These are more the classic, thin and chewy variety, but if you are after a slightly thicker cookie, add an extra tablespoon of potato starch. Funny how a tablespoon can make all the difference.

Thin & Chewy Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Vegan, Gluten-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free
(with ‘Thick & Chewy’ option)
Adapted from Dreena Burton’s Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup sorghum flour
3 Tablespoons potato starch (or 1/4 cup*)
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup raw or white sugar

1/4 cup grapeseed or safflower oil (generous 1/4 cup; more like 1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon)
1/3 cup pure maple syrup (I like Grade B)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2-3/4 cup chocolate chips

*For thicker cookies use 1/4 cup potato starch.

Preheat oven to 350F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, stir together all dry ingredients. Add oil, maple syrup, and vanilla, mixing by hand or with a mixer on medium. Dough will be thin. Fold in chocolate chips and let dough stand for 10 minutes to thicken a bit.

Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets. Bake for about 10 minutes–cookies will look a little underdone but will continue cooking after they are out of the oven. Let cool on sheet for 1-2 minutes, then remove to cooling rack. Cookies will be a little brittle until they cool.

Store in airtight container. Makes 16-18 cookies, depending on size.

If you like chocolate, and if you like peppermint, you can’t go wrong with these. There is nothing poetic to be said (Just try!). You could get artsy and sprinkle a layer of crushed candy canes over the top, but I couldn’t find naturally colored candy canes around here.

The slightly undersweet brownie layer gives way to complete indulgence in the form of peppermint filling and an ever-so-crunchy chocolate shell.

Point is, ’tis the season for a rendition of a vastly popular dessert, now vegan, gluten-free, and just as unhealthy!

Wishing you and yours holiday cheer, and many sweet treats.

Triple Chocolate Peppermint Brownies (vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free)
Inspired by Laurel V.
Brownies adapted heavily from: Wing It Vegan

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1/2 cup cocoa (I used a dark blend cocoa)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup neutral-flavored oil (such as grapeseed)
1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)
1 teaspoon peppermint flavor or extract

1/2 cup (or more) semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly oil an 8 inch square pan.

In a medium bowl, stir together all the dry ingredients.

Add the oil, milk, and peppermint, stirring well, either by hand or with a mixer. Batter will be thick, but very well combined.

Fold in the chocolate chips, if using.

Spread in prepared pan.

Bake for 16-18 minutes, until top is slightly puffed and toothpick comes out mostly clean (minus any chocolate chip evidence).

Let cool, then proceed to next step (or just eat peppermint brownies).

Peppermint Patty Filling:

2 Tablespoons organic shortening, butter, or vegan butter
3/4-1 cup powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon peppermint flavor/extract
1/2-1 Tablespoon water

Combine first three ingredients in bowl, with mixer. Add 1/2 Tablespoon water and mix until fluffy. Add more sugar and/or water to achieve desired consistency. The goal is something spreadable, but slightly thicker than traditional buttercream. It’s not an exact science.

Spread over brownies. Freeze for 15 minutes before proceeding with the chocolate coating.

Chocolate coating:

3/4 scant cup dark chocolate chips
2 teaspoons organic shortening, butter, or vegan butter
1/8 teaspoon peppermint flavor/extract

Melt chocolate chips and shortening using preferred method. Stir until glossy. Mix in peppermint flavor/extract and pour over peppermint patty layer. Cool in refrigerator or freezer, at least 15 minutes, or until chocolate is set.

Store at room temperature, or in the freezer.

Chocolate and zucchini go together like bread and butter. And here they appear in brownie form. Rich, super chocolatey brownies, without the gluten, eggs, or dairy. Zucchini still abounds at the farmers’ market, so get it while you can. Anybody out there know what might be used in place of zucchini, when the season ends?

This is another recipe that originally appeared in my Whole Living Daily post, but I want to include them here, too.

I make these in a 9 inch square pan, but I wonder how they’d fare in a 9″x13″ pan. A pan that I don’t currently own (the horror!). They are very thick, so I think they’d transition nicely (along with a shorter baking time) to a larger pan. If you try it, do report.

These are a bit of a ‘make-ahead’ recipe as they are best after they’ve been chilled for a few hours. And they are equal parts cake-y and dense. If that makes sense. Guess you’ll just have to see for yourself!

 

Adapted from food + words:

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup grapeseed or canola oil
• 3/4 cup evaporated cane juice, raw sugar, or brown sugar
• 1/3 cup sorghum flour
• 1/3 cup brown rice flour
• 1/3 cup tapioca flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened dark blend cocoa powder (or regular unsweetened cocoa powder)
• 1 very scant teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups grated zucchini, finely grated on box grater, not tightly packed
• 1/2-1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• Oil for pan
• Powdered sugar, optional

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8- or 9-inch square pan with parchment paper, or oil pan lightly.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together applesauce, vanilla, oil, and sugar until well-combined. Add the flours, cocoa powder, and baking soda, stirring vigorously.
3. Fold in the chocolate chips and zucchini so they are evenly distributed throughout the batter. (Batter will be a thin consistency.) Add walnuts if using.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan and place in center rack in preheated oven. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, or until middle looks set and a tester comes out mostly clean.
5. Let cool, then refrigerate for a few hours before cutting to allow the flavors to meld and the brownies to become firm. Slice. Lightly dust the tops with powdered sugar, if desired.
6. Store at room temperature for up to a day or refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Thank you for all the kind words on my last post–I am glad to be back!

]]> http://thecinnamonquill.com/blog/2011/09/gluten-free-vegan-chocolate-zucchini-brownies/feed/ 9 http://thecinnamonquill.com/blog/2011/09/veganized-cinnamon-rolls/ http://thecinnamonquill.com/blog/2011/09/veganized-cinnamon-rolls/#comments Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:21:50 +0000 CQ Baker http://thecinnamonquill.com/blog/?p=1435

After a long absence, I am back! Again! Miss me? I’ve been doing some site-cleaning and reorganizing things a bit, shifting from a traditional ‘blog’ format to more of a portfolio, because I tend to do this disappearing act more often than not. If you are reading this, it means you have not forgotten about me–thank you, I owe you, so here’s a recipe:

This is an update to one of my oldest recipes–Cinnamon Rolls. I’ve taken out the dairy and now they are vegan. They were originally featured on my post over at Whole Living, but I want to include them here as well, in case you are in the market for some quick vegan cinnamon rolls.

Quick Gluten-Free Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 8-10 Cinnamon Rolls

Serving Size: 8-10

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1 cup potato starch
• 1 cup tapioca starch
• 1/4 cup millet flour
• 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 Tablespoons dark-brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup melted organic shortening, divided
• 1 1/4 cup non-dairy milk (such as almond)
• 1/4 cup tapioca flour/sugar mix for rolling
• Oil, for pan
• Filling:
• 3/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon dairy-free shortening
• Icing: (Double if you like a lot)
• 2 Tablespoons melted organic shortening
• 2-4+ teaspoons non-dairy milk
• 3/4-1+ cups confectioners sugar
• Splash of vanilla extract (optional)

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Oil a 9-inch round cake pan.
2. Make the dough: In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Stir in the vanilla, 1/2 cup of the melted shortening, and the non-dairy milk. Mix with a wooden spoon until dough looks shaggy. Knead the dough a bit with your hands until it comes together in a ball. Let stand for a few minutes to thicken.
3. Meanwhile, make the filling: combine the ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and add more cinnamon, if desired. Set aside.
4. Turn the dough onto a large piece of floured parchment. The dough should be moist; if it seems sticky, add some flour before rolling. Gently roll the dough into a rectangle, approximately 9 x 12 inches. Brush the surface with half the remaining melted shortening, then evenly distribute the filling mixture over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border on all edges. Press the filling into the dough.
5. To form the dough into a log, start at the long side of the paper, then curl the dough together, using the paper and your hands to guide it into a cylindrical shape. Pinch the seam to seal in the final turn. Turn the dough so the seam side is up. Using a sharp knife, slice the dough into 8 to 10 pieces.
6. Place each piece into the prepared pan, then brush with the remaining melted shortening.
7. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, until tops are lightly golden and filling is bubbling.
8. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Then use a spatula to remove each roll individually; transfer to a cooling rack.
9. To make the icing, combine the ingredients in a bowl until smooth, adding additional non-dairy milk for desired consistency. (If icing gets too thin, add more confectioners sugar.) Pour, drizzle, or pipe the glaze over the rolls.
10. Serve warm. Store rolls in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat to serve.
11. Tip: Alternately, in lieu of a rolling pin, spread the dough into a rectangular shape using your hands.

Step by step pictures here.

-jenn

]]> http://thecinnamonquill.com/blog/2011/09/veganized-cinnamon-rolls/feed/ 20 http://thecinnamonquill.com/blog/2011/03/amped-up-vegan-gluten-free-lemon-bars-with-candied-meyer-lemons/ http://thecinnamonquill.com/blog/2011/03/amped-up-vegan-gluten-free-lemon-bars-with-candied-meyer-lemons/#comments Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:37:36 +0000 CQ Baker http://thecinnamonquill.com/blog/?p=1240

I always find it odd that lemons appear in quantity in the winter months; I always associate lemons with lemonade and consequently, with summer. But they are actually in season in the cold months, I get it! So, what better time to make lemon bars?

These aren’t any lemon bars, they are Amped Up Lemony Goodness Bars, and, they have candied Meyer lemons on top. And they are vegan. And gluten-free. And they can easily be key lime bars if the lemon components are switched out for lime juice and zest.

Inspired by conversations with a reader, Laurel (She is actually quite famous within the gluten-free blog circles…now if only she would start her own blog!), these bars have double the lemon filling. That’s right, the recipe is derived from Veganomicon’s vegan lemon bars, but here, I’ve halved the crust to fit in a smaller pan, but kept the full amount of filling. I’ve also reduced the amount of sugar by a smidgeon, just to ensure there is a fierce pop of lemony flavor. You can’t skimp on the good stuff. The candied lemons are optional, but they are so simple, why not just make them?

Agar is expensive, but totally worthwhile. I think it can be found cheaper at Asian grocery stores and if bought in bulk. It’s also flavorless and has no weird or (God forbid!) ‘healthy’ taste or texture. I am a believer.

Vegan Gluten-Free Lemon Bars with Candied Meyer Lemons

Adapted, graciously, from Veganomicon
As seen on: Wasabimon
Adapted by CinnamonQuill

Vegan/Egg-Free/Dairy-Free/Gluten-Free

*PDF Recipe*

Yield: One 8 or 9 inch square pan

Crust:
¼ cup millet flour
¼ cup brown rice flour
¼ cup tapioca starch
¼ cup potato starch
1 teaspoon guar gum
1/3 scant cup powdered sugar
½ cup organic shortening
2 Tablespoons non-dairy milk




Filling:

1 1/3 cups water

3 tablespoons agar agar flakes

1 cup light brown or raw sugar

2/3 cup fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons cornstarch or tapioca starch or potato starch

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from two large lemons)

1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk


Candied Lemons + Powdered sugar for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Oil an 8 or 9 inch square pan. Alternately, line the pan with parchment paper (for easy removal).


Mix all the crust ingredients in a mixer or food processor. It will look dry/crumbly. Transfer mixture into pan and press into an even layer, making the edges slightly higher than the rest. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, watching carefully. Remove it as soon as the edges are a bit golden brown. Let cool before adding filling (not sure if this matters).

In a saucepan, combine the agar agar and water for 15 minutes. Place pan over medium heat and bring to a boil; boil about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the agar has dissolved. Add the sugar and boil for 3 more minutes, until it has dissolved in the agar mixture.

Combine lemon juice and starch, stirring until starch dissolves. Add to agar-sugar mixture and lower heat. Add lemon zest and coconut milk and whisk constantly, until mixture thickens a bit, about 5-7 minutes. It should be bubbling, but not wildly boiling. The mixture may not seem terribly thick, but more syrupy; this is OK, it will thicken as it cools.

Pour the filling onto the crust; if some of the filling seems to seep under the crust, don’t worry, it will thicken and not affect the quality of the crust. Let cool for 20 minutes at room temperature, then refrigerate for 3-6 hours, until filling is set.

Top lemon bars with candied lemons and/or powdered sugar, if desired. Bars should be stored in refrigerator.

Candied Meyer Lemons

From: Biscuits and Such

2 Meyer lemons*, seeds removed, sliced thin (see photos)
1 cup water
1 cup sugar

Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add lemon slices and simmer 15-20 minutes, until lemons become kind of translucent. Remove lemons from water and let ‘dry’ on wax paper. Store in refrigerator. Eat profusely. Use the remaining syrup to make lemonade, perhaps?

*It looks like this recipe will work for limes too.

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