Desserts

Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap: Chestnut Sweet Red Bean Ginger Cookies

Fresh From the Oven and Ready for the Journey

“Vegan Gremlins – The Second Cousin to the Monster Cookie” from Happy to be a Table of Two

We were so excited to be receiving cookies!

First up was the “Vegan Gremlins  – The Second Cousin to the Monster Cookie” from Happy to be a Table of Two. The combination of chocolate, dried fruit, and oats, served with a cup of vegan nog and a Christmas movie and I was in heaven.

“Vegan Gingerbread Biscotti” from My Naturally Frugal Family

Second, came the “Vegan  Gingerbread Biscotti” from My Naturally Frugal Family. Oh boy, my ginger that I love so much was ever present. Those lovely treats with a hot cup of carob, really hit the spot.

“Pumpkin Pie Cookies and “Almond- Cardamom Cookies” from Bites and Bytes

Third, I received a choice of two cookies. A pumpkin pie cookie and an almond – cardamom cookie from Bites and Bytes. Both cookies had great flavors. The pumpkin pie cookies were moist, bursting with pumpkin and chocolate. While the almond – cardamom cookie was light yet held it’s own as a slight almond citrusy flavor with a hot cup Lady Grey tea.

Chestnut Sweet Red Bean Ginger Cookies

Once again, I’ve joined many Food Bloggers to flex my baking muscles to create a cookie recipe for The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap 2012.

Every year, I must have the wonderful spicy taste that ginger cookies bring. Yet, when I sat down to come up with the cookie my mind went blank as to how would I make a great ginger cookie. With a roasted chestnut cracked and primed for my mouth.  Slowly, I  took a bite  of the chestnut as I closed my eyes and savored the smooth creamy nut. A vision of sweet red bean paste in a sweet gingery bun called to me.  So, I set out to bring them to life in the form of a cookie to share in the cookie swap.

Chestnut Sweet Red Bean Ginger Cookies

Enjoy Happy Holidays!

Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap: Chestnut Sweet Red Bean Ginger Cookies

Ingredients

  • ½ cup brown sugar or Wholesome Sweetner Coconut Palm Sugar
  • ¼ cup chestnut paste
  • 1 ½ teaspoon egg replacer + 2 tablespoons warm water
  • 2 tablespoons raw blue agave
  • 2 tablespoons rice milk
  • 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ cup adzuki beans
  • ¼ cup agave
  • 3 ½ cups water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

    For Sweet Read Bean Paste:
  1. Place washed adzuki beans into a saucepan. Add agave, water, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 ½ hours to 2 hours. Once cooled place into blender or food processor and puree until smooth. If the mixture doesn’t taste sweet enough for you, add more agave to sweeten to your taste. Place into refrigerator until ready to use.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°.
  3. For Cookie Preparation:
  4. Beat together sugar and chestnut paste. Whisk together egg replacer and warm water until frothy, add to sugar chestnut mixture, along with agave and rice milk. Beat until smooth. Mix together flour, baking powder and soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon with a whisk. Beat together sugar chestnut mixture and flour mixture until blended. Place into refrigerator until firm.
  5. Using a tablespoon measuring spoon or melon baller to scoop out dough. Roll into balls. Put an indention into each dough ball with your thumb. Add ½ teaspoon of bean paste into the indention. Seal dough around the paste. Flatten cookie in your hand. Place on cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove cookies and place on wire rack to cool.
https://www.beyondnfinity.com/great-food-blogger-cookie-swap-chestnut-sweet-red-bean-ginger-cookies/

 

The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap – Vegan Cookies

I can not believe that I forget to post about the WONDERFUL cookies I received in The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap!

They all came on the same day! Oh joy!

We gathered around our goodies ready to taste each cookie and taste we did!

The first cookie package we opened came in a beautifully decorated container of different shades of gold. We lifted the lid and there inside were “Maple- Frosted Pumpkin Spice” Cookies!

These cookies had a deep spicy pumpkin flavor that was soft like pillows when you bit into them. The frosting added to that softness with just a kiss of maple.

The next cookie we dove into were “Vegan Nog” Cookies!

These also were soft and frosted. a wonderful warming spicy nog flavor that complimented my nog, cider, and hot chocolate.

The final package of cookies were “What the He$%!” Cookies! Yes, you read that right. You read “What the Hell!” And that is exactly what I said when I opened them.

These had so many flavor nodes that blended so well that all I needed was a glass of almond milk.

None of the cookies lasted longer than a few days, if that. We gobbled them up real quick and brought smiles to our faces.

We are so ready the next cookie swap!

Cranberry Macadamia Buttons

When I first read about The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap of 2011, I imagined not receiving any cookies simply because I am vegan. No animal products and by-products. The way I eat is not about diet, it is a lifestyle. It touches every area of your life.

So I gave The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap another look. I decided that what was really important was to give and share than to be selfish and just want to receive.

Now in my excitement, I half read everything. I am not a baker; cooking is more my speed. The blending of herbs and spices, dreaming up dishes, even creating teas is an adventure of pure culinary delights. All of my cookbooks, magazines, recipe cards, and booklets came out to dream about anything and everything Christmas cookies and bars until I could not look at another treat. Then it hit me! I’ll create my own cookie with elements from cookies that I love. The result?

Cranberry Macadamia Buttons!

In creating these cookies, I wanted to do something just a bit different. Instead of using a non-dairy butter or oil, I chose to use a buttery nut – the macadamia nut. Instead of unbleached granulated sugar, I chose to use agave. To replace the egg, I used Ener-G egg replacer, yet you can use a flax seed or chia seed egg replacement. Just know that flax will add flavor, whereas the chia seeds will not.

The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap 2011 Cranberry Macadamia Buttons

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 22 minutes

Yield: 30-36 cookies

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup macadamia nuts
  • 1/2 cup agave
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg replacer ( 1 1/2 teaspoon Ener-G egg replacer & 2 tablespoons water)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
  • 1/4 cup pistachios, chopped (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Cookies
  3. Place macadamia nuts into food processor.
  4. Process until smooth.
  5. Remove macadamia nut butter from processor.
  6. Place into mixing bowl.
  7. Add agave and salt.
  8. Whip.
  9. Add egg replacer and vanilla.
  10. Mix.
  11. In a separate bowl mix together baking soda, all-purpose flour, and dried cranberries.
  12. Add flour mixture to macadamia nut butter mixture.
  13. Mix until combined.
  14. With a teaspoon measuring spoon, scoop dough.
  15. Oil hands with non-dairy butter.
  16. Roll dough into balls and press slightly with hands, fingers, or oiled glass.
  17. Or roll dough balls into sugar.
  18. Press with a glass.
  19. Bake for 8-12 minutes, check after 10 minutes.
  20. Cool for 10 minutes.
  21. Enjoy!

Notes

The batter will be a stiff, there is not a need to refrigerate. You can bake them right away. Once cookies are in the oven, check them after 10 minutes of baking. They may bee ready. Bake cookies to your liking.

https://www.beyondnfinity.com/256/

Happy Holidays!