Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar: 100 Dairy-Free Recipes for Everyone's Favorite Treats (28 page)

½ cup nonhydrogenated vegetable
shortening
⅓ cup nonhydrogenated margarine,
softened
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered
sugar, sifted
¼ cup lime juice, preferably
concentrated Key lime juice
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 generous teaspoons finely grated lime
zest (about 2 small limes, 4 to 5 Key
limes)
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
Large crystal decorating sugar for
rolling, about ¼ cup

1. In a large bowl, using electric beaters, cream together the shortening and margarine until fluffy and creamy. Scrape the bowl then beat in the powdered sugar until thick and smooth. Add the lime juice, vanilla, and lime zest and beat for about 30 seconds to mix, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add half of this mixture to the shortening mixture and beat to moisten the ingredients. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat for about 1 minute until a soft ball of dough forms.

3. Divide the dough in half and place each half on a separate large sheet of wax paper. Roll each half into a log about 7 to 8 inches long by 1½ to 1¾ inches thick in diameter. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of decorating sugar in a line onto wax paper and roll a log to coat the outsides in sugar. Repeat with the remaining dough log. Wrap each log tightly in wax paper and chill for at least 1 hour till very firm.

4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. With a thin, sharp knife, cut ½inch slices of dough. Place slices on the cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until slightly puffed and edges are just beginning to turn golden. Do not overbake, as the cookies will rapidly turn very golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to complete cooling.

Morsels

 

✦ For the most intense lime flavor use concentrated Key lime juice. Look for it at your nearby gourmet grocery where the concentrated lemon juice is usually stocked. Of course you can also use fresh lime juice, the flavor will just be less intense. Or perhaps you lead a charmed life, and your produce aisle stocks those cute little fresh Key limes.

✦ India Tree brand makes a gorgeously green “Emerald Green” decorating sugar. But demerara sugar or untinted, large-grained sugar works just as well if you prefer a less verdant cookie.

1 cup nonhydrogenated margarine,
slightly softened, plus more for
greasing
⅔ cup sugar
2½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup cornstarch
1 additional teaspoon sugar, for
sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 10-inch shallow tart pan, the metal kind with a fluted edge and removable bottom.

2. In a large bowl, beat the margarine and sugar together with an electric beater or even a standing electric mixer. Scrape the sides of the bowl frequently with a rubber spatula and beat the mixture till very light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla.

3. Sift together the flour and cornstarch. Add half this mixture to the beaten margarine mixture, using the rubber spatula to fold in the flour first so that it doesn’t fly all over the place when using the mixer beaters. Beat until mostly combined, then add the rest of the flour mixture using the spatula as before. Continue to stir until all the flour and cornstarch are absorbed and dough is crumbly yet soft and moist.

4. Pour the crumbly dough into the prepared tart pan and distribute evenly. Using your fingers, firmly press the dough down into the pan so that the crumbles smoosh together; if it feels a little like you’re making pie crust, in a way you certainly are! Make sure to also press the dough into the fluted edges of the pan; try using the curved tip of a butter knife. Press down everything as evenly and firmly as possible.

5. Use a fork to gently poke into the dough at even intervals, sinking fork tines about halfway through the dough. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet in the center of the oven rack and bake 30 to 32 minutes until the shortbread is slightly puffed and the edges are starting to turn pale gold. Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wooden cutting board. Sprinkle the shortbread with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let cool for 15 minutes.

6. Use a thin, sharp knife to slice the warm shortbread into twelve wedges. Place the entire pan on a wire rack and allow it to cool at least another 30 minutes before removing the wedges from the pan and serving. Store completely cooled shortbread in a tightly covered container.

Morsels

 

Regular granulated sugar
gives this shortbread a classic,
slightly crunchy texture. If you prefer
a more delicate shortbread try
using caster (superfine) sugar
instead.

 

¼ cup nondairy milk
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
½ cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup Dutch cocoa powder
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup
each of two or three
of the
following: chocolate chips, whole
almonds, vegan white chocolate
chips, dried cherries, raisins, vegan
butterscotch chips, cacao nibs,
chocolate-covered espresso beans,
whole peanuts, chopped dates,
freeze-dried raspberries, crushed
peppermint candies, cashews,
chopped dried apricots, walnuts,
macadamia nuts, dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, beat together the nondairy milk and flax seeds until smooth. Add oil, sugar, and vanilla and mix to combine.

3. Sift in the flour, whole wheat pastry flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir to form a smooth dough, then knead in up to 1 cup of mix-ins, pushing any pieces that pop out back into the dough.

4. Form a log about 10 inches long by 4 inches wide, using a rubber spatula to even the edges and flatten the ends. Bake for 30 minutes until the log is puffed and firm. Some cracking is okay. Place the baking sheet on a wire rack, turn off the oven, and allow the log to cool for at least 45 minutes. If any edges of the log are too browned, gently trim them off with a sharp, heavy knife.

5. Preheat oven to 325°F. Very carefully, slide the log off the baking sheet and onto a cutting board. With a sharp, heavy knife cut the log into ½-inch-thick slices, using one quick and firm motion, pressing down into the log. Very gently move the slices to the baking sheet, standing them on their bottom edge if possible. Bake the slices for 26 to 28 minutes. The slices should appear dry, and any nuts used should be lightly toasted. Allow the biscotti to cool 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then carefully move them to wire racks to complete cooling (warm biscotti may be fragile). Store in a loosely covered container.

1½ cups whole wheat flour
⅓ cup sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
A scant ½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup oil
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup nondairy milk

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a light-colored baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Make a well in the middle and pour in oil, molasses, and vanilla. Give the liquid ingredients a quick whisk with a fork and then continue mixing until everything is well combined and crumbly.

3. Drizzle in the nondairy milk and combine. Use your hands to knead the dough a few times until it holds together; add an extra tablespoon of nondairy milk if needed. You should be able to form a pliable ball of dough.

4. Line a work surface with parchment paper. Place the dough on the parchment and work into a rectangle. Flatten it a bit with the palms of your hand and sprinkle with flour. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rectangle that is roughly 10 x 14 inches. The dough should be about ⅛ inch thick. If the edges look crumbly, that’s okay.

5. Cut the edges off so that you have a relatively even 12 x 8-inch rectangle. Cut the dough into eight crackers; to do this evenly, use a sharp paring knife to slice the dough in quarters. Then cut widthwise again on either side of the center widthwise cut. That probably made it sound confusing; read it slowly.