Vegan Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Double chocolate vegan crinkle cookies!!  I think that technically, possibly, theoretically these may be considered a Christmas cookie....and its smack dab in the middle of summer. When we were younger, my mom would make these for us pretty much any time during the year for no special reason other than we wanted cookies and we loved chocolate, so why not? :)

Vegan Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

(adapted from Martha Stewart)

1/2 cup vegan butter or shortening, room temperature

3/4 cups brown sugar

3/4 cups granulated sugar

8 ounces dairy free dark chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

3 teaspoons EnerG egg replacer (or 2 flax eggs)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup non dairy milk of your choice

1 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder 

Powdered sugar and granulated sugar for coating

Cream together the vegan butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar till light. Add in the melted chocolate, egg replacer, vanilla, and non dairy milk. Mix well. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Add into the wet ingredients and mix just till combined. The dough will be fairly stiff. Refrigerate if necessary.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Coat first in granulated sugar. Then roll in the powdered sugar. Place 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven. The cookies may not flatten out so with a plate or the bottom on a glass, gently press down on each cookie right out of the oven if they have not flattened. This will help create the cracked look. They are very soft at first but crisp up when they cool. 

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Cauliflower Spinach Griddle Cakes

Cauliflower spinach griddle cakes stacked with crispy potato hash, vegan chive cheese, beets, and garlic aioli. If you can't get your hands on the Utopian cheese, you can substitute it for any vegan cream cheese. Just add in some chive and dill. This makes a great appetizer!! 

For the potatoes:

Wash and cube 3 potatoes. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a cast iron skillet. Add the potatoes and cook over medium heat till nicely browned and crispy. About 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and aji amarillo. Remove potatoes from pan. You can use the same skillet to cook the griddle cakes. 

For the cauliflower spinach griddle cakes:

In a small bowl combine 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds with 4 tablespoons water. Let sit for 5 minutes to thicken. 

Place about 3/4 cup of cauliflower florets into a food processor (you can use fresh or thawed frozen) Pulse till crumbly.You want to end up with about 1/2 cup of the crumble cauliflower. Julienne 3/4 cup fresh spinach leaves. Set 1/4 cup aside for later. Combine the cauliflower and 1/2 cup of spinach in a bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons corn starch and the flax mixture. Add in 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of all purpose flour. Mix to combine.

Add a few more tablespoons of olive oil in the cast iron skillet and heat over medium high. Drop spoonfuls of the batter into the oil and cook on each side till browned, flattening with the back of a wooden spoon if necessary.

For the aioli:

Combine 1/4 cup Veganaise, 1/2 clove of minced garlic, and a dash of non dairy milk. 

To assemble: 

Dice up 1 cooked and peeled red beet. Stir the diced beets into some soft vegan nut cheese. (I used Vtopian’s chive and dill). Spread the cheese mixture onto the griddle cakes. Toss the reserved spinach with a little lemon juice and olive oil. Layer the cakes with the crispy potatoes, a drizzle of the garlic aioli, and the fresh julienned spinach.