Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies with Coconut and Cranberries Recipe

For the first several years when I changed to a vegan diet, I simply never had dessert at all, because I had no idea how to bake without using dairy and eggs. One Christmas, however, my mother-in-law gave me a wonderful gift: a compilation of all sorts of different recipes for various sorts of egg and dairy replacers to be used in baking.

After much experimentation and several disasters, I finally perfected a vegan cookie recipe. Everyone who has tried it has been amazed to learn that it is vegan. These cookies are delicious--soft and chewy in the center and crisp around the edges, exactly as cookies should be.

The soy milk powder and warm water mixture used in this recipe is the replacement for the "two large eggs" of traditional recipes. It works exceptionally well in this recipe, but not so well for cake or brownies. I tried; they were chocolate soup. I think this mixture only works as an egg-replacer for baked goods of a denser consistency, like cookies.

A few notes on the ingredients: If you want this to be strictly vegan, make sure that you check the ingredients on products such as margarine, soy milk powder, and the chocolate chips to be sure that dairy is not present. For the soy milk powder I use "Better Than Milk Soy" brand, vanilla flavored (which is also good to have around the house for baking and "creaming" coffee or tea). I listed the sugar as "unbleached, natural" because the process used to bleach sugar involves animal bones for some brands.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies with Coconut and Cranberries Recipe

makes about 20-22 cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) vegan margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated, unbleached, natural sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup soy milk powder (vanilla-flavored works well)
• warm water (to texture)
• 1 cup vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup grated coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)

Preparation Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius).

2. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

3. Soften the margarine. Beat the margarine, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until creamy.

4. Put the soy milk powder into a separate tiny bowl. Slowly mix in warm water until it reaches the approximate thickness of peanut butter.

5. Beat the soymilk powder mixture into the margarine and sugar mixture until well-blended.

6. Take the flour mixture and slowly add small portions of it to the main bowl, gradually mixing it in.

7. Once all of the other ingredients are well-mixed, stir in the chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and grated coconut.

8. Form the dough into several two and one half inch diameter balls and place them evenly on an un-greased baking sheet, at least three inches apart.

9. Bake for approximately 11 minutes, or until the cookies are slightly golden around the edges (times may vary in different sorts of ovens and on different sorts of baking sheets). Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then carefully remove them and place them on a wire rack to cool completely.