Scrumptious Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

I got my first KitchenAid Mixer this year, for Christmas! So, the first thing I decided to make was a traditional chocolate chip cookie with a twist. I added peanut butter and used rich dark chocolate instead of chocolate chips. They came out delicious and my KitchenAid did a great job of mixing up the ingredients. (I forgot to take a picture of my new beauty, though!) These cookies are so yummy with the dark chocolate chips. They're a little chewy and a little crunchy. They're simple and fast to make. YUM!

Ingredients:

1 cup vegan butter

2 heaping tablespoons peanut butter

2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

EnerG Egg Replacer-equivalent to 2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup chopped up dark chocolate

What to do:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees farehnheit

In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and peanut butter for 30 seconds.

Add half the flour. Then add brown sugar, sugar eggs, vanilla, and baking soda.

Beat in the remaining flour.

Then, stir in chocolate chips.

drop dough about 2 inch width into balls on a greased baking sheet.

Bake for about 10 minutes.

(When baking cookies, use a spatula and lift the bottom to see if they're lightly browned. If they are, they are done.)

Chocolate Mint Brownie Bars

Years ago, I had one of these Chocolate Mint Brownie Bars, at a friends house (the non-vegan version) and I loved it. I was never able to find a recipe that fit the exact match, with the brownie bottom, the creamy mint layer, and the hard chocolate top layer. But, a few weeks ago I found a vegan version of this recipe! They came out just as deliecious as the ones I first tried! There's a lot to them, but they're pretty easy to make.

Ingredients:

Bottom Brownie Layer:

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup non-dairy butter

11/4 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup non-dairy milk

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

parchment paper

Peppermint Cream Layer:

1/2 cup margarine

2 1/4 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons peppermint extract

4 drops green food coloring

2 tablepoons non-dairy milk

Chocolate Layer:

1 1/4 cups chocolate chips (I used cut up dark chocolate)

2 tablespoons shortening

What to do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees farehnheit

Bottom Layer:

Melt the chocolate chips in a double broiler. (If you don't have one, you can use a small pot 1/3 filled with water. Place a bowl over the water and heat the chocolate up in there. make sure no water gets into the chocolate.)

Remove from heat and stir in milk and cocoa powder.

In a seperate bowl, cream together butter and sugar, then add chocolate mixture. Mix until incorporated.

Add vanilla, flour, and salt.

In an 8x8 inch pan, lined with parchment paper, press out dough evenly. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are firm.

Cool completely.

Peppermint Cream:

Cream together butter and powdered sugar. Add in peppermint extract and food coloring. Slowly add in milk until it is consistency of frosting. Chill in the refrigerator until bottom layer is completely cooled.

Chocolate Layer:

Melt chocolate chips and shortening over a double broiler.

Assembly:

Spread peppermint cream over brownie layer. Chill in freezer for about 5 minutes. Pour chocoate layer over peppermint layer, evenly.

Let set in the fridge until top layer is hard. Cut into small squares and enjoy!

Christmas Sandies

I remember making these cookies when I was little for Christmas. I've made them almost every year, but this year I'm "veganising" them. It's really not hard. You just use vegan butter and make sure your powdered sugar is vegan. These are easy to make and are great to bring to any Christmas party, or keep all for yourself. I've also heard them called, Mexican Wedding Cookies.

Ingredients:

1 cup vegan butter (Earth Balance)
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup water
1 cup chopped pecans. (I used lightly sweetened, but you can use plain)
1 cup sifted powdered sugar

What to do:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter. Add 1/2 the flour and sugar.
Add vanilla and water.
Mix well and then add the rest of the flour and sugar.
Stir in pecans.
Shape into 1 inch balls and place on an un-greased cookie sheet. (During baking, they won't expand or lose shape, so it's okay if they're close together.)

Bake for 20 minutes, check bottom of cookies to see if it's golden brown.
Cool the cookies.
Pour powdered sugar into a bag, and place cooled cookies inside. Shake lightly until all the cookies are covered.
Serve in your favorite holiday dish!

Blueberry Birthday Pie

I know Blueberry Pie, or even pie in general, is not common for birthdays. But, my boyfriend doesn't like birthday cake. (He's crazy.) So, I made him a delicious blueberry pie that turned out great. Stick a few candles in it, and you can pretend it's a birthday cake!

Pie Crust:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup of cold vegetable shortening and 1/2 cup cold vegan butter
1/3 to 1/2 cup ice cold water

What to do:

Combine flour, sugar, and salt. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. (If you already put your flour in the freezer, don't worry about it. It just needs to be cold.)
Cut cold shortening and cold butter into pieces.
With a food processor or electric mixer, add shortening/butter to flour mix.
Then slowly pour in the ice cold water until the mix is not dry. (It should not be like dough, but you should be able to form it into a ball.
Separate mix into two balls and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes, up to 3 days.

~When you are ready to make pie crust, preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.~

Once dough is chilled, roll out one dough ball onto a well floured surface. Roll out into a large circle about 1/4 inch thick.
Transfer the rolled out dough to an un-greased pie pan.
You can either use a fork to make a design in the edges, or pinch the edges to make a typical looking pie crust.
Using a fork, make holes on the bottom of the pie crust.
Bake for 10 minutes.

For the top crust you can do several things. You will need to roll out the dough on a well floured surface, just like the bottom part. You can make a lattice design by cutting strips. I personally like to use cookie cutters and form shapes. Once you have prepared your top crust, put it into the refrigerator until you are ready to bake the pie.

Ingredients for the Blueberry Mix:

3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch (add 1 tablespoon if using frozen blueberries.)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice.

Lemon zest from 2 lemons
4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries.  (If using frozen, let blueberries thaw and then drain the extra liquid.)

What to do:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a large bowl mix sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
When it is combined, fold in blueberries.
Pour mixture into the pre-baked pie crust.
Add your top crust, however you want.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Then, reduce the heat to 350 degrees.
To prevent edges from burning, at this time, you should cover the edges with foil.
Bake for another 25-30 minutes.

Let the pie cool completely. I generally make it a day before, to really let it set. But, if you can't wait that long, go for it!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Mocha Frosting!!

Coffee + Chocolate + Cupcakes = Delicious! These cupcakes are so so so yummy. The frosting is even better! They're easy to make and irresistible. I made these for my friend, Bre's 23rd birthday! Enjoy!

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (Sift before you measure)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (I use Starbucks Via)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup light coconut milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

This is what you do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, espresso, and salt.
In another bowl, mix coconut milk, vegetable oil, vinegar, and vanilla together.

Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until incorporated.

 Add batter to cupcake pan, and fill about 3/4ths full. Bake about 20 minutes or until toothpick comes clean.
Let cool for 30 minutes.

Mocha Frosting ingredients:
1/3 cup vegan butter, softened
1/3 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-2 teaspoons espresso powder
1/4 cup cocoa powder
about 2 cups powdered sugar (depending on how thick you like your frosting)

What to do:
Mix all ingredeients. Add powdered sugar last. Powdered sugar is hard to measure out for frosting, so just keep adding until it's at the consistency you want.
Frost cupcakes! (Wait until the cupcakes are completely cool, or the frosting will melt right off!)

Mmmm Crispy Peanut Butter Balls!

Peanut butter is so good, it's my favorite. Peanut butter and chocolate is even better! These crispy peanut butter balls made with rice crispies are delicious and easy to make! There's just some cooling time before they're ready, so you have to resist! (Or not, I couldn't!) You can make these all peanut butter or you can add chocolate. This recipe is for doing half with chocolate. Have fun making these!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Earth Balance butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup agave (+ 2 tablespoons for chocolate batch)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 and 1/2 cup creamer peanut butter
2 1/2 cups rice crispy cereal
1/2 cup cocoa powder

What to do:
In a medium sauce pan on medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in sugar and 1/2 cup of agave. Add in vanilla.
Turn heat off and whisk in peanut butter.
In two medium bowls split peanut butter in half.
In one of the bowls whisk in cocoa powder and agave.

Add 1/2 crispy cereal to each bowl and mix it in.
Next roll up the crispy peanut butter mix into balls with your hands. You can do any size you want!
Place them into a glass baking or on a plate, cover with plastic. Refrigerate for about 3 hours.
Enjoy! These are delicious!

Baby it's Cold Outside Cinnamon Hot Chocolate

It's getting quite cold outside! So, I decided to make some hot chocolate, with a twist, to warm up! It's easy to make and delicious!

Ingredients:
1 and 1/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk. (You can use soy, rice, or any unsweetened non-dairy. I find almond milk is the creamiest)
1 and a 1/2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons of sugar (you can use agave, too!)

Directions:
1. In a medium sauce pan, on medium heat, warm up almond milk to right before boiling point.

2. Whisk in cocoa powder and cinnamon. Whisk well for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in sugar.

3. Pour into your favorite mug and enjoy with your favorite vegan cookies!