrition info below is for 16 small squares, but go ahead and slice into 8 larger pieces for a decadent afternoon treat.

*Choose a semisweet dark chocolate (about 70% cacao). Chocolate with a higher percentage of cacao than that will be too bitter for this recipe.

Nutrition Info:
16 servings (1 brownie), Calories 146

Tasting Notes:
These lived exactly up to their name. Like a brownie at the edges, but closer to chocolatey, chewy fudge in the center. Because I'm a big fan of Kahlua, I'd add more to both the batter and the glaze, although others might consider the current amounts to be plenty.  Because these are so chewy and dense, consider adding nuts for crunch and contrast. No real complaints though; rich little bites.

Rating:
4

Rebecca's Molasses Cookies

With high levels of vitamin B6 and 15% of your daily iron requirement in just one tablespoon, molasses is a vegan superfood - so every vegan worth her tofu should have one molasses cookie recipe up her sleeve. The pastry flour in this version helps keep the cookies tender and delicate, since it has a lower gluten content than regular flour. If you can't find it, though, increase the all-purpose flour to 1 and 3/4 cups and use 1/4 cup whole wheat flour.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 and 1/4 cups vegan sugar, divided
• 6 tablespoons vegan butter
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 1 Ener-G egg
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• Cooking spray

1. Spoon the applesauce onto several layers of paper towels and spread into a 1/2-inch thick layer. Cover with additional paper towels and let stand for 5 minutes to drain off some of the excess liquid.  Scrape into the bowl of a stand mixer using a rubber spatula.

2. Add 1 cup of the sugar and the butter to the bowl; beat at medium speed for a few minutes until blended.  Add the molasses and Ener-G egg and beat well.

3. Lightly spoon both flours into dry measuring cups and level with a knife.  Combine the flours in a bowl with the baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and cloves.  Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, beating after each addition until blended.

4. Cover and freeze the dough for 30 minutes - it should be firm enough to shape into balls.

5. Place the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl.  Divide the dough into 32 portions, rolling into 1-inch balls.  Roll in the sugar and arrange on baking sheets coated with cooking spray, spacing about 3 inches apart so they have room to spread when they bake (because spread they will!).

6. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool on the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.  I recommend serving with a glass of your favorite non-dairy milk.

A couple tips on shaping the cookies: it's easier to use slightly moist hands, to prevent the dough from sticking to your skin. It's also easiest to pull off the portion of dough you need, roll it the sugar, and then shape properly into a ball, because the sugar cuts any remaining stickiness.  My batch on the bottom rack of the oven came out better than a batch on the top rack, so consider baking in separate batches so all the cookies benefit from the highest heat.

Nutrition Info:
32 servings (1 cookie), Calories 88 

Tasting Notes:
These cookies were so thin I expected them to be crisp - but aside from crisp edges, they are melt-in-your mouth tender.  Soft and chewy, so wonderfully spicy, full of deep molasses taste, and a wonderful crunch from the sugar on top.  I have no more to add; pretty much a perfect cookie.

Rating:
5

Anzac Biscuits

I'm taking a little trip down under in my kitchen this afternoon.  The name of these cookies is actually an acronym for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC), and these sweet little cookies were traditionally sent by wives to soldiers abroad, because the ingredients don't spoil easily.  Today, they're manufactured commercially for sale, but this home-made version is a snap to prepare.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup regular oats
• 1 cup firmly packed vegan brown sugar
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup melted vegan butter
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons golden cane syrup*
• Cooking spray

1. Lightly spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife.  Combine the flour in a bowl with the oats, brown sugar, coconut, and baking soda.  Add the butter, water and cane syrup, and stir well - the dough wasn't as wet as, say, chocolate chip cookie dough, but it is sticky, which helps it adhere together.

2. Drop the dough by level tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart on 2 baking sheets coated with cooking spray (12 cookies per sheet). You'll find that this is an extremely workable and forgiving cookie batter, and I found it easiest to form balls by hand instead of just dropping with a spoon.  The stickiness of the cane syrup means you can even pinch a little dough off of one cookie and add to another, if you find you've accidentally made some bigger than the others.

3. Bake at 325 degrees for 12 minutes - the cookies will be almost set.  Remove from the oven and let stand on the cookie sheets an additional 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove from the pans and cool completely on wire racks - the cookies will continue to set as they cool.

If you want to continue the Australian theme, try this fun vegan take on an Aussie burger for dinner before you have the cookies for dessert.  My husband laughed at me as I topped a Gardein beefless patty with Annie's Worcestershire sauce, vegan bacon strips, a pineapple ring (yes!), lettuce, tomato, and pickled beets.  The result is surprisingly delicious.

*Golden cane syrup should be sold near the molasses and other sweeteners in the grocery store, but if you can't find it, light corn syrup (such as Wholesome Sweeteners) will make a fine substitute. 

Nutrition Info:
24 servings (1 cookie), Calories 92 

Tasting Notes:
Absolutely awesome cookies - a burst of coconut, brown sugar, and butter, made healthier with a hint of the oats.  They remind me of the Girl Scout Samoa cookies I ate in my youth, without the drizzle of chocolate on top.  Chewy and perfect. 

Rating:
5

Cinnamon Cookies

These lovely little rolled cookies are easy to make with Earth Balance butter.

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons vegan sugar
• 1/3 cup vegan butter
• 2 tablespoons vegan brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 Ener-G eggs
• 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour*
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup vegan powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons plain non-dairy milk
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds

1. Combine the sugar, butter, brown sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer; beat at medium speed until blended.  Add the Ener-G eggs and beat until combined.

2. Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife.  Combine the flour in a bowl with the cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.  Add to the butter mixture and beat well.

3. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions, and roll flat between 2 sheets of plastic wrap.  Freeze the dough portions for 20 minutes.

4. Working with 1 dough portion at a time (and keeping the remaining dough in the freezer), remove the top sheet of plastic.  Cut the dough into circles with a 1-inch cookie cutter until you have 12 cookies.

Note: it's fine to gather together and re-roll the dough scraps as needed until you have all 12 cookies; indeed, the dough is incredibly workable, even once it thaws a bit.  If you prefer a crisper cookie, roll the dough even thinner and cut with a 2-inch cookie cutter instead.

5. Place the cookie rounds on baking sheets and discard the bottom sheet of plastic wrap.  Repeat the procedure with the remaining dough portions.

6. Bake at 375 degrees for 7 to 8 minutes, just until lightly browned.  Remove from the baking sheets and cool on a wire rack.

7. Once the cookies have cooled, make the frosting: whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon; drizzle evenly over the cookies.  Sprinkle evenly with the almonds.

Note: I find it best to sift powdered sugar before making frostings.  If your frosting is still a touch thick, add about 1 teaspoon water and you should be able to drizzle more easily over the cookies.

The cookies are perfect with a spot of tea.

*An even more accurate method for measuring flour than my suggested scoop-and-level method is to use a kitchen scale.  The 1 and 1/2 cups called for in this recipe should be about 6 and 3/4 ounces.

Nutrition Info:
48 servings (1 cookie), Calories 45 

Tasting Notes:
Delicious little bites.  Only mildly sweet, and more like a cinnamon-infused shortbread than a sweet cookie.  I made my cookies on the thicker side (with a 1-inch cookie cutter), and thought the resulting texture was excellent.  I would add more almonds next time, and also toast the almonds first.  I'd also add more cinnamon because, well, I can never get enough cinnamon.

Rating:
4

Gingerbread Squares

Here's the perfect sweet treat to offer your host or hostess as you ring in the New Year.  These tasty gingerbread squares make the perfect gift packed in a parchment-lined cookie tin.  Although cut into very small (1 and 3/4-inch) squares to feed a crowd, you could also cut larger squares for a quick snack-time treat at home.

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup vegan sugar
• 1/2 cup vegan buttermilk*
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/3 cup melted vegan butter
• 1 Ener-G egg
• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon vegan powdered sugar

1. Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife.  Combine the flour in a bowl with the ginger, cinnamon, and baking soda; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, buttermilk, molasses, butter, and Ener-G egg, whisking until smooth.  Add the flour mixture and stir to combine.

3. Spoon the batter into a 9-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes; a wooden pick inserted in the center should come out clean (you may need to bake a couple minutes longer).  Cool in the pan on a wire rack before sprinkling evenly with the powdered sugar.  Cut into 25 small squares. 

*To prepare the buttermilk, place 1 and 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup, and fill with plain non-dairy milk to equal 1/2 cup.  Let stand for 5 minutes to clabber (sour) before adding to the recipe as directed.

Nutrition Info:
25 servings (1 square), Calories 84 

Tasting Notes:
Deep, dark molasses taste - almost chocolate-y.  These yummy little squares had a very old-fashioned feel and flavor, and were closer to brownies than cookies.  My complaint is that they were more molasses squares than gingerbread squares; I'd increase the spices next time. Although I wondered about the small portion sizes, a little really goes a long way with these tasty bites, since the flavor is rich and intense.

Rating:
4

Black-and-White Cake Cookies

I thought it would be fun to make a vegan version of the iconic black-and-white frosted cookies that are ubiquitous here in New York City.  The base is a cake-like cookie, with a frosting duo applied on top.

Ingredients:
For the cookies:

• 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup applesauce
• 1 cup vegan sugar
• 1/4 cup vegan butter
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 Ener-G eggs

For the frosting:

• 1 and 1/2 cups vegan powdered sugar, divided
• 3 tablespoons plain non-dairy milk, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1. Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife.  Combine the flour in a bowl with the baking powder and salt; set aside.

2. Meanwhile, let the applesauce stand in a fine-mesh sieve for 15 minutes - doing so drains off the extra liquid that would otherwise make the batter too runny.

3. Place the drained applesauce in the bowl of a stand mixer, along with the sugar and butter; beat at medium speed for about 2 minutes, until blended.  Add the vanilla extract and Ener-G eggs; beat until combined.  Add the flour mixture and beat until blended.

4. Drop the dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper, 12 cookies per sheet - make sure to space the cookies about 2 inches apart so they have room to spread as they bake.

5. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes - the cookies should be just set, but not browned.  Cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

6. To make the white frosting, whisk together 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of the milk, and the almond extract in a bowl, stirring until smooth.  Working with 1 cookie at a time, hold over the bowl and spread 1 teaspoon white frosting on half of the cookie, scraping the excess frosting from the edges.  Repeat with the remaining cookies, and let stand for about 10 minutes until the frosting is set.

7. To make the black frosting, combine the remaining 3/4 cup powdered sugar and the cocoa.  Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons milk, whisking until smooth.  Working with 1 cookie at a time, hold over the bowl and spread 1 teaspoon chocolate frosting over the other half of the cookie, scraping the excess frosting from the edges.  Repeat with the remaining cookies, and let stand for another 10 minutes, until the frosting is set.

A couple tips on the frosting: it is definitely helpful to sift the powdered sugar, for the smoothest consistency.  Because of the different amounts of liquid, I found the white frosting to be just a tad too thick - it was a race against time to frost all 24 cookies before the mixture set - and the black frosting to be just a tad too watery.  As a result, you might try using a middle amount - say 1 and 1/2 tablespoons - of non-dairy milk for each version.

Nutrition Info:
24 servings (1 cookie), Calories 106 

Tasting Notes:
These were incredible.  The cookie itself is so cake-like that it was almost like eating a thin, moist, chewy piece of frosted cake, instead of a cookie.  The chocolate half instantly brought me back to chocolate-frosted birthday cakes of my youth.  The almond was an unexpected jolt of flavor on the white side, but also yummy.  And a bite down the middle with both frostings was just delicious.

Rating:
5