The Best Cookies (p.s. they're vegan)

This post needs no narration -- just photos, recipe, and a strong recommendation that you bake these cookies pronto. And a thanks to the co-worker who shared the cookies, then sent the recipe!

These really are the best cookies I've made in a long time, not just the best vegan cookies. If you're not drawn to vegan stuff, just ignore that part and grab a mixing bowl.


Happy Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Use vegan versions of these ingredients if you like. If you're not vegan, just use normal stuff. I'm not really sure what vegan flour, vanilla, or sugar are, anyway.

• 2 C unbleached flour
  
• 2 tsp baking powder
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 1/5 to 2 C Chocolate chips
• 1 C sugar (my co-worker used 1/2 sugar, 1/2 agave)
  
• 1/2 C canola or vegetable oil
  
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 C water (I needed more -- try 1/4 C first, then another T or 2 as needed)

Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. Pre-heat your oven to 350. This recipe requires just a whisk and spoon for mixing, two bowls, and the baking sheet -- no heavy mixer necessary.

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients except sugar (I accidentally included the sugar in this step, and everything turned out fine). Add chips. Make a well in the center and set aside. In another bowl, mix sugar and oil well, then add vanilla and water. Mix well. Add to dry ingredients. Mix well, but be careful not to overwork it (this is why I would not use your fancy Kitchenaid mixer for this recipe).

Drop by bablespoons onto cookie sheets. I use Exopat baking sheets, as seen in the photos below -- nothing sticks, ever! They're worth the investment.


Bake for 4 minutes, rotate sheets and bake another 4-6 minutes. As with most chocolate chip cookies, you'll want to remove them when they seem just barely underdone, since they'll harden a bit as they cool. Allow them to cool for a couple moments before transferring to a wire rack; this is another reason silicone baking sheets are helpful -- you can remove the full Exopat sheet from the metal baking pan, letting the first batch of cookies cool faster and starting your next batch on a second Exopat.

2 Teaspoons, Meet Joe Black (and my peanut butter cookies)

So I watched Meet Joe Black for the first time ever tonight (how did I miss this film??), and among other exciting moments, we see Brad Pitt discovering peanut butter. Which of course makes one want a spoonful of peanut butter right this instant.

Fortunately, I had the last three of these no-bake chocolate and peanut butter oatmeal bars in the freezer. I recommend "blending" the peanut butter layer ingredients in the food processor -- it may take away some of the oatmeal texture, but it made the process super speedy. Storing in the freezer has two benefits: 1, it ensures non-melty chocolate and 2) it keeps the bars semi-hidden, and therefore they last longer.

Super easy to make. Ideal for peanut butter lovers. You hear that, Brad?

Chocolate-Ginger Brownies

It felt like a cookie-baking night, so I got out my Martha Stewart's Cookies to browse. The book looks small, but has a ton of recipes (some traditional, some new, most interesting and reliable) and a very helpful photo table of contents that makes searching for the perfect treat very easy.

 

When I saw the Chocolate-Ginger Brownies I was sold. Perhaps not quite a cookie, but close enough. And with ginger, cinnamon, ground clove, and nutmeg (lots extra, in my kitchen), it has some familiar wintery flavors. And, while brownies always take a disappointingly long time to bake, this recipe is super quick and simple and only dirties one pot.