Sunday 3 July 2011

vegan chocolate and raspberry cookies

I have been feeling so bored today (I have no idea why, because I have a to do list as long as my arm of things I should be doing).  This morning we went to a car boot sale (photographs and post of purchases later or tomorrow!)  I made us some porridge with oat milk when we came home and ate it with banana, honey and flax seed.  I was craving something that would be good for me, after last nights indulgent trip to TGI Fridays.  However, I did get £20 of free food!  They are celebrating their 25th birthday this weekend, so if you were born in 1986 and can prove it with some ID, the free food is yours (they take the £20 off the total)!  I think the offer is on until tomorrow, so get yourself to your nearest restaurant if you are lucky enough to be born in that year!  We were so tempted earlier to go back again...

So, onto the cookies!  Steves parents went berry picking on Friday, and kindly gave us some strawberries and raspberries.  I pondered what to use them for, something cakey of course.  I googled vegan raspberry cookies, and up came a recipe that is originally from the Veganomicon book that I discovered a couple of weeks ago.  They really should be like whoopie pies, but I discovered half way through that I had no icing sugar to make the frosting :(  
I will go on and tell you about how yummy they are in a minute, but first here is the recipe and some photographs!

Note: 'c.' stands for cups, and canola oil to us UK residents is vegetable oil :)

Ingredients
    The Cookies
  • 1 c. raspberry preserves (I used a cup of fresh raspberries)
  • 2 c. sugar
  • 2/3 c. canola oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp almond extract
  • 1 & 1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted if clumpy)
  • 3 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 t. salt
    The Filling
  • 1/4 c. vegan margarine (at room temp.)
  • 1/4 c. vegan shortening (at room temp.)
  • 2.5 c. powdered sugar
  • 1/2 c. cocoa powder
  • 3 T. soy milk
  • 1 t. vanilla extract
Directions

Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚c). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the raspberry preserves, sugar, canola oil, vanilla, and almond extract.

In a separate bowl sift together all the other cookie ingredients.

Add the dry to the wet in 3 batches, mixing well with a fork (or your hands) after each addition. When you get to the last batch, you may need to use your hands to work the batter into a soft and pliable dough. 

(I used my hands to mix the dough, at first I thought it looked way too dry, but persevere!)

Roll the dough into walnut-size balls and then flatten them with your hands into 2 1/2 inch diameter disks. Place on your cookie sheet (they need to be only 1/2 inch apart because they don’t spread out when baking).

Bake 10 minutes.

While they are baking, make your filling. Place the margarine and shortening in a bowl or in your food processor. Beat or process until blended. Add your vanilla and soy milk and process/beat some more. Add in your cocoa powder and beat/process until combined. Start adding the powdered sugar in small batches, beating/processing after each bit until fully combined (that way it doesn't clump). Once all of it's been added, beat/process until thick and fluffy.

Remove cookies from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Once your cookies are completely cooled, take a cookie and slather a generous helping of filling on the flat side. Take another cookie, and smoosh the two flat-sides of your cookies together. Repeat until all your cookies are gone. There should be EXACTLY the right amount of frosting to fill up your cookies, without running out and without having leftovers. Because I am awesome like that.

Makes about 18 cookie-sammiches.

Original recipe found here.

I have to say, these are some of the best cookies I have ever made - they are really thick and gooey inside, mmm!  They are really rich though, I could only eat one, but Steve scoffed two!  Another easy peasy vegan recipe and so tasty!

3 comments:

  1. Tried this! I thought I was a little generous with the frosting, because I had two cookies left over but the great mystery solved itself when my sisters came round the corner with chocolate round their mouths both holding two big spoons! They were yummy though, thank you for sharing this!

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  2. Yum! I'll definitely be trying this - made a chocolate raspberry pudding last night, it's definitely a winning combo! Thanks for sharing.

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  3. Yum to the maxxxx! <3

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