Vegan Recipe Revamp: Chocolate Chip Cookies

By Sarah Matheny on January 13th, 2010

chocolate-chip-cookie-1
Milk and cookies, not exactly the most vegan-friendly treat.

I’m not sure why I was surprised then when my four-year-old came home from preschool last week and started talking about how we needed flour, sugar, butter and eggs to make cookies. The ironic thing is, in almost a year and a half now, she hasn’t had any baked goods (from my kitchen) that contain either. The beauty about vegan baking for me, aside from never having to worry about salmonella if you eat one too many spoonfuls of cookie dough, is that if done right, there is no evidence that your results don’t contain any animal products because they are so incredibly tasty.

This recipe is based off of my old standby, straight from the Nestle Tollhouse package. While they aren’t as buttery and rich as the original, that simply gives you an excuse to eat another.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup nut butter (we used peanut butter)

1/4 packed brown sugar

1/2 cup Nu Naturals Stevia Baking Blend (or use 1/2 c. of whatever granular sweetener you like)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 “flax egg” (1 Tablespoon ground flax mixed with 3 T. water)

1 cup vegan/dark chocolate chips

splash of almond or soy milk to moisten

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat nut butter, applesauce, stevia, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add flax egg, beating well. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and a splash of milk, if necessary. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 12 cookies.