Exploits of a Vegan Wannabe

Ever since I read about the flax seed egg  replacer in  The Ultimate Vegan Baking Cheat Sheet I have been smitten with the idea. In the past I have viewed baking like a science experiment and believed that there was little wiggle room when it came to key ingredients like eggs and oil. Clearly, that just isn’t true. There are more ways than I had imagined to create the same processes when baking without using oil or eggs. I am really enjoying experimenting with new ways to make compassionately created baked goods.  I found this recipe in the Engine 2 book. It is for oil free and vegan chocolate chip cookies, using the  flax egg replacer. I added hazelnuts  for a grown up cookie experience.

Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

Originally from the Engine 2 Diet and slightly modified by: S. Duquet

Makes almost 3 dozen generously sized cookies

Ingredients

3/4 cup and 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce

2 tablespoons flax seed meal mixed with 1/4 cup water

1 cup plus 4 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon egg replacer mixed thoroughly with 1/4 cup water ( I used Ener-G)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon finely ground sea salt

1 bag dairy free chocolate chips (I used 62% Cacao dark chocolate chunks.)

1/2 C rough chopped raw hazelnuts

Make It Happen

~Preheat oven to 350º

~Mix the applesauce, flax seed mixture and sugar together using an electric mixer.

~Beat in the egg replacer and vanilla.

~Mix the remaining ingredients (except the chocolate chips and nuts) in a separate bowl.

~Gradually combine the dry and wet ingredients until thoroughly combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts.

~Place rounded, heaping tablespoons of dough onto a sprayed or parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. The bottoms may brown before the tops, so check the bottom. The cookies do not spread very much when baking.

These are dense, heaping cookies filled with dark chocolate and hazelnuts. Their middles are soft and cake-like in a way that is usually reserved for cookies that contain a pound of butter. The hazelnuts are a welcome departure from the conventional pecan. The ease of preparation made it possible to whip up vegan cookies from scratch on a random Thursday evening. Because the dough is egg free and salmonella safe, you can eat it straight from  the beaters. I’m not saying I did that, but I may have.

Have a delicious day.

Tags: 30 day challenge, compassionate eating, dairy free, dark chocolate hazelnut cookie, E2 Diet, Engine 2 Diet, going veg, Meatless Monday recipe, oil free chocolate chip cookie recipe, oil free cookie recipe, oil free dessert recipe, PETA, plant based diet, plant strong, trying vegan, trying vegetarian, vegan challenge, vegan cookie recipe, vegan dark chocolate hazelnut cookie, vegan dessert, vegan entertaining, vegan experience, vegan wannabe