Vegan Shortbread

This is the recipe I found on the web. Apperantly it comes from PETA book.

Scotch Shortbread Cookies

1 cup vegan margarine
½ cup sugar
3 tsp almond extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 275
Cream the margarine and gradually add the sugar. Stir in the extract.
Work in the flour ½ cup at a time.
On a floured board knead the dough for at least 10 minutes.
Pat and roll the dough so it is ½ inch thick.

After I just made random shapes out of the dough and put the on the ungreased cookie sheet, leaving at least 1 inch spaces between them.

Poke each piece 2 or 3 times with a fork and bake for 30 minutes or until the cookies become slightly golden brown around the edges.

Viennese Coffee Balls

Another recipe from "100 Best Cookies"

2 cups crushed shortbread cookies
1-1/4 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 cup finely chopped nuts
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons instant coffee crystals or instant espresso powder 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 to 5 tablespoons brewed espresso or strong coffee, or water
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
Sifted powdered sugar (optional)

Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl combine crushed cookies, the 1-1/4 cups powdered sugar, the nuts, cocoa powder, coffee crystals, and cinnamon. Add brewed espresso, coffee, or water, using just enough to moisten.
2. Form into 1-1/4-inch balls. Roll generously in the 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Place on a sheet of waxed paper and let stand until dry (about 1 hour). Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Before serving, roll again in powdered sugar, if desired. Makes about 30 cookies.

NOTE: I loved making and eating these chocolate-coffe balls. Some people found them too sweet ....... what do they know!!!! ;)

Rating: 4 1/2 yums yums

Apricot-Sage Cookies

This is the recipe from "100 best cookies" magazine - a special issue from "Better Homes and Gardens". I've veganized it by using coconut oil and vegan margarine (Earth Balance) instead of butter. I've also used soy milk and egg replacer.


1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup vegan butter
2 tablespoons snipped fresh sage, lemon thyme, or rosemary, or 2 teaspoons dried sage or rosemary, crushed
3 tablespoons soy milk
1 tablespoon water
Fresh sage leaves (optional)
Sugar
2 tablespoons apricot preserves

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium bowl stir together flour, sugar, and cornmeal. Using a pastry blender, cut in "butter" until mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling. Stir in fresh herb. Add milk and stir with a fork to combine. Form mixture into a ball and knead until smooth. Divide dough in half.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough at a time until 1/8 inch thick. Using a 2-1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out dough.
3. If desired, top half of the cutouts with one or two small sage leaves. Sprinkle with sugar. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake about 7 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are very lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.
5. Snip any large pieces of fruit in apricot preserves. Spread the bottoms of cookies without sage leaves with preserves. Top with sage-topped cookies, flat sides down. Makes 16 sandwich cookies.
To Store: Place in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze unfilled cookies up to 3 months. Thaw cookies; fill.

NOTES:
The cookies should be fairly thin. Experiment with a couple to get the right thickness of the dough.
Most of the sage leaves of my cookies dried up in the oven so I just sprinkled them with granulated sugar.
Be generous with the apricot preserve!!!

Rating: 5 yums!