Chocolate Chip Cookies

I screenshot this recipe off of no less than three Instagram accounts that I follow. Obviously, I was super excited to make it. The original recipe is from @sixvegansisters. The original recipe called for mini chocolate chips, but I couldn't find any. I've seen it with chocolate chunks in a post by sixvegansisters and I wish I'd gotten the chocolate chunks I like and used those.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cornstarch
3/4 cup vegan margarine (from a tub, not sticks)
1/4 cup nondairy milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (vegan)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F
2. Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour through cornstarch.)
4. Using an electric mixer in a large bowl, cream together the margarine, milk, sugars, and vanilla.
5. Using a rubber spatula attachment, add half the flour mixture to the wet mixture and combine.
6. Add the rest and mix until combined.
7. Fold in the chocolate chips.
8. Drop round balls of the size of your choice of the dough onto the parchment lined baking sheets.
9. Bake for 9-11 minutes for small balls, 11-13 minutes for medium balls, and 13-15 minutes for large balls. Continually check to be sure they are baked to your liking.

Notes:
Supposedly makes 1 dozen cookies, but my very large balls made more like 21 cookies.

Double Chocolate Fudge Cookies (Vegan)

When I used to follow the Phil Plait, the Bad Astronomer, he posted a Double Chocolate Fudge Cookie recipe that I enjoyed quite a bit, and reproduced here. I liked them so much that I wanted to make a vegan version. I had to try a couple times to get the correct ingredients, but this is a good replication. Whenever something could be vegan, presume a vegan version, ie chocolate.

Ingredients:

18 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, (1.5 bags)
4 oz unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees farenheit. 
3. Place 12 ounces (1 bag) chocolate chips in a large microwavable bowl (glass is best). Microwave on high 30 seconds then stir, repeat until chips are melted and smooth. 
4. Beat sugar, vanilla, and applesauce in a large bowl until thick. 
5. Add melted chocolate and beat until blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. 
6. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in medium bowl and slowly add to the wet chocolate mixture, beating until blended. 
7. Stir in the remaining 6 oz (half bag) of chocolate chips by hand (the dough will be very hard.)
8. Roll by hand into 1-2 tablespoon size balls and place 2 inches a part on the parchment lined sheet.
9. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until cookies are just cooked enough to hold together. 
10. Cool by pulling parchment paper off the cookie sheets and placing on cool counter top until cookies are firm, then move to wire racks to finish cooling completely.

Notes:

• Makes about 2 dozen.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Another version of these same whole wheat chocolate chip cookies. Yum!

Ingredients: 
3/4 cup sugar 
3/4 cup packed brown sugar 
1 cup Earth Balance (2 sticks), softened 
1 teaspoon vanilla 
1/4 cup applesauce
2 cups whole wheat flour 
1 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1 pkg (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions: 

1. Heat oven to 375.  
2. Mix sugars, butter, vanilla, and egg in large bowl.  
3. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt.  
4. Stir in chocolate chip cookies.  
5. Form 1-2" balls of dough and drop about 2” apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.  
6. Bake approximately 10 min or until light brown. 
7. Cool slightly until you can remove from sheet without disturbing cookie shape; remove from cookie sheet.  
8. Cool on wire rack.            

Notes:

• Makes ~3 dozen. 
• Prep: 10 min           
• Total: 20 min 
• You may want to use less than the entire package of chocolate chips.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Looking for very peanut buttery peanut butter cookies? Look no farther. I modified these from a recipe we've been making since we were married. It's a very easy recipe. 

Ingredients:
½ cup softened Earth Balance butter
½ cup peanut butter (only nuts, no other ingredients)
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 Ener-G egg or flax egg (1 Tbsp flax meal)
water
1 ¼ cup flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Soften butter as long as necessary.
2. Make the Ener-G egg or flax egg.
3. Preheat oven to 350º.
4. Cream butter, sugars, peanut butter, and Ener-G egg together.
5. Stir in dry ingredients. 
6. Roll into balls and distribute on cookie sheet. 
7. Dip fork in four and crisscross over each cookie ball. 
8. Bake at 350º for 10 to 12 minutes. 
9. Watch! These go from not-quite-done to overdone in less than 1 minute!

Note:

• Both the Ener-G egg and flax egg work. However, the Ener-G egg lets the peanut butter flavor shine through more.

Vegan Double Chocolate Cheesecake

I made this as a treat. It is super rich, which may only hit you after you've eaten too much. The original recipe from VegNews says it serves 8, but I think it is closer to 12, 16 if you are trying to be reasonable. This is a no-bake cashew-based cheesecake. Everybody loved this recipe. It isn't the easiest recipe to make. You'll need both your food processor and your high-speed blender. I also had a teenage son to make chocolate cookies into crumbs with a rolling pin. I've written the recipe here exactly as I made it.

Ingredients:

1¾ cups Newman's Chocolate Alphabet cookies, smashed into crumbs

¼ cup coconut oil, melted
cooking spray
7 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1½ cups raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, then drained
1 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
¼ cup agave nectar
¼ cup coconut oil, melted

Directions:

1. Soak the raw cashews in hot water for 30 minutes, then drain.
2. This is a good time to smash the cookies into crumbs.
3. Spray an 8-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
4. Transfer cookie crumbs and melted coconut oil in a food processor and pulse to combine. The mixture needs to press into the springform pan and hold, so be sure that it sticks well together. If it is too dry, add more melted coconut oil. If it is too wet, add more crumbs. 
5. Transfer the crumb mixture to the prepared pan and spread evenly. Press the mixture into the springform pan using your fingers to make a firm, even crust. Refrigerate or freeze while you make the filling.
6.  Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave. Be sure the melted chocolate stays fluid and does not harden.
7. In the blender, combine the drained cashews, coconut milk, agave, and coconut oil.
8. Blend until smooth. 
9. Add the melted chocolate and blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
10. Pour the filling into the prepared crust. 
11. Release air bubbles by tapping the pan on the counter. This may be an art because every time I tapped and released air bubbles, more seemed to form. 
12. Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours. It may be left overnight.
13. Once set, run a sharp, thin knife along the edge and gently remove the sides of the pan.

Notes:

• Serves 12
• Top with your choice of berries, whipped cream, or chocolate curls. 
• Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to a week

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yum! These cookies are so easy to make. Throw in the wet stuff, mix, throw in the dry stuff, mix, put on cookie sheet, bake for 10 minutes, cookies! Also, I made two different types. I made the original recipe and these. The omnivore family went by and couldn't tell the difference between the two. 

Ingredients: 
3/4 cup sugar 
3/4 cup packed brown sugar 
1 cup Earth Balance (2 sticks), softened 
1 teaspoon vanilla 
1 Ener-G egg 
2 cups whole wheat flour 
1 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1 pkg (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions: 

1. Heat oven to 375.  
2. Mix sugars, butter, vanilla, and egg in large bowl.  
3. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt.  
4. Stir in chocolate chip cookies.  
5. Form 1-2" balls of dough and drop about 2” apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.  
6. Bake approximately 10 min or until light brown. 
7. Cool slightly until you can remove from sheet without disturbing cookie shape; remove from cookie sheet.  
8. Cool on wire rack.            

Notes:

• Makes ~3 dozen. 
• Prep: 10 min           
• Total: 20 min 
• You may want to use less than the entire package of chocolate chips.

WW Chocolate Chip Cookies

These were in the digital but offline codex, so I made them again for my omnivore family. The only complaint I got was that there were too many chocolate chips. You can use the entire bag, or add them slowly, stopping when you get to a point you prefer.

Ingredients: 
3/4 cup sugar 
3/4 cup packed brown sugar 
1 cup butter, softened 
1 teaspoon vanilla 
1 egg 
2 cups whole wheat flour 
1 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pkg (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:  

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.  
2. Mix sugars, butter, vanilla, and egg in large bowl.  
3. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt (dough will be stiff).  
4. Stir in chocolate chip cookies.  
5. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2” apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.  
6. Bake 8-10 min or until light brown (centers will be soft.) 
7. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet.  
8. Cool on wire rack.            

Notes:

• Prep: 10 min           
• Total: 20 min
• Makes 3 dozen.  
• 150 Cal. 

Chocolate Chunk Buckwheat Cookies (Vegan)

I made a version of these before. These are a vegan adaptation of them. I think these turned out better. The top photo is of the dough on the pan, and the bottom is of finished cookies cooling on the rack. They are yummy warm or cooled. They are yummy two days later. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegan stick butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp ground flax seed
3 tbsp water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buckwheat groats
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into 1/2 inch chucks

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 375°F.
2. Make flax egg by mixing 1 tbsp ground flax seed with 3 tbsp water in a small bowl. Put into fridge for 15 minutes. It should then have an egg consistency.
3. In a stand mixer or bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and almond extract until well mixed.
4. In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt and buckwheat, and add to the butter mixture, beating to incorporate. When the flour is mixed in, add the chocolate and stir until combined.
5. Drop 2-tablespoon-size balls of dough onto ungreased sheet pans, leaving 3 inches of space between the balls. The cookies will spread while baking.
6. Bake for 6 minutes, reverse the position of the pans in the oven, then bake for 4 to 6 minutes more. A pale, soft center surrounded by golden brown cookie is the desired result.
7. Let the cookie cool on the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks with a spatula. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container for up to a week.

Other Details:

• Makes a dozen cookies 
• Although I got a baker's dozen

Dessert: Soft & Chewy Chocolate Drops

These cookies are not hard to make. They are easy to mix up, make the drops, make the glaze and glaze them. Just be sure to plan for the hour in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:
Cookies:
4 squares (4 oz) unsweetened baking chocolate
¾ cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2-1/2 cups flour
Glaze:
1 tub (8 oz) frozen cool whip whipped topping
6 squares (6 oz) semi-sweet baking chocolate


Directions:
Cookies: 

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Microwave unsweetened chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. 
2. Add sugar; mix well. 
3. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add flour; mix well. 
4. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.
5. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart, on greased baking sheets.
6. Bake 8 min or just until set. (Do not overbake.) 
7. Let stand on baking sheet 1 min; transfer to wire racks. 
8. Cool completely.

Glaze: 

1. Place frozen whipped topping and semi-sweet chocolate in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1-1/2 minutes or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is shiny and smooth, stirring after 1 min. 
2. Let stand 15 minute to thicken. 
3. Spread over cookies. 
4. Let stand until glaze is set.

Notes:

• Makes 5 dozen or 30 servings, 2 cookies each.
• Prep: 20 min Total: 1 hour 20 min (incl. refrigerating)

Sugar Cookies with Sugar Cookie Frosting

To be exact - Kraft Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies with Frosting. I know that's where we got this recipe. We've had it for years. I recall Emilynn making this a number of years ago, so it is easy enough for kids to make, although I spent 3 hours making them last time, but I'm not a speedy cookie maker. It says prep is 20 minutes and the total is 1 hour 40 minutes, including refrigeration. Those must be speedy cookie makers who throw all the cookies into the oven at once.

Ingredients: 
Cookies:
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened 
1 cup powdered sugar 
3/4 cup butter, softened 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla 
2 cups flour 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
extra flour

Frosting:

4 cups confectioner's sugar

½ cup shortening

5 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

food coloring (optional)

Directions: 

Cookies:

1. Beat cream cheese, sugar, butter and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add flour and baking soda; mix well.  
2. Refrigerate 1 hour.  
3. Preheat oven to 325. 
4. To shape, generously flour a surface.
5. Take about one fist of dough, roll into a ball, then squash flat onto the surface. Roll out the dough to a thin sheet.
6. Use your favorite cookie cutters to make seasonal shapes, or geeky shapes, or just geometrical shapes.
7. Bake for 8 - 12 minutes. 
8. Let cool before frosting. Decorate your cookies to your pleasure.

Frosting:

1. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the confectioner's sugar and shortening until smooth. 
3. Gradually mix in the milk and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth and stiff, about 5 minutes. 
4. Color with food coloring if desired.

Notes:

• Supposedly makes about 3 dozen, but that depends on the shapes you make and their sizes.
• I also use as much of the dough as possible. I take the bits that don't make it into the shapes, and add it to the fresh dough to roll out. This helps stretch the number of cookies you can make.
• In my opinion, sugar cookie making is boring. But add friends and family and it is a joy. 

Dessert: Frosted Pumpkin Cookies

The Clever Housewife started following me on twitter, and her pumpkin donuts recipe intrigued me. We conversed, and she directed me to these pumpkin cookies. You already know how I love all things pumpkin. The cookies were already vegan, and I "veganized" the frosting, which turned out well. These are quite easy.

Ingredients:
Cookies:

1 cup all vegetable shortening
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups pumpkin (about 1 15 oz can)
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Frosting:
3 tbs vegan butter
4 tsp almond milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Mix first 7 ingredients until smooth. 
2. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes. 

For frosting: 

1. Dissolve first three ingredients in saucepan. 
2. Cool, then stir in powdered sugar and vanilla.
3.  Frost cookies while the cookies are still hot.

Other details:

• The original recipe called for 1 cup butterscotch chips, but I left them out. It also called for milk (assumed dairy) and butter (assumed dairy) in the frosting.
•  Makes about 3 dozen. (I got about 44 out, but I just used a large spoon.)

Dessert: Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

These are the best cookies ever! I made this this past weekend and the entire family thought they were really good. Yes, they eclipsed the cookies I made the previous weekend. It is a shame the recipe only makes 2 dozen. I'll need to see if I can double it. This is another great recipe from Cate's World Kitchen.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegan butter sticks (I used Nucoa, original recipe suggests Earth Balance)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pumpmkin
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
pinch allspice

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or Silpats.
2. Beat the Earth balance and sugars together on a stand mixer on medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the pumpkin and vanilla. Mix well.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Add to the dough and mix on low until the dough comes together.
4. Combine the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice in a small bowl.
5. Roll about a tablespoon and a half of dough into a ball, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Flatten slightly on the lined baking sheet, then bake for about 10-12 minutes. Cool on the sheets for a few minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.

Other Details:

• Original Recipe
• 80 Calories/ cookie: 15 carbs, 2 fat, 1 protein

Dessert: Peanut Butter Cookies by Joleen Roth

Every Codex needs to have a peanut butter cookie recipe. Back before we used the internet as much for cookies, we relied on good old fashioned cookbooks. We pulled this recipe from a cookbook from Ryan's hometown. The cookies are relatively easy to make and all reports are that they are, indeed, yummy.

Ingredients:

½ cup soft butter
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 ¼ cup flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Cream butter, sugars, peanut butter, and egg together, then add dry ingredients. 
2. Roll into balls; place on cookie sheet. 
3. Dip fork in four and crisscross over cookie. 
4. Bake at 350º for 10 to 12 minutes. 

Other Details:

• Makes about 32 cookies.

Dessert: Bad Astronomer Double Chocolate Fudge Cookies

When Phil Plait started his Science Getaways site, he launched with some cookies. Which looked fabulous! So I made them the next weekend, but I'm only getting around to blogging about them now. They were really good, although I found the tone at the blog on how to make the cookies a little condescending. 

Ingredients:

4 cups (24 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1/2 cup butter
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper
2. Combine 2 cups (12 ounces) chocolate chips and butter in a large microwavable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 30 seconds; stir and repeat until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Let cool slightly.
3. Beat eggs and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until it’s well blended and a little foamy. Add sugar and beat until thick and lighter in color. Add melted chocolate and butter and beat until blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. (Do not overbeat.) Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in medium bowl and slowly add to the butter mixture, beating until blended. Stir in the remaining chocolate chips by hand (the dough will be very soft.)
4. Drop dough by rounded, heaping tablespoonsful 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 325 degrees farenheit. Bake 16 to 20 minutes or until cookies are just cooked enough to hold together. They should still be slightly shiny on top. Cool on cookie sheets for 2 minutes and then move to wire racks to finish cooling completely.

Other Details:

• Original Recipe
• Makes about 3 dozen (depending on the size of your cookies – I got about 39, but Bad Astronomer got about 30

Dessert: Chocolate Chunk Buckwheat Cookies

Another recipe I got from Robin Asbell's The New Whole Grains Cookbook. When I made these, they were deemed by my son to be his new favorite cookie.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buckwheat groats
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into 1/2 inch chucks

Directions:

1. Preheat over to 375°F.
2. In a stand mixer or bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and almond extract until well mixed.
3. In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt and buckwheat, and add to the butter mixture, beating to incorporate. When the flour is mixed in, add the chocolate and stir until combined.
4. Drop 2-tablespoon-size balls of dough onto ungreased sheet pans, leaving 3 inches of space between the balls. The cookies will spread while baking.
5. Bake for 6 minutes, reverse the position of the pans in the oven, then bake for 4 to 6 minutes more. A pale, soft center surrounded by golden brown cookie is the desired result.
6. Let the cookie cool on the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks with a spatula. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container for up to a week.

Other Details:

• Makes a dozen cookies 
• Although I got a few more than that out of my batch
• Nutrition is per cookie

Dessert: Super Easy Nutella Cookies

I saw these on Food Gawker last summer and made them one evening "real quick." Since everyone is probably preparing for a weekend of sweets, dessert is probably not necessary, but these are an easy addition to the sweet collection.

Ingredients:

1 cup Nutella

1 egg

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper
3. Whisk together Nutella and egg until fully combined
4. With a cookie scoop or teaspoon, drop small dollops of batter onto prepared cookie sheets leaving 2 inches space between each one
5. Bake 8-10 minutes. 
6. Let cool on rack 5 minutes then transfer cookies to cooling rack.

Other Details:

• Original Recipe 
• I don't recall how many this makes. Theoretically, it should be 48 cookies, but I think it was fewer. Nutrition is for 3 dozen. 
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Dessert: Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

What do you do when you have to provide cookies and only have whole wheat flour? Find a recipe for chocolate chip cookies that uses only whole wheat flour. At some point several years ago, I was to provide cookies for a child's class and I found this recipe somewhere on the internet.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pkg (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups) (using mini-chips is even better!)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375^o.  
2. Mix sugars, butter, vanilla, and egg in large bowl.  Stir in flour, baking soda and salt (dough will be stiff).  Stir in chocolate chip cookies.  
3. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2” apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.  
4. Bake 8-10 min or until light brown (centers will be soft.) 
5. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet.  Cool on wire rack.

Other Details:

• Prep: 10 min 
• Total: 20 min
• Makes 3 dozen.  
• 150 Cal./cookie
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