The Gourmellows

This is my version of vegan chocolate chips, and more, cookies. I have been looking for recipes around, but I haven't found anything that I really liked. So I just modified the recipe I use for regular non vegan cookies, which I have perfected in the past couple of years. They passed, my sweet toothed little boy, test and I was really please with them as well. I handed a couple of oven hot cookies to my husband on his way out of the door, telling him they were vegan and of course he gave me "that" look and said " Vegan!?" I didn't have the chance to ask him this morning how he liked them, because working opposite shifts kinda does that to you :-)
I want to do some more baking trying to modify recipes I already know into vegan version. I know there are a lots of books out there and I might get few and do some comparisons.


Vanny's vegan nut chocolate chips cookies

1 stick of Hearth Balance vegan margarine (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup of pure hazelnut paste
1 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of sugar (organic )
2 tsp of natural vanilla or 1 vanilla bean scraped down
2 Tbsp of almond milk
2 1/2 tsp of egg substitute (powdered type, it needs to be mixed with 3 Tbsp of water before use, I am pretty sure you can skip this step and just do without) Actually I think I am going to try and add either veganaise (vegan majonnaise) or soy "sour cream" to add to the moisture, next time.
1 Tbsp of vital wheat gluten (I didn't have bread flour which its used in the original recipe)
1tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (be aware that the Hearth Balance is already salted)
2 cups of unbleached flour
For the chips I used 74% dark chocolate cut into chunks, 1/2 cup
1/4 cup of Pistachios, 1/4 cup of unsweetened dry coconut, 1/4 cup of walnuts.

For the original recipes, which is an adaptation of Alton Brown chewy chocolate chip cookies, I usually melt the butter and then work the other ingredients. Yesterday I just creamed the margarine with the hazelnut paste, add the sugars, vanilla, egg substitute, beat well, added the baking soda, vital gluten and flour and salt if using it. After done mixing it add the chocolate, nuts and coconut and mix by hand.
I use an ice cream scooper, about 1 1/2 inches wide. Scoop the cookies into a non greased baking sheet, bake at 375 for 12-15 minute, but the time might vary considerably since I am at high altitude and I have a gas oven, just make sure the cookies are not overdone, slightly golden brown around the edges and still soft.
These cookies don't flat down they are nice and thick, because that is the way we like them at home.
They freeze very well, just scoop the cookie on a tray or a baking sheet that would fit your freezer, freeze until hard then place them into ziplock bags for later use. They are really yummy to just munch on while still cold, perfect cookie dough, no eggs!
Well I hope everyone will enjoy them. Let me know how they turn out.