CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

These little fellas are like the Cadillac of cookies. Show me someone who hates chocolate chip cookies and I’ll show you a robot. Yes—I’m saying you would have to have a cold, clockwork heart to hate chocolate chip cookies.

MAKES 2 DOZEN COOKIES

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup margarine, softened

½ cup hazelnut or olive oil

3 tablespoons water

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup vanilla soy milk

½ cup vegan chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In one bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, mix the sugars, margarine, oil, water, vanilla extract, and soy milk until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the oil mixture and stir until smooth. Add the vegan chocolate chips. Drop by the teaspoonful onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cookies are a light golden brown.

HAZELNUT MOCHA COOKIES

There’s a running joke in our family that I don’t really drink coffee; I drink coffee-flavored almond milk. I’ll admit it; I like my coffee to taste like mocha almond ice cream. But who wouldn’t want that? That’s one of the best flavors of ice cream there is, and if you can find a way to have more of it in your life in any form, why not enjoy it? You only get one life.

That’s what I love about these cookies. They have a lot of what I like, and when I go to schmancy coffeehouses for personalized caffeine, hazelnut lattes are my personal favorite.

MAKES 2 DOZEN COOKIES

1 tablespoon hazelnut-flavored syrup for beverages

½ cup toasted whole hazelnuts

1 cup powdered sugar

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup margarine, softened

1¼ cups vanilla soy coffee creamer

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

½ cup vegan chocolate chips

cup unsweetened baking cocoa

2 tablespoons instant coffee granules

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Set aside the syrup and hazelnuts. In large bowl, blend together all the remaining ingredients to create a soft dough. Stir in the syrup and hazelnuts with a spoon.

Use an ice cream scoop to drop the dough in rounded clumps about the size of one tablespoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Keep your cookies 2 inches apart. With your palm, gently flatten the dough into cookies.

Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until set. Cool on the sheet for 3 minutes and then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

SHORTBREAD COOKIES

I have very fond memories of shortbread cookies. My grandfather and I used to eat them with chocolate milk while we watched Perry Mason, Twilight Zone, and Dick Van Dyke Show reruns when he babysat me in the afternoons. I remember my grandfather—or as I called him, “Great Dad”—opening a big red tin and explaining to me that they were special. They came from Scotland. So we could only have three at a time. These aren’t that exotic, but they are vegan, and you can eat as many as you want.

MAKES 2 DOZEN COOKIES

¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons margarine, softened (you may need a little more)

¼ cup sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, stir the margarine and sugar together until well mixed. I used a pastry hand blender; I think it worked perfectly. Stir in the flour with a large spoon. Then use your hands to make the dough into a large ball. Really work it. If it’s too crumbly, use the hand blender to work in 1 to 2 more tablespoons margarine.

Fill cookie cutters that are at least 1 inch tall with shortbread dough, making sure you get in the corners and the cookie is ½ to ¾ inch thick. Gently push them out. You’re forming little biscuits.

Put your little biscuits on a cookie sheet covered in foil and bake them for 10 to 15 minutes. You want them to be just a little golden. Immediately put them on a wire rack to cool. Use a spatula, and be careful, because they’re flaky and crumbly, and also are kind of soft and will dent.

I suggest storing them in a tin and eating them with tea and some Perry Mason.

LEMON CHAMOMILE SHORTBREAD

Tea parties aren’t just for little girls. These cookies will make any morning fancy and proper.

MAKES 2 DOZEN COOKIES

1 cup margarine, softened

½ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon brewed chamomile tea

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

In a large bowl, combine the margarine, sugar, and salt with an electric handheld mixer until smooth. Blend in the lemon peel, tea, and flour until smooth. Press into an 8-inch-square cake pan.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cut into 9 squares. Then cut each square in half into 2 triangles. Use a fork to poke 3 little dots in the top of each cookie.

Remove the shortbread cookies from the pan. Be careful—these cookies are a bit crumbly, and the edges and corners can “shatter.” Cool completely on a wire rack.

BROWN SUGAR, OATMEAL, AND APPLE COOKIES

It is an indisputable fact that autumn is the best season.^* In no small part, it’s because of the flavors. These cookies take your favorite fall flavors and pull them all together into one magical cookie, like USA’s Cartoon Express from the eighties.

MAKES 2 DOZEN COOKIES

2 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup margarine, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon applesauce

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of grated nutmeg

Pinch of crushed pink Himalayan salt

2 cups old-fashioned oats

cup crushed walnuts

cup dried apple pieces

¼ cup water

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large mixing bowl, blend the brown sugar and margarine with an electric handheld mixer until creamy. Mix in the vanilla and applesauce until well blended.

On low speed, beat in the flours, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and 1 cup of the oats until blended. Using your hands, mix in the remaining oats, the walnuts, apple pieces, and water.

Use an ice cream scoop to drop heaping balls that are a little less than 2 tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart from each other on an ungreased cookie sheet. Use your palm to gently flatten your dough into cookies that are about ½ inch thick.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet and then move to a wire rack to continue cooling.

NEAPOLITAN COOKIES

Chocolate, vanilla, cherry, and coconut all in one cookie.

MAKES 1 TO 1½ DOZEN COOKIES

1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate (1 square)

1 cup margarine, softened

1½ cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup coconut milk

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup coconut flour

½ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

2 tablespoons drained, chopped maraschino cherries

2 tablespoons shredded coconut

Melt and cool your baking chocolate.

In a bowl, blend the margarine, powdered sugar, vanilla, coconut milk, cornstarch, baking soda, and cream of tartar with an electric handheld mixer until smooth. Stir in the flour, coconut flour, and salt to create a dough. You might need to scrape the sides of your bowl a few times.

Divide the dough into 3 equal portions and place them in separate bowls. Into the first portion mix the melted chocolate with an electric handheld mixer. Mix the cherries into the next portion with a large spoon. Mix the coconut into the last portion with an electric handheld mixer.

Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving enough plastic wrap overhanging at 2 opposite sides of the pan to easily overlap and cover the entire pan. Gently press the chocolate dough into the bottom of the pan. Then press the cherry dough over the top of the chocolate dough in an even layer. Spread the coconut dough over the cherry dough in an even layer. Fold the overhanging plastic wrap over to cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until chilled.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Lift your dough from the pan by grabbing the plastic wrap. Very gently unwrap your dough to make sure it stays in the log shape. Cut the dough in half lengthwise. Use a serrated knife to cut your dough crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices. On ungreased cookie sheets, place your cookies 1 inch apart.

Bake for about 10 minutes, or until your coconut section is a light brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets and place on a wire rack.

SOFT MOLASSES COOKIES

Molasses cookies are one of my favorite fall treats. I’m not sure what makes them seasonal in my head, except that they just are. I made a few different versions of this cookie to find the “right” one, and actually had two versions that I loved equally… but I’m sharing the one closest to Betty Crocker’s, because this is a book about how Betty Crocker inspires us all, and that’s how we roll here!

MAKES 1 TO 1½ DOZEN COOKIES

1 cup sugar

¾ cup vegan sour cream

½ cup margarine, softened

½ cup vegetable shortening

½ cup blackstrap molasses

1 ripe banana

3 cups whole wheat flour

1½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a large bowl, mix the sugar, sour cream, margarine, shortening, molasses, and banana with a handheld mixer until smooth. Gradually stir in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt with a large spoon. Blend with a handheld mixer for around 2 minutes, until the dough is completely blended and smooth.

Use a soupspoon to drop little balls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet—make sure they are about 2 inches apart. These guys need their space.

Bake for 5 to 7 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when the center isn’t sticky when you touch it. Let them cool on a wire rack for 2 minutes.

BANANA, PEANUT BUTTER, AND CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

This is a pretty simple recipe, and the cookies are still chewy even a day later.

MAKES 2 DOZEN COOKIES

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup chunky peanut butter (sorry, not the good made-from-real-peanuts kind; it’s too oily)

½ cup margarine, softened

1 large ripe banana

1¼ cups whole wheat flour

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

1 cup vegan chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a bowl, mix the brown sugar, peanut butter, margarine, and banana with a handheld mixer. Then mix in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir in vegan chocolate chips with a spoon.

Shape the cookies into balls about the size of a melon ball. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart.

Bake for about 10 minutes, or until your cookies are a light golden brown. They do a bit better if they cool on a wire rack.

SNICKERDOODLES

I won’t bore you (or possibly offend you) with some of the Snickerdoodle jokes we made while baking this recipe. Let’s just be honest here—the name Snickerdoodle is begging for some filthy fifth-grade humor. There are multiple theories on where this “whimsical name” comes from, but this little cookie that might have originated in New England or maybe Germany has been around since at least the 1800s and has remained a popular cookie to pair with coffee and tea since the days of Gibson Girls and when “Official Bathing-Suit Checker” was actually a job. That pretty much makes them popular with us Shannons too. I mean, who doesn’t love a nice little cookie with a big mug of their favorite warm beverage?

MAKES 2 DOZEN COOKIES

1½ cups sugar

½ cup margarine, softened

½ cup vegetable shortening

2 tablespoons applesauce

1 teaspoon Ener-G egg replacer, just the powder, not made per the instructions on the package

2¾ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

¼ cup raw sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a large bowl, mix the sugar, margarine, shortening, applesauce, and egg replacer with a handheld mixer until smooth. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt with the mixer until the dough is completely blended. The dough will form little balls like pebbles, but that’s okay.

Shape the dough into 1¼-inch balls. In a small bowl, mix the raw sugar and cinnamon. Roll the dough balls in the cinnamon sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, but start checking on them after around 5. Some of the smaller cookies we made were done after baking for 5 minutes.

RUSSIAN PEPPERMINT TEA CAKES

A lot like Mexican wedding cookies, these are the perfect potluck cookie. They’re easy, inexpensive, and supergood.

MAKES 2 DOZEN COOKIES

1 cup margarine, softened

2½ cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 Vegan candy canes, crushed

½ cup crushed walnuts

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, using an electric handheld mixer, combine the margarine, ½ cup of the powdered sugar, the vanilla, and the candy cane pieces until blended. Blend in the walnuts, flour, and salt. You’re going to get crumbly dough.

Roll the dough into balls, each about 1 tablespoon. Place them on an ungreased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.

Bake your cookies for 5 to 10 minutes. Start keeping an eye on them at 5 minutes. Check the bottom to see if they are ready. Remove them from the oven when the bottoms are golden brown. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Put the remaining 2 cups powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. When the cookies are still warm but not so soft they dent when you touch them, roll the cookies in the powdered sugar one at a time. Right before you serve them, roll them in the powdered sugar again and sprinkle a little bit over the top.

RASPBERRY WALNUT THUMBPRINT COOKIES

These cookies are delicious, without having to rely on chocolate or peanut butter to make you swoon. They also have those omega-3-packed walnuts in them, which give you yet another reason to enjoy these cookies guilt-free.

MAKES 1 TO 1½ DOZEN COOKIES

¼ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup vegetable shortening

¼ cup margarine, softened

½ teaspoon almond extract

1 tablespoon applesauce

1 cup whole wheat flour

¼ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

1½ cups walnuts, crushed

6 to 9 tablespoons raspberry jam (1½ teaspoons per cookie)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, shortening, margarine, almond extract, and applesauce with an electric mixer. Once the mixture is smooth, blend in the flour and salt. You’re going to have little pebbly crumbles.

Put your walnuts in a small bowl. Shape the dough into balls about the size of a melon ball. Very gently roll the dough balls in the walnuts. You want to get a nice light coating of the dust and at least some chips on each cookie. Place the dough balls on an ungreased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Gently push your thumb into the center to make a little cup for your jam. Don’t push so hard you go through the dough. You want a shallow bowl. After you’re done, you can gently put more walnuts on your cookies. Just take the bigger pieces and gently push them into the edges.

Bake for 5 to 10 minutes. Most of our batches were ready at around 6 minutes, so you’ll want to start checking on them at around 5 minutes. Once the cookies are a nice golden brown, remove them from the oven. With a soupspoon, gently press any cookies that have lost their jam cup. Cool on a wire rack and then fill with 1½ teaspoons raspberry jam each.

PB AND J THUMBPRINT COOKIES

You can’t pack these cookies for lunch—they’re still just cookies. But their flavor will definitely bring you back to your bag-lunch days. Best of all, they won’t force you to take sides in the bitter crunchy-versus-creamy war. Although, full disclosure: the Shannons are officially Team Creamy.

MAKES 1 TO 1½ DOZEN COOKIES

½ cup granulated sugar

cup brown sugar

½ cup creamy peanut butter (not the organic kind made from real peanuts—too oily)

½ cup margarine, softened

1 tablespoon applesauce

1 teaspoon Ener-G egg replacer, just the powder, not prepared per the instructions on the package

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

cup real fruit jam (we recommend strawberry or raspberry)

In a large cool bowl, mix the sugars, peanut butter, margarine, applesauce, and egg replacer with an electric handheld mixer until smooth. Then blend in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Shape the dough into 1¼-inch balls. Place the dough balls about 3 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the cookies are light golden brown. Immediately remove your cookies from the oven and press the back of a spoon into each one to make an indentation. Cool for 2 minutes; remove from the cookie sheet and very gently place on a wire rack. Let the cookies cool for 20 minutes on the rack.

Fill your frosting gun with jam and gently fill the cup in each cookie. If you don’t have a frosting gun, you can always just use a spoon. Let cool for another 10 minutes.

BROWN SUGAR PUMPKIN COOKIES WITH MAPLE FROSTING

Ta-da! This is a soft, sweet, and delicious cookie that is pretty much wonderful. I know a lot of us overdose on pumpkin every fall, but these little buddies aren’t so pumpkiny that they’ll put you over the edge into Mia Wallace territory.

MAKES 2 TO 2½ DOZEN COOKIES

Images cup packed brown sugar

Images cup granulated sugar

¾ cup margarine, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup pumpkin puree

2 tablespoons applesauce

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 batch Soft Maple Frosting (here)

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

With a handheld electric blender, mix the sugars and margarine until smooth. Add the vanilla, pumpkin, and applesauce and blend until smooth. Then add the flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice and blend for 2 minutes. You want the cookie dough to be smooth and all the margarine to be completely blended into the dough.

We used our frosting gun as a cookie press to get perfectly round cookies. All you have to do is fill your frosting gun with cookie dough and place the tip very close to the cookie sheet. When you squirt the dough onto the cookie sheet, you’ll see it spread out from the tip in an even circle around the center. You’ll want to make sure your cookies are bigger than a silver dollar.

You’re going to want to press out your cookies onto an ungreased cookies sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Pull your cookies out of the oven when they are slightly brown along the edges and any little ridges on the top.

While your cookies are baking and cooling, make your Soft Maple Frosting (here). Cool your baked cookies on a wire rack.

Once your cookies have cooled to the point that they are only warm to the touch, use your whisk to drizzle your Soft Maple Frosting over the tops of your cookies. You can eat them then or let them cool to room temperature… go crazy!

APRICOT COOKIES WITH A DARK CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE

Apricots dipped in dark chocolate are a classic fancy candy. These cookies capture all the flavor of that combination, in convenient cookie form.

MAKES 2 DOZEN COOKIES

1½ cups powdered sugar

1 cup margarine, softened

¼ cup almond milk

¼ teaspoon grated orange peel

1¼ teaspoons vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon orange extract

2½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

¾ cup diced dried apricots

1½ cups vegan dark chocolate chips

In a large bowl, blend the powdered sugar, margarine, almond milk, orange peel, and vanilla and orange extracts with an electric handheld mixer until smooth. Gradually mix in the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and cream of tartar and blend until the dough is soft. It will first become small pebbles, but if you continue to blend it will become a soft dough. Be patient.

With a large spoon, mix in the dried apricot until it is evenly spread though out the dough. Cover the bowl with foil and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

After the dough has chilled, pull it out and use a soupspoon to scoop out your cookies. Use your hands to form them into coins smaller than your palm and place them on an unlined cookie sheet. Bake the cookies for 5 to 7 minutes, or until they are light golden brown.

Cool them on a wire rack. Once your cookies are cooled, melt your vegan chocolate chips following the instructions on the package. With a whisk, drizzle chocolate on top of each cookie.

Place your cookies back on the wire rack to cool. Once your chocolate has hardened, they are ready to eat!

BUTTERSCOTCH BROWNIES

These brownies take around 5 minutes to mix… I made them during the credits of an episode of Supernatural if that helps give you some context. They were also amazing with vanilla soy ice cream—maybe too good. These brownies went fast.

MAKES 1 DOZEN BROWNIES

¼ cup margarine, softened, plus extra to grease the pan

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons vanilla soy milk

1 large ripe banana

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

½ cup raw whole cashews

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Grease the sides and bottom of an 8-inch-square pan with margarine. Make sure you are pretty liberal with the margarine. Don’t be stingy.

In a saucepan, melt ¼ cup margarine over a low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the brown sugar, vanilla, soy milk, and banana. Mix with a hand mixer until smooth. Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt, and nuts, and then pour into the greased pan. Spread out to make sure the batter lies in an even layer.

Bake for 15 to 25 minutes. Take these babies from the oven when they have a golden crust across the top, don’t slide when the pan is turned very slightly to the side, and you can insert a toothpick in the center and remove it cleanly. After they cool for 5 minutes, you can eat them without burning your face off.

BROWNIE BITES

We’ve found a way to increase the enjoyment allotment of brownies by figuring out what we’ve been calling “the edge constant.” What’s that, you ask? Well, in every square or rectangle pan of brownies there is a finite number of edges and corners. The brownies that include these edges and corners are considered more desirable by the general population of brownie eaters. By making your brownies in a cupcake pan, you can objectively increase the enjoyment of your brownies by increasing the edge constant. These brownies are also small, so they’re easy to give out to friends and squirrels and various other friendly folks.

MAKES 2 DOZEN BROWNIES

Baking spray

4 ounces baking chocolate (4 squares)

2 cups plus ½ teaspoon sugar

½ cup water

1 cup soy milk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

1 cup margarine, softened

4 tablespoons applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Spray a regular-sized cupcake pan with baking spray for supersize brownie bites. Use a mini cupcake pan if you are going for an actual bite-size brownie.

In a saucepan, heat the baking chocolate, ½ teaspoon of the sugar, and the water over medium heat until the chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat and whisk until smooth.

In a small bowl, mix the soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Let sit for around a minute.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, the remaining 2 cups of sugar, baking soda, salt, margarine, applesauce, and vanilla with a handheld mixer. Add the soy milk mixture and melted chocolate. You want to blend your batter for around 5 minutes, until it’s smooth and creamy. You will be tempted to give up when the margarine is just little clumps, but don’t. It will become a smooth and perfect batter that you will fall on one knee and pledge to spend the rest of your life with… if you are patient.

Using an ice cream scoop, fill the sprayed cups about half full. Be careful and don’t overfill; if you do, they’ll bake over and not get those perfect little caps on them. Bake the brownie bites for 15 to 20 minutes. Pull them out when you can stick them with a toothpick and remove it cleanly.

When you take them out of the oven, let them cool in the pan for 15 minutes.

MINI ROCKY ROAD BROWNIE BITES

I feel like these brownies should be renamed: justice.

MAKES 2 DOZEN BROWNIES

Baking spray

4 ounces baking chocolate (4 squares)

2 cups plus ½ teaspoon sugar

½ cup water

1 cup soy milk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

1 cup margarine, softened

4 tablespoons applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup vegan chocolate chips

½ cup vegan mini marshmallows

¾ cup dry roasted peanuts, crushed

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Spray a regular-size cupcake pan with baking spray for supersize brownie bites. Use a mini cupcake pan if you are going for an actual bite-size brownie.

In a saucepan, heat the baking chocolate, ½ teaspoon of the sugar, and the water over medium heat until the chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat and whisk until smooth.

In a small bowl, mix the soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Let sit for around a minute.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, 2 cups of sugar, baking soda, salt, margarine, applesauce, and vanilla. Add the soy milk mixture and melted chocolate. You want to blend your batter for around 5 minutes, until it is smooth and creamy. You will be tempted to give up when the margarine is tiny clumps, but don’t. It will become a smooth and perfect batter that you’ll consider naming your firstborn after… if you are patient.

In a bowl, toss the vegan chocolate chips, marshmallows, and peanuts.

Using an ice cream scoop, fill the sprayed cups about half-full. Be careful and don’t overfill; if you do, they’ll bake over and not get those perfect little caps on them. Put a pinch of vegan chocolate chips, marshmallows, and peanuts in the middle of each brownie, and very gently press them into the uncooked batter. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Pull them out when you can stick them with a toothpick and remove it cleanly; when you do the toothpick test, try to avoid the toppings, because melted vegan chocolate chips can make it seem like your brownie is not fully baked. When you take them out of the oven, let them cool in the pan for 15 minutes.

CREAM CHEESE BROWNIE BITES

What more can I say here? They’re mini brownies made with cream cheese, and they’re vegan. Do you need me to draw you a diagram?

MAKES 2 DOZEN BROWNIES

Baking spray

2 cups plus 3 tablespoons sugar

1 (8-ounce) package vegan cream cheese

1 tablespoon applesauce

¾ cup vegan chocolate chips

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup baking cocoa powder

1¼ cups warm water

½ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Spray a cupcake pan with baking spray.

In a bowl, mix ½ cup of the sugar and the vegan cream cheese with an electric handheld mixer until smooth. Blend in the applesauce. Once your mixture is smooth and creamy, use a large spoon to mix in the vegan chocolate chips.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the remaining 1½ cups plus 3 tablespoons sugar with the flour, cocoa powder, water, olive oil, vinegar, baking soda, vanilla, and salt with an electric handheld mixer until completely blended.

Fill the cups in your cupcake pan one-third of the way with your brownie batter. Top with a tablespoon of cream cheese batter. Then drop 1 to 2 teaspoons of brownie batter on top of that.

Once all your cups are filled, use a bamboo skewer to gently stir just once the top of each brownie. You don’t want to completely blend the cream cheese into the brownie or anything like that—just create a swirl with the cream cheese.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until you can stick a bamboo skewer into the brownie and have it come out cleanly. To make sure you get an accurate reading on your brownie, try to avoid hitting any cream cheese when you do the test. That part will remain creamy and soft until the brownies cool.

When you remove the brownies from the oven, let them cool in the pan for 15 minutes.

TOFFEE BARS

It’s hard to imagine where toffee bars were invented. I imagine they were whispered in Moses’s ear by a certain burning bush and the original recipe smolders away in a crate in some warehouse in North Dakota. A quick Internet search will reveal a dozen or so recipes for this “buttery” treat, but ours is special. Ours has all the salty and chocolaty sweetness with a lot less fat than the ones you’ll find on the butter company websites.

MAKES 6 BARS

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar

¾ cup margarine, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon applesauce

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

1 cup vegan dark chocolate chips

cup dry roasted peanuts

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In large bowl, mix the brown sugar, margarine, vanilla, applesauce, and peanut butter with an electric handheld mixer until smooth. Blend in the flour and salt. Press the dough into an 8 x 8-inch glass baking dish.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Pull out of the oven and sprinkle the vegan chocolate chips over the top of the bars. Wait until the vegan chocolate chips melt, and then with a spatula spread the chocolate out evenly. Sprinkle with the peanuts.

Let your bars cool for 45 minutes in the dish and then cut into bars.

MOJITO BARS

This was my last post to our blog before I turned thirty-six. I might have been a little fragile and distracted at the time. The year I turned thirty-six, a televangelist decided my birthday was going to be the rapture. So just in case this was my last post before I was sucked away to paradise, I wanted to make sure that all our blog readers would have what they needed to celebrate in style. That means vegan Mojito Bars. They’re perfect for bringing to farewell potlucks or to just enjoy at home with some real mojitos—which was our plan.

MAKES 6 BARS

3 tablespoons rum

16 large mint leaves, chopped

¾ cup margarine, softened

½ cup powdered sugar, plus more to dust the tops of your bars

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

Baking spray

2 tablespoons applesauce

1¾ cups granulated sugar

3 tablespoons Ener-G egg replacer, just the powder, not prepared per the instructions on the package

¼ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

3 teaspoons grated lime peel

Images cup lime juice

1 tablespoon soy milk

In a small bowl, mix the rum and mint. Let soak for 1 hour. While the mint is soaking, continue to prepare the bars.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, blend the margarine and powdered sugar with an electric handheld mixer until smooth. Blend in 2 cups of the flour with the electric handheld mixer until the mixture looks like fine sand.

Evenly coat a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish with baking spray. Press the flour blend into the dish in an even layer to make your crust. Bake your crust for 20 to 25 minutes. Pull out of the oven once the crust is a very light golden brown .

While your crust is baking, in another bowl blend the applesauce, granulated sugar, and egg replacer with a whisk. Once the mixture is smooth, blend in the remaining ¼ cup flour and salt. Mix in the lime peel, lime juice, and soy milk.

Place a strainer over the bowl containing the lime filling and pour the rum-mint mixture over the strainer. Then, with a spatula, press the mint into the strainer to get the last drops of mint and rum flavor out of the leaves. You’ll get a few stray leaves in the filling, and that’s okay. Use a whisk to blend the filling until it is smooth and creamy.

Evenly pour the lime filling over the slightly browned crust and return it to the oven. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden and doesn’t move when you tilt the baking dish slightly to the left and right. You want the top layer to have the firmness of a cheesecake. Remove from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes, then cut into bars.

If you have one, use a sifter to dust powdered sugar over the top. You can also use a large spoon but it won’t have that fallen-snow look.

FRENCH TOAST BISCOTTI

Biscotti and French toast are two perfect treats to enjoy with coffee. Why not enjoy them both together? With coffee, of course.

MAKES 2 DOZEN BISCOTTI

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Pinch of grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

6 tablespoons margarine, softened

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon Ener-G egg replacer, just the powder, not prepared per the instructions on the package

1 tablespoon applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons maple syrup

TOPPING

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 cup pure maple sugar

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt.

In another mixing bowl, blend your margarine and sugar together with an electric handheld mixer on a high setting to get it light and fluffy. Slightly turning the bowl on its side and slowly rolling the bowl while you blend it will help make the mixture fluffy. Add the egg replacer, applesauce, vanilla, and maple syrup while still blending and turning your bowl to help keep your mixture fluffy. Once your mixture is smooth and completely blended, reduce your handheld mixer to low and blend in the flour mixture 1 cup at time. Once your flour mixture is blended and your batter is smooth, divide your dough in half. Gently shape each half into a rectangular loaf on the prepared sheet. Be sure to space the biscotti loaves at least 4 inches apart. In a small bowl, make the topping by combining the cinnamon and maple sugar. Sprinkle about half of it over the loaves.

Bake for 20 minutes and then sprinkle half the remaining topping over the loaves and return the loaves to the oven to bake for another 20 minutes. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven but don’t turn off the oven.

Let the loaves cool on the cookie sheet. Once the logs are cool enough to comfortably handle, use a serrated knife to diagonally slice the loaves into ½-inch-wide pieces. Place the biscotti cut-side down on the baking sheet and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon-sugar topping. Bake the biscotti again until pale golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and cool on wire racks.

CARAMEL AND CRANBERRY STICKY ROLLS

You will be thinking about this caramel sauce when you fall asleep tonight. This sauce will be dancing through your head like a Caramel Sauce Revolution. A special thank-you goes out to our friend and professional Cinnaholic Shannon Radke for her expert cinnamon roll tips, which have helped make these beauties so pretty.

MAKES 1 DOZEN ROLLS

ROLLS

4 cups whole wheat or all-purpose flour (you’ll want some extra to cover surfaces)

cup granulated sugar

teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

2 packages quick active dry yeast

1 cup warm soy milk

¼ cup margarine, softened (you will want some extra to grease the rising bowl)

1 egg’s worth of Ener-G egg replacer, made per the instructions on the package

CARAMEL SAUCE

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup margarine, softened

¼ cup corn syrup

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

FILLING

3 tablespoons margarine, softened

¼ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup sliced almonds

¼ cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Begin by making the rolls. In a large bowl, mix 2 cups of the flour the granulated sugar, salt, and yeast. Add the warm soy milk, margarine, and egg replacer, blending with a hand mixer on a low speed until completely combined. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to get all the ingredients. Mix in the remaining 2 cups flour.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until it becomes springy. Grease a large bowl with margarine. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it slowly to make sure it gets greased on all sides. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1½ hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Make your caramel sauce while the dough rises. In a 2-quart saucepan, heat the brown sugar and margarine to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Stir in the corn syrup and powdered sugar until completely blended. Let cool.

Now make the filling. First set aside the margarine. In another bowl, combine the remaining filling ingredients.

Once the dough has doubled in size, place it back on the floured surface. Gently push your fist into the dough to deflate it. With a floured rolling pin, flatten the dough into a rectangle around 15 x 10 inches. Spread the reserved margarine over the dough. Sprinkle with the filling. Roll the dough up tightly starting with the long side, like a giant cigar. Pinch the edge of the dough into the roll to seal the filling in.

You can cut the dough into 1-inch slices using a serrated knife, or you can cut it with a piece of heavy thread. Just place the thread under the dough roll, bring the ends up, and crisscross them over the top of the dough roll; then pull the ends in opposite directions. We invested in a wire cheese garrote to do the cutting, and it worked perfectly.

Place the slices of dough at least 1 inch from each other on a cookie sheet, making sure the ends are securely tucked or pinched in. You will also want to reshape them into circles and tuck in any extra cranberries or almonds in that may have sneaked out in the cutting process. Go through and one at a time, very slightly push the centers up using your thumb—just the tiniest bit. Seriously just the tiniest. It should help make the bottoms more secure so the cranberries and brown sugar don’t sneak out when you bake. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Place the roll slices on a heatproof serving plate. Let stand for around 5 minutes. Drizzle as much caramel as your heart can take over the top.

Warning: You will have a lot of caramel left over for ice cream and other such delicious treats. I hope that news isn’t too heartbreaking.

THE TRANS-AM CINNAMON ROLL

This is the cinnamon roll you could find at the mall flirting with you in the food court. The cinnamon roll that waves at you from your cloudy brain when you think back to when you fell in love with one of the most beloved of all baked goods. The way some car-aholics never forget the first time the saw a Trans-Am… this cinnamon roll will remind you why you bought a house with an oven to begin with.

MAKES 1 DOZEN ROLLS

ROLLS

4½ cups all-purpose flour (you’ll need more to flour your surfaces)

cup sugar

½ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

2 packages active dry yeast

1 cup soy milk

cup margarine, softened

2 tablespoons applesauce

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed

Olive oil cooking spray

1 batch Apple Vanilla Glaze (here)

FILLING

1 cup brown sugar

¼ cup coconut flour

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon coconut milk

½ cup margarine, softened

Olive oil cooking spray

½ cup raisins

¼ cup crushed walnuts

This might take a while, but it will be so worth it! Just stay with me…

To make the rolls, in your largest mixing bowl, stir 2 cups of the flour and the sugar, salt, and yeast with a wooden spoon until well mixed.

In a saucepan, heat the soy milk over medium heat until it’s warm but not bubbling too much. Add the warm soy milk, margarine, applesauce, and flaxseed to the flour mixture. Blend with an electric handheld mixer using the dough hook attachments for 2 minutes. Add the remaining flour ½ cup at a time and stir in using a wooden spoon. The dough will be sticky. You’ll know you have added enough flour when the dough is easy to handle and isn’t sticking to the sides of the bowl.

Flour your workspace and hands. Using your hands, move the dough to your workspace. Knead your dough in a rocking motion for about 5 minutes. If your dough starts to stick, add more flour to your workspace and hands. Knead your dough until it’s springy.

Spray a mixing bowl with olive oil cooking spray and place your dough in the bowl. Roll the dough a few times to make sure it gets a nice coating. Place a clean dish towel over the top and let your dough rise in a warm place for an hour. You’ll know your dough is ready if you can gently poke it with your finger and the dent remains.

In another bowl, mix the brown sugar, half of your coconut flour, and the cinnamon for the filling. In a separate bowl, blend the coconut milk, remaining coconut flour, and margarine with an electric handheld mixer until smooth and creamy.

Spray the bottom and sides of a lasagna pan with olive oil cooking spray. Reflour your workspace, rolling pin, and hands. Gently push your fist into the dough to deflate it, and then place it on the floured surface.

Use your rolling pin to flatten your dough into a rectangle. You will probably have to use your hands to shape it a little, but in the end you want a rectangle that is 15 x 10 inches and is an even thickness.

Use a knife to spread your coconut mixture over your dough, leaving ½ inch around the edges. Sprinkle your brown sugar and cinnamon mixture over the coconut mixture. Then sprinkle on the raisins and walnuts. Starting at your longest side, gently roll up the dough as tightly as you can. Once you get to the end, pinch the edge of dough into the roll to seal the edge.

Okay, now that all that drama is done, let’s get to the fun part!

You can cut the dough into 1-inch slices using a serrated knife or you can use a piece of heavy thread. We invested in a wire cheese garrote and it really made a huge difference! Just place the wire under the dough roll, bring the ends up, and crisscross them over the top of the dough roll. Then pull the ends in opposite directions. It will slice right through, and boom—raw cinnamon roll!

At this point you will want to make sure the ends are securely tucked or pinched in. You will also want to reshape the slices into circles and tuck in any extra raisins or walnuts that may have sneaked out in the cutting process. One at a time, use your thumbs to very gently push the centers up, just the tiniest bit. Seriously don’t get crazy; you’ll unroll your rolls. You just want the center raised slightly. It should help make the bottoms more secure so the filling goods don’t sneak out when you bake. Place your roll slices in the greased pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes. They should pretty much double in size. You’re ready to remove your plastic wrap.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. While your rolls are baking, make your Apple Vanilla Glaze. Place your rolls on a heatproof serving plate. Let stand for around 5 minutes before drizzling the glaze over the top.

MARKET SPICE TEA ROLL

Living on the Puget Sound is really a treasured memory for me. Gray skies that looked like smudged glass and lush trees and ferns overtaking the suburbs… they made everything seem special. One of my favorite memories was finding a tea shop in Pike Place Market with warm, exposed beams made from trees that were so large they were ancient when they were logged more than a hundred years ago. It’s a tourist shop now, but that doesn’t make it any less special, because this is the shop where the best tea in the world comes from. Okay there might be shops in India or China that can compete, but I haven’t been to those places yet, so after acknowledging my ignorance I stand by the statement. If you’re not lucky enough to live in Seattle, you can order your own cinnamon-orange black tea from MarketSpice.com and see for yourself. These rolls combine all things awesome about this tea from my memories.

MAKES 1 DOZEN ROLLS

ROLLS

4 cups all-purpose flour (you’ll need more to dust your surfaces)

cup sugar

1 teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

2 packages active dry yeast

1 cup warm brewed orange spice tea

1 tablespoon almond milk

cup margarine, melted

2 tablespoons applesauce

2½ teaspoons grated orange peel

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed

Olive oil cooking spray

1 batch Sweet Orange Spice Glaze (here)

FILLING

¾ cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons margarine, softened

2 tablespoons coconut flour

3 tablespoons grated orange peel

1 tablespoon orange juice with pulp

Olive oil cooking spray

¼ cup crushed walnuts

Baking your own cinnamon rolls can seem intimidating when you see all the steps, but once you do it, you’ll see it’s really not that much more complicated than baking a layer cake or playing with Legos. It’s all about construction, and you can do it!

To make the rolls, in your largest mixing bowl, stir 2 cups of the flour and the sugar, salt, and yeast with a wooden spoon until well mixed. Add the warm tea, almond milk, margarine, applesauce, orange peel, and flaxseed to the flour mix. Beat with an electric handheld mixer using the dough hook attachments for 3 minutes. Then stir in the remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, using a wooden spoon. The dough will be sticky. You’ll know you have added enough flour when the dough is easy to handle and isn’t sticking to the sides of the bowl.

Flour your workspace and hands. Using your hands, move the dough to your workspace. Knead your dough in a rocking motion for about 5 minutes. If your dough starts to stick, add more flour to your workspace and hands. Knead your dough until it’s springy.

Spray a mixing bowl with olive oil cooking spray and place your dough in the bowl. Gently roll the dough a few times to make sure it gets a nice coating. Place a clean dish towel over the top and let your dough rise in a warm place for an hour. You’ll know your dough is ready if you can gently poke it with your finger and the dent remains. If your dough giggles when you poke it and the dent disappears, that’s totally creepy and means your dough isn’t ready.

In another bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon for the filling.

In yet another bowl, mix the margarine, coconut flour, orange peel, and orange juice with an electric handheld mixer until smooth.

Spray the bottom and sides of a lasagna pan with olive oil cooking spray. Reflour your workspace, rolling pin, and hands. Gently push your fist into the dough to deflate it, and then place it on the floured surface.

Use your rolling pin to flatten your dough into a rectangle. You will probably have to use your hands to shape it a little, but in the end you want a rectangle that is 15 x 10 inches and is an even thickness and doesn’t taper at the ends.

Use a knife to spread your orange-coconut mixture over your dough, leaving ½ inch around the edges. Sprinkle your brown sugar and cinnamon mixture over the margarine. Then sprinkle the walnuts over the top. Starting at your longest side, gently roll up the dough as tightly as you can. Once you get to the end, pinch the edge of the dough into the roll to seal the edge.

Now, stop! Take a breath and smile. The hardest and messiest parts are over! Give yourself a round of applause and then get over it. There is more to do.

It’s time to cut your rolls. You can cut the dough into 1-inch slices using a serrated knife, or you can use a piece of heavy thread. We recommend investing in a wire cheese garrote. It worked perfectly! Just place the wire or thread under your dough roll, bring the ends up, crisscross them over the top of the dough roll, and then pull the ends in opposite directions. It will slice right through, and ta-da! Raw cinnamon roll!

At this point you will want to make sure the ends are securely tucked or pinched in. You can use your hands to very gingerly reshape the slices into circles and tuck any extra walnuts in that may have sneaked out in the cutting process. One at a time, use your thumb to ever so slightly push the centers up, just the tiniest bit. Seriously don’t put your shoulder into this, or you’ll unroll your rolls. You just want the center raised slightly. Place your roll slices in the greased pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes. They should pretty much double in size.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Remove the plastic wrap and pop your rolls in the oven. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. While your rolls are baking, make your Sweet Orange Spice Glaze. Place your rolls on a heatproof serving plate. Let stand for around 5 minutes before drizzling the glaze over the top.

DIY BISQUICK

If you love Bisquick mix but you can’t find one of the vegan Bisquicks or you’re just more of a DIY type, this recipe is for you. It can be used as a substitute for Bisquick mix in any of the recipes in this book.

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

In your favorite food processor, blend all the ingredients and substitute in any recipe calling for 2 cups Bisquick mix.

GARLIC AND CHEESE BISCUITS

I made these on a Saturday morning, thinking we could eat them all weekend… but they never saw another sunrise. Yes, we ate the whole batch in one day, and not because we didn’t have any other food. Since we started this project, our pantry and fridge have never looked so healthy and big-boned. We ate them all because these biscuits are that good.

MAKES 1 TO 1½ DOZEN BISCUITS

2 cups Bisquick mix

Images cup soy milk

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

½ cup shredded Daiya vegan cheddar cheese or your favorite vegan cheddar

¼ cup olive oil

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon dried dill weed

¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves

¼ teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

In a bowl, combine the Bisquick mix, soy milk, and nutritional yeast with a handheld mixer until completely mixed. Stir in the vegan cheese with a spoon.

On an ungreased cookie sheet, drop spoon-size clumps. They won’t be pretty, but it’s important that they don’t get too thick or they won’t bake all the way through.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, but keep an eye on them. They bake fast. Pull them out once they’re golden.

In a bowl, mix the olive oil, garlic powder, garlic, dill weed, thyme, and rosemary. Brush the warm biscuits with the herbed olive oil. Once they’ve cooled, eat them.

SOUR CREAM, BLACK PEPPER, AND CHIVE BISCUITS

The vegan sour cream in these biscuits makes them so smooth, they’re like the Billy Dee Williams of biscuits.

MAKES 1 TO 1½ DOZEN BISCUITS

2 cups Bisquick mix

¾ cup vegan sour cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoon freshly ground black peppercorns

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon water

All-purpose flour, for rolling out the dough

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients with an electric handheld mixer until there are no clumps and a soft dough forms. Knead the dough for 30 seconds on a floured surface, and then roll it out to ½ inch thickness. Use a biscuit cutter or metal cookie cutter to cut your biscuits from the dough. Place them on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

BEER, BACON, AND PEPPERJACK BISCUITS

This is one of those recipes that are often labeled a “Man Treat” in home journal types of magazines. The kinds of recipes someone has decided will curl the hair on your chest and make your mustache thicker. I hope that’s not true, because I love these little fellas and would happily eat a whole a plate of ‘em for breakfast.

MAKES 1 TO 1½ DOZEN BISCUITS

2 cups Bisquick mix

½ cup shredded Daiya vegan pepperjack cheese or your favorite vegan cheese

½ cup beer

¼ cup vegan bacon bits

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon water

All-purpose flour, for rolling out the dough

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients with an electric handheld mixer until there are no clumps and a soft dough forms. Knead the dough for a minute on a floured surface, and then roll it out to ½ inch thickness. Use a biscuit cutter or metal cookie cutter to cut your biscuits from the dough. Place them on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm with margarine.

RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE CHIP SCONES

Friday morning is a good time to just chill, think about the weekend that lies just a few hours away, drink some coffee, and listen to French pop music or take a walk. Whatever your mood, set aside half an hour to enjoy these scones with some coffee or tea and some of your favorite time wasters, and it can make any day feel like a Friday.

MAKES 8 SCONES

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

2½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

cup margarine, softened

1 tablespoon Ener-G egg replacer (just the powder, not made per the instructions on the package)

1 tablespoon applesauce

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup frozen raspberries

1 dark chocolate candy bar, crushed

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons soy coffee creamer, plus more for brushing the dough

Baking spray

Raw sugar to sprinkle over the top

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Then with a hand pastry blender, mix in the margarine. Mix until your ingredients look like fine crumbs. With a large spoon, stir in the egg replacer, applesauce, vanilla, frozen raspberries, and crushed chocolate. Then stir in the soy coffee creamer 1 tablespoon at a time.

Spray a glass pie pan or dish with baking spray. Gently press the dough into the pie pan. Make sure it’s even and that there are no pockets or holes. Brush with soy coffee creamer and sprinkle with raw sugar.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Start checking on it after 10, and remove it from the oven once you can stick a toothpick in the center and remove it cleanly. When you remove it from the oven, move it onto a rack to cool. Once it’s cool, move it to a cutting board and use a pizza cutter to cut it into 8 pieces.

WHOLE WHEAT SUNFLOWER HERB BREAD

When people think of vegan baked goods, they might think of healthy brown breads full of seeds. Which is okay with me. This bread has a really nice flavor and texture. It makes great sandwiches and toast and is great dipped in Greek Dressing (here). This is one cliché we embrace with our whole heart.

MAKES 2 LOAVES

5 cups whole wheat flour, plus more for flouring surfaces

cup agave nectar

¼ cup vegetable shortening

3 teaspoons crushed pink Himalayan salt

2 packages bread yeast

1 cup sunflower seeds

Pinch of celery seeds

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 teaspoon dried dill weed

2¼ cups warm water

Margarine for greasing the rising bowl

Olive oil to brush each loaf with

In a large bowl, beat 3 cups of the whole wheat flour and the agave nectar, shortening, salt, yeast, sunflower seeds, celery seeds, and dried herbs with an electric mixer on low speed with dough hook attachments until it’s well mixed. Add the warm water and beat with the electric mixer using the dough hooks on low speed until thoroughly mixed. Be sure to scrape the sides.

You’re going to want to start mixing in the rest of whole wheat flour 1 cup at a time to make the dough easier to handle.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for around 10 minutes, or until it’s smooth. Grease a large bowl with margarine. Place the dough in the bowl and wrap the top with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place for about an hour.

Once it has risen, gently push your fist into the center of the dough. This will deflate the dough a little. Then take a knife and cut the dough in half. Flatten each half with a floured rolling pin. Roll the dough into 2 rectangles. Try to get 90-degree angles on your rectangle. Take one of the shorter sides of one of the rectangles and roll up the dough tight. Press your thumbs into the dough gently to seal the dough as you roll. Pinch the ends when finish rolling. Fold the ends under and use your hands to form the bread into a loaf. Pinch the edges in to seal them. Brush with olive oil and place on your handy little pizza stone or in a greased bread pan. Cover and let rise another hour. Do that with both rectangles.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Bake each loaf separately for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the bread makes a hollow noise when you thump it and it is deep golden brown.

RUSTIC VEGAN CRESCIA BREAD

Many people know that Dan and I live in a house divided. He grew up in the Red Sox Nation and I’m from Yankee stock. I love TV that is so bad it is amazing, and Dan would prefer to spend his TV time with nobler pursuits like killing Xbox mutants. When it comes to one of the most heated debates in the Nerd Nation, my husband, the Love of My Life, thinks Jean-Luc Picard is the baddest cat to wear a Federation Starfleet uniform. It’s not like we’re Trekkies or anything. This is just one of those things that comes up. This is one of my very favorite breads to bake. I love it. You may love some breads more than others, but with breads, unlike with Star Trek captains, you don’t have to have a favorite. You can love them all equally.

MAKES 1 LOAF

3¼ cups bread flour (you’ll need more to flour your surfaces)

1 teaspoon sugar

1 package active dry yeast

1¼ cups very warm water

2 tablespoons olive oil (you’ll want some extra to brush over the bread)

2 tablespoons dried rosemary, crushed

½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

1 package smoked cheddar Sheese or Daiya jack-style wedge, cut into tiny cubes

Margarine for greasing a bowl

½ cup shredded Daiya vegan mozzarella cheese or your favorite vegan mozzarella cheese

In a large bowl with high sides, mix the flour, sugar, and yeast. Add the warm water. Mix with an electric mixer with the dough hook attachments. Warning: This dough gets really sticky! I know I may sound like I’m being silly, but I’m not. Don’t touch this stuff, and watch out for your mixer, and just be careful. It is very sticky!

Once it’s completely mixed, put some plastic wrap over the top and let stand in a warm place for about an hour, or until bubbly.

Stir in the olive oil, herbs, and salt. Cover and let stand another 15 minutes.

On a floured surface, gently knead the bread for 5 to 15 minutes. You’re going to be working in more flour, so the dough should start to lose its stickiness. Knead in your Sheese. Grease a large bowl with margarine. Place your dough in the bowl, roll it a bit to coat it with the margarine, and then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for another hour.

Place the dough on your pizza stone dusted with flour or on a slightly greased cookie sheet. Gently shape the dough into a sort of football-shaped loaf. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise another hour. The dough should (sorta) double in size.

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Brush the outside of the bread with olive oil. Put the bread in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes. The outside of the bread should start to harden, but not really bake. Cut a slit down the middle, and gently open the cut with your knife to create a little canal. Sprinkle your vegan mozzarella in the canal. Bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until your bread turns golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

PIZZA BREAD

What can I say about pizza bread? It may sound like something you’d find in a Lunchable, but really it’s a pretty delicious loaf of bread that finds a nice way to combine all the key flavors of your favorite pizzas. We made ours with some of our favorite pizza toppings, but it’s not hard to substitute in what you’d want instead. Just remember, if you add a lot of raw veggies, you’re adding moisture to your mix—so try not to overload, because your bread won’t bake properly.

MAKES 1 LOAF

1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds

2 tablespoons water

1¼ cups soy milk

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup shredded Daiya vegan mozzarella cheese or your favorite vegan mozzarella

1 Tofurky Italian sausage or Field Roast Italian sausage, diced into small pieces

¼ cup sliced black olives

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

2 teaspoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes

3 teaspoons baking powder

Vegetable shortening for greasing your pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a small bowl, mix the flaxseeds and water.

In a large bowl, mix the soy milk, olive oil, basil, red pepper flakes, and flaxseed with a handheld electric mixer until smooth and completely blended. Mix in the flour 1 cup at a time using the dough hook attachments on your electric mixer. Then mix in the vegan cheese, vegan sausage, olives, nutritional yeast, sun-dried tomatoes, and baking powder.

Grease a bread pan with vegetable shortening. Using a spatula, scrape the sides of your bowl and pour your dough into the bread pan. Use your spatula to gently press the dough into the pan so there aren’t any air pockets in the corners and the top is even.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until you can stick a bamboo skewer into your bread and have it come out clean. Remember that you have vegan cheese in your bread, so you should do the bamboo test a few times to make sure that anything on your skewer isn’t just melted cheese.

Once your bread is baked, move it to a wire rack to cool.

PEPPERJACK BREAD

If you really want some physical proof of how far veganism has come in the past twenty-some years… we have pepperjack cheese that not only has the spot-on spiciness of its dairy peer, but also melts. This recipe combines that vegan cheese with a soft, chewy bread that is supereasy to make and great with a bowl of chili or just toasted for breakfast.

MAKES 1 LOAF

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed

2 tablespoons water

Vegetable shortening to grease your bread pan

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup shredded Daiya vegan pepperjack cheese or your favorite vegan pepperjack cheese

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

½ cup margarine, softened

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon nutritional yeast

1¼ cups soy milk

1 teaspoon diced green chilies

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Preheat the oven 350°F.

In a small bowl, mix the flaxseed and water. Grease your bread pan with shortening.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, vegan cheese, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt with a large spoon. Then mix in the margarine, lemon peel, flaxseed mixture, nutritional yeast, 1 cup of the soy milk, the chilies, and the red pepper flakes with a handheld mixer with dough hook attachments until smooth. If your dough is dry, add more soy milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it is smooth and sticky.

Using a spatula, scrape the sides of your bowl and move your dough into the greased bread pan. Use your spatula to gently press the dough into the pan so there aren’t any air pockets in the corners and the top is even.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until you can stick a bamboo skewer into your bread and have it come out clean. There is vegan cheese in this bread, so do your bamboo skewer test a few times to make sure you don’t mistake melted vegan cheese for raw dough.

Once your bread is baked, move it to a wire rack to cool.

CHEEZY FOCACCIA BREAD

This is one of those memorable breads that are surprisingly uncomplicated. What is memorable bread? Well, if you have to ask, you haven’t had it yet. Memorable bread comes into your life all sneaky-like. Maybe it was part of your favorite sandwich; or maybe it was something more significant, like that toast that had the face of Jesus in it. Your memorable bread is a personal choice that no one can make for you. You just have to know yourself and what you value. This is what I value in bread.

MAKES 2 LOAVES

2½ cups whole wheat flour, plus more to flour surfaces

1 tablespoon dried rosemary, crushed

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

¼ cup nutritional yeast

1 package active dry yeast

5 tablespoons olive oil (you might want a little extra to dip your bread in after it’s baked)

1 cup very warm water

Vegetable shortening for greasing your bowl

2 to 4 tablespoons shredded Daiya vegan mozzarella cheese or your favorite vegan mozzarella cheese

In a large bowl, mix 1 cup of the flour, the rosemary, sugar, salt, 2 tablespoons of the nutritional yeast, and the active dry yeast. Add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and the warm water. Mix with a handheld electric mixer with dough hook attachments for 3 minutes. Then slowly mix in enough of the whole wheat flour that your dough is soft and pulls from the sides of the bowl.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 6 minutes. You want the dough to be springy and smooth. Grease a large bowl with shortening. When you put your dough in the greased bowl, turn it a few times to makes sure it gets greased on all sides. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise in a warm place for ½ hour. Once the dough has grown to twice its size and an indentation remains when you touch it, you’re ready to move on to the next step.

You can bake this bread on a lightly floured pizza stone or a cookie sheet that has been lightly coated with olive oil cooking spray.

Gently push your fist into the dough to deflate. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Shape each half into a flattened 10-inch round loaf. Cover the dough loosely again with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for another 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Once your dough has risen, gently make shallow impressions about 2 inches apart in the dough with your fingers.

Brush each loaf with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast and 2 to 4 tablespoons vegan cheese. If you don’t want your bread so “cheesy,” you might want to use a little less nutritional yeast and vegan cheese.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

GREEN GREEK OLIVE CIABATTA

Funny thing about this recipe: there are more steps than there are ingredients. Although it looks like a lot of work, this bread is definitely worth it. In a world of instant everything, this bread might seem Old World, but in actuality ciabatta bread is the new kid in Italian baking. What we know as ciabatta, or “slipper,” bread came about in the eighties, and in the nineties it became the “it” bread for schmancy sandwiches and crostini. We like it by itself with a little dish of olive oil. So while you’re making this bread, remember: once this bread goes in the oven, it becomes a “simple pleasure.”

MAKES 2 LOAVES

2 packages active dry yeast

2 cups warm water

4½ cups bread flour (you’ll need more to flour your surfaces)

2 teaspoons crushed pink Himalayan salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon olive oil

¼ cup sliced green Greek olives

2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

Vegetable shortening for greasing your bowls and hands

Olive oil cooking spray

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Let stand until the yeast dissolves and the excess starts to rise to the top. It should take no more than 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in large bowl, mix the flour, salt, and sugar.

Fold the dissolved yeast into your flour mixture using a wooden spoon. Once your flour is moist, fold in the olive oil, olives, and parsley. This dough is sticky, so we recommend greasing your hands with vegetable shortening before reaching in to shape the dough into a ball.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and springs back when gently pressed. Grease a very large bowl with shortening, place the dough in the bowl, and turn the dough so that the shortening coats it. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 40 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size. You’ll know the dough is ready when you gently poke it and the indentation remains.

Gently push your fist into the center of the dough so that it deflates. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface, divide the dough in half, and shape it into round balls. Loosely cover with a tea towel and let rise for about 40 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Spray a cookie sheet with olive oil cooking spray, and move your dough balls to the cookie sheet so that they are about 2 inches apart. Gently pull your dough into flat rectangles that are about ½ inch thick. The more you handle your dough, the stickier it gets. Very lightly flour your dough as you handle it to keep it from getting too sticky. Re-cover with your tea towel and let rise about 30 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size. Don’t worry if your dough is all lumpy and weird looking. If it looks bumpy, you’re doing it right.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Dust the loaves lightly with flour and put your bread in the oven. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Immediately remove from the cookie sheet and place on wire racks to cool.

ZUCCHINI APPLE BREAD

The cloves and ginger in this bread really accentuate the cinnamon and add a warm flavor to each and every slice. It’s perfect for rainy fall days, when you realize Halloween isn’t really that far away and all the good pumpkins are already gone.

MAKES 2 LOAVES

Olive oil cooking spray

3 medium-size fresh zucchinis, shredded

1 small Granny Smith apple, cored and diced pretty small

1 Images cups sugar

Images cup olive oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 tablespoons applesauce

3 cups whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cloves

Pinch of ground ginger

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ cup walnuts, crushed

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Spray 2 (8 x 4-inch) glass baking dishes or loaf pans with olive oil cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir the zucchini, apple, sugar, olive oil, vanilla, and applesauce until well mixed. Then stir in the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, baking powder, and walnuts. Divide the batter into two equal parts and pour into the pans.

Bake for around 1 hour. Start checking on them after 45 minutes. Take them out of the oven when you can insert a bamboo skewer or toothpick in the center and remove it cleanly. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. The loaves should come out of the pans easily, but if they don’t, gently use a metal spatula to loosen the sides.

You’re going to want to wrap the loaves tightly in foil and store them in the fridge. And don’t be stingy. Even if you don’t have a potluck to contribute to, you have 2 loaves. Bring one to work if for no other reason than to show how good vegan baked goods are.

CHEEZY JALAPEÑO CORN BREAD

Whenever I bake this bread, I feel like the woman who played Betty Crocker in the old commercials. There is just something about pulling the skillet from the oven and seeing this sunny yellow bread that makes me want to confidently smile at the imaginary camera so the shine from my pearls sparkles off my straight white teeth as I glide in my heels across a spotless floor. Now you can do it too!

MAKES 1 LOAF

Vegetable shortening to grease your skillet

1½ cups yellow cornmeal

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup soy milk

cup olive oil

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon applesauce

1 can cream-style corn

2 fresh jalapeños, seeded and chopped

½ cup shredded Daiya vegan cheddar cheese or your favorite vegan cheddar

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Grease your darling cast-iron skillet with vegetable shortening. Put the skillet in the oven to heat up.

In a large bowl, stir together all the ingredients until well mixed. Then use a handheld mixer and blend for another 30 seconds on the highest setting. Carefully pour the batter into your preheated skillet. As it hits the hot skillet, it will sizzle and bubble. With a wooden spoon or spatula, spread the corn bread batter out to make an even layer.

Bake for 20 minutes in the skillet, or until the top is golden brown and you can remove a toothpick cleanly. You want to serve it warm, but it’ll still be good at room temperature the next day with some leftover chili.

MUSTARD-FILLED SOFT PRETZEL BITES

Why put mustard on a pretzel when you can put it in one?

MAKES 2 DOZEN PRETZEL BITES

1 package active dry yeast

1½ cups warm water

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

½ teaspoon brown sugar

3½ cups all-purpose flour (you’ll need more to flour your surfaces)

1 cup bread flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

1 teaspoon apple juice

1 tablespoon applesauce

¼ cup coarse sea salt (you’re sprinkling this over the top, so you may need more or less; it’s up to you)

¼ cup yellow mustard

4 tablespoons margarine, melted

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In your largest mixing bowl, combine the yeast and warm water. Let the mixture hang out for a while until your yeast dissolves. After 2 to 3 minutes, stir the granulated sugar and brown sugar into the yeast mixture until they also dissolve.

Add the flours, baking soda, and salt to the yeast mixture. Blend with an electric handheld mixer using dough hooks. The dough will be crumbly and not really as sticky as you thought it would be.

Flour your workspace and hands. Move your dough to the floured workspace and knead until it’s springy and firm. It should take no more than 3 minutes.

Divide the dough into 3 equal portions. One at a time, roll the dough segments into ropes that are about 1 inch in diameter. These ropes should be an even thickness throughout, like a cigar. Use a serrated knife or wire to cut the rope into 1-inch segments. They should look kind of like little cubes with rounded edges.

In a shallow dish, whisk together the apple juice and applesauce to make a thin wash.

Drop each of the dough pieces into the apple wash and immediately place them on the cookie sheet. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

Put your bitty pretzels in the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. You’ll have to repeat this process a few times to make all the pretzel bites.

But that’s okay—while one batch is baking, you can put the final touches on another.

To finish your pretzels, put your yellow mustard in a bowl. Rinse out your frightening yet fabulous flavor injector and, using it like syringe, fill it with yellow mustard by dipping the needle in the mustard. Inject ¼ to ½ teaspoon yellow mustard into each pretzel bite while still warm.

After they are all filled, brush your bites with melted margarine, and then sprinkle a little more sea salt over the top.

This recipe will make enough to serve at some kind of Super Bowl party, or just enjoy with your sweetheart over a Battlestar Galactica marathon.

“CHEESY” JALAPEÑO PRETZEL KNOTS

These seem like something you’d order at a Chili’s or somewhere equally ridiculous, and let’s face it, they’re not exactly haute cuisine. But here’s what they are: (1) undeniably delicious; (2) easy to make; and (3) a great treat for kids or for anyone who loves fun and flavorful food they can eat with their hands.

MAKES 10 KNOTS

1 package active dry yeast

1½ cups warm water

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

½ teaspoon brown sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour (you’ll need more to flour your surfaces)

1 cup bread flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

1 tablespoon applesauce

1 teaspoon apple juice

¼ cup coarse sea salt (you’re sprinkling this over the top, so you may need more or less; your call)

cup shredded Daiya vegan cheddar cheese or your favorite vegan cheddar

2 fresh jalapeños, sliced

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In your largest mixing bowl, combine your yeast and warm water. Let the mixture hang out so your yeast can dissolve. After 2 to 3 minutes, stir the granulated sugar and brown sugar into the yeast mixture until they dissolve too.

Blend the flours, baking soda, and salt into the yeast mixture with an electric handheld mixer using dough hooks. The dough will be crumbly, not really sticky.

Flour your workspace and hands. Move your dough to the floured workspace and knead until it’s springy and firm. It should take no more than 3 minutes.

Divide the dough into 10 equal portions. One at a time, roll the dough segments into small ropes that are about 1 inch in diameter. These ropes should be an even thickness throughout, like a cigar. After you roll each rope, very gently tie it into a loose knot that doesn’t have any gaps but isn’t so tight it creases the rope.

In a shallow dish, whisk together the apple juice and applesauce to make a thin wash.

Drop each of the dough pieces into the apple wash and immediately place them on the cookie sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt.

Put your pretzel knots in the oven and bake for 4 to 6 minutes, or until they start to get a light golden, almost sunny brown color. After you pull your pretzels out of the oven, sprinkle a few pinches of vegan cheese over each knot and gently place a few jalapeño pieces over the cheese. The knot will have little pockets or creases that you can fill with vegan cheese, so try to get the vegan cheese in those spots rather than sweating getting every inch of the knot covered. Put the knots back in the oven and bake them for another 5 to 8 minutes. You’ll know they are done when your pretzels have reached a golden brown and your vegan cheese is melted.

Serve these pretzel knots warm with some napkins and lemonade.

HOMER

“Doughnuts. Is there anything they can’t do?”—Homer Simpson

No, good sir. No, there is not. Not when they’re this delicious.

MAKES 1 TO 1½ DOZEN DOUGHNUTS

2 packages active dry yeast

¼ cup warm water

1 cups almond milk

½ cup sugar

½ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

1 tablespoon applesauce

2 teaspoons Ener-G egg replacer, just the powder, not prepared using the instructions on the package

cup vegetable shortening

5 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra to flour your surfaces

3 to 4 cups vegetable oil for frying

1 batch Cherry Glaze (here)

Sprinkles to doll up your doughnut

In one of your largest mixing bowls, mix the active dry yeast and warm water with a whisk. Let sit for a while so your yeast can dissolve. Once your yeast is bubbly, you’re ready to move on to the next step.

Mix in the almond milk, sugar, salt, applesauce, egg replacer, vegetable shortening, and flour using your electric handheld mixer with dough hooks. This is sticky stuff, so don’t get it on you or anything or anyone you love. Once the dough is completely blended, place a cloth over the top of the bowl and put the bowl in a cozy spot to let the dough rise. It should take a few hours. I usually make mine before bed and then move on to these next steps in the morning. You’ll know your dough is ready when it’s doubled in size.

Heat your vegetable oil on high in your largest stockpot or Dutch oven.

Use your fist to deflate the dough. Then move your dough to a floured workspace to roll it out with your floured rolling pin until it’s about ½ inch thick. Use a doughnut cutter to cut out your doughnuts. You can also use a biscuit cutter or the top of a pint glass if you don’t care about having that signature hole in the center. Flip the raw doughnuts a few times in the flour. Use one of the doughnut holes to see if your oil is hot enough to fry your doughnuts yet. Once your test pilot doughnut hole is frying, place your doughnuts gingerly into the hot oil one at a time. Once your doughnuts are golden brown, use a slotted spoon to move them onto a plate with a paper towel to drain off any extra oil.

While your doughnuts are frying and cooling, make your Cherry Glaze.

Once your doughnuts are cool enough to handle, dip the tops in the Cherry Glaze and move them to a wire rack to cool. Once they’re all glazed, sprinkle your sprinkles over the top to make them all fancy.

APPLE CHURROS

The origin of churros is one of mystery and controversy. There are some who believe they were developed by Spanish shepherds and that recipes were developed and handed down from generation to generation. Others claim to have proof that this delicious treat was first made by monks in the thirteenth century and then shared with the people in an act of great charity. We may never know the truth without the plot to Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure coming true. What we can do is make a batch of these historically enjoyable little guys.

MAKES 2 DOZEN CHURROS

3 to 4 cups vegetable oil for frying

1 cup apple juice

½ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

½ cup plus 2¼ tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat your vegetable oil over high heat.

In a small saucepan, combine the apple juice, salt, 2¼ tablespoons of the sugar, and the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Once the mixture begins to boil slightly, mix in the flour with a large wooden spoon and remove from the heat. Once the batter is thoroughly mixed and has formed a paste, spoon your dough into either a pastry bag or a frosting gun and attach the largest star-shaped tip.

Once your oil is hot, gently pipe strips of dough about the length of your index finger into the oil. I recommend doing this 1 or 2 at a time so they don’t end up sticking together. Fry until the churros turn a light golden brown. They will cook a little once you remove them from the oil, so you want to pull them out before they get too brown. Place them on a plate with a paper towel to soak up the extra oil.

In a shallow bowl, mix the cinnamon and the remaining ½ cup sugar.

While the churros are still warm but cool enough to handle, drop them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and coat heavily. You want to make sure they have cooled and a lot of the oil has drained out so you don’t end up getting too much oil in the cinnamon sugar.

APPLE FRITTERS

For some reason, a “fritter” sounds so much healthier and fancier than a “doughnut,” doesn’t it? But don’t be fooled. These apple fritters are just as a much of treat.

MAKES 1 TO 1½ DOZEN FRITTERS

1 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon applesauce

1 teaspoon ground flaxseeds

½ cup vanilla soy milk

3 teaspoons sugar

1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon

Pinch of grated nutmeg

1 cup vegan sour cream

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced

1 batch Apple Vanilla Glaze (here)

Heat the olive oil on a high heat in a large stockpot or Dutch oven.

In your favorite mixing bowl, combine the applesauce, flaxseeds, soy milk, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vegan sour cream with an electric handheld mixer. Once the batter is smooth, add the flour, ½ cup at a time. Once the flour is all mixed in and the batter is creamy, use a spoon to mix your apples into the batter.

Gently place your batter into the hot oil using your spoon and being careful not to splash yourself. Use your spoon to drizzle hot oil over your fritters and to turn your fritters over a few times in the hot oil. Once your fritters are completely golden brown and fried, move them to a wire rack to cool. I recommend placing a paper towel under the rack to catch any extra oil.

While you’re frying your fritters, make your Apple Vanilla Glaze.

Once your fritters are all fried and cool enough to handle, dip the tops into your glaze and put the fritters back on the rack.

Serve at room temperature with a hug.

MINI CHOCOLATE COPACABANA DOUGHNUTS

Please forgive me boring you with my “I survived the NYC Earthquake of 2011” story, but I think that I might have learned something about myself that day. And don’t worry; this isn’t a story about surviving a traumatic event as much as a story that gives me a chance to laugh at myself. There I was, typing away on the sofa. Our beloved kitten Agatha was under the sofa playing. Then I started to feel like there were thirty cats under the sofa. The screen on my laptop seemed to be swaying. My mind tried to figure out why I felt seasick, and then it hit me. I hadn’t eaten breakfast or lunch… hadn’t even finished my coffee that day. So like a good New Yorker, I began neurotically Googling symptoms for low blood sugar, because I had this tiny fear I was going to pass out. I mean, what would happen if I passed out? Then I spotted a Tweet about an earthquake near D.C. Yay! We’re saved! Back to work! Now, the moral of this little tale is this, my friends—eat these doughnuts for breakfast.

MAKES 2 DOZEN DOUGHNUTS

1 cup all-purpose flour

cup coconut flour

½ cup sugar

1¼ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking cocoa

¾ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

¾ cup coconut milk, from a carton, not a can

1 tablespoon applesauce

1½ tablespoons margarine, softened

Baking spray

1 batch Chocolate Agave Glaze (here)

½ cup raw shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flours, sugar, baking powder, and baking cocoa until blended. With an electric mixer, blend in the salt, coconut milk, applesauce, and margarine until the dough is smooth. Once your dough is thoroughly mixed and has formed a paste, spoon it into either a pastry bag or a cupcake-decorating gun and attach the largest tip.

Spray your doughnut pan with baking spray. Fill your doughnut rings halfway with dough.

Bake for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the tops of the doughnuts spring back when you touch them.

Keep in mind that the bottom of the doughnuts will be more golden than the top and there might be little air bubbles in them, but you can hide them with the Chocolate Agave Glaze. Put the doughnuts on a wire rack to cool.

While your doughnuts cool, make your Chocolate Agave Glaze.

While you make your glaze, you can toast your coconut. Sprinkle your coconut on a cookie sheet and put in your still warm oven for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the edges are a golden brown and your house smells like what suntan oils would like you to believe the tropics smell like. Then pull the pan out and let your coconut cool. Once your coconut is cool enough to touch, lightly crumble it with your fingers.

Brush the tops (or the less attractive side) of your doughnuts with warm Chocolate Agave Glaze, and then sprinkle the toasted coconut over the top. If you are having problems with the coconut sticking, you can press it lightly into the glaze. Now, the not-so-secret drama behind mini things is keeping them cute. The hole in your bitty doughnut might get filled with chocolate and coconut. If you want to open up your doughnut hole without losing too much of the toppings, just poke a bamboo skewer into the bottom of the doughnut and through the toppings, and gently push the toppings back onto the doughnut. Repeat this process on all the other doughnuts. I admit that this part of the recipe took longer than any other step.

I recommend having 2 or 3 with a coffee on a Thursday morning when you’re feeling like you need a little more summer or chocolate in your life.

MINI STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE DOUGHNUTS

Like many women in my generation, I was a Strawberry Shortcake doll fanatic. I could make it sound more socially acceptable by using that gentrifying term “fan,” but the truth is I was bananas for those smelly little dolls. Seriously, there are several photos of me from my childhood where I have a doll stuck to my nose like some little doll-huffing addict. Ironically, I didn’t have actual strawberry shortcake until I was in college. It was a Tuesday night dessert on my meal plan and was actually accidentally vegan. It was one of the highlights in a meal plan that relied heavily on the salad bar. So when I think of strawberry shortcake in any of its forms, I have nothing but fond memories. That’s why it was really important to me that these doughnuts turned out just right and included actual strawberries. It took a few times, but in the end they were lovely. It can be challenging baking with real fruit, but so rewarding.

MAKES 2 DOZEN DOUGHNUTS

Baking spray

1 tablespoon applesauce

¾ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon lemon juice

1½ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

¼ cup olive oil

1 teaspoon soy milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup frozen strawberries, defrosted (try to not get too much juice in there)

1 batch Apple Vanilla Glaze (here)

Vegan sprinkles, optional

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray your mini doughnut pan with baking spray.

In your always-faithful food processor, mix the applesauce, sugar, baking soda, lemon juice, flour, baking powder, salt, olive oil, soy milk, vanilla, and strawberries until smooth and completely blended. Fill a frosting gun with batter. Fill the doughnut rings three-quarters of the way full.

Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the doughnuts are light golden brown. You’ll have to bake your doughnuts in batches. Quickly move your doughnuts from the pan onto a wire rack to cool. Spray your pan with another coating of baking spray and refill your pan immediately. The second batch will bake slightly faster since your pan is already hot. Pull them out when they are light golden brown and repeat the process till you are out of batter.

Once all your doughnuts have completely cooled to room temperature, glaze them with the Apple Vanilla Glaze by dipping the ugliest side of your doughnut in a bowl of the glaze. Decorate with sprinkles, if using. Let the glaze dry on the doughnuts before you serve.

MINI PUMPKIN SPICE DOUGHNUTS

These doughnuts were made for a lovely vegan baby shower brunch I went to for the beautiful Leinana Two Moons. You might know her as the talented veganista behind Vegan Good Things.

MAKES 2 DOZEN DOUGHNUTS

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons arrowroot powder

1 cup almond milk

¼ cup applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ teaspoon apple cider vinegar

6 tablespoons margarine, softened

1 can pumpkin puree

Baking spray

1 batch Apple Vanilla Glaze (here)

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a large bowl, blend the flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and arrowroot powder. Add the milk, applesauce, vanilla, vinegar, margarine, and pumpkin and blend with an electric handheld mixer until smooth.

Once your dough is thoroughly mixed and has formed a paste, spoon your dough into either a pastry bag or a cupcake-decorating gun and attach the largest tip.

Spray your mini doughnut pan with a light coating of baking spray. Fill your doughnut rings halfway with dough.

Bake for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the tops of the doughnuts spring back when you touch them.

Keep in mind that the bottoms of the doughnuts will be more golden than the tops, and there might be little air bubbles in them, but you can hide them with the glaze. Put them on a wire rack to cool.

This is when you make your Apple Vanilla Glaze. Make sure your doughnuts are cool before you try to glaze them or they will get all melty and not work out. But if you can wait… they’ll be perfect!

WILLIAMSBURG

Oh, Williamsburg, you are such a vintage wonderland of beards, flannel, black-rimmed glasses, and scarves. This is our tribute to you! With the bourbon, a Pabst Blue Ribbon chaser, and some vegan bacon to top it off.

MAKES 1 DOZEN DOUGHNUTS

Baking spray

cup soy milk

3 ounces dark chocolate

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking chocolate

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

1 tablespoon applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons margarine, softened

1 cup sugar

½ cup Pabst Blue Ribbon or your favorite microbrewed pale ale

1 batch Maple Bourbon Glaze (here)

cup vegan bacon bits

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray your mini doughnut pan with baking spray.

In a saucepan, heat the soy milk and dark chocolate over medium heat. As your soy milk begins to bubble and the chocolate melts, use a whisk to blend them thoroughly. Keep mixing with a whisk until completely blended. Remove from the heat.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking chocolate, baking powder, and salt. Then with an electric handheld mixer, blend in the applesauce, vanilla, margarine, and sugar. Pour in the warm soy milk–chocolate mixture and keep blending with the mixer while pouring in your ale.

Fill your frosting gun with batter. Fill the doughnut rings in the pan three-quarters of the way with batter. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until you can see that the doughnuts are set. As soon as they are completely baked, move your doughnuts to a wire rack to cool.

Make a batch of Maple Bourbon Glaze. Dip the ugliest side of the doughnuts in the Maple Bourbon Glaze and then sprinkle with vegan bacon bits. Let the glaze set before serving.

BABY BLUTHS

“There’s always money in the banana stand.”—George Bluth Sr.

If you didn’t watch Arrested Development, then I have nothing more to say to you.

MAKES 2 DOZEN DOUGHNUTS

Baking spray

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

2 ripe bananas

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons almond milk

6 tablespoons margarine, softened

½ cup sugar

1 batch Chocolate Agave Glaze (here)

Betty Crocker Parlor Perfect Ice Cream Praline Crunch ice cream toppings to sprinkle over the top

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray your mini doughnut pan with baking spray.

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and baking powder with a whisk.

In a food processor, mix the bananas, vanilla, almond milk, and flour mixture until completely blended.

In a large bowl, mix the margarine and sugar together with an electric handheld mixer until it’s fluffy and creamy. Then gradually blend in the banana mixture 1 cup at a time until it is all mixed in and your batter is smooth.

Fill your frosting gun with your doughnut batter and fill the rings in your doughnut pan three-quarters of the way. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, until the doughnuts are light golden brown. Once they are ready, move them to a wire rack. While your doughnuts are cooling, make your Chocolate Agave Glaze.

Once your doughnuts reach room temperature, dip the uglier sides in Chocolate Agave Glaze and sprinkle some Praline Crunch over the top. Let the glaze set before serving.

MARIE ANTOINETTE

Marie Antoinette was known for her blond hair and powdered wig. These yellow cake doughnuts with powdered sugar are so delicious that they’ll be doomed to meet a similarly early demise. Let them eat cake doughnuts!

MAKES 2 DOZEN DOUGHNUTS

Baking spray

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup coconut flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of grated nutmeg

2 tablespoons margarine, softened

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons applesauce

1 teaspoon ground flaxseeds

¾ cup coconut milk, from a carton, not a can

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Coat your mini doughnut pan with baking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, combine your flour, coconut flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In another mixing bowl, blend your margarine and sugar until creamy. Then mix in the applesauce and flaxseeds and blend. Once that’s completely mixed, gradually add the coconut milk and vanilla. Once your margarine mixture is smooth and creamy, blend in your flour mixture, ½ cup at a time. Once your batter is completely blended, you’re ready to bake your little doughnut friends.

Fill each doughnut ring about three-quarters full. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the doughnuts are lightly golden brown. Allow the doughnuts to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool.

Pour your powdered sugar into a deep bowl. Once your doughnuts are cool enough to handle, dip them into the powdered sugar and roll ’em around to get them thoroughly coated.

MASALA SPICED DOUGHNUTS

Since the day we moved to New York City, we’ve been eating a lot of curry. To quote my handsome husband: “I am now more curry than man.” Thai, Indian, Chinese, Jamaican… you name a curry, and we’ve enjoyed it. So you can imagine what happened in the Shannon Homestead when we combined the sweet and warm flavors of curry spices with doughnuts… Yeah. I admit one of us might have passed out.

MAKES 2 DOZEN DOUGHNUTS

DOUGHNUTS

cup margarine, softened

½ cup sugar

1 tablespoon applesauce

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg

¼ teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

½ cup almond milk

Baking spray

SPICE COATING

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon garam masala

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

½ cup margarine, melted

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

First make the doughnuts. In a large bowl, mix the margarine, sugar, and applesauce with an electric mixer till blended and fluffy like a thick frosting. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cumin, and ginger. Pour half the flour mixture into the bowl with the margarine mixture and blend with your electric mixer until smooth. Add the almond milk and blend until smooth. Add the rest of the flour and again blend until smooth.

Spray your beloved mini doughnut pan with baking spray. Fill your doughnut pan three-quarters of the way with doughnut batter, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. You’ll want to pull the doughnuts out when they are a very light golden brown and you can stick a bamboo skewer in the largest one and remove it cleanly.

Put the sugar, cinnamon, masala, and cardamom in a large food storage bag, seal, and shake to mix. Roll your warm doughnuts in the melted margarine one at a time. Pop the doughnuts into the plastic bag one at a time, seal the bag, and shake to cover with the spice coating.

CHERRY AND BERRY TURNOVERS

These turnovers are a great combination of sweet and tart, with a dash of delicious thrown in just for kicks.

MAKES 4 TURNOVERS

All-purpose flour to dust your surfaces

1 box vegan puff pastry sheets, defrosted (we recommend Pepperidge Farm)

1 cup frozen cherries, defrosted

1 cup frozen mixed berries, defrosted

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 tablespoon whole wheat flour

1¼ teaspoons cornstarch

¼ cup apple juice

4 tablespoons raw sugar

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Lightly flour your workspace and use a rolling pin to very gently flatten your puff pastry sheets while still folded in a rectangle. Using a pizza cutter, cut the rectangle into 4 equal squares.

In a mixing bowl, use a spoon to mix your cherries, berries, sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, flour, and cornstarch. Once your sugar has dissolved in the juices, you’re ready to fill your turnovers.

Spoon a mound of filling into the center of each piece of puff pastry, making sure to leave ½ inch margin along the edge.

Gently brush the edges with apple juice and get your fingers wet with the apple juice too. Gently fold one corner to the opposite corner, making a triangle. Using your wet fingers, gently seal the edges. If you don’t trust your seal, use a fork to gently crimp the edges.

Carefully move your turnovers to a baking sheet. With a sharp knife, cut 3 to 4 slits in the top of each turnover. Brush each turnover with apple juice and sprinkle with raw sugar.

Bake until turnovers are a golden brown and puffy. It should take 30 to 40 minutes.

PEACH MELBA TURNOVERS

Peach Melba was a “new classic” dessert invented in the 1890s by a French chef in London to honor the Australian opera singer Nellie Melba. This recipe brings that peach, almond, and raspberry flavor combination into a turnover. You can eat it on January 13—National Peach Melba Day in the United States—or any other day you like.

MAKES 4 TURNOVERS

All-purpose flour to dust your surfaces

1 box vegan puff pastry sheets, defrosted (we recommend Pepperidge Farm)

2 cups frozen peaches, defrosted

2 tablespoons fresh raspberries

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 tablespoon whole wheat flour

1¼ teaspoons cornstarch

¼ cup apple juice

4 tablespoons raw sugar

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Lightly flour your workspace and use a rolling pin to very gently flatten your puff pastry sheets while still folded in a rectangle. Using a pizza cutter, cut the rectangle into 4 equal squares.

In a mixing bowl, use a spoon to mix your peaches, raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, flour, and cornstarch. Once your juices have dissolved the sugar, you’re ready to fill your turnovers.

Spoon a mound of filling into the center of each piece of puff pastry, making sure to leave ½ inch margin along the edge.

Gently brush the edges with apple juice and get your fingers wet with the apple juice too. Gently fold one corner to the opposite corner, making a triangle. Using your wet fingers, gently seal the edges. If you don’t trust your seal, just use a fork to crimp the edges.

Carefully move your turnovers to a baking sheet. With a sharp knife, cut 3 to 4 slits in the top of each turnover. Brush each turnover with apple juice and sprinkle with raw sugar.

Bake until the turnovers are golden brown and puffy. It should take 30 to 40 minutes.

BAKLAVA TURNOVERS

One of the few remaining legacies of the erstwhile Ottoman Empire, baklava is a classic Turkish dessert enjoyed the world over, and normally laden with lots and lots of butter. This turnover made with classic baklava flavors maintains that flaky, “buttery” texture.

MAKES 4 TURNOVERS

All-purpose flour to dust your surfaces

1 box vegan puff pastry sheets, defrosted (we recommend Pepperidge Farm)

1 cup crushed walnuts

½ cup crushed pistachios

½ cup almond slivers

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup margarine, softened

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon agave nectar

Pinch of crushed pink Himalayan salt

2 tablespoons hazelnut oil

1 teaspoon whole wheat flour

1¼ teaspoons cornstarch

¼ cup apple juice

4 tablespoons raw sugar

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Lightly flour your workspace and use a rolling pin to very gently flatten your puff pastry sheets while still folded in a rectangle. Using a pizza cutter, cut the rectangle into 4 equal squares.

In a mixing bowl, use a spoon to mix your walnuts, pistachios, and almonds.

In a different mixing bowl, blend the brown sugar, margarine, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, vanilla, agave nectar, salt, hazelnut oil, flour, and cornstarch with an electric handheld mixer until smooth and creamy. Then use your spoon to mix the nuts in. Once your spiced nut filling is completely blended, you can fill your turnovers.

Spoon a mound of spiced nut filling in the center of each piece of puff pastry, making sure to leave ½ inch margin around the edge.

In a small bowl mix the remaining 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and the raw sugar.

Gently brush the turnover edges with apple juice and get your fingers wet with the apple juice too. Gently fold one corner to the opposite corner, making a triangle. Using your wet fingers, gently seal the edges. If you don’t trust your seal, just use a fork to crimp the edges.

Carefully move your turnovers to a baking sheet. With a sharp knife, cut 3 to 4 slits in the top of each turnover. Brush each turnover with apple juice and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar. Bake until the turnovers are golden brown and puffy. It should take 30 to 40 minutes.

IRISH COFFEE WHOOPIE PIES

Around St. Patrick’s Day 2010, we made a batch of Irish Coffee cupcakes that I was extremely proud of. I planned on posting the recipe, which used coffee and Bushmills whiskey, but then all of a sudden there were Irish-y cupcake posts all over the Internet! It made us want to reevaluate our plans a little—and that’s a big deal. I like sticking to the plan. But ever the voice of reason, Dan said, “It’s not our readers’ fault that there are a bunch of Irish-y cupcakes out there. So why are they going to be punished and denied these cupcakes that are really amazing?” So the cupcakes were posted. But there was an epilogue to this story that was actually even more remarkable than tasty cupcakes. We made Irish Coffee whoopie pies next. And here they are.

MAKES 2 DOZEN WHOOPIE PIES

Baking spray

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

2 teaspoons cocoa powder

½ teaspoon Ener-G egg replacer, just the powder, not prepared per the instructions on the package

½ cup boiling water

2 tablespoons instant espresso powder

¼ cup almond milk

½ cup margarine, softened

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons applesauce

1 batch Whiskey Frosting (here)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray your whoopie pie pan with baking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, and egg replacer.

Pour the water over the espresso powder. Then combine the espresso with the almond milk.

Mix the margarine and sugars with an electric handheld mixer on medium speed until the mixture is completely blended and looks like small pebbles. It should take 2 to 3 minutes. Add the applesauce to the margarine mixture and blend for another 5 minutes. Add the margarine-applesauce mixture and the espresso almond milk to the flour mixture and blend for another 5 minutes.

Fill your frosting gun or pastry bag with your coffee dough. Gently fill the cups of your whoopie pie pan three-quarters of the way. Make sure your cups are evenly filled.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. They are soft cookies, so you don’t want them too crispy. Let them cool on a wire rack with the bottom side down so you don’t mess up the pretty side.

While your cookies are baking, make your frosting.

Once your cookies reach room temperature, put your frosting in your frosting gun or pastry bag. Cover one cookie’s underside with frosting, and then put another cookie on top. Gently press the cookies to make the frosting peek out.

DREAMSICLES WHOOPIE PIES

These whoopie pies were inspired by a Betty Crocker ad I saw from 1969 of a teenage girl baking a birthday cake for her steady—but I’ve added a little kick to that inspiration. So if you’re looking for something fun for an office potluck, birthday party, or maybe something to make for your not-yet-vegan sweetheart… I think you can count on these being just as popular as those frozen treats we all loved so much we would’ve chased an ice cream truck through an asteroid field.

MAKES 1 DOZEN WHOOPIE PIES

Baking spray

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

1½ cups sugar

½ cup margarine, softened

1¼ cups soy milk

3½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon orange extract

3 tablespoons applesauce

1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon orange zest

Red and yellow food coloring if you want that bright Creamsicle color

1 batch Just Like Buttercream Frosting (here)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray your whoopie pan with baking spray.

In large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, margarine, soy milk, baking powder, salt, vanilla and orange extracts, and applesauce with an electric mixer on a low speed for about 3 minutes, until it’s smooth. If you tilt your bowl a little you can get a nicer, creamier batter. With a large spoon, stir in the orange zest. In a clear glass cup, mix 8 drops of red food coloring with 25 to 30 drops of yellow food coloring to make orange. After you mix it, hold it up to a sunny window or light and roll your wrist with the glass so some of the food coloring goes up on the sides. Your whoopie pies will be a little lighter than the color on the sides. Add a little more red or yellow based on your preference. Once you have the desired shade of orange, stir the color in with a large spoon or blend until the batter is a uniform orange color and not streaky.

Fill your frosting gun or pastry bag with your orange dough. Gently fill the cups of your whoopie pie pan three-quarters of the way. It’s important to try to keep your cookies the same size.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. They are soft cookies, so you want to make sure you pull them out of the oven before they become little poker chips. Let them cool on a wire rack with the bottom side down so you don’t mess up the pretty side.

While your cookies are baking, make your frosting.

Let the cookies cool on a wire rack for around 10 minutes before filling with frosting. Fill your frosting gun or pastry bag with your frosting. Cover one cookie’s underside with frosting and then put another cookie on top. Gently press the cookies to make the frosting peek out.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE WHOOPIE PIES

If you’d asked me a while ago why a dessert with so much coconut was called German chocolate cake, I would have grasped at straws. I mean, Bavaria isn’t really known for its coconut trees. (Insert shrug here.) The truth is that an English immigrant named Samuel German developed a certain type of sweet chocolate for the Baker’s chocolate factory in 1852 that became quite popular, so the company named it after him. More than one hundred years later, a homemaker in Dallas, Texas, used Mr. German’s signature chocolate to create this baking masterpiece, and shared her recipe with the world in the local newspaper. The rest is cake history! I’m really excited to add our version of vegan German chocolate whoopie pies to our Pantheon of Baked Treats. Even though we didn’t use Mr. German’s chocolate to make it, I feel like these whoopie pies really capture the spirit of this classic American dessert. And when you make it, please give a little tip of your hat to all those generations of creative and talented women who shared their recipes with us in newspapers and home journals. Here’s to the first food bloggers!

MAKES 1 DOZEN WHOOPIE PIES

Baking spray

¼ cup margarine, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon applesauce

½ teaspoon French vanilla extract

¼ cup vegetable shortening

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup sugar

¼ cup baking cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

¼ cup hazelnut or vegetable oil

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

½ cup cold water

1 batch Coconut Pecan Frosting (here)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray your whoopie pie pan with baking spray.

In a large bowl, blend the margarine, brown sugar, applesauce, vanilla, and shortening with a handheld electric mixer until smooth.

In a separate bowl, mix the flours, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt with a whisk to break up any large clumps. In another bowl, mix the oil and vinegar with a whisk. Pour your oil mixture into your cocoa-flour mixture and blend with an electric handheld mixer until smooth. Then blend in the margarine mixture. Once the ingredients are completely mixed, add the water and blend with an electric hand mixer on low for 5 minutes.

Fill your frosting gun or pastry bag with your chocolate dough, and fill the cups of the whoopie pie pan three-quarters of the way. The dough will expand when it cooks, but you want to make sure your cups are evenly filled.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. They are soft cookies, so you don’t want them too crispy. Let them cool on a wire rack with the bottom side down so you don’t mess up the pretty side.

While your cookies are baking, make your Coconut Pecan Frosting.

Once your cookies are room temperature, put your frosting in your frosting gun or pastry bag. Cover one cookie’s underside with frosting and put another cookie on top. Then gently press the cookies to make the frosting peek out.

TIRAMISU WHOOPIE PIES

While a classic Italian chef might turn up her nose at the idea of a tiramisu whoopie pie, personally I think it’s a great shortcut to some really delicious flavors that are admittedly pretty difficult to make—vegan or not.

MAKES 1 DOZEN WHOOPIE PIES

Baking spray

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon crushed pink Himalayan salt

1 tablespoon margarine, softened

¾ cup sugar

1 tablespoon applesauce

1 teaspoon ground flaxseeds

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup almond milk

2 teaspoons ground hazelnuts

2 cups strongly brewed espresso

1 tablespoon amaretto

1 batch Cream Cheese Frosting (here)

Cocoa powder for dusting over the top

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray your whoopie pie pan with a light coating of baking spray.

In a medium bowl, blend your flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt together with a whisk.

In another bowl, blend your margarine and sugar together with an electric handheld mixer until it’s creamy. Then mix in the applesauce, flaxseeds, and vanilla until smooth.

Gradually add your flour mixture to the margarine mixture and blend until smooth. Then pour in your almond milk and ground hazelnuts and blend until you have a smooth batter.

Fill a cookie press or frosting gun with the batter and then fill the cups of your whoopie pie pan three-quarters of the way full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.

While your cookies are baking, make your Cream Cheese Frosting.

Once your cookies are done, move them immediately to a wire rack to cool with the less adorable side down.

In a small bowl, mix the espresso and amaretto with a whisk. Once your cookies are cool enough to handle, dip the less adorable side of each cookie into your amaretto coffee blend for just a second, and then move the cookies back to the wire rack with the coffee side down. Once the cookies are dry, you’re ready to build your whoopie pie.

Pipe frosting onto the side of a cookie that has amaretto coffee on it. Then take another cookie and make a sandwich with the amaretto coffee side on the inside. Sprinkle some cocoa powder over the top. Repeat with all your cookies until you have a bunch of little tiramisu cookie sandwiches.

Betty Crocker and the Baked Goods Gods

TOPPING

ROLLS

CARAMEL SAUCE

FILLING

ROLLS

FILLING

ROLLS

FILLING

DOUGHNUTS

SPICE COATING