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Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar!-Official Review Thread

I don't have this book yet, but I wanted to be the one to start the thread!

I just ordered it.  There are two of the recipes on Isa's blog and they sound yummy.  Mexican hot chocolate snickerdoodles and almond pine nut ones.  

Is anyone else getting it?  

I am usurping AC's job and will do the reviews (to be updated). AC has re-usurped (from AC).

Drop Cookies
Banana Everything Cookies  
There's so much "everything" (well, really, oats) in these cookies that it almost seems not right to call them banana cookies. Maybe oat banana cookies. Anyway, I doubled the chocolate chips (still not a ton), and they're pretty good. Not overly sweet, kind of soft/chewy textured... basically an oatmeal cookie. They could pass for "breakfast," maybe without the chocolate. With the nuts they'd probably be a bit granola/trail mix like. (fb)
I really like these. I made some changes, and they seem very versatile. I used 2 small bananas, and 1/3 cup applesauce for the oil (plus just like a tbs of oil for good measure). She states that the breakfast version is just no chocolate, and added flax. I left the chips in, and added the flax, and I think they are great for breakfast. Not too sweet at all, chewy, flavorful. I think there's a great balance of all the flavors. It might have been the applesauce, but mine didn't spread at all. They pretty much stay however you drop them, so keep that in mind. I like them for a healthy type cookie. (AC)
Cams and I made these with whole wheat flour.  He made them a little larger than I normally would and they turned out great!  Each cookie was about 2 inches across.  They were quick and easy and everyone loved them!  (lotus)
These turned out less cakey than I expected (as banana cookies always tend to do), and that pleased me. There was just enough hint of banana that the banana-lovers were pleased, but it wasn't so overwhelming that the non-banana-lovers weren't turned off. I could stand more chocolate chips next time. Good recipe.  (veganrun)
Good cookie! I made these at the same time as the Banana Split cupcakes from VCTOTW (which asks for a pureed banana), so before-hand I blended two bananas together with a little almond milk and used half for this recipe. I also added about 2/3 cup of slivered almonds I had around instead of the walnuts, and flattened them after scooping onto the pan with the back of a wet measuring cup. I used the recipe amount of chips, but I agree that there's a lot of oaty-ness! They coul be considered more of a banana-tinged oatmeal cookie, but I think it can swing either way depending on the add-ins you use. Anyway, make these! (sog)
Brekky Banana Cookies

Blackstrap Gingersnaps
I had every intention of going to the store today, and getting a few things to make these correctly, but that didn't happen..and I made them anyway. I ALWAYS buy blackstrap molasses, but when I needed it last time, they were out. I had to get the other kind from bulk...golden? So, I had to use that for the cookies. I also used whole wheat pastry flour (as always). The other big thing-I didn't have enough oil, so I used melted EB. I was thinking the cookies would REALLY spread because of this, so I didn't really flatten them out much at all, but they didn't spread much at all! They are almost not even snappy enough. I also added some fresh ginger. Something was lacking in the flavor, but I'm not sure what (the different molasses? not sweet enough?). I definitely can't fault the recipe, since I didn't follow it, but I hope to make them correctly some day. Not bad, but not my favorite. (AC)
Molasses is not a common sweetener at all in my country. We can't buy that in regular grocery stores, so I bought mine in special store. I'm not used to its flavour and propably because of that the cookie dough smelled and tasted a bit funny. But after taking the cookies out of the oven, they were very nice. I also used fresh ginger for the cookies, because I didn't have the grounded one. I suppose the cookies were better that way. (kamomilla)
Everyone in my family loved these! My dad and grandparents hate the idea of "vegan" and healthy food. They had NO idea. Granny thought that they tasted just like the type she used to have when she was little, and my Grandfather agreed. They are so delicious. I would not recommend making them with normal molasses, by the way. I mean, I never made them without the called-for blackstrap molesses so...yeah. I wouldn't really know how they would turn out otherwise. But follow the directions as-is and they'll be perfect...believe me (dannibazaar)
I used regular (golden) molasses, since I couldn't get any blackstrap. I was kind of unsure about the whole "4 heaping teaspoons" for the ginger (I wish there was a more precise measurement!), but mine weren't as spicy as some gingerbread/gingersnaps that I've had (but that's ok). They were pretty soft when they came out of the oven, and they got chewy after cooling down completely. I really like them, and I don't think subbing golden for blackstrap takes too much away from the gingersnap experience. (fb)
These had a really nice flavor.  I really like ginger, so I think I will add some fresh next time in addition to the powder.  They were pretty chewy after they cooled, so I may cook them a minute or two longer to see if they crisp up a little bit. (lotus)
my parents loved them. I ended up putting in a bit too much ginger by accident, but these turned out fabulously. They would make good presents for the holidays. (Idrilasphodel)
These were simple to make and quite tasty, but they began to burn a little while baking.  I would either lower the temperature or reduce baking time.   (peaceablepalate)
These are decent, but nothing special. I used half AP and half WW Pastry flour. Something about the flavor is off, but I think it may be my powdered ginger as I have had this problem with other powdered ginger-containing things with this particular one I have. I think I accidentally added too much molasses, as the flavor was also overwhelming in the end product. I ended up making a flood glaze for them to mask some of the weirdness, but I couldn't bring myself to give these out as Christmas goodies. (sog)
Carrot Raisin Spice Chewies
After reading the name of these I figured they would be epic. They were less than epic. I omitted raisins (probably would have changed the texture), and I didn't like the coconut in them. I'm more of a only-carrots carrot cake person, and I also thought it coulda used more spice.  (fb)
I thought these were delicious. I was expecting them to spread more on their own, because she says to keep them 2" apart, and doesn't mention flattening. They spread very little, and stayed slightly puffy. The texture wasn't really cakey, though..just not quite as chewy as I would like. The raisins did make them chewy, though. I loved the spice mixture; thought it was perfect for the cookies. I don't taste the coconut a whole lot, which is always disappointing. I added a tiny splash of extra almond milk, because she said the dough should be sticky. I used pecans instead of walnuts, and didn't do the glaze. They baked in just about 14. (AC)
Cherry Almond Cookies
I made these for a bakesale a few weeks ago and they were incredibly popular! I didn't have any dried cherries (WF only had organic super fancy ones that were about 11$ a lb) so I went with cranberries. They definitely tasted like almond extract so, if that's something you like then I'd recommend these. They were pretty sweet which makes me think tart cherries would have been fantastic in here. (owalkerjillo)
Oh yeah, these are good.  I didn't have almond extract, so I subbed coconut ex.  The flavors go together so nicely.  I really like using brown sugar in cookies.  It adds a certain kick.  Right out of the oven, these are pretty soft and chewy.  I was too excited to wait until they cooled to taste, so I don't know if they'll harden a little bit as they cool.  They are so yummy.  I will definitely be making these again! (lotus)
These kind of feel like a healthy cookie because of the fruit and nuts. The dough is mostly like a chocolate chip cookie dough (it'd probably work well to that end), and I liked the extra flavor that the almond extract added.  (fb)
I bought this book for my daughter about a month ago and we're totally hooked on the Cherry Almond Cookies.  She's made like 5 batches of them (using cranberries).  I gave some away at work (because they were starting to interfere with my rawness) and now everyone who ate one is asking if my daughter will make them a batch.  They really are awesome! (storm)
I wasn't sure about this but it had high reviews. I don't think I've had a cherry almond cookie before. Plus, I'm extremely thankful for a cookie that doesn't use Earth Balance since soy and I are not agreeing lately and Walmart was out of the soy-free version. This was a delicious cookie that I made way too big but the cherries and almond slivers are big. I used bing cherries from Trader Joe's and they were good. Not too sweet. Great balance of flavor and addicting. They're pretty and festive looking too. (digifoo)
This is another recipe that I used as a base. I made them into cranberry/raisin/orange/almond..and they are delicious! Very flexible, and the almond flavor is great. (AC)
One of my favorite cookies of all time.  Also a favorite amongst coworkers.  The recipe calls for both vanilla and almond extract, as well as dried cherries and slivered almonds. The end result is a delicious cookie that's ideal for special occasions. (kindnesstoall)
This is a nice change of pace from the usual drop cookie, but still really easy to make and they look and taste much fancier than the time I took to make them. Yummy! I think I might add some chocolate chips at some point, just because.  (veganrun)
Chocolate Chip Cookies
These are the best chocolate chip cookies of all time (for real). They DO have crinkly tops, and they are soft, and rich, and just..perfect. P requests them every possible mention of a dessert. He was "upset" that I'm not making them today, after I mentioned all the new cookie choices to make from the book. I definitely recommend using the tapioca flour, as I've made them with cornstarch, and they aren't quite the same. You also do need to whisk the wet ingredients vigorously to get that caramel like texture. My dough always comes out quite wet, so I sometimes add a bit more flour. Don't add too much, because they don't come out the same. The best! (AC)
I followed this recipe exactly, which if you ever saw me cook you would know this is almost unheard of! These turned out so very very good. Soft, moist, flavorful and satisfying.  I will be making these again and again. My only and silly complaint is that you only get 16 cookies out of the batch!  Must make more. (cali)
Notes about the Chocolate chip cookies.  If you plan on having only one pan in the oven, put the dough in the fridge.  Otherwise your next batch, in 14 minutes (9 to bake and 5 to rest the first) will be a bit oily and end up lacy.  Still delish but different in texture and consistency.   Also you can refrigerate and freeze the dough and it turns out just fabulously as just mixed dough.  I tried all of the above and found the refrigerator dough was just like the first pan of cookies. Neato! (cali)
I got the chocolate chip cookie recipe from the blog and followed it exactly.  they are everything you said and more. the brown sugar!, the vanilla! the crunchiness (lightly crisp edges)!! the gooeyness!!! the cookie dough was amazing and the cookies even more amazing.  they are perfect and made me sooo happy.  thank you forever.  (thirteenblackbirds)
I'm a little iffy with the results...I mean they aren't bad...but they weren't great. The dough was really really sticky so I couldn't roll them (they dropped just fine though...), and they were really chewing and dense in texture...not what I was really expecting. And I could only get 14 cookies out of the batch...NO idea how anyone was to actually get two dozen...wow. Probably won't make them again. Even though people do like the sweet taste. {dannibazaar)
Mixed reviews.  I liked these, husband did not.  He is a big fan of the Nestle Tollhouse recipe, though, and any deviation from that is seen as bad.  I was impressed at the texture achieved without the use of any shortening.  They were chewy and not cakey.  I hate cakey cookies. They had a nice flavor but nothing special, though, so I probably wouldn't make them again. (vegrunski)
They are sooo delish! I subbed cornstarch for the tapioca starch. I also doubled the batch and it made 36 good-sized cookies. I cooked the first batch for 9 minutes and the second batch for 8 minutes, and I think the 8-min ones were better -- softer in the middle. Yum! I agree with an earlier reviewer, though - the second batch definitely got oily in the bowl before I could cook them, but I didn't notice any difference in taste or anything. (lebkuchen)
I'm not so sure about this one. I've always been a bit wary of oil-based recipes due to a bad cookie experience in the past (Vegan Planet), but I wanted to try these based on the reviews. I thought the dough was really greasy and runny, so I added a bit more flour. Fresh out of the oven, I still thought they were greasy and gross--and usually this is when most cookies are at their finest! I let them cool, and the greasy factor went away, but I'm still not in love with them. They're definitely not bad, but there's still not quite what I am looking for, I guess. Z really likes them, but he has never disliked a cookie recipe, ever. So, I'd say they're worth making to see if they are your cup of tea. (veganrun)
I always have problems with these, for some reason. They're always really really oil-y. I think next time I make these I'll cut back on the oil. (dannibazaar)
I stand by these cookies being great (I've made them many times), but it does irritate me that they are SO fickle. They pretty much come out differently for me every time. (AC)
These were very good, and classic! Everyone loved them and I get requests for them all the time. (Idrilasphodel)
I was pleasantly surprised by how great these cookies taste. I wasn't expecting much from an oil-based cookie. They are thinner, not cakey, cookies. Soft and chewy with caramel touches. Wonderful chocolate chip-to-cookie dough ratio. They reminded me a little of the chocolate chip cookies  at Subway that I bought during my pre-vegan days. I followed AC's advice and used tapioca flour instead of cornstarch. Minor recipe adjustments. I used a KitchenAid mixer, instead of doing it the punk rock way, to help me mix the brown sugar and oil more quickly to a caramel-like texture. I couldn't stomach the 2/3 cup oil this recipe called for. So I subbed a couple tablespoons of oil with applesauce. Next time I will try a little more applesauce because the cookies still left oil on my fingertips. My omnivorous coworkers didn't seem to care though. They loved them. (saskia)
This is the closest I've found to the traditional recipe.  Chewy and delicious. (kindnesstoall)
These are even better than Mom's (sorry Mom)!  I had to tweak the temperature and baking time with this recipe.  The recipe calls for baking these cookies at 350 degrees for 8 to 9 minutes.  This seemed to work for the first batch, but after the dough sat a bit, the temperature had to be adjusted to avoid burning.  I ended up baking them a little longer at a lower temperature (10 mins @ 325 degrees), and that seemed to do the trick. (peaceablepalate)
These were delicious!  Many non-vegans liked these.  If you could add butter extract (is there such a thing that’s vegan?) they’d be perfect. However, I really do like this recipe.  (I made with cornstarch and molasses+sugar instead of brown sugar. (conniex)
These were awesome!! I only made a half batch today, 18 cookies, but there are none left, lol! We all loved them! My dough was a little thin and I definitely think putting it in the fridge first would help that. Regardless, they came out amazing and my family wants me to make them again! Oh, and I used chocolate almond milk because it's all I had. (abrimmer)
Just wanted to say that I followed the advice of a previous poster (Cali) to refrigerate the cookie dough in between batches, and with awesome results!  The second batch turned out exactly like the first batch, and everybody loved them! (peaceablepalate)
These turned out great!  The flavor is awesome, and I don't miss the taste of butter at all.  A few notes: I used a KitchenAid mixer with the whisk attachment and beat the liquids for a full two minutes.  I also added between 1-2 T extra flour to make the batter less runny.  It was still a little bit soft in the end, but I didn't want to add too much flour and change the taste.  Contrary to the instructions, I was not able to roll them into balls. (I just dropped them onto the pan from a small ice cream scoop.)  I also used the convection setting on my oven at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes, and they got golden brown the whole way around the cookie, not just the edges.  Really yummy. (dcocc)
I am impressed! The slightly reflective crunchy outside is perfect. I baked mine for 11 minutes, but I think my oven might run a little cool. I would have liked to leave them in the oven to develop more of a golden color but the texture at 11 mins is absolutely perfect. There is something I sort of miss from the flavor which I think may just be earth balance. However, these are still a near perfect chocolate chip cookie, and one of my favorites. I followed the recipe exactly and got 21 cookies using my cookie scoop. (sog)
Made these again too, but the batter for some reason was very runny. I made them using the same whisk method as before, so I really don't know what was up. I think next time I'll use less oil and see what happens, cause most of them were all weird and oily in the centers. The ones that were less oil pit-ish though were just as delicious as before. (sog)
Chocolate Fudgy Oatmeal Cookies
These were a huge hit with my family.  I made them for a football tailgate and they all disappeared pretty fast!  They're a little crumbly, but still get a big thumbs up. (icephrosty)
These remind me of the chocolate brownie flavor of clif bar, except without all the vitamins and rice syrup. It's pretty good, but it doesn't really stand out to me. Without chocolate chips, it could probably pass as a "breakfast cookie." (fb)
Just ho-hum.  They were good, but not great.  The almond extract gave them a weird aftertaste.  It was pure almond extract - I think my husband and I just don't like almond extract in chocolate things, since we've had this problem before.  The cookies were a bit crumbly, but not too bad. (vegrunski)
I think I solved the crumbling issue that I had before.  Flattening the dough before baking is definitely the way to go.  This time I used 1 T scoops of dough instead of 2 T and reduced the baking time to 8 min.  I left out the almond extract because I find it very distracting in these cookies, so I used coffee extract instead!  Coconut milk made them extra decadent and fudgy. (icephrosty)
I followed the recipe, but it turns out I forgot the salt! They are good, but taste they like are missing something (the salt). Even with salt, they wouldn't be magnificent. Mine aren't crumbly at all, and they were fudgy when warm. I didn't want to leave the oven on long, so I made 15 large cookies, and flattened them a bit. They did satisfy my chocolate craving, but not one of my favorite cookies ever. Good, though. update-after being in a container overnight, these are definitely crumbly! Pretty much have to eat them in pieces. If you're going to share these, and care about what they look like, I suggest storing them flat, and non touching (if that would even help). Yummy, though. (AC)
I wasn't really impressed with these. They tasted a little boring, like chocolate and oats, but nothing much more than the sum of its parts. I don't think I'd probably make these again. Oh, and weird, I had to bake them quite a bit longer than the recipe called for to get them to set up. They were all eaten up, though.  (veganrun)
I liked these, but I'm not amazed by them. I didn't use almond extract (didn't have any), used regular oats, and flattened the tops before baking. They were mid-fugdy, definitely leaning more towards cakey-crumbly. They sat on the back of the stove in an open container overnight/the next day and were more crumbly then. My mom liked them, but was sort of so-so as well. I think they need more chocolate chips! Or maybe I'm just not a huge fan of the cocoa-oat base. (sog)
Chocolaty Crinkle Cookies
made them following the recipe carefully and using the recommened substitution of Organic Brown Rice Syrup instead of Corn Syrup.  I had to add maybe an extra 1/3 cup of rice milk because the dough was too dry. They looked a little less "crinkily" than the picture in the book, but thats expected w/out using the corn syrup. They tasted great-thin, chewy in the middle and crispy on the top....Yummy! They would be good to bring to a party or dinner. (babysgotsauce)
amazing!!! The only thing is that I used regular corn syrup instead of dark corn syrup. The cookies did not spread as much as the picture in the book shows, but they did crinkle, and they did taste quite delectable. They have a moist, fudgy brownie texture in the middle and are slightly crisp on the outside. I wonder if the fact that I used regular corn syrup affected the spreading? However, I'd be afraid to seek out dark corn syrup because these cookies turned out oh so tasty the way I made them. I actually made a batch for my husband to take to class with him, and they gobbled them up and had know idea they were vegan. He's still getting comments on how great they were a few weeks later! (rdetterline)
mine didn't come out as white as the picture (kinda grey), but it still had a crunchy/crispy crust of sugar. Also, these aren't cookies; they are moist fudgey rich delicious brownies in cookie form. It's a very soft dough when handling, almost sticky, but it wasn't too bad coating them in the sugars. I didn't press them down at all, and they were still sort of mounds when they came out. The black cocoa adds a great richness to this. (fb)
These are rich, fudgey cookies.  I was baking them for gifts and my dad sampled one.  He told me I could not send them out because they were too good.  Instead of the dark corn syurp I used light and molasses for the maple syurp. These may become a regular.  (monkey7)
Delicious.  I used light corn syrup because that's what I had.  Mine spread out pretty thin, but were still nice and chewy.  They didn't crinkle as much as I wanted them too, but that's no biggie.  Apparently, I can't read, so I mixed the powdered sugar with the granulated instead of rolling the cookies in each separately.  I don't know if that made any difference, but I used a lot for the coating and most of it still dissolved into the cookies, so I dusted them again when I took them out of the oven.  Despite my error, these are still the best chocolate cookies I've ever had.  (lotus)
MAKE THESE IMMEDIATELY. They are so good! I used brown rice syrup, which she suggests as a sub. for corn syrup, but says they might not spread as much. I think they only very marginally didn't spread as much. These are perfectly chocolatey and fudgey..and really like little brownie bites. She says you can't use too much powdered sugar, but I disagree. I rolled them so they were all covered, but I think too much more would have been...too much. I followed the recipe other than the brown rice syrup, and they are great. 14 minutes was perfect. I think I got like 21 cookies. I did the optional chilling. These are only slightly more work than regular drop cookies, because of the rolling in sugar and such. I didn't flatten at all, and they spread perfectly. Will make again! (AC)
so incredibly delicious. i love how fudgy  and rich these are, especially with the flavor from the black cocoa powder. (thirteenblackbirds)
These are my favorite cookies in the book.  Seriously delicious!  I followed the recipe exactly, except I used brown rice syrup instead of corn syrup and threw a handful of chocolate chips into the batter.  These are gorgeous cookies & so yummy.  Definitely very brownie-like.  Oh, and I can't imagine working with the dough without refrigerating; mine was pretty soupy right after mixing, but perfect after chilling for 30 minutes. (JessaCita)
Yum! I used light corn syrup as it was all I had, chopped chocolate for the chips, and regular cocoa powder. These are like little decadent brownie bites with a crispy outside. Mine came out sort of grey-ish like fb's but I think this is from not rolling them in enough powdered sugar (They were totally covered pre-baking, but I'm guessing the sugar needs to be really caked on there to get them to look like the photo). (sog)
Citrus Glitters
These are pretty good, kind of cakey. I used equal parts lime, lemon, and orange zest, and I think the lime pretty much takes over. It would be interesting to do 2/3 orange and 1/2 lemon, I think. Anyway, these remind me of those limey "rosewater pistachio" cookies from v'con, except much more successful! A good citrus cookie, if that's what you're looking for. (fb)
These are scrumptious. I actually thought of that word while eating... I wouldn't call them cakey..more just like..soft and fluffy. I used lemon, orange, and tangelo zest, and added in the juice of the (small) orange. I would recommend some juice..I think the dough needs more liquid anyway. Mine was just too crumbly. I added orange extract (no vanilla), and a bit of almond extract. I would omit the almond extract next time, because it just seemed to be a weird flavor in the background. I had to grind up some polenta for the cornmeal, but I like the little bite. These are just light, and citrusy. Great cookie. (AC)
Oh my God, these are amazing. These are my favorite cookies ever! I added poppy seeds once and took them to a friends house and they were gone in 10 minutes. (Idrilasphodel)
I was really excited for these because the picture looked so nice and the other reviews were pretty good - but I was pretty disappointed. They are good little cookies, but just not the awesomeness I was hoping for.  For me, they were just lemony sugar cookies....fine, but not deliciously fancy, which is what I was going for. (erinmonster)
I agree with erinmonster on this one--a little boring. I don't think I'd make them again. And, my cookies were not NEARLY as pretty as the picture in the book. (veganrun)
City Girl Snickerdoodles
They were really easy to make. They didn’t deflate like the recipe said, but that’s okay – I just pressed them down a little. They taste just like non-vegan snickerdoodles, and my whole family loved them! (dannibazaar)
Normally for snickerdoodles, I make the Just Like Granny B's Sugar Cookies without the silken tofu, and roll them in cinnamon sugar. I decided to try this, but I still like my previous way better. These came out pretty thin/spread a lot and almost greasy for me. Also, I think there needs to be more cinnamon in the cinnamon sugar blend... the way it's written, my mix was light brown, so I wound up sprinkling extra cinnamon after placing them on the sheet. Even though I didn't like these, I gave some to another vegan at school, and she claims they are the best cookies she's ever had. Go figure. (fb)
These turn out okay when I make them. Not bad, but I prefer the recipe from La Dolce Vegan. I do like these though. They taste just like the ones my mum used to make. (dannibazaar)
I was kind of expecting to be meh about these,  but they are delicious. The best snickerdoodles I've made. 1/4 cup is a lot of cornstarch, but I guess it works.. I followed the recipe, but had to add a splash more of almond milk. I baked mine for 12 minutes, but might just do 10 next time. They were nice and soft coming out of oven, but a tad too crispy for my liking when cooled. (still soft inside, though) I love nutmeg. Yum. (AC)
Cowboy Cookies
I can't believe I went my whole life without them.  If you follow the recipe the cookies come out HUGE.  But oatmeal, chocolate chips, coconut and toasted pecans?  How can you go wrong?  These will be my go to cookies any time I have an event that I need to bring goodies to. (biodancer)
Wow, are these bad boys good!!  I used half dark chocolate chips and half butterscotch chips.  I didn't use a quarter cup of batter per cookie because I wanted a more managable size, so I dropped the dough in tablespoons instead and baked for 8 min.  Very, very tasty!  Next time I might toast the coconut beforehand. (icephrosty)
You'll want to hide, or give the Cowboy Cookies away soon after you bake them. They are that good. They are loaded with oats, chocolate chips, coconut and toasted pecans and whatever else you choose to add. I added dried cherries. I was skeptical at first because they are made with oil. (In the past, I've ended up with oily cookies I've needed to place on paper towels to soak up the excess oil.) But these tasted great, brown sugary sweetness, crispy bottoms and moist middles. I don't know why they're called Cowboy Cookies. Kitchen Sink Cookies is a more accurate name for them. Whatever they're called, they are easily one of my favorite cookies ever. (saskia)
Rule.  Totally delicious. (jessacita)
Sshhhhhhhhhyeeeeeaaaahhhh! These are definitely my favorites!!! I used almonds, the coconut, the chocolate chips and of course the wonderful oatsl! Delish! I followed the recipe pretty closely and I feel like I added too many oats, (2 cups right?) Don't get me wrong, I loved them and thought they were perfect but they looked way more oatey than the pics. Still I wouldn't change a thing oatey or not! (babysgotsauce)
baked them as cookie bars and they came out great, sweet and moist, with golden brown edges. I think I might like them better this way. I halved the recipe and pressed the dough in an oiled 8"x8" pan. It fit perfectly in my toaster oven too so I didn't have to heat up my home with the big oven. (saskia)
first, lemme tell you i almost never add nuts to pastries - not my thing. But, I had some pecans to use up, so i used them here, and it totally went well with the texture. the coconut's not very noticeable, it probably just adds to the texture. These are nice oatmeal cookies, I prefer them to the other oatmeal cookies in this book. The only thing I'd change is add some cinnamon or other sweet spice.  (fb)
My family LOVES these. Like...a lot. I decided to make them with 2 tbs of dough rather than 1/4 cup, and they were still a nice, big size. I'll make these whenever I have pecans on hand now   They're so yum. (dannibazaar)
using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, I got 20 cookies (rather than 24). I didn't try any, but I've been told by many that they were forkin' awesome!   I made them for a party and one adult said she wanted to hide the cookies so the kids wouldn't take any!  They are nice, big cookies like ABC cookies. (lebkuchen)
Loved these! I was a little disappointed that the coconut flavor is lacking, but it comes through a bit more after a while. I used almonds instead of pecans. Love everything in this cookie, and the texture was perfect. I love the big size! Great cookie. (AC)
I halved the recipe and made these into bars, as Saskia suggested.  I made a few errors in judgment, so they didn't turn out as good as I hoped.  First, I replaced the vanilla extract with coconut extract, but I used a new brand of coconut ext. and it was a little too strong.  Also, I didn't bake them quite long enough, initially, but then when I put them back in the oven, I over baked them.  So, they are a little crunchy and a little too coconutty, but Cams and I ate half the pan in one sitting.  I will make them again, for sure, but I will probably just make them into cookies next time.  (lotus)
A classic! I make these all the time to go on climbing and camping trips. They will actually fill you up, especially if you make them big. I actually get requests from my omni friends to make these all the time. Especially good if you can find a chocolate chunk instead of a chip--very cowboyish!  (veganrun)
I'm surprised I haven't reviewed these yet.  I've made them several times and will make them many more times- these might be my very favorite cookies!  delicious. (thirteenblackbirds)
I halved the recipe for this and the only change I made was using walnuts instead of pecans. Using my cookie scoop, I still got 22 regular-sized cookies! I love the coconut in these, it really lends a buttery flavor that is not necessarily read as coconutty unless you're looking for it. Baked for 18 minutes and they are crispy with a chewy inside. I would definitely make again. (sog)
I made these again, but with the following changes: vegetable oil instead of canola, no flax (no sub), sweetened shredded coconut instead of non-sweetened, no nuts, rolled oats instead of quick-cooking+ some cinnamon. With all those changes, the cookies came out different - pretty crispy, dry on the outside and a little moist on the inside. They were fine, but not as enjoyable as the first time I made them, on account of texture (i liked them better as moist cookies) and the shredded coconut really makes a difference.... that Let's Do Organic! stuff bakes really well, vs the cheap stuff at the regular store that stands out more and is pre-sweetened. I'm not sure if the texture difference was due to no flax or the many other factors (coconut difference, electric oven, non-instant oats), but the cookie didn't suffer in cohesiveness or anything from lack of flax. (fb)
I also made these again, mods: less cranberries than previously (had limited amount), lots o' cinnamon, rolled instead of quick oats. Loved them, but mine came out quite crispy, and I do prefer them as a softer cookie. (sog)
Cowgirl Cookies
The combination of cranberries and white chocolate is great - now I want to try those biscotti. It also goes particularly well in this oat cookie. The cloves go with the white chocolate well. Like the cowboy version, this makes large, moist cookies.  (fb)
these were wonderful! I didn't bother toasting the walnuts beforehand, and I don't think it makes a huge difference anyway. I used regular chocolate chips instead of white. I also used 1/2 white flour and 1/2 whole wheat pastry flour. So, so awesome! (lebkuchen)
I ended up making a combo of the cowboy and girl. I left the coconut, but added the cowgirl spices (cinnamon and cloves), and did the chocolate chips and some sliced toasted almonds. P does not like cranberries, and is not really the hugest fan of oats in cookies. Nevertheless, I think these are good. Not my favorite cookie, but tasty. Once again, I don't like that I can't really taste the coconut. Makes a lot of cookies! 14 minutes was good for my batches. I think there was too much going on in my version of these, and they did not come out quite as moist. (AC)
Espresso Chip Oatmeal Cookies
I tried the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Expresso cookies and they were everything I like in a cookie! They were chewy yet soft. Having just a hint of expresso in the cookie was also a plus. (intheend)
I like the level of espresso in these, but the batter was too soft. So soft, in fact, that I can't get the cookies off the silicone mat without them falling into pieces, though they have cooled and been refrigerated. I like the flavor so much though that I'll probably make these again and try upping the flour. (fb)
I didn't have cocoa powder (who runs out of cocoa powder?!?), so I used 1 teaspoon of chocolate extract.  I also didn't have instant espresso, so I substituted instant roasted barley "coffee" and a splash of coffee extract.  My oven temperature was correct and I cooked them for about 14-1/2 minutes.  They came out done, but too soft.  They smooshed when removing them from the pan and they don't support their own weight.  I agree that adding extra flour may help.  I like the flavor, so if someone comes up with a fix for these, I'd like to make them again. (hh)
These were good, but I still need to play around with them a little.  I added extra flour like FB and HH suggested, but I think I actually added a little too much.  They were kind of dry.  It think maybe a tiny bit less than 1 cup total would be perfect.  Also, I didn't have espresso, so I just used regular coffee.  I thought it would dissolve a little more than it did, but it was ok...not too gritty.  I think when I make them again, I will dissolve the coffee in the water.  The flavor was really good and my friends liked them.  I'm gonna try them again.   (lotus)
I thought that these tasted just meh. They tasted like coffee, chocolate, and oats--nothing more, nothing less. There is no WOW factor with these. They're just...there. I thought the flavors might blend and taste better the next day, and they did, but still not awesome. This cookbook has so many cookies that rock my world, and these are just so blah to me. However, my boyfriend really liked them, and we took them to Climbing Club and some omnis loved them. So, maybe they just have to tickle your personal fancy. It's a unique flavor combination, so I was happy to try them out for something different.  (veganrun)
Awesome! P always wants chocolate chip, and I always want to try something new, so I just hoped these would live up. They did! I followed the recipe exactly (14 minutes was perfect), but did add a sprinkle of flour (1-2 tablespoons) on top of the complete dough. I think it needs just a tad. I think mine came out perfectly. I was afraid I would agree with VR, but happily don't. hehe I think all of the flavors meld really well (oatmeal, chocolate, coffee, cinnamon), and are in perfect balance. The coffee flavor comes through just enough. Very happy with these. Oh, and I had been ignoring this recipe because I thought it called for "espresso chips," but nope..just regular ingredients. (AC)
Dammit, I should have checked this thread before making the Espresso Chip Oatmeal Cookies.  They're in the oven now, and they're running together on the cookie sheets - I think because of not enough flour.  Too late to fix it now, so I hope the flavor makes up for the flatness... Argh.  Will report back. Yeah, these turned out shitty.  They don't look anything like yours, AC!  I followed the recipe to a T, and they spread all over the cookie sheets, blending into one another.  I knew I should have added more flour based on how the dough looked, but Isa & Terry rarely fail me, so I didn't.  The flavor is okay (nothing great, so I won't make these again) - but I think they'll be useful/tasty broken up & sprinkled over vanilla ice cream.  I'd hate to see them go to waste.  So far, this is my first major miss from this book!  Guess it had to happen sometime. (jessacita)
These were really nice. They also took no time at all.  (atanner)
Macadamia Ginger Crunch Drops
This time, I made the entire batch and made no substitutions. They came out pretty good. I wish they were a teeny bit softer and chewier, though. The taste is very good. I had to use roasted, salted macadamias instead of raw, unsalted but I didn't think it was too salty at all so I wouldn't hesitate to use them again. My omni Mom said they were very good. (lebkuchen)
Delicious! I used slivered almonds, and almond extract. The flavor is great, because I love candied ginger. Not too spicy, but a hint of spice and ginger in a buttery cookie. Mine didn't spread at all, so I wish I had pressed them down a bit. Good cookie. (AC)
Took AC’s advice and used almonds and almond extract, and out came a cookie gift from the gods of baking. I’ve never tasted anything so delicious in my life, and this was the first batch of cookies I’ve ever made where I was unwilling to share with my fans...err...friends. I’ve been careful to make them since, as I end up eating a good ¼ of the dough before even baking, ¼ of the bath before the cookies are cooled, then end of passing out from a cookie coma. USE CAUTION WITH THIS MASTERPIECE. (veganrun)
Mexican Chocolate Snickerdoodles
Very good! I think I'm always very slightly disappointed when I use a new extract, because I expect it to add something spectacular (and maybe it does?), but I can't usually tell. I think these have excellent flavor, though. The perfect little spice. My dough turned out a bit dry, so I just added a couple more tbs of soymilk (and then had to add a bit more flour, because it was too wet). The dough did come out with the perfect consistency for dipping/flattening in the sugar mixture. I think the 10 minute baking time was slightly too long for my liking, so I did 8 minutes for the second batch (haven't tried those, yet). A good cookie! P and I agreed that they'd be even better with just a few DARK (P added this) chocolate chips added in. CHOCOLATE. (AC)
Chocolate and cinnamon make an awesome combo!!  I originally didn't think I'd like these, but decided to try them out anyway (I saw the recipe on the ppk blog awhile back).  They are seriously good and have the perfect texture.  Make them   (icephrosty)
Love these. Chocolate goes so well with cinnamon, it's criminal that it's not more common. These come out crispy on the edges, and just a touch soft/firm in the center. I only sprinkled on cayenne in the batter, probably not the full amount, because I didn't want to risk these being spicy. I wouldn't hesitate to make these again. Also, these turn out fairly large. (fb)
Not sure what went wrong last time I made these...because I few weeks ago I made these again and they were PERFECT! I love spicy-cinnamony-chocolatey-ness in things. So so good. They crinkled on top and everything. (dannibazaar)
These are pretty damn good. I was hesitant to put in the cayenne because my partner is taking these to work but I said eff it, they'll like it. I've made these before and they have the perfect texture with just the right amount of heat. It hits after you're eating the cookie.. kind of like this "hey this is good.. wait.. wth?! it's spicy." (intheend)
I must admit that I didn't think I'd like these but I had all the ingredients and wanted to add something different to the cookies I already had made for tomorrow's potluck. Wow. These are good! At first, it's a chewy crunch type cookie that tastes like chocolate but it's not extremely rich -- to me. Then the cayenne sneaks in and says, "Hello!" I don't think it's too spicy but just right. Amazing combination. I hope everyone agrees tomorrow! (digifoo)
I must admit, I thought these were pretty great, but my husband didn't like them at all.  So, I guess they won't enter the regular rotation - oh well!  He doesn't really like spicy food, so I even offered to make some without the cayenne, but he said he'd be willing to try some in their full glory.   I thought the texture was perfect - soft and chewy but not cakey at all, and not crumbly.  I love that these use canola oil rather than shortening or margarine (which I haven't been able to find a trans fat and palm oil free variety) and don't require egg replacer!  I think I made mine a little small - I ended up with about 5 extra cookies, and I took them out just before the 10 minutes were up because I didn't want them getting crunchy.  I might try the base of these cookies without the cinnamon and cayenne to make chocolate crinkle cookies. (vegrunski)
I know everyone has made these cookies and I guess I made them because of all the rave reviews. I don't have much to add really except that they are super easy, turn out very pretty with a nice crackly sugary top, great chewy crisp texture and rich chocolate flavour with a fun kick from the cayenne afterwards. I took them to a non-vegan party and everyone enjoyed them. (greenknittinggirl)
"These are some of the best cookies I have ever had" - Omnivore. Two dozen disappeared quickly among very, very few people. (atanner)
I'm really surprised by how much I liked these!  I'm slowly growing to like spicy flavors, so I was a little skeptical about the cayenne. However, these are delicious!  The spice is perfectly balanced by the chocolate.  They had a wonderfully chewy texture and were nice and crinkley on top.  Yum! (lotus)
A good, easy recipe with a nice twist on a classic. I like to make them a bit smaller, so you get more crunch per bite. (veganrun)
Mocha Mamas
they're awesome!  For once I didn't change anything in the recipe, and they were perfect.  The dough was a little greasy before baking, but the cookies were perfectly crinkly & crispy on the outside while being soft & chewy on the inside.  Great flavor. (jessacita)
I needed to add a little bit more soymilk, but I think I should have added more, because these came out pretty dry. I used espresso powder instead of coffee extract, and the coffee flavor wasn't very apparent. Oh well (fb)
My dad had some of the Mocha Mamas, and this morning he told me, "I think those are the best cookies I've ever had in my entire life. They're just so flavorful.  They were great last night, but this morning with coffee...  They were unbelievable!" (jessacita)
Oh yeah.  These are good.  These had the most perfect texture of any cookie I've ever made.  I was so pleased with how they turned out. I didn't have coffee extract, so I dissolved espresso powder in hot water, then strained what didn't dissolve through a cheese cloth.  The coffee flavor was noticeable, but I would like more, so I will probably just make it a little stronger next time.  I took them to a party and my omni friends loved them.  One friend was eating them 2 at a time.  (lotus)
I also used some espresso powder mixed with a bit of water for the extract. I think I used a pretty good amount.  I made a chocolate drizzle with coffee, but without that, I would have wanted more coffee flavor in the cookie. I really like them. I think I flattened my cookies out a tad bit too much, but the texture was still pretty good. Maybe a tiny bit dry. I loved the drizzle I made with them (chocolate chips + soymilk + espresso powder+agave). I baked for 10 minutes, but 8-9 might have been better, and I got 18 cookies. I'm always confused by the "walnut size." That seems so small. A good cookie that's something a bit different. The dough is greasy, but they don't come out greasy. I didn't have to add any additional liquid or flour. (AC)
I made these without the drizzle because I'm lazy like that. I don't think they need it, they're so good on their own! The subtle coffee aftertaste is great. Mine didn't turn out all crinkle-y like in the picture in the book, but I think that is due to the fact I replaced some of the fat with applesauce. No big deal though. Everyone loved them. There are only two left! (dannibazaar)
I gave these another go, and sure enough they worked out. I don't know what happened the first time. They came out a bit soft, but were easy to shape into rounds. They had a milder coffee flavor, but it was still detectable. It would be good as a sandwich cookie, e.g. ice cream sandwich or such. (fb)
Both my dad and brother thought these were good.  Instead of the coffee extract I replaced the milk with brewed coffee.  In the icing I used 2 TB of coffee instead of milk. The glaze/icing was not as white as the picture in the book but they tasted great.  I tried a little piece and thought it was a good cookie.  There was a nice hint of coffee. So far, all of the cookies I have made from this book have been good.  I just need to make more cookies from it. (monkey7)
One of my favorite recipes in the whole cookbook. I make these when I'm out of almost everything else. I get requests from omnis for this cookie all the time. They are amazing! (veganrun)
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
A solid oatmeal raisin cookie made to please those who prefer chewy, or crunchy, if you bake them two minutes longer. The recipe uses easy-to-find ingredients(soy milk, flour, brown sugar, ground flax seeds, quick oats, raisins, baking soda, salt) with touches of cinnamon and nutmeg. A very good recipe, made with oil. Next time I will make with Earth Balance since I prefer a more buttery taste. (saskia)
A little bit cakey. I baked them for 10 min, but I'm not sure if they would have really been crispy if baked for 12. I didn't add raisins (don't like 'em in my cookies), and these cookies didn't really stand out to me. They're good, but I'll likely move on to a different oatmeal cookie recipe next time. Maybe more spices, less cakey? (fb)
Yep. Good oatmeal raisin. I prefer the whole oats for oatmeal raisin cookies; thought the quick oats made them a little weird. They weren't cakey, though..just soft. I added some dried cherries. Nice flavor. I think these are the FAVORITE cookie ever of one lady at P's work. I'd make them again. (AC)
They were okay and good, but not the best I've ever had. Still yummy though. (It's probably because I accidentally used too much nutmeg...) (Idrilasphodel)
Very good, basic cookie. I like the addition of the nutmeg--gives it that extra little punch. I like to do a crispy batch and a softer batch for when I'm baking for a group. (veganrun)
this is a great solid oatmeal raisin cookie. I can't remember the last time I had oatmeal raisin cookies (I prefer anything chocolate), but now I am thinking I should have these more often.  I was indecisive on the chewy versus crispy, so I baked them for 11 minutes.  They were mostly chewy but crispy around the edges. (thirteenblackbirds)
Peanut Apple Pretzel Drops
I subbed chocolate chips for the apple pieces (seems reasonable, no?). I thought these were either going to be epic or a major turd, and they were more toward the turd side. They tasted good, and on the day I made them the pretzels were cute and crunchy and novel and made everyone go "Ooooh! What's in there?" but the next day the pretzels had softened up and I couldn't even locate them in the cookie when I was searching. So, it just turned out tasting like a chocolate chip peanut cookie. Not bad, but not mind-blowing. I don't know if it would be any more awesome with the apple rings, as the pretzels just aren't holding up their end of the deal. (veganrun)
Peanut Butter Crisscrosses
I was lazy/cheap and subbed oil for margarine. The dough came together easily, and the cookies are just a bit crumbly. They're soft in a not cakey way, but more like... crumb topping? Anyway, I like them a lot. Simple, satisfying. (fb)
Mine are really crumbly, even when I add the 2 tablespoons of extra almond milk. These aren't my favorite kind of cookie, but my peanut butter cookie loving friend raves about these. (Idrilasphodel)
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Sweet, peanut-buttery goodness. They're a little soft, but not cakey. Looking at the recipe (and comparing it to the one in VWAW), I was wondering if there was enough pb in here. There is; it's the perfect balance with the oats and sugar, and cinnamon is there but not super noticeable. (fb)
I resisted making these one night, but had to make them tonight. They were even tastier than I thought. I decreased the oil and sugar by just a tad, and used crunchy peanut butter (and no peanuts on top). I used some fancy salt (that llg sent me) on the tops. I recommend the crunchy peanut butter. I agree that the peanut butter and cinnamon flavors are pretty perfect. I love oat cookies. The texture is soft, chewy, a little crunchy, not cakey at all. The dough seemed very slightly dry, so I added a splash of almond milk. I'd make these again for pb cookies. I got 2 dozen good sized cookies. They don't really spread at all, just flatten out a tiny bit; press to desired shape. (AC)
I had some trouble with these. Well, for one I had to use old fashioned rolled oats rather than quick oats, so that may have made a difference. But anyways, they are impossible for me to make into a cookie shape. So to compensate, I just plopped all of the dough into a 9 inch round pan and made a giant cookie (I cut the recipe in half, otherwise I would have had to use a 9x13)  It tasted really good despite its poor manageability. (dannibazaar)
These just made me wish I had made the ones from VWAV. They weren’t as rich or tasty was the VWAV version. Blahhhh. (veganrun)
Changes: no nuts, no flax, no sub, rolled oats; it says you can use them in the book but last time i used quick-cooking, vegetable oil instead of canola. The end product was drier and crispier than the previous time I made them, dunno if from no flax or oven type (i was using electric instead of gas) or oat type. They were still quite good (though I like a moist cookie better), but perhaps if you're looking for a crispy cookie using the different oats and omitting flax is the way to go? (fb)
Pignoli Almond Cookies

Roasted Almond Cookies with Fleur de Sel
Such a grown-up cookie! My basically non-sweet-loving dad tried these, and he ate half a dozen! He fell in love with the salty bite, as did my boyfriend. A very manly cookie, too! It's a nice change up from the regular chocolate chip, peanut butter slumps I get in, but it's still not so funky that my parents were weirded out. Great tasty recipe! (veganrun)
Rocky Roads
These are my favorites in the book so far.  I didn't have white chocolate chips, so I used dark chocolate chunks instead.  The dough was so tasty that I kept eating it and ended up with only 19 cookies instead of 24!  They got rave reviews from my friends too. (icephrosty)
I used slivered almonds instead of whole. These came out a little greasy, but they were good. Normally I don't like nuts in cookies at all, but it worked well here, because the cookie had a dark chocolate type flavor. (fb)
These are amazing!  The only thing I changed was I used only 1/3 cup oil instead of 1/2 (and didn't make up for the missing liquid).  I think because of this, my dough wasn't "wet" at all (as described in the book), and they baked perfectly!  Oh, and I added some chopped up Dandies marshmallows for a more authentic rocky road experience.  While I think they were a tasty addition, they made some of the cookies turn into weird shapes (as the mallows spread/puffed during baking).  The ones that are round in shape are gorgeous (just like the cover photo!) & perfect for gift giving. (jessacita)
These were good. I made them just as plain old chocolate chocolate chip cookies because I was lacking white chocolate chips and  I didn't feel like adding nuts. They are so fudgy and yummy! Mine didn't spread as the directions said they would though... (dannibazaar)
Sell Your Soul Pumpkin Cookies
I'm glad to say I didn't cut any corners with this, and actually cooked down my pumpkin for 35 minutes, constantly stirring. These are really, REALLY good cookies. I wouldn't they they're crispy... closer to chewy, but not cakey. In other words, not like standard pumpkin cookies, more like the texture of a soft sugar or gingerbread cookie. They're very rich, too - very intense pumpkin & spice taste, so I can actually do with only eating one at a time. I'd definitely make these again (worth selling the soul). (fb)
I added a 1/2 cup of chocolate chips cause I couldn't help myself. My batch came out just a little bit dry, maybe I would add another tbsp next time. Otherwise, I really enjoyed them and would make them again. (intheend)
I made these with a friend, so I wasn't paying as much attention as I normally would. We reduced the pumpkin for quite a while, but had some issues with it sticking and kind of burning in the pot. It might have been the pot? We had it on the lowest setting of the stove, and I tried to stir it very frequently. Did it say constantly? I did not do that. Anyway, I don't think it reduced as much as it should have. I mixed my dough up, and it was extremely dry looking. I added some almond milk, and then it seemed too wet. Anyway, they came out really cakey..like more cakey than normal cakey. I even think the flavor is a bit off. :  \ I totally attribute this to not paying attention, and user error. I do not discount the recipe, and might try again some time. P likes them a lot, though. (AC)
Sweet Wine Biscuits with Sesame
we loved them. They are really different. You can taste the olive oil and wine and it makes for a less sweet but delicious cookie. (biodancer)
I don’t know if I did something wrong, but my cookies spread out really thin and looked nothing like the picture. They also felt and tasted greasy. The taste, other than that, was pretty good and my dad really liked them. I made these for him for Father’s Day, because I thought they seemed like a “manly” cookie (as my dad doesn’t really like sweets much). (veganrun)
Tahini Lime Cookies
soft, mildly flavored cookies. i've made tahini cookies before - there's a recipe in My Sweet Vegan, but it involves oats and banana. I think I like that one better (it's richer), whereas with this one I'm on the fence about the lime flavor with tahini. I feel like maybe tahini + extra vanilla or rosewater might work better; I don't think I really like the citrus + nutty flavors together. The texture is nice though, similar to the pumpkin or apple cookies. (fb)
These are a very good 'adult' cookie. I think they're better after sitting for a day. The only substitution I made was using coconut oil in place of the shortening. I think these would be great with a little fresh shredded coconut tossed in. (sb)

Wholesome Cookies
21st Century Carob Chip Cookies
I made these for a chocolate-allergic friend, and she liked them a lot. I tried some; they're a little more soft than crispy, and the flavor of the carob chips (agh! malt sweetener!) kind of takes over the cookie, so the carob in the batter isn't too noticeable. It might be nice to make these without the chips (I hate the barley-sweetened chips), or with white chocolate or something mild enough it doesn't cover up the carob. (fb)
I think these were actually much better after a day or so. I found the dough to be a little crumbly, and so I had a lot of extra peanuts and carob chips left in the bowl after mixing. However, I still got about 22 cookies out of the batch. Great little cookies if you love carob! (lebkuchen)
Applesauce Softies
Very soft. In fact, I think these might do better as bar cookies (or even cake, with a little more leavener). It's not a very strong apple flavor, but that's ok. The spices go well. (fb)
I baked these for my class and everyone who tried them thought they were great.  The cookies reminded me of an apple pie.  They are soft and moist with the right amount of spice.  The reducing of the applesauce really helps with the flavor.  I couldn't find dried apples (recipe does not call for them) to add to them but maybe I will add fresh apples next time.  The only thing I had a problem with was the recipe not stating when to add the cornstarch.  I added it with the flavor and spices and did not have a problem. (monkey7)
I love the flavor of these--they just scream autumn! It's worth the extra work. They are pretty soft, but not as cakey as I expected. I took these to an omni function and they were gone in no time. (veganrun)
I also love the flavor. They are definitely a healthy cookie, but a good one. Great apple and spice flavor. My texture was slightly..spongy? A bit cakey, I guess. Wouldn't really stand up to a good, decadent cookie, but great for what it is. I followed the recipe, but used all AP flour. (AC)
Apple Raisin Softies

Apple Walnut Softies

Apricot Almond Quinoa Chews

Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
I loved these! The sweetness was subtle and went along perfectly with a cup of tea in the morning. (intheend)
I don't like these as much as the Banana Everything Cookies I made, but they are still a super good cookie. I didn't have brown rice syrup and only a teeny bit of agave so I used a mix of that and maple syrup for the sweetener. I also added 1/2 tsp of almond extract. Perfect on the day they're made (I always like the combination of walnuts and cranberries), and I suspect they would retain their moisture well if kept covered. I left them on our treat tower and they were pretty dried out the next day, but still delicious. (sog)
Chocolate Agave Trailmixers
these taste fine (really good, actually!),  but mine turned out puffy and cakey. Is this typical of an agave nectar sweetened cookie? (dannibazaar)
Mine were also very cakey. I made 12 pretty big cookies. I used pecans, and no fruit. I thought they were quite meh. I thought they'd be a bit dry, but they're not dry..just not extremely moist. And more like little cakes. It's kind of a bummer to use most of a container of agave for something, and it be so-so.  P liked them, though. They taste fine, but I'm pretty sure I won't make them again. (AC)
Somehow, while making these I forgot to add the oil. Yeah. I didn't notice because the dough came together anyway (a little bit dry, but no big deal). They didn't spread much at all (duh, no oil), and are a little bit moist/soft. Of course, they taste low fat, but what do I expect. Pretty good as "fat free" cookies, actually.  (fb)
LOVE these! I'm not usually a huge fan of agave-sweetened cookies (I don't like the biscuit-like texture), but these are great and not too soft and cakey. (veganrun)
Espresso kissed chocolate agave trailmixers

Fruity Oat Bars
These were fantastic for a hearty snack or healthy dessert.  A little sweet but not too much, and full of flavor.  I added some chopped dried papaya as the "other dried fruit" component.  The bars were a little crumbly, but not too bad.  If I were making these to take with while traveling or exercising, I would want them to hold together a little better, though.  The ingredients were a little out of the norm for me - I had to buy the spelt flour and brown rice syrup since I don't normally have those on hand.  I substituted molasses for the barley malt syrup, when I saw that barley malt syrup was $6 a jar (and I already had the molasses, which is supposed to have a similar flavor).  You could probably get by with whole wheat flour instead of the spelt - the flavor seems sort of subtle to me.  You could definitely change up the fruit and nut mix-ins, but I think the sesame seeds are a must.  I'll make these again, for sure. (vegrunski)
Mildly sweet and packed with pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, oats, wheat germ, dried cranberries, the Fruity Oaty Bars are very good, nutritious and filling. Using dried unsweetened coconut as my add-in complemented the other flavors nicely. I made some substitutions based on the ingredients on hand. I subbed brown rice flour for the spelt flour, oat bran for some of the wheat germ and agave for the brown rice syrup. This produced a delicious little oaty bar, but one that was rather crumbly. After I cut the bars into squares, and removed from pan there were a bunch of crumbs left in the pan. (I noticed another reviewer got crumbly bars too.) So I scooped the fruity, oaty crumbs with a spoon into a bowl and enjoyed them, like cereal, with soy milk. Delicious as a bar or as a cereal. (saskia)
Wow, LOVE these. The first time I made no changes except leaving out the barley malt syrup and adding a bit of extra OJ to replace the liquid. Very good, but too sweet for me to feel like they were an energy bar. The second time I went crazy and changed a ton of things to make these my weekday breakfast food... added oat/wheat bran, hemp seeds, walnuts, raisins instead of cranberries, pea protein, lots of orange zest, cut the oil down to .25 cup and added a bit of applesauce, and only about .3 cup of brown rice syrup. Overall, I like this version way better just cause it's healthier, but if I were to bring these to a potluck, I'd follow the recipe. Both times they were a bit crumbly, but that doesn't bother me. I'm really happy with the versatility and that all of my changes still yielded a great bar. (sog)
Fruity Oaty Coconutty Bars
Meh...I'm indifferent on these. As a dessert/cookie, I think they taste too healthy. As a granola bar, they taste too decadent. You get me? I'm glad I added the coconut--great flavor there. (veganrun)
Orange kissed fruity oat bars

Orange Agave Chocolate Chip Cookies

Peanut Butter Agave Cookies
I halved the recipe with no trouble and pressed some Newman's dark chocolate into the tops after they came out of the oven. All in all, not too bad (I ate 3 so they must be pretty good but not quite as tasty as some pb cookies I've had in the past. They are a little on the dry side and sorta cakey (I prefer chewier cookies) so I might try a different recipe next time. (lebkuchen)
I thought these were delicious!  I was afraid of how they would turn out based on reviews here, but I loved them.  Mine had the perfect texture & weren't cakey at all.  I added chocolate chips & also a tiny drop of molasses.  Yum! (jessacita)
A bit cakey, soft, but otherwise a good peanut butter cookie. Would be better as the chocolate chip version though. (fb)
These did not work well for me. They are cakey and soft, and the flavor is quite lacking. They aren't sweet enough and are also a bit dry. I haven't had good luck with the agave cookies so far. (AC)
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip
I added the chocolate chips, so I didn't press down with a fork. I was really disappointed with these. The texture was really weird, like a biscuit or a scone. They looked like they were going to have a crispy outside, but it was all this homogenous soft chewy texture, and I didn't like that. The taste was good--brown rice syrup is my best friend now: instant caramel flavor! I won't be making these again.  (veganrun)
I really enjoyed these.  Mine came out soft and chewy, and they taste good - especially for a healthier cookie (icephrosty)
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
I like these a lot, and I didn't feel guilty about eating several at once, lol.  The book said they're a little fluffier than regular choc chip, but mine didn't turn out that way.  I made mini cookies (using 1/2 T of dough) and baked for 8 min - perfect!!  They were chewy and moist.  I think I'll go have one right now! (icephrosty)
These left me sort of confused.  They are OK, but I feel like these cookies are trying to be a health food when they really aren't.  They don't really have anything healthy going on except the white whole wheat flour.  They seemed a little salty to me - sort of like play-doh (not that I've ever tasted that..).  I think it must be the whole wheat flour.  They are also a little cakey, and I really don't like that in a cookie. Pretty unfulfilling for me as far as cookies go.  I'd rather have a smaller bite of something a little more decadent.  I think there are better options out there if you want a whole grain-based cookie. (vegrunski)
I made these with whole wheat (not white whole wheat), and they definitely taste like whole wheat. They really aren't bad, but not something I'd make again, probably. I agree that they aren't that much healthier than regular. I understand that a full cup of chocolate chips is probably needed to make these as flavorful, but I couldn't keep all my chips in the dough. The dough did have a good cookie consistency, though. It wasn't too wet, or dry. They're ok. (AC)
I liked them, however they were not anything super special.  I used the white-whole wheat from Trader Joes, which I've never baked with before.  They were good, a bit more cakey than I was expecting. (babysgotsauce)\
Not great. This was my first time using white whole wheat, and I really think it tastes the same as regular whole wheat. These cookies don't have much sugar, but I think more would help just because whole wheat + reduced sugar = too healthy tasting for a chocolate chip cookie. Also, these are kind of cakey rather than a soft cookie texture.  (fb)
I am going to attempt to makes these again. They were good, but I only had whole wheat, not white whole wheat or whole wheat pastery flour. But they were good, but health-food-y tasting. (dannibazaar)
I like these better than the standard chocolate chip cookies, because they are a bit cakey. These are really yummy!! (Idrilasphodel)
Bar Cookies
Big Fat Crispy Rice Squares
I made these the other day, let them freeze, and put them in the fridge. They taste pretty god. My whole family likes them, and my dad asked when I was going to make more. I used coconut extract for these (yum). Definitely keep these in the fridge or they will fall apart. (courth)
Oh, how I've missed these from pregan days! The taste is fantastic, with the brown rice syrup representing the caramel here. However, the whole "store in the freezer or they'll fall apart" thing is a pain in the ass. I don't know if I would really mess with these again, as I can't take them to other people or throw them in a backpack for a day out.  (veganrun)
These are better than I remember (it must be the maple), and they're really simple to make. I try to keep these in the house at all times. I usually make 24 squares, so I can just have a little bite. (Idrilasphodel)
Blueberry Spice Crumb Bars
Yum! I made a couple necessary changes-used mixed frozen berries for blueberries, and had to use flour for the cornstarch because I couldn't find any in this kitchen. They are delicious. Just slightly more time consuming that most other cookies. They are on the brink of cookie..close to crumble/cobbler type, but delicious. I think I would like them more with just the blueberries because one of the fruits has a weird flavor with the spices. Good spice combo. I thought it would be way too much crust/topping and not enough berry, but it really isn't too much crust. Almost, though. Oh, and I did use regular flour...never had spelt..but I guess that would add a nuttier flavor. I might even add more blueberries next time. I could eat them not too messily with hands, so I guess that's a cookie! Pretty filling one. (AC)
Call Me Blondies
These are pretty good. They're probably the most blondie-like vegan blondie I've made yet. I'm not really a huge blondie person, so it's hard to get too worked up about them... The chocolate chips make these kind of like chocolate chip cookie bars (but not as dense). (fb)
Now, I have no idea what a "real" blondie tastes like, but these were almost chocolate chip-bar-ish. Which was a nice flavour. Like a cakey chocoalte chip cookie. Super awesome. I makes these quite often. (dannibazaar)
Good flavor, although I wish it had crisped up more on the edges. I just put my chocolate chips on top and didn't mix them in.  (veganrun)
Triple Blonde Blondies

Walnut Chocolate Chip Blondies

Caramel Pecan Bars
These tast just like pecan pie without the fuss of making a pie crust.  They are easy to make but take a few hours to harden.  I put them in the fridge to chill for about 2 hours then sliced them.  They taste better at room temperature.  This is the main reason for buying this book and I am not disappointed. (monkey7)
Oh my god!  Fantastic!  I've never had something I've baked in such high demand!  Everyone loved them!  My crust was a little thin in one spot so the bars didn't hold together perfectly in the middle, so I'd probably make a little more crust next time, but oh wow - so delicious!!! (erinmonster)
Really delicious & easy to make.  Like others have said, these remind me a lot of pecan pie!  The only "bad" thing is that I had a piece the size of like 1/24th of the pan (I cut them into smaller squares than suggested), and it was so rich/sweet that now I have a bit of a stomachache...  (And I have a major sweet tooth.)  So, these definitely are very rich & there's a ton of sugar in them.  But I know they'll be a real crowd-pleaser on Thanksgiving!  Oh, and my tinfoil didn't come off easily (it stuck in some places), so I might try to skip that next time...  I don't see why the bars wouldn't slide out of a really well-greased pan. (jessacita)
Good stuff! I was most impressed with how these turned out - very rich, set well, and didn't have too strong of a rice flavor from the syrup. It's hard to eat much of this at once, so even though the recipe makes a certain number of bars, don't expect to be able to eat a whole one. I would say it makes double that amount.  (fb)
I have made these and they are currently cooling in my fridge. They weren't tooooo hard to make. Brown rice syrup is a pain in the butt, and judging from the amount of butter and sugar in these, I think these will be a once a year treat. I completely forgot to oil the tin foil so I'm terrified they won't come out of the pan. We'll see what happens at Christmas dinner... (atanner)
Salted Caramel Pecan Bars
These are so amazing! I used the special salt that Llg sent me for the top, and it's a nice touch. I did forget to add it until they had cooled a bit. Anyway, the pecan bars are amazing with, or without, the salty tops. It seemed a bit more intensive to make that regular cookies, but it goes very quickly, and I used the same bowl. I oiled the foil (hehe) well which made the bottoms slightly oily, but some parts still stuck (not too bad). The crust is about perfect (I might want it a tad thicker), and the filling IS perfect. The brown rice syrup is amazing for this-not too sweet, not too rich. P said it might be his favorite pastry I've ever made. One of my favorite desserts! These are even better than the nonvegan mini pecan pies my mom makes that I used to LOVE. I cut/ate before they were completely cold, and it's hot today, so they were just a tad runny. It definitely set, though. So good!!! If you like pecan pie at all, make this. (AC)
Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Brownies
The brownie portion is a touch sweet for me, but has a good texture - pretty fudgey. I'll probably reduce the sugar a tad next time. The cheesecake part was a little unusual for me; it wound up more than than the photo... they were probably using clear vanilla, I was using regular brown vanilla. Also, I think the arrowroot is kinda weird here. I think it's better left for fruit saucey, because it lends a gooey-in-a-pectin-sort-of-way consistency, which when in cheesecake is... er... kind of snotty? yeah, anyway, that doesn't affect the flavor, but I'll probably just use all cornstarch next time. Also, because the brownie part was sweeter than the cheesecake part, the cheesecake part doesn't taste sweet when eaten with the brownie part. I'd rather it be the other way around, but that can be fixed. (fb)
These were okay...mine got a little too done, even though I took them out at 30 minutes as opposed to 35.  The frosting was not as sweet as I was expecting.  Yet, everyone liked them at our Father's Day get together.  So overall they were alright (babysgotsauce)
Super rich but really tasty. The brownie layer was very fudgy - not sure if I didn't bake them long enough as its hard to tell with the cheesecake layer on top. Because of that, they were really messy to eat, but tasted great. (atanner)
I have mixed feelings about these, because last night when I had one, I thought they were pretty fantastic - but I had been drinking, so I don't know if my assessment was accurate.  They were very rich, but everyone seemed to enjoy them.  But I had one this morning for breakfast and it wasn't all that good.  I really like the cream cheese part, but the brownie itself was dry and weird...it kinda reminded me of that Peppridge Farm layer cake we used to always eat when we were little...and thats not a good thing. (erinmonster)
I knew that I liked these brownies because I've loved them before, but wasn't sure about the cream cheese layer. It's good! Really rich and decadent, but good. I think I followed the recipe exactly, except accidentally mixed in some chocolate chips into the cream cheese mixture in the bowl, so I sprinkled some more on top. I baked for 35, and chilled for about 3 hours before eating a piece. It was actually really good still warm and extra gooey. Don't know that I would make this again, but good. I thought the layers were in pretty good proportion..but it is rich! (AC)
Deluxe Cocoa Brownies
I made these this week and they were good but missing that elusive non-vegan brownie texture.  The flavor was nicely chocolatey but could have used more oomph.  I added a handful of chocolate chips but later wished I hadn't.  Some nuts would have made a nice addition--maybe next time. (jkl)
These are my go-to brownies. They're so easy to make. They're cakey, delicious, decident, and eveyone always gobbles them down. Plus, I love when people freak out after I tell them they have tofu in them   (dannibazaar)
These are insanely good. They are so rich and fudgey and amazing. They are my go-to brownie recipe now. I was whipping up a batch in front of a hesitant omni, and she was a little weirded out about the tofu, but I explained how delicious it would make them, and after tasting she agreed. I take these to omni events, and I come home with an empty container. SO GOOD. (veganrun)
These came out perfect!  Moist, chewy, with a rich cocoa taste! (peaceablepalate)
Chocolate Chip Deluxe Brownies
I think these are amazing! You all know how much I love the VW vegan brownies, but I love these more. I added the walnuts, and chocolate chips, and they are perfect. The texture is pretty much spot on for a brownie. They aren't so thin, like the VW ones. They are thick, but not cakey. Slightly dry, but just right. The flavor is perfect. I might like them better without walnuts, but I'm not sure. Mine baked in about 31 minutes. I even used a new Calphalon brownie pan that I got for Christmas. P agrees that these are the best! A little bit more involved with the processing, and all, but not bad. We'll see how they hold up for tomorrow. (AC)
AC nailed it with her review of the Chocolate Chip Deluxe Brownies. These are among my top two favorite brownie recipes. The brownie texture is not too cakey, not too fudgey, with a nice matte top and chocolate chips stirred in to truly make these brownies "Deluxe." Baking these with black cocoa powder, and maybe adding 1/2 teaspoon caramel extract, would make these brownies Super Deluxe. (saskia)
I baked these again, this time adding 1/2 teaspoon caramel extract and a spoon of espresso powder for a bolder flavor. Baked them in a mini-muffin pan as brownie bites, let cool and topped each with a dollop of Chocolate Kahlua Glaze. The chocolate, Kahlua, espresso combination is pretty amazing. (saskia)
straight out of the oven, i thought these were just okay- the flavor was slightly off. the next day though, they were wonderful. very sweet and perfectly fudgy and chocolatey.  next time i will try to make them a day ahead. (thirteenblackbirds)
I Want Walnut Brownies

Espresso Fudge Brownies
Allychristine, I know you like the vegweb brownie recipe, and I'mma let you finish, but these brownies are THE BEST BROWNIES OF ALL TIME.  They are fudgy and non-crumbly and rich and gooooooood. I actually made these without the espresso and with a little maple extract because I want to make a maply frosting. They taste great.  The batter was a little dry but I think it's because I replaced much of the granulated sugar with powdered (ran out of granulated).  So I will withhold that particular judgment.  But these are my favorite brownies yet, by far.  Maybe it's because they have melted chocolate in them and margarine instead of oil.  Who knows. (KMK)
I made them without the expresso powder since I do not have it handy.  My dad thought they were good.  They are thin but fudgy.  I have tried many fudge brownie recipes but this is the best out of the bunch. (monkey7)
This is the best vegan brownie I've ever made.  They turned out super fudgy.  I used a small pan so they'd be extra thick, plus I added a handful of chocolate chips.  I didn't use the espresso either.  I have black cocoa powder, so I'll be trying the midnight variation VERY soon. (icephrosty)
(without espresso) Yep, very fudgy, very chocolaty. A great fudgy brownie. I used Ghirardelli semisweet chips for the melted chocolate (and threw in a handful of chips). I don't know why one would do the foil thing on this recipe, but not others? Is it supposed to help with fudginess? I knew they would come out thin (plus she calls them "slim") because the batter was so slight for the pan, and there's not much baking powder. I think that is required for extra fudginess. 12 brownies would be all tiny brownies.. I'll see how they are when cool, because mine were still hot. I couldn't even get one out for a pic! Yummy. (AC)
AWESOME.  Best vegan brownie, hands down.  Also really easy to make, despite the melting of the chocolate.  I did use espresso powder, and they were fantastic.  Nothing cakey about these!  I LOVE that they were gooey & fudgy on the inside, but crackly on the top.  I haven't had a crackly/crispy-topped brownie since my pre-vegan days.  These are the best! (jessacita)
Good brownies. Kind of soft, kind of fudgey, very rich. I think I prefer the Deluxe ones more though... not really sure. These come out pretty thin, and it would probably work to halve the size of the pan or double the recipe for thicker brownies. I'm not really sure why all the bar cookies involve lining the pan with foil; I don't think it makes a difference with how they bake. Maybe just to lift them out of the pan easier? (fb)
I made these without the instant espresso powder (since I saly do not have any in my possession...). But they were nice, although I prefer the delux cocoa brownies. They are a nice fudge brownie though. (dannibazaar)
I made these with the espresso powder this time, and they didn't seem as great! Still tasty, but seemed a bit dry, and lacking. It must have been something else. (AC)
I love these and the combination of coffee and chocolate in general. I added coffee extract to make the coffee flavour more pronounced. So good. (dannibazaar)
I've decided that I don't much like the recipe with the espresso powder. I've made it 2-3 times now with espresso, and it just comes out very crumbly! The flavor is pretty delicious, but all turns to crumbles. I tried to add a bit of extra liquid this time, because I remembered it being a little dry last time. Not dry this time, but crumbly. I love the idea of using the espresso, but doesn't work for me here. (AC)
I am SO disappointed with these. I was expecting amazingness, especially since it calls for Earth Balance, and as expensive as that stuff is, I had BETTER be getting orgasmic results. I didn't think these were as fudgey as the Deluxe brownies, in fact, I found them a teeny bit crumbly, and I even baked them 2 minutes less than the lower end recommended. I liked the coffee flavor, definitely, so in the future I might just throw some espresso powder into the Deluxe recipe. (veganrun)
It's funny how people get such wildly different results from the same recipe because I found them to be the joint best I've ever had and didn't find them at all crumbly. (onlyme)
Made some changes: No espresso powder, No cornstarch, Oil instead of margarine, "special dark" cocoa blend instead of regular. The result was successful, thin fudgy brownies. They were a bit crumbly, but that may be because I was persuaded to move them out of the pan and cut them before they were cool (people get impatient waiting for brownies, what can I say), or maybe it was the lack of cornstarch. These could afford to be thicker. I think you could even double everything for the same size pan and be totally fine. It's good to know I could change things a little and still get good brownies. Looking back on when I first made them (with espresso powder), I think the espresso makes them drier, and they're actually better this way. If I used espresso again, I'd add a little more liquid or maybe just use coffee extract instead. And of course, they were popular with the masses. (fb)
In the Mint Chocolate Brownies

Midnight Brownies

(For the Love of) Fruitcake Bars

Lemon Bars
Cook the crust 10 to 15 minutes less than what is specified in the recipe.  My oven is pretty accurate, temperature-wise, and the crust burned all the way through in the center.  They were okay.  I like that the recipe doesn't take proprietary ingredients, like Time-Warp Lemon Squares which take EnerG Egg Replacer, but in a comparison, Time-Warp Lemon Squares remain the champ because they take fewer binders, are easy to make, and look & taste great. (hh)
I'm glad hh mentioned that about the crust, because I don't know that I would have been so diligent. I baked maybe half the time. I used agar powder instead of flakes, so I did 1 tablespoon, but otherwise followed the directions. I tried to do everything as directed, but my crust stuck soso bad to the bottom. I sprayed it, and I used a glass pan. I had to work extra carefully to get the crust to come out with the bar. The flavor is amazing, though. I added a bit of extra zest, and I think some lemon extract. I would probably make this filling again with a different crust. (AC)
Magical Coconut Cookie Bars
These were freaking amazing, my mum can't get enough of them! They're really rich, but very very easy to make. I say, make them at night so you can enjoy them in the morning after they chill. (dannibazaar)
While I was eating these, they reminded me of some cookie thing my mom used to make, 7 layer cookies or something. I looked up the name, and sure enough it's another name for this cookie. The description calls them "rich," and for certain they are, but it doesn't feel that way while eating them... i could easily eat 3 little bars in one sitting. It was tough getting them off the pan (non-stick, too!), but were ever so creamy/sugary/chocolatey that it was ok. I used the graham cracker recipe from her for the crumbs, and since those cookies aren't very crumbly, I diced them finely (maybe 1/4") which worked well.  (fb)
I loved these!!! Super good! I fed them to a bunch of super-picky omnis and they loved them! They even wanted to take the extras home! Actually a very easy recipe! (babysgotsauce)
I set out to make this recipe, but ended up pretty much making one of my own! So, it's very versatile and delicious. The coconut milk mixture doesn't seem like it will firm up, but it does. I used an 11x7 pan, so I had very thick layers, but just used the freezer to set everything. (AC)
indeed magical.  We loved them! I had to use a little bit more than the stated amount of graham cracker crumbs to cover the bottom of the pan, but apart from that the recipe worked perfectly. (thirteenblackbirds)
SO disappointed in these. I was expecting magic, and I got a dud. They were grossly sweet and greasy. Mine also looked nothing like the picture--it was just a ball of grease and greasy coconut. Sad. (veganrun)
Peanut Butter Blondies
might be a vegan's(gluten-free, too) best dream, or a diabetic's worst nightmare. These bar cookies are fudgy and rich, peanut buttery, brown sugary-sweet and sure to cure any vegan or omni with a terrible sweet tooth and a love for peanut butter. They are easy to make with familiar ingredients. Unless you did what I did and used "Isa & Terry's Gluten Frida Mix"( on pp. 8-9 of the book) in place of the all-purpose flour. I really liked it. Having had gluten-free flops in the past, I was thrilled that my first time with this recipe and this gluten-free flour mix was a success.The authors note at the top of the recipe you'll definitely need a cup of almond milk to wash these Blondies down with. I think my body was screaming more for water and broccoli after consuming one of these decadent treats. (saskia)
This recipe is really, really simple!  No special ingredients except perhaps the peanuts.  They are very very fudgy.  I was skeptical of the recipe at first because there is no egg replacement, and I thought they'd be too crumbly.  They aren't as long as you let them cool.  I like that these aren't typical blondies requiring yogurt or silken tofu or similar.  They're so easy and goooooood and rich!  I could only eat a little bit.  I brought them to work. (KMK)
These were just OK.  Great peanut butter flavor, but the bars stuck in the pan terribly.  I greased the pan and waited until they were completely cool to cut them with a sharp knife, so I don't know what gives.  Once extracted from the pan, the bars were a little crumbly. Anyhow, I would consider making them again if I lined the pan with parchment, but I probably won't since there wasn't anything really special about them. (vegrunski)
sweet, peanut buttery, somewhat soft/fudgey. The edges got crispy and almost burnt (but fine). They're like soft pb cookies in bar form. In fact, it would probably be pretty easy to make them into cookies. They're more peanut butter than "blondie." (fb)
These are soooooooooo rich. I like that the recipe is so simple, and the ingredients so familiar, but DAMN. I've never had a blondie before (that I remember), but this just seems more like a big, rich peanut butter cookie. I didn't let mine cool all the way, so they were too crumbly to come out in one piece. I put a few chocolate chips on top, instead of the peanuts..which probably made them richer! I definitely like the flavor, but it's almost too painful to eat. I didn't have any problem with them sticking. I baked them for 20-21 minutes, but I think they could have gone the other couple minutes.  Similar to Saskia, I had water and a salad after eating a piece! (AC)
I was a little hesitant to make these, as the other VW reviews have said they're too rich. Well, my tastes are not as refined as all of yours, because I made these and couldn't keep my hands off of them!  Break out the fat pants!! I love these! They are so rich, gooey, sweet, simple, and awesome. There, I think I used up my adjective bank, all on one cookie. It was worth it. Oh, and some chocolate chips sprinkled on top with the peanuts doesn't hurt either. (veganrun)
We didn't have the peanuts for the top, so we left them out. These are really rich--you only need one to feel overwhelmed. I don't know if I'll make these again. (Idrilasphodel)
Reading the reviews, I was expecting to see god with these. I did not. First, my bars ending up looking NOTHING like the picture in the book--my coconut was all brown and caramelized (since the recipe said to push the toppings down until the coconut mixture covered them), not like the picture's white and fluffy coconut. Also, they just seem really greasy and leave an oily film on my fingers. Yuck. I will definitely not be making these again. (veganrun)
My mom liked these but they were a little dry and crumbly.  A nice peanut butter flavor. (monkey7)
Pumpkin Pie Brownies
I tasted these before Thanksgiving, and I'm slightly disappointed. The brownie layer is way more like cake (but ok), and the pumpkin layer is too thin. I think there's probably too much pumpkin in the brownie layer, and not enough for the top layer. The taste is ok. I did have to bake it about 5 minutes more to get it to set more. I probably won't make it again. It's a good idea, though. (AC)
We like these. I had a little pumpkin leftover after measuring, so I added it to the pumpkin pie layer. Also, I made a quarter (!) of this recipe, so I put it in 4 cupcake liners (it just about filled them up), and baked it for about 22 minutes. The texture of the brownie part is good - kinda fudgy - and the amount of pumpkin is fine. I think the pie layer is a little too sweet, but I was using part caster sugar, so that might have been it. I'd for sure make these again (probably in cupcake format too), and considering they're relatively low fat for baked goods, that makes them extra awesome. (fb)
I agree with AC on these. I felt they were bland but at least they are edible. I would never make these again. (intheend)
I'm not a fan of the pumpkin/chocolate combination normally, but my bf is, so I thought I'd give these a try. I actually thought they were quite gross. I didn't like how the textures were different with the brownie and pumpkin layer, and I didn't think the pumpkin was set up enough, but my chocolate layer was getting too done. I won't be making these again. (veganrun)
Spiced Sweet Potato Blondies
I thought these might be kind of weird, but they taste totally normal. Sort of like carrot cake. It doesn't taste too strongly of sweet potato, and the spices aren't super intense either. A sweet, "fudgey" bar. (fb)
I don't really love sweet potatoes and I'm also not a huge fan of blondies. I don't really know why I made these. ha. They are very moist and dense....they kind of remind me of sweet potato pie, but slightly cakey-er. Actually,... I wish they were a little more cakey. They taste pretty delicious though. They looked a little boring in the pan, so before I baked them, I sprinkled with a very generous amount of brown sugar and cinnamon. That was definitely a good idea. It gave them a pretty, marbled look and added some nice flavor. (lotus)
These taste amazing--the perfect blend of sweetness, spices, and a touch of sweet potato. However, the texture leaves something to be desired. The outside didn't stay crunchy like a normal blondie or brownie. By the next day, it was just a homogenous lump of baked good--no crispiness or texture change at all. What's the point of fighting over a corner piece if there's no extra crunch to battle over? Sad. (veganrun)
Whole Wheat Fig Bars
It was kind of difficult to soften up the dried figs, but it worked well enough in the end. These aren't exactly like fig newtons of course, but they're good enough. It has a lot of filling, and is a good breakfast-type cookie. (fb)

0 likes

Fancy Cookies
Chocolate Bottom Macaroon Cookies
Ever since I watched an Unwrapped episode on the Food Network, I’ve been dying to make macaroons…for some reason. And I am so glad I did. I went to the store today to get some unsweetened coconut JUST for this recipe hahaha. SO glad I did. They were kind of fussy to make, but that’s what I expected…but it was all worth it. These are delicious little cookies. Just follow the recipe exactly – they’ll turn out perfectly. Next time, I might try the chocolate variation! (dannibazaar)
These came out better than I remember macaroons ever being. Maybe I always had crappy macaroons, though. Very moist, never went stale (though they hung around for a while), just sweet enough, and because the coconut is blended in rather than mixed in, it's smoother and not stringy. I didn't do the chocolate-bottom part; they're fine without. (fb)
Delish! While I was eating it I couldn't help but thinking this would be GREAT with some chopped almonds/pecans inside it.  I also would like to play around with making them a little smaller-they would be cute and have less standing between me and the chocolate.  I actually followed the recipe pretty well, (pat on the back,) but used ww pastry flour instead of all purpose.  I also had a toddler "helping" so who knows what else got throwen in there, (a lego?) Mine came out appearing a little more floury than the picture/or a typical macaroon look, but they still tasted good! I love coconut and chocolate! Oh yes and easy, they were very easy..(even w/ a toddler helping) (babysgotsauce)
I made batch #2 of the Coconut Macaroons, and they were absolutely perfect! I made them smaller, AND added some crushed almonds to the middles....i baked them @ 325 for about 12 minutes, and they were a little firmer on the outside, w/ lots of chocolate on the bottom.  They are Taj's favorite cookie ever! (babysgotsauce)
These are absolutely fantastic, and they look so fancy. They look like something you'd see at a professional bakery, although they are incredibly easy to make. They don't take very long, either. I was so impressed with these cookies and this recipe. I knew they were going to be good when I couldn't stop eating the dough, then I couldn't stop eating the cookies before I dipped them in chocolate. Step 1) Make these cookies. Step 2) Give to everyone you know, and Step 3) Receive accolades and love from everyone. (veganrun)
I wasn't crazy about these, however, my roommate LOVED them. Mine crumbled a lot at the edges. (Idrilasphodel)
First time making macaroons. Not too difficult and they tasted great. I didn't get many since I baked them for a friend, but enjoyed the few that I snuck. (atanner)
Fantastic! I loved these! I made mine small so they were cute little nibbles on the holiday tray. They were so cute and so good. I'm definitely making again. I used unsweetened coconut, but I think sweetened would be fine too. (schmige)
Chipper Macaroon Cookies

Cocoa Macaroon Cookies

Touch of Orange Macaroon Cookies

Chocolate Marmalade Sandwich Cookies
I didn't roll these out like suggested, I just flattened pieces of dough the old-fashioned way. I think the dough would need a touch more moisture to roll out easily; even though I was just kind of pressing them down, they cracked very easily. I liked the chocolate:orange ratio here, and it doesn't really need the marmalade, it just makes it fancy. Firm cookies, not overly sweet. (fb)
Cranberry Walnut Thumbprints
I made these for Christmas, and everybody liked them a lot (and asked for the recipe). I used Trader Joe's Cranberry and Apple butter instead of cranberry sauce, so I baked them a little less than specified. I don't think I used all 2 cups of the walnuts, but I didn't really measure them out. These are super for the fall holidays! (veganrun)
These were quite tasty.  She warns about the dough being too dry, but I followed the recipe and mine was so sticky I had to add a couple extra tablespoons of flour.  I didn't want to add too much flour, so I left the dough a little sticky.  It left my hands a mess, but picked up the chopped walnuts really well.  I covered them pretty well in the walnuts, but still only used about half of the indicated amount.  I had a ton of frozen cranberries, so I made my own sauce with sugar, cinnamon, and ginger.  I think I baked them for almost 20 min.  They turned out really soft and cakey, in a good way.  Everyone loved them!  Also, just fyi, I made these a few days before I needed to serve them and they froze/defrosted really well.  (lotus)
Irish Creme Kisses
my favorite cookie out of the book...they were a hit for chirstmas the first time I made them. I couldn't stop eatting them lol. (luckicharms)
These didn't have much of a whiskey/malt flavor the first day, but it was much stronger the second. Pretty good chocolate/coffee type cookie. I think I'd sooner make it without the whiskey, just because I'd rather have more of the other flavors. The dough is very soft, but the finished cookies hold up fine. (fb)
These tasted like Bailey's Irish Cream in coffee--something my bf used to love when he wasn't vegan. So, he really liked them. I loved the icing on top and could've just eaten that. They definitely tasted better the next day when the flavors had had a night of mingling to get to know each other. (veganrun)
Lazy Samoas (Toasted Coconut Chocolate Cookies)
I ate the Lazy Samoas at a vegan cookie exchange and WHOAA they are good. I made the recipe on here a couple years ago and they were delicious but took forever so I really want to try making these instead.  Tasty tasty tasty coconut chocolate goodness. (algae)
DR made the lazy samoasas (or whatever they are called). we had a short arguement it. they were good. she put chips on top instead of covering them. used soy yougurt/starch for the flax. nice and cakey! (baypuppy)
They aren't as labor-intensive as the Samoa-type cookies on this site, and they still taste fine. I don't have enough money for coconut oil, so I subbed EB and coconut extract. They still taste pretty good. (Courth)
I didn't have coconut oil at the time, so I just used canola. They worked out fine, and I also just skipped the added oil for the chocolate drizzle and used melted chocolate. Enjoyable, almost healthy-ish cookies. Not quite like samoas, but I enjoy the laziness of this recipe too much to really care. I'd make these again; they're an easy "fancy" cookie. (fb)
The whole time I was eating the first cookie I kept saying "These are CRAZY GOOD!" They taste SO decadent, and even though they're a common combo (coconut and chocolate), the coconut oil gave it just a little bit of a unique flavor. Loved it. Only thing--the chocolate/coconut oil coating was a little too thin for my taste and would be a mess in the summer. I might omit some of the coconut oil next time. (veganrun)
Linzertorte Thumbprint Cookies
I did a variation on these because of well...a lack of proper ingredients. Instead of hazelnut butter I used peanut butter, instead of chopped hazelnuts I used chopped walnuts, and instead of raspberry jam I used a dollop of chocolate spead (yum!!). I made these for Christmas...and everyone loved them! They were so decadent...next time I'll just probably make them as the recipe goes. The chocolate SO has to be saved for special occasions... (dannibazaar)
Used almond butter instead of the hazelnut butter. I had a bit of a tough time shaping these and as a result had pretty unevenly sized cookies and not much of a divot for the jam, but I was in a huge rush and wasn't really being careful. Tasted great though. (atanner)
Macadamia Lace Cookies

Minonos
These are fun to make, and fairly easy even though they're sandwich cookies. I used TJ's bittersweet pound plus bar chocolate for the filling, and used vanilla bean paste in the cookies instead of liquid vanilla. They cookie part is really more like a firm sugar cookie than the Milano cookies. It's been a while, but I think the Milano cookies were crispier and more buttery. Still, I like these a lot, and the slight orange flavor of the cookie + vanilla + chocolate goes very well.  (fb)
Yummy. I need more practice to make these better, but they taste great. Not exactly like a milano (like fb said), but good. Next time, I will make them a bit thinner, smaller, and bake less. I didn't come out with nearly 32 cookies, and didn't even have enough chocolate for what I did end up with. I think I got 16 cookies in my first batch, and then maybe like 10. The dough is really easy to make, and the overall time is not too bad. (AC)
Nutter Better Sandwich Cookies
I wound up having to add significantly more soymilk to get the dough to work, but it worked out fine in the end. This didn't make as many sandwiches as the recipe stated; my cookie cutter was probably just larger. The filling was too liquidy and gooey, and it still oozed out easily when I stored them in the fridge. It could probably lose either the soymilk or the margarine, or a little of both. Still, it was very tasty, sweet peanut buttery goo. The cookies themselves are fairly soft, not the shortbread-like peanut butter crisscrosses from this book. They're not really like Nutter Butter (they're better than Nutter Butters!), mostly because the filling was gooey and not the waxy frosting Nutter Butters have, the cookie was softer and moister. (fb)
Nutting Wedding Cookies

Almond Weddings

NYC Black and White Cookies
made them for our big family Easter.  They are good, I would maybe add a little less orange next time because I could taste it a little too much.  The glazes were awesome, they looked good and "hardened" up enough so that I could transport them in stacks w/ parchment paper between them.  I used the 1/4 cup and mine seemed to turn out huge, which made them look cool, but they are too sweet for me to eat a whole one...(and live...lol.)  (babysgotsauce)
The cookies themselves are pretty cakey, and have a light citrus flavor. I didn't care for the white icing (pretty much just sugar and water), so the chocolate half was better. The icing winds up being pretty matte; you'd probably need to add a little corn syrup for it to dry glossy. Without the icing the cookies would be kind of meh, just citrusy cake, but for some reason just the fact that they're black and white cookies gives them extra points. (fb)
I thought these effing rocked!  I've never had a real black and white cookie, but these were fantastic - everyone loved them!!  They took a bit of work, but it was totally worth it!  I already want to make them again!! (erinmonster)
i ate some of these someone else made (from this recipe) and OMG yum. cakey and just sweet enough for me. she said they took a while with all the cooling, frosting, cooling, frosting, cooling but seemed worth it to my belly (bp)
Ooh La Las
Bwahaha, Oreos! The recipe says you'll need to keep these refrigerated if it's hot, for the sake of the filling, but I think they should be refrigerated no matter what - black cocoa stuff always seems to go stale very easily. In fact, it's probably best they be eaten the same day (not hard to do). They came out somewhat softer than oreos, like a cross between oreos and whoopie pies. I always liked the cookie better than the cream in oreos, and the same goes here. I'll eat it, but I'd probably sooner make the cookie part alone next time. (fb)
It has been a while since I have had a real Oreo but these tasted just like them  My brother and his friend ate 10 in the matter of 45 mins. These would  be better with the black cocoa powder. These were really sweet.  They are a crowd pleaser.  I did not use a cookie cutter since I was being lazy and the dough was soft. (monkey7)
I want to makes these again sometime. Without messing them up. I rolled out the dough without chilling prior, and it stuck to EVERYTHING. So I just dropped the dough by the tbs and flattened so they were kinda like moon pies. Very yummy though (dannibazaar)
Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows
Oddly enough it was pretty much the only recipe I could make with what I had in the cupboards. They. Were. Awesome. Simple to make, very forgiving - I only made a quarter the amount of dough due to maple syrup constraints - and delicious, of course. (catski)
I actually didn't love these as much as I was wanting to! I did use agave for maple, and a bit of applesauce to make the 1/4 cup. I whisked the pb mix instead of the mixer, but it still came out firm. I had some pb mix leftover that I'll use for....something. Honestly, these are more work for a cookie than I like, and use a ton of ingredients, plus a ton of fat. I wanted them to be like a special treat for sometimes, but I don't LOVE them. They are tasty, but heavy. I might have made mine too big, but it says "heaping tbs." I love other VCIYCJ cookies more. Eek! (AC)
Just fantastic - these were my favorite of all the recipes we tried out of this book.  They are a little time consuming to make, but actually not as difficult as the finished product might indicate.  The chocolate dough got a little dry on me, I think because it sat out for a bit while I was trying to juggle getting dinner ready while making these cookies.  The dough was a little crumbly as I was trying to shape the last set of cookies, but they came out great anyway.  You definitely need to make these if you like chocolate and peanut butter together! (vegrunski)
so great.  i used corn syrup for the maple, and about 2/3 natural crunchy pb and 1/3 junky pb.  i had to add more powdered sugar to the pb to get the right consistency & a bit more soymilk to the chocolate dough to get that workable.  they were really nice - soft & chewy..  the filling reminded me of some pb filled chocolate candies i used to love (can't remember the brand) & i think it would be easy to remake them using it. everyone loved them and id totally make them again.  i think theyd be awesome if you used some of the pb & co. flavored peanut butters. also, it definitely helps to divide your doughs so that you end up with the equal parts.. i cut mine in half (12 cookies worth), then again & again til i had a ball of dough worth 3 cookies, after i cut that into 3rds id start assembling.  they all ended being pretty close in size this way without any leftover bits. (ppc)
this time used almond butter.  they were good but not as good as the pb.  i think that the chocolate outsides really overshadowed the more subtle flavor of the almond butter.  the almond butter filling, however, before assembling the cookies was phenomenal and i couldve just eaten the entire bowl and just forgotten about the cookies all together. (ppc)
I made these for a baking contest and took second place against a bunch of non-vegan baked goods. They were labor-intensive. The chocolate dough got dry while I made the PB dough, so I had to add a little soy milk to soften it up. I feel like I'd like them a lot better if someone else made them for me, because it took me until about cookie number 23 to really figure out the best way to roll the chocolate dough around the PB. I might make them again if I'm feeling ambitious. (courth)
Really good. A great cookie to make with kids because it is so hands-on. I did have about 1/3 of the pb mixture left, so, I guess I didn't smoosh the choc. dough thin enough. They puffed up fine, though. I also had to add a little soymilk to the pb dough halfway through, as it got dry, but practice will make me faster at rolling them I think. And the super picky kid I babysit liked them, which isn't even guaranteed for cookies. 5 stars! (nmpixie)
I wound up with extra filling... I probably could have fit it in, but I didn't want to give myself too much trouble with closing the dough around it. The dough tends to dry out a little, so it's probably a good idea to keep it covered while working. Still, definitely not too hard to assemble these. The peanut butter filling is perfect - not super greasy, not too sweet. The cookie is soft, a tiny bit cakey. (fb)
Okay, I don't know what went wrong with these, but these spread out during baking, and they resembled a crinkle cookie with peanut butter cracks. It was really humid that day, and it was hard to get my peanut butter filling just right, as I use pb that is just ground peanuts. So, I could've messed up the filling. Aside from the complete difference in shape and size, these were absolutely freaking delicious. I took them to an omni event, and they snatched them up. Oh, also weird--I had to bake these 20 minutes (twice the recommended time) to get them to set up. However, my under-baked ones went straight into the freezer and made an excellent snack as the peanut butter didn't freeze and remained gooey and the chocolate outside crisped up. Wonderful! (veganrun)
My daughter made these last week and had the exact same problem (as veganrun), it was hot and humid here too. I was wondering if that could have affected the outcome.  The cookies weren't pretty, but apparently they were tasty, her friends gobbled them down. (storm)
Mine did the weird oily spreading thing during baking. I was disappointed because I have another recipe for these that works well.  I do like the flavor of these with the dark cocoa though and they taste delicious. (thirteenblackbirds)
Despite the so-so reviews, I've been dying to try these.  My dad is allergic to peanuts, so I try to experiment with different nut butters.  I used sunflower seed butter in these.  Everyone noticed a difference, but found them delicious, nonetheless.  I didn't have black cocoa, but they were fine without.  Before shaping them, I rolled the filling as well as the dough into 24 balls, so I wouldn't have too much of either.  It took a few tries to get the hang of shaping them, but was less work than I anticipated.  The only thing I didn't love about these was the size.  Mine turned out way too large.  I'll make them again, but smaller.  (lotus)
Changes: veg oil instead of canola, no maple syrup, extra soymilk, by 1/4c + a little, Hershey's "special dark" cocoa powder instead of regular + black cocoa. First off, it's the first time I've used the "special dark" cocoa, and I think it's a pretty good substitute for the regular cocoa + black cocoa mix. I think it is a bit darker than that blend (and the cookies came out darker than the pic), and it's cool because it's probably easier to find than ordering black cocoa off a website. Anyway, I had to add extra soymilk than what I already had to get the chocolate dough to come together, and it was still a bit dry, but I decided to err on that side than end up with a sticky, unmoldable dough. After baking, that part was still a bit drier than I would have liked, but it was still very good. The pb filling was more savory than I recalled (I think the pb I was using had a much stronger roasted flavor that took over), and overall the cookie is pretty damn fatty - a 1/2 c oil in the dough, plus 3/4 c pb in the filling. Be prepared. The cookies didn't flatten out, and for the most part the pb filling stayed roughly in the ball form, while the cookie spread around it, so not quite the cute little mounds in the photo. There were some cracks where the pb was visible, but fortunately it didn't melt and stayed put. Everyone enjoyed them a lot. Very indulgent stuff. (fb)
Starry Fudge Shortbread
I love this shortbread. I was lazy and just made circles instead of pressing it, but the dough is soft enough that you could probably do that easily. These are pretty soft after they cool off, sort of like a cross between traditional shortbread and sugar cookies, but they harden up a little in the fridge. Instead of the ganache, I just used a chocolate disc for each center. (fb)
These lil' bitches gave me a ton a problems, but they were DELICIOUS! I followed the directions exactly, but when it came time to pipe them into star shapes my ziplock baggies kept exploding and I would try to get all the dough into another one, after baggie #3 I decieded to just F-it and make them in circle/blobs and then dip them in the chocolate...good decision, omnis and vegans that had them this afternoon all LOVED them! Thin and chewy, the chocolate is great too! They were gone within an hour! (babysgotsauce)
Cherry Star Cookies

Spritz Cookies

Sweet Chocolate Pretzels
three have pearl sugar (suggested by the recipe, but it melted a bit, and it was hard to get it to stick on before baking). The one on the upper right has gold coarse sugar, which didn't melt. The pearl sugar ones were the first to get made, the gold one was later. They were very easy to make into pretzels at first, but then dried out and starting cracking when i would twist them into shape... you can kinda tell from the gold sugar one. Anyway, also another dough to cover while working. All in all though, it was a lot easier to form these than I expected; the dough is easy to handle, rolls out well, it's just the older dough was cracking when I twisted it, but nothing disastrous. They kind of taste like oreos (probably the black cocoa), aren't super sweet, and a bit softer than shortbread texture. (fb)
Sliced and Rolled Cookies
Chocolate Chip Chai Spice Shortbread
I had some problems with this recipe, I didn't have a hand mixer so I just used a whisk/fork but for some reason my dough was really, really dry and crumbly, not at all like they described. The flavor was good but not what  I anticipated.. I don't think I'll make them again but I'm interested to hear if someone else figures out the texture thing! (owalkerjillo)
I used all margarine instead of half margarine and half shortening. I also refrigerated the dough for about a 1/2 hour before slicing and baking, for fear that it would spread too much like the other times I subbed all margarine. They didn't at all. They were just firm, barely spread (puffed up a little though), and browned a little on the bottom. Also, I added the optional chai tea (Tazo), but did not add chocolate chips (I didn't want to take away from the spice flavor, and didn't want to have issues with cutting slices). I like them a lot. They are a good shortbread for tea or coffee, and are a little drying if you don't have something to drink with them. I like the spices in them; a lot of chai things are primarily cinnamon, and while the main spice here is cinnamon, there is enough other stuff going on that it tastes legit. The partial whole wheat-ness doesn't detract from the flavor in any way. (fb)
These were hugely problematic for me.  Very powdery and crumbly, even after I refrigerated for 30 mins.  They did not slice at all, just crumbled.  For the first batch, I piled up the crumbles on the cookie sheet and pressed together  smooth cookies out of them, which took about a minute or two per cookie.  (They were that crumbly!)  That batch came out fine -- but had a dry texture I didn't like too much.  The second batch I didn't spend so much time making them neat and solid in the pan -- they were pretty crumbly going into the oven.  They came out looking just as terrible as when they went in.  I'm not crazy about the finished flavor-- I think the chocolate and spices don't meld well together with the dry-ness of the cookie.  Will not make again.  If someone is curious, it might be worth seeing what effect a little added soy milk would have while still in the mixing phase. (dcocc)
Chocolate Chip Mint Leaf Icebox Cookies
I refrigerated the dough for over a day, and it went straight from the fridge to being cut to the oven, but they spread like crazy. The color of the dough (light golden) along with the minced mint looks a lot like scallion pancakes (mercifully, that's not how they taste). Definitely minty, but not to the point of toothpaste or something. The texture's kind of like a chocolate chip cookie, but I was hoping for shortbread-ish like the icebox grapefruit cookies... maybe no soymilk will do the job? Anyway, these went quick, and they probably don't really need the minced mint, but it makes them look cool. (fb)
Chocolate Cut Out Cookies
Not very sugary, which I like; it's more like a "dark chocolate" cookie. The dough was a little bit dry, but it worked fine for cutting & baking. They stayed pretty soft, even after cooling, which is surprising considering the dough texture and thickness of the rolled dough (1/8"). (fb)
These are such an amazing chocolate cookie. They taste exactly like a chocolate roll out cookie that my mum made when I was little and was OBSESSED with (and even more obsessed with the dough....). I make these quite often as well. (dannibazaar)
These are good, but not amazing. The chocolate flavor is good, but not very sweet. They do stay soft, but not too soft. Probably not ones I would make again, but they taste good. (AC)
Coffeehouse Hermits
I like these. They're sort of like a milder gingerbread. For the coffee, I used 2x the coffee I would normally use for that volume, and brewed it longer, but the end product doesn't taste much like coffee (but that's ok, because the molasses + spice flavor is so good). If you wanted it to, I'd recommend espresso powder. Anyway, these are sort of cake, sort of cookie (maybe a "mookie"?). Just a touch chewy, a little dark & spicy. Definitely good with coffee. (fb)
I am so glad I checked the typos first, because my book says 2 cups, but it's supposed to be 1/2 cup, and the 1/2 cup was a good amount for me. I'm confused by the 2 cookie sheets, though. I usually only use one, anyway, but the instructions say to line two sheets with parchment paper, but you have two logs, and they are on the same sheet. There's nothing for the other sheet? I used espresso powder (I think 1 tbs+ for the 1/2 cup water), and some chocolate chips for the raisins (yuck). I also did some crystallized ginger on top. Dough came together easily, and I tried my best to follow the method. I think mine baked about 24. I unexpectedly ran out of molasses, so I used some brown rice syrup. I love them, but I'm disappointed that I can't taste the coffee at all. They are more like gingerbread. Softer than biscotti, but still with a crisp edge. Great flavor, but just no coffee. Maybe they aren't supposed to taste like coffee? (AC)
Cookie Dough Scoops
These are like OM NOM NOM NOM delicious. Good thing they're frozen otherwise they would have been gone sooner. The dough is very soft, but I wasn't sure if it would really freeze to the right texture (too hard to eat when frozen). But they're *just* soft enough to eat straight out of the freezer. I wouldn't change a thing about this recipe, though I'm curious to try to bake a couple and see if they turn out that way too. (fb)
Cookie Dough Dipped Scoops

Gluten Free Cookie Scoops

Cornmeal Poppyseed Biscotti
So yummy. The combination made these so crunchy, in the best way! Very good cookies for a mid afternoon snack as they are light tasting. (gabby)
Cranberry White Chocolate Biscotti
Divine!  This was easier than I thought it would be.  I used slivered almonds instead of white chocolate and the flavor of the allspice was phenomenal.  (cali)
Much like the cowgirl cookies, the combination of cranberries and white chocolate + spice results in an obesifying cookie that mysteriously disappears. I think it goes better with flavored tea or cocoa better than coffee.  (fb)
Frosted Grapefruit Icebox Cookies
Light, almost shortbread texture, very faintly fruity and tart.  I thought these were good but LB loved them.  The icing was tart but I didnt add zest because I had already eaten my spare grapefruit. hehe (cali)  
These actually wouldn't be very grapefruit-y without the icing. Maybe the zest/juice isn't enough to make it taste that way, or maybe the flavor bakes out. Anyway, my icing was really liquidy (I should have added juice bit by bit until I got to the right consistency...) and was pale pink, rather than the white depicted in the photo. Curious. Anyway, I liked these cookies. I like the idea of refrigerating + cutting - it makes neat little shortbread cookies. Also, I was tired of limey cookies, so grapefruit ones are a unique, refreshing treat. Good with tea. (fb)
Gingerbread Biscotti
Best biscotti ever! It was my first time making biscotti, but it was pretty simple. Just a couple more steps than making cookies. Unfortunately, I didn't have the candied ginger, but it would have been nice. I used 3/4 cups whole wheat flour, with the 1 cup AP. I otherwise followed the recipe. The dough was great, they were great after the first baking, and perfect biscotti after the second baking. I used some raw sugar on top. Oh, I added a dash of orange extract to the dough, and it was the perfect addition. I really recommend it. Would be great with the lemon icing, but great without. Love it! (AC)
The texture is crisp and crunchy on the outside (at first tooth, you would think it would be too crunchy), but then when you bite down, it's soft enough to just bite (without a crisp), and fairly soft inside...well not soft, but..toothsome. I forgot to mention that I maybe baked them 26 minutes the first time (just the very edges were browned), and then cut down significantly on the second bake..maybe like 18 minutes. I also couldn't wait a full 45 minutes for them to cool, so I started cutting them when they seemed cool enough..maybe like 30 minutes. We only have like 3 pieces left! I did get just about 18 pieces out of it, as it states. (AC)
I fell in love with the Gingerbread Biscotti that Cali made for me for the VegWeb Earth Day gift exchange. Crispy outers, a sweet, molassesy moist middle and a wonderful spice blend of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. I enjoyed this biscotti so much I baked some for a friend's birthday. Since he requested low-fat, I used only 1/4 cup of oil and 2-3 Tablespoons applesauce, instead of 1/2 cup oil. I also kneaded candied ginger into the dough. I only rebaked for about 15 minutes. The gingerflavor paired well with the lemon glaze I drizzled on the biscotti. This recipe will impress your brunch guests. Serve warm with coffee or tea. (saskia)
YUM YUM YUM. If you like ginger, you'll like these. A great spicy cookie. Just wonderful. (veganrun)
these had too strong of a flavor for me. i think it was the molasses i used. anyway, the texture was fine at first but mine became rock hard after a few days. I wouldn't make these again.  (thirteenblackbirds)
Most perfect biscotti ever. These are the only biscotti I've made that have become crispy throughout, which is cool. They also have an intense gingerbread flavor, even with golden molasses and not blackstrap. And they seem to stay fresh forever. AND they soften in hot coffee & such. YEAH. (fb)
Great flavour. First time they were perfect. Second time they were briefly forgotten and got a bit crispy, but were really good dipped in coffee. (atanner)
I love biscotti, and was so excited to try this recipe!  I was very pleased with these cookies, and would definitely make them again.  I must include this warning though: the recipe calls for slicing the biscotti, and then returning them to the oven on their bottom edge then baking at 325 degrees for 22 to 24 minutes.  Now that bottom edge has already had contact with the baking sheet for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, so you can guess what happens after an additional 22 to 24 minutes of baking.  Burnt biscotti!  Biscotti should be placed on their sliced edge, not their bottom edge.  My guess is that the authors were concerned about the sticky ginger pieces burning or sticking to the baking sheet.  I think the next time I make these I will place a wire rack on top of the baking sheet, and then place my biscotti sliced side down on the rack.  I might lower the final baking temperature as well, and bake a bit longer. (peaceablepalate)
I really liked these.  The only change I made was to add a couple pinches of finely ground black pepper.  The flavor is fantastic and they’re great with tea.  I would agree with peaceablepalate and say that the bottoms tend to get really brown when they’re in constant contact with the baking sheet.  I’d bake a few minutes less for the first round and then either lay them sideways on a wire rack on top of the baking sheet or just lay them sideways. I’d also love to try these with dried blueberries or cranberries in them. (conniex)
Gingerbread Cut Out Cookies
Best. gingerbread. ever. I used "golden" molasses (I think it's just regular molasses, not blackstrap), so they weren't super dark, and the sweetness and spices are spot on - not crazy spicy, but the spices are definitely there. I didn't refrigerate the dough, and the cookies came out pretty soft. I used the Royal Icing from JOVB to decorate them - the icing in the book seemed to be too thin. If you want to make cookies as ornaments, I think the JOVB recipe for gingerbread cookies is better, because it comes out much firmer. These are too soft (assuming that refrigerating the dough beforehand wouldn't change that...). (fb)
I got the recipe from the ppk blog during Christmas and made these.  They are really good.  The amount of spices was perfect.  They are soft but not too soft where they fall apart.  I have never been a gingerbread cookie person (I always thought they were cute though) but these are the best gingerbread cookies ever. (monkey7)
I'm not very good with cutout cookies, but these worked pretty well. The dough was a nice texture after chilling a while-not too hard. Flavor is pretty much spot on. I know they would be better if I could get them the perfect thickness. One of P's favorite cookies. (AC)
Awesome! I got so many compliments on these. One batch made about 40 small/medium ones. (atanner)
wow....these are just amazing! So, so delicious. I found the dough to be a little difficult to work with (very sticky), but with a little patience, I managed just fine. And these cookies are fantastic - so soft, with a wonderful gingerbread flavor. The icing was easy to make and added the perfect touch. I got 16 cutouts with a gingerbread-man-style cutter. (lebkuchen)
Graham Crackers
Well, my brain had apparently turned itself off right before I was ready to make these. I was planning on making the cinnamon sugar version, but then remembered I ran out of cinnamon! I had just enough pre-mixed cinnamon sugar to add a bit of cinnamon to the dough.  I was thinking these had flax meal, but that must have been something else..I had all my ingredients/measuring devices out, then I mixed up the dough, kneaded it, was all ready, and saw that I hadn't used my 1/3 measuring cup. I was like hm...then looked back, and I forgot to add the sugar! I am currently using turbinado, so it's even more difficult to try to knead some into the dough. I managed to get a bit in. Then, I could not figure out the cutting directions (and yes I read them more than twice..as she said...). I guess the shape doesn't really matter. I don't really like rolling out things, and I think the later crackers got tough. Anyway, with no sugar added to the dough, I knew that it needed something, so I drizzled some maple syrup on top, with a sprinkle of turbinado. I tasted one out of the oven, and it tasted like something that I knew I hadn't had in a while. I figured out they tasted like biscuits and honey! I then drizzled more syrup on, because they still weren't sweet enough. All that said, I think the actual recipe would be grand. Mine taste ok after all that. (AC)
I made the regular version, and used white whole wheat flour instead of pastry flour and baked them for the full time. The edges were crispy, but the middle section was still softer but firm (oh, and I understood how to cut them. They make it sound complicated... it's just rectangles). They don't exactly taste like graham crackers to me... I think they have a little too much molasses for that. (fb)
I agree with fb all the way on these. Mine were too cakey in the middle, so I'd like to try them and get the middle rolled out a little thinner to see if that makes any difference. I made smores with mine, and it was life-changing. (veganrun)
Cinnamon Sugar Graham Crackers

Green Tea Walnut Biscotti
These have a pretty strong tea flavor... if you want to be cheap with your matcha (that stuff is expensive!), you could probably get away with even using half the amount listed. These didn't get completely dry/crunchy (but I can almost never get biscotti totally dry, even with careful angling for the second baking), and I think they can be pretty easily made just like regular cookies, once baked... like a green tea flavored sugar cookie. I like pretty much anything matcha flavored, but my boyfriend actually liked these, and he's disliked every other matcha thing I've forced him to try. So there. (fb)
These were beautiful and delicious. I only used 3 teaspoons matcha, and it was plenty of green tea flavor. My boyfriend didn't seem to like them--he thought they were kind of weird. I loved them, and I think most people that like green tea would like these (maybe it's the green color?). I ate them with coffee and another time with green tea, and both complemented the cookie well. (veganrun)
I bought some matcha powder last week and knew I had to make these. I'm so glad I did as they really are delicious. Following the advice of others I reduced the green tea amount to just 1 1/2 tsp (for a half batch) and that seemed like the perfect amount. I was worried they would fall apart when I cut them but I think the key is to let the cookie rectangle cool enough after the first cooking and you'll be fine. The double cooking made them so crunchy and with the walnuts they are just perfect. Make them! (greenknittinggirl)
Pistachio Green Tea Biscotti
Slender green tea fingers with pistachio bits rolled in. The texture of crunchy, browned tops with moist middles is a wonderful change from the dry, hard biscotti many are used to. Perfect amount of matcha green tea. One cup, instead of 1 1/4 cup of nuts, was plenty. Next time I'll sub some of the oil with applesauce. Eating one left me with oily finger tips. Also, a glaze drizzle would make this green biscotti more visually appealing. (saskia)
Key Lime Shortbread Rounds
Good! These are a nice, crunchy cookie. I rolled them in green sugar, and they look really cute on a holiday tray with their bright green edges. I couldn't find concentrated key lime juice, so I used regular fresh lime juice, and they have a bright but mild lime taste (they are probably not as tart as they are supposed to be). One caveat: my dough was too soft to roll into a log shape that would hold up while being rolled in the sugar, until it sat in the freezer for about two hours. Then it went BACK into the freezer for two more hours until I thought it was firm enough to slice the roll. A few more tablespoons of flour might solve this problem, but I was afraid to try it because I didn't want to dilute the lime-yness. The extra time in the freezer also meant they baked for 18 minutes instead of 10-12 as written. But in the end, they were a perfect light golden brown. (tmarkeim)
Kitchen Sink Chocolate Biscotti
I had to try another biscotti recipe an this one came together so well.  Its the last biscotti recipe in the book and you can add 1/2 to 1/3 c of two or three goodies to the dough.  I cheated and just added 1cup of chocolate chips.  I then used melted chocolate chips and drizzled some on the finished cookies, making this a triple chocolate goodie.  Delish! (cali)
Cali sent me some of these for Christmas, and they were grand! Loved the chocolate chocolate chocolate. (AC)
i just added some white chocolate chips to these instead of random things; they came out pretty well. I made these along side the chocolate hazelnut biscotti from v'con, and I like these better. They have more cocoa, they have a lower temp and longer second baking time, which helps them dry out better. unlike the magical coffee shop biscotti, though, they don't get totally dry or soften in coffee/etc, but that's ok. Chocolatey, crispy, dough is easy to handle. (fb)
Very good. Great chocolate flavor. I used espresso+water for the 1/4 cup milk. I added chocolate chips, almonds, and coconut. Yum. Mine actually did get totally crispy and crunchy! Almost too crisp for me. I like a little softness. I think they turned out exactly as written in the recipe, but I might bake them a little less next time. I made my log too thick, so I had to be very careful cutting/transporting the long slices, but it worked out. Good base for many modifications. (AC)
I used chocolate chips and toasted hazelnuts for these, then I dipped the ends in melted chocolate--SO amazing. They tasted like Nutella in a cookie form. I made them for Christmas and everyone loved them. Too yummy. (veganrun)
No Bake Pecan Chocolates
Delicious! So easy, and so fast. They are just pecans, brown rice syrup, and chocolate..basically. I used chocolate extract instead of vanilla. They are just like fudge, but not quite as rich. These would be good in smaller shapes..like candy. I really like them. Wouldn't be good for transporting/leaving out in warmer temps. Recommend! (AC)
So rich and decadent--they taste like a "Turtle," which my mom loves. I made a batch of these as a gift for her for Christmas, and she (and everyone else) loved them. They can't believe how caramel-y the brown rice syrup is. These are incredibly fast and easy to make. (veganrun)
Old Fashioned Pie Plate Shortbread
My mom can't stop eating them they are that good.  My dad said they were awesome.  They are good and easy to make.  I used a spring form pan because I do not own a tart pan. (monkey7)
Earl Grey Shortbread

Lavender Shortbread
Potent lavender flavor, which comes off as both floral and herby (kind of weird, but works for shortbread). (fb)
Rose Water Shortbread
I can't taste the rosewater in these. Maybe my rosewater is too old or something, idk, but this shortbread is tasty nonetheless. It's essentially the same shortbread as the thumbprint ones, which is buttery/starchy and somewhat soft.  (fb)
Roll and Cut Sugar Cookies
Ok... so. I have learned, once and for all, not to sub EB margarine for "vegetable shortening." I realize now this was also the issue for the mint icebox cookies. These spread like crazy too (actually, even worse), and the softness made the dough difficult to handle, even after letting it sit in the freezer a while. They even left greasy puddles on my baking sheet. So, while my heart shapes were more like fat-ass triangles, they actually came out pretty tasty, crispy and kind of caramelized. I thought it tasted like if you deep-fried a sugar cookie, my boyfriend thought it tasted like candy. Anyway, definitely don't cut corners with this one. (fb)
I followed the recipe, and used the lemon extract. My dough chilled for maybe a couple of hours, and it was way too hard. I let it set out some, but I still had difficulty rolling them out. I don't think this had anything to do with the recipe..I just never have the patience for rolling things out, so I don't have a lot of practice with it. I finally got some rolled out, but then it was even harder transferring them to the sheet! I had to come up with creative methods to get some cut outs. The taste is pretty good, but not the best sugar cookie I've had. I probably wouldn't make this recipe again. (AC)
Cinnamon Sand Tarts

Swedish Chocolate Balls

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whaaaaaaaaaat!? HAVE YOU RECEIVED THIS BOOK ALREADY?!?!?! I have intense jealousy.

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I bought it from the store.  I ended up not ordering it because I have b&n coupons.  I reserved it at the store and picked it up an hour later instead.

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so jealous. I suck at cookies and really want this book to practice. I'm gonna hint like hell for it.

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I didn't even know this book existed - or pre-existed ::)  It is going on my santa list

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I just got it in the mail last night, now I have to make those brownies!!

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Yes! I finally received mine. I'm making the Mexican chocolate snicks today, and I've made the chocolate chip cookies 54,000 times, since finding them on the PPK blog.

Chocolate chip cookies

-These are the best chocolate chip cookies of all time (for real). They DO have crinkly tops, and they are soft, and rich, and just..perfect. P requests them every possible mention of a dessert. He was "upset" that I'm not making them today, after I mentioned all the new cookie choices to make from the book. I definitely recommend using the tapioca flour, as I've made them with cornstarch, and they aren't quite the same. You also do need to whisk the wet ingredients vigorously to get that caramel like texture. My dough always comes out quite wet, so I sometimes add a bit more flour. Don't add too much, because they don't come out the same. The best! (AC)

http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1943/214/96/507120532/n507120532_5458351_1822.jpg

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I thought those were the same cookies.  Must buy tapioca flour!

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I don't have this book yet... but I really wonder how the Chocolate Chip Mint Leaf Icebox Cookies are. I tried putting chopped up mint leaves in my brownies and they came out pretty weird. Minty, but very leafy tasting. I wonder if her recipe pulls it off better.

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She says to chop them as tiny as you possibly can.

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so jealous. I suck at cookies and really want this book to practice. I'm gonna hint like hell for it.

You've already made one of the recipes! Those magical coconut cookie bars are in the book. KMK will be copying your review over, and adding it here. ;)

Mexican chocolate snickerdoodles
-Very good! I think I'm always very slightly disappointed when I use a new extract, because I expect it to add something spectacular (and maybe it does?), but I can't usually tell. I think these have excellent flavor, though. The perfect little spice. My dough turned out a bit dry, so I just added a couple more tbs of soymilk (and then had to add a bit more flour, because it was too wet). The dough did come out with the perfect consistency for dipping/flattening in the sugar mixture. I think the 10 minute baking time was slightly too long for my liking, so I did 8 minutes for the second batch (haven't tried those, yet). A good cookie! P and I agreed that they'd be even better with just a few DARK (P added this) chocolate chips added in. CHOCOLATE. (AC)

I really want to try every single recipe in this book!

I did a pretty bad job mixing, so you can see little parts of non-chocolate dough.

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs095.snc3/16235_317066070532_507120532_9751122_2374125_n.jpg

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She says to chop them as tiny as you possibly can.

Yeah, I saw that. I definitely tried to chop them small, I guess that's not the same as tiny ;)

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Blackstrap gingersnaps

-I had every intention of going to the store today, and getting a few things to make these correctly, but that didn't happen..and I made them anyway. I ALWAYS buy blackstrap molasses, but when I needed it last time, they were out. I had to get the other kind from bulk...golden? So, I had to use that for the cookies. I also used whole wheat pastry flour (as always). The other big thing-I didn't have enough oil, so I used melted EB. I was thinking the cookies would REALLY spread because of this, so I didn't really flatten them out much at all, but they didn't spread much at all! They are almost not even snappy enough. I also added some fresh ginger. Something was lacking in the flavor, but I'm not sure what (the different molasses? not sweet enough?). I definitely can't fault the recipe, since I didn't follow it, but I hope to make them correctly some day. Not bad, but not my favorite. (AC)

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^Hey! I made those yesterday :)

Molasses is not a common sweetener at all in my country. We can't buy that in regular grocery stores, so I bought mine in special store. I'm not used to its flavour and propably because of that the cookie dough smelled and tasted a bit funny. But after taking the cookies out of the oven, they were very nice. I also used fresh ginger for the cookies, because I didn't have the grounded one. I suppose the cookies were better that way.

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Chocolate Fudgy Oatmeal Cookies - These were a huge hit with my family.  I made them for a football tailgate and they all disappeared pretty fast!  They're a little crumbly, but still get a big thumbs up.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies - I like these a lot, and I didn't feel guilty about eating several at once, lol.  The book said they're a little fluffier than regular choc chip, but mine didn't turn out that way.  I made mini cookies (using 1/2 T of dough) and baked for 8 min - perfect!!  They were chewy and moist.  I think I'll go have one right now!  :)

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Mexican Chocolate Snickerdoodles - Chocolate and cinnamon make an awesome combo!!  I originally didn't think I'd like these, but decided to try them out anyway (I saw the recipe on the ppk blog awhile back).  They are seriously good and have the perfect texture.  Make them  :)

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9VYZtQBGP90/SrZD8mYlVNI/AAAAAAAAARs/Za8rNW3QzDU/s320/IMG_0819

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Peanut Butter Blondies -

This recipe is really, really simple!  No special ingredients except perhaps the peanuts.  They are very very fudgy.  I was skeptical of the recipe at first because there is no egg replacement, and I thought they'd be too crumbly.  They aren't as long as you let them cool.  I like that these aren't typical blondies requiring yogurt or silken tofu or similar.  They're so easy and goooooood and rich!  I could only eat a little bit.  I brought them to work.

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Chocolate Chip Cookies

I followed this recipe exactly, which if you ever saw me cook you would know this is almost unheard of!  These turned out so very very good.  Soft, moist, flavorful and satisfying.  I will be making these again and again.  My only and silly complaint is that you only get 16 cookies out of the batch!  Must make more.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xGocacss38s/SwCtDACN5rI/AAAAAAAAAoc/tWyF5WO5vk8/s320/Fearlessly+Vegan+073.JPG

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Chocolate Chip Cookies

I followed this recipe exactly, which if you ever saw me cook you would know this is almost unheard of!  These turned out so very very good.  Soft, moist, flavorful and satisfying.  I will be making these again and again.  My only and silly complaint is that you only get 16 cookies out of the batch!  Must make more.

Yes! I made those again yesterday, too. P's not truly happy with cookies, unless they are these.
What did your dough look like?

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