Florentines (Italian cookie classic)

Ingredients

1/2 stick butter
1/4 c raw sugar
1/4 c honey
1/4 c flour (plain or rice)
1 Tbsp dried cranberries, finely chopped
1 Tbsp dried apricots, finely chopped
1 Tbsp zest of orange (about zest of 1/2 to 1 orange)
1 Tbsp almonds, finely chopped
1 Tbsp walnuts, finely chopped
200g plain chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 3 trays with parchment paper.
2. Place butter, sugar, and honey in a small pan, heating gently until butter is melted.
3. Remove from heat, add flour, cranberries, apricots, orange zest, nuts to the pan. Stir well to mix.
4. Make 18 florentines by spooning 6 tsp of the mixture onto each of the trays. Be sure to leave enough room for spreading during the bake.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Leave to partially cool on tray and then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely. (If the florentines become too hard to remove, pop them back into the oven for a few minutes to soften again.)
6. Set a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Temper the chocolate by breaking half of the chocolate into the bowl.  Stir until it reaches melting temperature at 127 degrees. Meanwhile, finely chop or grate the remaining chocoate.
7. Carefully remove the bowl from the pan, add the remaining chocolate, and stir gently until cooled at 79 deg.  (There are great tutorials online as to how to temper chocolate without a thermometer).
8. Spread the melted chocolate over the flat base back side of each florentine and leave to cool slightly before marking a zip zag in the chocolate with a fork. Leave to set, chocolate side up on the cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.

Chewy Sugar Cookies (Vegan)

Ingredients
1 c unbleached flour
1 1/4 c whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c sucanat or raw sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c non-dairy plain or vanilla yogurt (I used So Delicious Greek coconut milk vanilla yogurt)
1 Tbsp cornstarch
6 Tbsp vegan butter (I use Earth Balance)
1/3 c coconut oil
1 Tbsp non-dairy milk (I used Almond Coconut milk blend)
1-2 tsp vanilla extract (pure vanilla)
cinnamon to sprinkle on top (optional)


Directions
1. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt.
2. In a large bowl, whisk sugar, yogurt, cornstarch, melted butter, oil, milk, vanilla
3. Pour dry into wet ingredients and stir to combine. Cover dough and chill in fridge for at least one hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350 deg and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Roll cookie dough balls and flatten slightly. Sprinkle with cinnamon (or sprinkles ;)
6. Bake for 10 min or until bottoms are brown.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

A NEW TAKE ON MY FAVORITE COOKIES!! JUST ADD OATMEAL AND A BIT MORE VEGAN MILK!!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c unbleached organic flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 c quick cook oats
1/3 c unbleached organic sugar
1/3 c stevia
1/3 c brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c organic vegan chocolate chip
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup coconut oil (I melt a bit first)
1 Tbsp vegan butter
1/2 c almond or Silk coconut milk
1 tsp organic pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp dark molasses
1 flax egg (1 Tbsp flax, 3 Tbsp water--let sit for a bit before adding to recipe).


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Mix all dry ingredients
3. Separately mix all wet ingredients, including flax egg
4. Add wet mixture to dry mixture until well incorporated
5. Roll dough into compact balls, place on greased baking sheet or parchment paper, and squish down to make saucers.
6. Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Avoid the temptation...let cool for at least 5 minutes, then devour.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c unbleached organic flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/3 c unbleached organic sugar
1/3 c stevia
1/3 c brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 c organic vegan chocolate chip
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup coconut oil (I melt a bit first)
1 Tbsp vegan butter
1/4 c almond or coconut milk
1 tsp organic pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp dark molasses
1 flax egg (1 Tbsp flax, 3 Tbsp water--let sit for a bit before adding to recipe).


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Mix all dry ingredients
3. Separately mix all wet ingredients, including flax egg
4. Add wet mixture to dry mixture until well incorporated
5. Roll dough into compact balls, place on greased baking sheet or parchment paper, and squish down to make saucers.
6. Bake in oven for 12 minutes. Avoid the temptation...let cool for at least 5 minutes, then devour.


...um, yeah. Hands down, the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever made...

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 c unbleached flour
1/4 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c vegan butter (I use Earth's Balance soy free)
1/4 c almond milk
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp pure maple syrup (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
cinnamon to coat (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Stir in vanilla extract, syrup, and milk and mix.
3. In separate bowl, mix flours, baking powder and salt.
4. Add flour mix to creamed butter and mix until soft dough is formed.
5. Once mixed well, roll into balls or using a spoon, place onto ungreased cookie sheet. You can sprinkle cinnamon and/or sugar if you desire.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
7. Cool, then EAT :)