sparkled ginger cookies.

It is a rare thing when I am not in the mood for chocolate, but yesterday was such a day. Perhaps it was due to the fact that I ate an enormous amount of it during the week, which usually always occurs when I am overly hormonal. My criteria for my afternoon baking was this: something sweet, not made with chocolate, and with a low baking time. Our kitchen was lacking in necessary ingredients for such a task (no fruit, no oats, no eggs, no nutmeg), so I broke out my favorite vegan cookbook and found a recipe for Sparkled Ginger Cookies which sounded like a perfect afternoon treat.

This is one of those recipes that makes me fall in love with baking all over again. The sweet spicy dough, the process of rolling cookie balls and sprinkling sugar on top, the smell that fills our home. Sure, it is not one of those foods that make you think of the springtime, but they are completely perfect for a rainy Portland day and always tasty. So enjoy!







Sparkled Ginger Cookies: from Vegan with a Vengeance

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons turbinado or demerra sugar (regular sugar will work as well but coarse is best)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup soy milk
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease two cookie sheets. Place the turbinado sugar in a small bowl.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. In a separate large mixing bowl, mix together the oil, molasses, soy milk, sugar, and vanilla. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and combine well. Roll into 1-inch balls, flatten into a 1 1/2-inch diameter disk, press the cookie tops into the turbinado sugar and place 1 inch apart sugar side up on a prepared cookie sheet.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes (don't overbake!), let cool on cookie sheets for 3 to 5 minutes, and transfer to a cooling rack.