Category Archives: Cookies

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Pretzel Cookies

4 Replies

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Pretzel Cookies | Veggie and the Beast

I just can’t even deal right now.

For over a year I’ve been thinking about this recipe that I found on Pinterest. All my life I’ve loved peanut butter cups in a big, bad way, but I rarely buy them because 1) I usually prefer baked goods to candy and 2) Reese’s didn’t make the dark chocolate variety until fairly recently. In fact, before Reese’s started making dark chocolate peanut butter cups, I threatened frequently (like probably once a week) to write in requesting the dark chocolate variety. Well, now I’ve made dark chocolate peanut butter cups, but in a cookie and with PRETZELS. WHAT.

A few weeks ago I saw these Salted Chocolate-Pretzel Peanut Butter Cookies on Oh, Ladycakes, and I haven’t been able to get the idea of “pretzel flour” out of my head since. Eventually I started thinking about how great it would be to roll cookie dough in this pretzel flour…and then I remembered the peanut butter stuffed cookies. Let’s just say that things got crazy.

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Pretzel Cookies | Veggie and the Beast Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Pretzel Cookies | Veggie and the Beast

I knew I wanted to incorporate melted unsweetened chocolate, because it’s so much richer and more satisfying than cocoa powder alone could ever be. That being said, I still added cocoa powder and chocolate chips for even more chocolate flavor (overachiever, I know). Then I fluffed peanut butter and powdered sugar together, stuffed it all in a cookie, and rolled it in pulverized pretzel crumbs…and then I died of joy.

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Pretzel Cookies | Veggie and the Beast

I could chalk this combination of ridiculousness up to hormones. Or the fact that The Beast was out of town and I could make the kitchen as messy as I wanted without judgment or guilt (and boy-oh-boy did it ever get messy). It’s my nature to make excuses, but really…take my weakness for salty sweet things and make it your strength, because if you have dark chocolate peanut butter cup pretzel cookies in your hands, is there anything you can’t accomplish right now?

Continue reading →

Almond Butter Oatmeal and Cherry Cookies

2 Replies

Almond Butter Oatmeal Spelt Cookies from Veggie and the Beast

Oh 3pm, you’re so predictable. All other hours of my workday at least provide some variety to my thought processes, but not you, 3pm. You’re all about the antsy, boredom, will-this-day-ever-end cravings. No matter how much I stuff myself with a hearty and nutritious lunch, you’re going to make me twiddle my fingers until I find something delicious for them to grasp, aren’t you?

The form of these cravings changes day-to-day. I used to want chips, and then I went through a phase where I would just spoon peanut butter out of the jar (note: dangerous), but lately I’ve been all about sweets. Specifically, I want a baked good. At 3pm. Every damn day. Sure, a decadent midday baked good is fine every-so-often, but everyday? Get your head out of the sugary, cotton candy clouds, Katie.

Almond Butter Oatmeal Spelt Cookies from Veggie and the Beast

I do, however, heartily believe in the power of an afternoon pick-me-up. Sometimes you just neeeed that boost to get through the final couple hours of the workday. Which brings me to these cookies. I made them on Monday night when I realized I shouldn’t deny myself the baked goodness, but perhaps I could make a healthier option than what’s in the cupboards at work (i.e. Famous Amos).

These have everything I love in a cookie: thick, chewy, and full of texture, plus they’re packed with maple syrup and almond butter, which are two of my favorite things. I’ve been eating them around 3pm at work this week and they definitely help me appease the late-afternoon ants in my pants.

Almond Butter Oatmeal Spelt Cookies from Veggie and the Beast

I only recently began baking with spelt flour, and I think I’m in love. It’s a whole grain flour, but it’s high in protein, easy to digest, and packed with nutrients. The flavor is nutty and similar to whole wheat, but I find it slightly more mild, which can make a big difference in the taste of your baked goods.

To boost the benefits beyond spelt, I used a small amount of coconut oil for the fat, then added applesauce, peanut butter, and maple syrup for extra moisture and flavor. The oats add fiber and texture, while the dried cherries bring some tartness to the mix.

Almond Butter Oatmeal Spelt Cookies from Veggie and the Beast

These cookies are vegan, but if you’d rather use a regular egg than a chia/flax egg I’m sure that would be fine. The other ingredients can also be tweaked to your liking; swap out the almond butter for peanut butter (or any other nut butter), replace the cherries with other dried fruits, nuts, or chocolate chips (which I MUST try next). Obviously, if you try any different combinations, let me know!
Continue reading →

Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Avocado Cookies

7 Replies

Vegan Avocado and Peanut Butter Cookies from Veggie and the Beast

I’ve had a huge sweet tooth lately. HUGE. Recently I’ve been just going to Pinterest, typing in “Desserts,” and seeing what happens.

Note: I do NOT recommend doing this.

Per usual, my sweet tooth hones in on two things: chocolate and peanut butter. I don’t even care what the context is; if the party includes chocolate and peanut butter, I’m there.

Vegan Avocado and Peanut Butter Cookies from Veggie and the Beast

Take these cookies, for instance, which were the result of a few rounds of kitchen experimentation and dumb luck. I’ve been wanting to make vegan cookies for a while, but felt a bit intimidated by the idea, because there are many things to consider. To help you navigate vegan baking, here are the usual non-vegan ingredients, and their vegan solutions.

  • Butter: Since butter is a dairy product, it’s clearly not vegan. Vegan cookies require a different source of fat and moisture. Solution: Earth Balance (or other buttery spread) and avocado*.
  • Sugar: White sugar is often not vegan-friendly, because many US cane sugar refineries use animal bone char in the manufacturing process. Solution: Sucanat (stands for Sugar Cane Natural) is a great substitute for white sugar. It is a bit sweeter than regular sugar, so in these cookies I added extra salt to balance out the sweetness.
  • Eggs: In non-vegan cookies, eggs bind the ingredients, add moisture, and add some leavening. Solution: Flax eggs for moisture and binding, and a touch of baking powder to help the cookies rise.
  • Chocolate chips: Most chocolate chips are made with milk or non-vegan sugar. Solution: Buy vegan chocolate chips! Simple.

*After using avocado as a partial butter substitute for cookies last year, I knew it could do the job, but you’re probably looking at me like I’m a crazy person right now, so let’s break it down. Most importantly, these cookies do NOT taste like avocado. The avocado simply takes the place of half the butter/margarine, adds good fats, and fills the cookies with moisture and richness.

Vegan Avocado and Peanut Butter Cookies from Veggie and the Beast

Now that we’re done with all the explanations, let’s get to the good stuff; I love a fat cookie, and these fit the bill. They’re super soft, thick, fluffy, cakey, packed with dark chocolate and peanut butter. Prrrrrfection.

I suspect that these cookies can make a believer out of anyone who is wary of vegan baked goods. The Beast, my very non-vegan coworkers, and The Beast’s mom all devoured these cookies, despite their vegan-ness. Whether you are vegan, have a friend who is vegan, or just want a slightly healthier option for your dessert cravings, you must, MUST try these.
Continue reading →