Sugared & Stirred

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Orange Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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Does anyone remember (or still love) those orange flavored chocolate oranges? You know, the ones shaped like an actual orange that you get to “smash” to loosen all the chocolate orange slices. I usually spot them at the store around Christmas time, and I’ll be real, I miss those freaking chocolate oranges. Going dairy-free to keep my skin clear has made me miss foods I didn’t even know I really liked all that well.

Anyways, these cookies are not chocolate oranges, but they are my Dairy-Free Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies with fresh orange zest, dried cranberries, and lots of chopped semisweet chocolate, and they are good. The orange zest adds a ton of citrus flavor, while the dried cranberries bring a bit of chew and tartness to the sweet and chocolatey cookies. I opted for chopped semisweet chocolate for these, because I like the messy look that you get when chopped chocolate melts into a fresh baked cookie. Chocolate chips would work just fine, too, and dark chocolate would make for an excellent cookie.

The recipe for these cookies is short and sweet. Be sure to use solid coconut oil and a big wooden spoon or spatula to do all the mixing. You don’t want to over-mix your dough or cause the coconut oil to become too soft. It’s normal for this dough to be a bit crumbly and even seem somewhat dry. That’s okay. The dough will easily press together and bake up to make a perfect cookie (with no refrigeration required)! I recommend using a cookie scoop for these cookies, and feel free to play around with the size! Happy baking!

Orange Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Makes ~25 small cookies

1/2 cup coconut oil, solid
3/4 cup coconut sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chopped dairy-free chocolate (semisweet or dark)
3/4 cup dried cranberries
Zest of one medium orange

1.) Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.) Using a large spatula or wooden spoon, mix together the solid coconut oil and coconut sugar in a medium bowl until combined – I like to mash my coconut oil into the sugar to make sure all the lumps get incorporated. Mix in the egg and then the vanilla and orange zest until totally combined; set aside.

3.) In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet (do not beat) until a few flour streaks remain. Stir in the chocolate chips and dried cranberries. Your dough may look a bit crumbly, depending on how hot/cold the temperature is where you are (the coconut oil may be more or less oily).

4.) Scoop 1 Tbsp dough balls onto your parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 375°F for 6-7 minutes. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temp. Re-heat to enjoy.

Dairy-Free Salted Chocolate Rye Cookies

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Okay, friends, we’re a few days into my 12 Days of Dairy-Free Cookies, and I could not be more excited to share these cookies with you!! The whole reason I started posting food to Instagram is because I was in search of good dairy-free recipes that were lower in sugar or utilized a low GI sugar like coconut sugar. These cookies are delicious. I brought my leftovers (after testing and shooting) to Thanksgiving, and they flew off the counter! I’d wished I’d baked more!

These cookies are full of chocolate. No cocoa powder needed here, because you’re going to use a whole 1/2 pound of chocolate for these. These cookies are rich, fudgy, and so satisfying, especially when they’re warmed up or fresh from the oven. I added a little bit of instant coffee to amp up the chocolate flavor – you won’t taste coffee at all. Espresso powder will work, too.

I used three whole tablespoons of dough per cookie, because I really wanted a thick cookie. If you follow the chilling instructions below, I believe you’ll have no problem with too much spread. I like my cookies fudgy, so I only baked them until the outside was set. You want the middle to look under-baked when you pull them out of the oven. Your cookies should come out thick, ultra fudgy, and seriously irresistible. Happy baking!

 

Dairy-Free Salted Chocolate Rye Cookies
Makes ~11 cookies

1/2 pound semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 Tbsp coconut oil, solid
2 large eggs, room temp
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp fine sea salt
1/3 cup dark rye flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 + 1/4 cup chocolate chips (1/4 cup is for topping)
1/2 tsp instant coffee granules
Maldon Sea Salt Flakes to sprinkle

1.) Add an inch of water to a saucepan on medium heat. Set a heatproof bowl on the saucepan, making sure it doesn’t touch the water, and add the chopped chocolate, coconut oil, and instant coffee. Stir frequently until chocolate and oil are totally melted. Remove bowl from pan and set aside to cool down.

2.) Meanwhile, in a bowl attached to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, add the eggs and coconut sugar. Whisk on medium speed until mixture becomes thick and light brown in color, about 8 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla and salt.

3.) Gently fold the chocolate into the egg mixture. Add the flour and baking powder and fold until nearly combined, leaving some flour streaks. Mix in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least an hour, or overnight for best flavor.

4.) Allow dough to set at room temp for 30 minutes to 1 hour before you begin to roll your dough balls. The dough will be sticky, but for proper spreading, you don’t want it to be too cold. Once your dough is soft enough to roll, preheat your oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

5.) Roll dough balls 3 Tbsp in size and place on your parchment-lined baking sheet (6 at a time). Press extra chocolate chips into the tops of each dough ball. Bake at 325°F for 12-15 minutes or until cookies look nearly set in the middle – you want them to look a little under-baked when you take them out. Immediately sprinkle your cookies with salt, and allow them to rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Enjoy warm! Store leftovers in an airtight container*

*cookies can be refrigerated or frozen ahead of time. If frozen, allow them to thaw in their container. Then, before serving, pop them in the oven for a few minutes to warm them up again!

Recipe adapted from Food & Wine

Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Crinkle Cookies

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A couple of weeks ago I had an idea to create and post a bunch of new dairy-free holiday cookie recipes for you all to enjoy. So I’m officially kicking off the Sugared & Stirred 12 Days of Dairy-Free Cookies with these Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Crinkle Cookies! I mean, can it get anymore holiday?! I’ve baked three big test batches of these this week, and I’m nowhere near being over them. They’re made ultra chocolatey with rich dutch-process cocoa and chopped, melted chocolate. They’re the perfect amount of peppermint-y with a delicious mint crunch, thanks to the crushed candy canes I added to the powdered sugar coating – a serious mint chocolate dream.

The recipe for these cookies is pretty straightforward, but be sure to follow it exactly as written as I haven’t tested any ingredient swaps. You’ll want to use dutch-process cocoa (Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa has a new formula that is 100% dutch-process now – check the label) and peppermint extract. Regular mint extract will taste like spearmint, which isn’t what we want here. When it comes to rolling the dough balls in the powdered sugar and crushed candy canes, make sure to double or triple roll them until they are heavily coated. I found that a thin coat of sugar would melt in the oven and come out with less of a powdery, snowy look. Feel free to drop any questions below. Happy baking!

Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Crinkle Cookies
Makes ~26 small cookies

2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 6 Tbsp water)
6oz semisweet dairy-free chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup solid coconut oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup coconut sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp peppermint extract (not mint extract)
1/3 cup powdered sugar
3 Tbsp crushed peppermint candy (1-2 candy canes)

1.) Make your flax eggs by combining the flaxseed meal and water in a small bowl; set aside to allow time to thicken. Meanwhile, fill a medium pot with about an inch of water and place over medium heat. Grab a heatproof bowl (one that will sit on your pot of water without touching the water), place it on your pot of water, and add the chopped chocolate and coconut oil. Stir frequently until everything is melted; set mixture aside.

2.) In a medium bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder. Whisk in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt until flour and cocoa are combined.

3.) Return to your chocolate mixture and stir in the coconut sugar. Add the flax eggs and peppermint extract and stir to combine. Finally, add the dry ingredients and stir until totally combined. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Stir the dough, re-cover, and refrigerate for another 15 minutes.

4.) Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a shallow bowl or dish, mix together the powdered sugar and crushed peppermint candies; set aside.

5.) Remove dough from the refrigerator and scoop 1 Tbsp dough balls, 8 at a time. Roll each dough ball in your hands, warming up the dough a bit, and then, using a spoon, immediately roll in the powdered sugar mixture. Make sure each dough ball is heavily coated before carefully transferring to your baking sheet.

6.) Bake cookies – 8 per standard baking sheet – at 350°F for 6-7 minutes or until cookies have begun to crack and spread. Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 1 minute before moving to a cooling rack. If you’d like to sprinkle a bit more powdered sugar on top, let your cookies cool completely before doing so. Store leftovers in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes

Vegan Chocolate Banana Cake Donuts

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It’s our first week in our new apartment, and I really wanted my first bake to be something with a chocolate icing. I melted dark chocolate and added that to a super simple mix of confectioner’s sugar and almond milk and OMG. It came out so good. And then I dipped my Chocolate Banana Donuts in it and I literally ate three. Yeah, that happened. These donuts are freaking good. I made Nathan take them to work, because I knew I’d end up eating all 12.

The batter is easy to whip together – it’s basically a quick bread batter that I piped into a donut pan. If you don’t have a donut pan yet, then you should definitely get one. They’re relatively inexpensive, especially if you buy one from a favorite craft store that regularly has 40% off coupons…

For this baked donut recipe, you’ll use a piping bag or large Ziploc bag to simply pipe the batter into the pan – that’s it! I promise it’s easy. And the icing? Just three basic ingredients, warmed up over a double boiler to make sure it sets. If you don’t warm your icing, there’s a good chance it will soak into the donuts (trust me). If you have any questions, leave them below. Happy baking!

Vegan Chocolate Banana Cake Donuts
Makes 12 regular donuts

Donuts
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup (or honey if non-vegan)
1/2 cup coconut milk yogurt
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 6 Tbsp water)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp neutral oil*
1 cup mashed ripe banana
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup spelt flour (all-purpose will work, too)
1 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
Icing
1 cup confectioner’s/powdered sugar
~2 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk
.7oz (20g) vegan dark chocolate

1.) Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray a donut pan with olive oil. In a medium bowl, mix together the coconut sugar, honey, yogurt, almond milk, flax eggs, vanilla, oil, and mashed banana; set aside.

2.) In a large bowl, sift together the flours and cocoa powder. Whisk in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry and mix until no flour pockets remain.

3.) Fill a pastry bag or large Ziploc bag with the batter (I started out with half). Pipe the batter into your greased donut pan, filling to the top. Bake at 350°F for 10-11 minutes or until toothpick inserted into a donut comes out with crumbs. Allow donuts to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack – they should pop right out when you turn the pan over and shake a bit. Let donuts cool completely.

4.) To melt the dark chocolate, bring about an inch of water to simmer in a medium saucepan. Place your chocolate in a heatproof bowl that will rest on top of your saucepan, being sure it doesn’t touch the water. Let your chocolate melt, stirring constantly. Remove your bowl from the heat and set your chocolate aside.

5.) In another heatproof bowl, stir together the powdered sugar and almond milk until combined. Add the melted chocolate and mix until totally combined. Heat your icing over the simmering water (the same way you did the chocolate) until just warm to the touch; remove from heat. Dip the tops of your donuts in the icing and then set them to rest on a cooling rack. Be sure to work quickly as the icing will begin to set fast. Enjoy your iced donuts!

*an oil with a light taste, such as avocado, grapeseed, or light olive oil. I don’t recommend coconut oil, as the cold ingredients (milk and yogurt) will cause the melted oil to solidify

Vegan Tahini No-Bake Cookies

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No-bake cookies are one of those ultra simple, totally sweet cookies that just taste like home. I grew up eating no-bakes and even remember my mom waking up early when I was a kid to make them before she went to work. She always remembered to leave a small container of cookies for me and my siblings – I would have been heartbroken had she not. When I visited home during the first trimester of my pregnancy, no-bakes were one of the few foods I could stomach, and my mom happily made them for me! They’re just that good.

Now I’ve baked my own version of no-bake cookies using both coconut oil and coconut sugar and like them well enough. But then I decided to use vegan butter and add tahini in place of peanut butter, and OMG these cookies are freaking good. If you don’t like tahini, you can definitely use natural peanut butter, but the sesame adds such a unique flavor that pairs so well with the dark cocoa. I decided to use regular sugar in these because I was really looking for that traditional, almost-too-sweet no-bake cookie taste. But I’ll warn you, these cookies are addicting (and best eaten fresh!), so I recommend making them when you have somebody to help you eat them. Happy baking!

Vegan Tahini No-Bake Cookies
Makes ~18 cookies (with a 1 Tbsp cookie scoop)

1/4 cup vegan butter
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp dutch-process cocoa or special dark cocoa*
1/4 cup tahini
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats (make sure yours are gluten-free if necessary)

1.) Prepare a baking sheet – or an area of counter – with parchment paper or wax paper; set aside. Measure out your tahini and get your vanilla extract and oats ready. Set out a mixing spoon or spatula and a cookie scoop.

2.) In a medium saucepan, whisk together the butter, almond milk, sugar, and cocoa powder over medium-high heat. Bring mixture to a rolling boil – you want the entire pot to be very bubbly – and boil for 60 seconds, whisking constantly.

3). Immediately remove mixture from the heat and stir in the tahini and vanilla extract until totally combined. Stir in your oats. Scoop cookies onto parchment or wax paper and top with sesame seeds. Allow cookies to set (or don’t) and enjoy!

*regular cocoa powder will work just fine, but the chocolate flavor is elevated so much with the dark cocoa that I highly recommend using the dark. I made both versions, so you can at least see the difference for yourself!