recipes

Vegan Chocolate Cookies with White Chocolate Chips

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I’m still enjoying the last of the vegan white chocolate I got for my Valentine’s Day recipe and before I just finished them off by eating handfuls straight from the pantry, I decided to recreate one of my all-time childhood favorite cookies as a vegan version. This is a modification of a recipe from the Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz (check out the rocky road cookie recipe for the inspiration here, although the tweaks below will give you a more chocolatey cookie flavor and of course these are filled with all white chocolate). Now instead of eating handfuls of vegan white chocolate chips, I’m eating handfuls of vegan chocolate cookies. Oops!

The recipe below makes 48-60 small cookies, a bit bigger than the size of your thumb and pointer finger touching. You can make the cookies larger if you want but since the white chocolate is so sweet these really do satisfy the sweet tooth in a smaller size. If you go for larger cookies, check after the recommended baking time. If the cookies are still doughy or wet to a gentle touch after 8 minutes, pop them back in the over for another 2 minutes or until they are just set. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a gooey cookie!

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Vegan Chocolate Cookies with White Chocolate Chips

A vegan twist on a double-chocolate cookie with creamy vegan white chocolate chips and intense chocolate cookie dough!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Resting time5 minutes
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: sweets, vegan
Diet: Vegan
Keyword: chocolate, cookies, dessert
Servings: 48 small cookies

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup plant-based milk
  • 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp coffee or espresso
  • 1 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup Vegan white chocolate chips or roughly chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare your baking trays, either lining them with the silicone mats or parchment paper.
  • Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk to fully combine.
  • Add the plant-based milk, flaxseed, oil, sugar, vanilla, and espresso to the bowl of your standing mixer (if using) or a separate bowl and mix to combine. Beat the wet ingredients on a low speed until the sugar is dissolved, about 3-5 minutes.
  • Slowly add in the dry ingredients, about 1/4 cup at a time, keeping the speed low. This will make a fairly wet dough. Don't overbeat it, just mix until there are no streaks of dry ingredients remaining.
  • Fold in the white chocolate chips.
  • Use the cookie scoop or about a tablespoon of batter per cookie to place 12 cookies per baking sheet, evenly spaced. Bake for 8 minutes then remove and let cool on the tray for another 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool.
  • Cookies can be enjoyed immediately, stored in an airtight container for up to a week, or frozen for up to a month.
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recipes

Valentine’s Day Vegan Frozen Raspberry and White Chocolate Torte

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Years ago, my mom found an original version of this recipe which became a family favorite – decadent, creamy, rich, tart from the raspberries, sweet from the white chocolate, decorated with fruit and, if we were feeling ambitious, chocolate leaves. However the original also used gelatin (not even vegetarian, let alone vegan!), cream, and white chocolate which for a while was almost impossible to find in a good vegan form. So I am thrilled that I can resurrect this personal favorite, and true showstopper of a dessert using a combination of vegan versions of required ingredients (such as actually decent vegan white chocolate – halleluiah!) and the magic of silken tofu to help create a creamy, silky texture while also providing structure and form. The filling is not quite a mousse, not quite a sorbet – I’d probably say it’s most like an amazing raspberry white chocolate sherbet.

The toppings can be simple, just pile raspberries and chocolate on top and no one is going to complain, or complex. I grabbed (and washed) leaves from our garden and painted them with tempered chocolate to make chocolate leaves but then again, it’s Valentine’s Day so it was worth the extra effort!

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Vegan Frozen Raspberry and White Chocolate Torte

Somewhere between a mousse and a sorbet, this 100% vegan torte filling is sweet, tart, and helps create a perfect showcase dessert!
Prep Time20 minutes
Chilling Time12 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: vegan
Diet: Vegan
Keyword: cake, celebration, dessert, fruit, torte

Equipment

Ingredients

Crust

  • 10 oz vegan chocolate sandwich cookies such as Oreo or Newman's Own
  • 1/4 cup vegan butter, melted

Raspberry White Chocolate Filling

Instructions

  • Place the frozen raspberries in a mesh colander or strainer over a mixing bowl and allow them to fully defrost – you can start this a few hours before you begin preparing the rest of the cake.
  • Prepare the springform baking pan by spraying it well with a non-stick baking spray and ensuring it's in it's closed (spring locked) position.
  • Place the chocolate sandwich cookies in the food processer and pulse a few times. Then, with the processor running, pour in the melted vegan butter. You want everything to be the consistency of heavy, wet sand – if it's too dry, you can melt and add a bit more vegan butter, a tablespoon at a time.
  • Pour the cookie crumbs into the springform pan and use your fingers to press them down to form the crust. You want the crust to go about an inch or two up the sides, and fully cover the bottom. Once you've formed the crust, place the pan in the freezer for the crust to chill for at least an hour.
  • While the crust is chilling, make the filling. Using a spoon, press the defrosted raspberries through the strainer so you have about 1 1/2 to 1 2/3 cups of raspberry juice and puree.
  • Add the raspberry juice, the Chambord, and the sugar to a small sauce pan and place over medium heat. Stir occasionally and heat until the sugar is fully melted and the mixture is simmering but not yet at a full boil.
  • Remove the liquid from the heat and pour it over the vegan white chocolate. Note, if using bar chocolate instead of chips, chop it into fine pieces first so the small pieces will fully melt in the hot liquid. Stir to combine – everything should be fully liquid and lukewarm.
  • Add the white chocolate raspberry mixture to the blender along with the silken tofu and blend to fully combine. Pour into a large mixing bowl and set in the fridge to cool down but not fully solidify.
  • Next, in the bowl of a standing mixer, add the vegan heavy cream and vanilla and start to beat with the whisk attachment. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, one 1/4 cup at a time. Beat until the cream forms peaks and doesn't deflate when the whisk is lifted from the bowl.
  • Finally, spoon the whipped cream into the cooled raspberry white chocolate mixture, and gently stir to combine. You want to try and keep some of the volume from the whipped cream but you don't want clumps of whipped cream so try and evenly mix it in.
  • Pour the combined filling into the springform pan on top of the crust, then place in the freezer to chill for at least 12 hours. You can make the cake up to three days before serving.
  • Prior to serving, release the springform pan clasp and gently lift it away. Decorate with raspberries, dark chocolate shavings, and other toppings of your choice, such as chopped pistachios, mint, or more white chocolate chips. If you have a very cold freezer, you may want to let the cake sit out for 15-20 minutes before serving.
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recipes

Irresistible Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie

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Irresistible Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie
Irresistible Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie
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Irresistible Vegan Chocolate Cream Pie

This over-the-top decadent chocolate pie is has a silky smooth rich chocolate filling somewhere between a pudding and a ganache. Don't be fooled by the secret ingredient of silken tofu – it's for texture and doesn't appear in the flavor of the pie at all. This show-stopper can be topped with coconut cream, any seasonal fruits, or chocolate shavings depending on your preference. Just don't expect it to stick around too long as it will be a hit with vegans and non-vegans alike!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Chilling Time4 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, vegan
Keyword: chocolate, dessert, pies

Ingredients

Pie Crust

  • 1 package vegan chocolate sandwich cookies such as Oreo or Newman's Own
  • 2 tbls plant-based butter, melted

Pie Filling

  • 1 package silken tofu Appx 14 oz
  • 1/2 cup plant-based milk
  • 1/2 cup almond butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbls maple syrup
  • 12 oz vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
  • Fruit, coconut cream, or chocolate shavings to decorate berries like strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries work especially well on this pie

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and prepare a 10" glass pie dish or spring-form baking pan by spraying it with a non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a food processor, pulse the chocolate sandwich cookies until they are fully crushed. Then with the food processor running, slowly pour in the melted butter and process until the mixture resembles a wet sand.
  • Pour the cookie crumbs into the pie dish and use your fingers or the bottom of a glass to press them down and into the sides, so you have an even coating all along the bottom and sides. You will likely have extra cookie crumbs – feel free to save them to top the pie or another dessert later.
  • Bake the pie crust for 7-8 minutes or until the crust is firm. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
  • While the pie crust is cooling, put all of the pie filling ingredients except the chocolate chips into a blender, and blend until completely combined. Then, ideally with the blender running, pour in the melted chocolate. (A note on melting chocolate – I place the chocolate chips in the microwave in a glass bowl for 30 seconds at a time, removing and stirring well every 30 seconds. Once about 80-90% of the chocolate chips are melted, I simply stir the melty mix until the rest of the chocolate chips melt without any more microwave time. This ensures the chocolate doesn't burn.)
  • Pour the pie filling into the prepared pie crust and use a spatula to smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
  • After the pie has chilled, and is firm to the touch, you can decorate it with your fruit, coconut cream, chocolate, or other toppings. It will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, if you can make it last that long!
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