Holiday Cookie & Dessert Swap

This time of year there is just not enough time to bake and cook all the things you would like. But the best way to be able to indulge in and enjoy all the holiday treats is to share recipes with friends, whip up double and tripe batches of each and swap! The sweets below are some of my faves so see who you can wrangle up so that each of you can make big batches of each and then get together for a holiday sugar overload! Come on, once a year is a-ok!!!

Butter Toffee Cookies

•  1 cup of vegan butter (soy free if needed)
•  1 cup of dark brown sugar
•  1 egg replacer
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  2 cups of all-purpose flour (gluten free if desired)
•  6 vegan chocolate bars (dark is best – soy free if needed)
•  Chopped walnuts

Cream butter and sugar. Add the egg, then the vanilla and then the flour a little at a time.

Spread the mix evenly on a cookie sheet with a spatula to fill the bottom on the sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Let cool for 1 minute and lay chocolate bars on top. Spread the chocolate delicately  while it melts until it covers the surface entirely. Sprinkle with walnuts and let cool completely before cutting into squares.

Snowy Scotch Shortbread

•  9×13 loaf pan
•  5 cups all-purpose flour (gluten free if needed)
•  1 pound vegan butter, cold (soy free if needed)
•  1 cup of sugar

Hand mix all ingredients in a bowl.

Press dough down into the loaf pan until firm. Punch dough with fork.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour & 15 minutes. Let cool slightly and cut into small squares. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar.

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup vegan butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 egg replacers
• 2 tablespoons vegan buttermilk ( 1 cup plain soy milk with 1 teaspoon of apple cider or coconut water vinegar, set aside to curdle for at least 15 minutes )
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon natural red food coloring

Cream Cheese Filling

• 1 pound vegan cream cheese, softened
• 2 sticks vegan butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg replacers 1 at a time. Then beat in the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla and red food coloring. Once combined, add the dry ingredients to wet. Mix until thoroughly combined.

Onto a parchment lined sheet tray, drop batter using an ice cream scoop, forming 2-inch round circles.

Bake for 10 minutes, until baked through. Cookies should be cake-like and light. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Pecan Pie Cupcakes

Cupcakes

• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour  (gluten free if needed)
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup vegan butter, melted (soy free if needed)
• 2 egg replacers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients and mix well. 
Spray a miniature muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.
Fill each 3/4 full. 
Bake in preheated oven for about 18 minutes, let cool and frost.

Whipped Icing

•  1/2 cup vegan shortening (soy free if needed)
•  1/2 cup vegan butter (soy free if needed)
•  3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted if clumpy
•  1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  1/4 cup plain soy milk (rice milk if needed)

Beat the shortening and butter together until well combined and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat for about 3 more minutes.

Add the vanilla and soy milk, and beat for another 5 to 7 minutes until fluffy.

Frosted Gingerbread Loaf

Loaf

•  1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (gluten free if needed)
•  2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•  1 teaspoon ground cloves
•  2 1/4 teaspoon ginger
•  1 teaspoon salt
•  1/2 cup vegan butter, softened (soy free if needed)
•  1 cup white sugar
•  1 teaspoon orange extract, optional
•  1 cup applesauce
•  1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 inch square pan.

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and salt.
Then set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Stir in orange extract. Mix baking soda into applesauce and stir into creamed butter mixture.
Add flour mixture. Mix until smooth.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 to 50 minutes or until a
toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Let cool and frost.

Frosting

•  1/2 cup vegan shortening (soy free if needed)
•  1/2 cup vegan butter (soy free if needed)
•  3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted if clumpy
•  1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  1/2 teaspoon orange extract
•  1/4 cup plain soy milk (rice milk if needed)

Beat the shortening and butter together until well combined and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat for about 3 more minutes.

Add the vanilla, orange and soy milk, and beat for another 5 to 7 minutes until fluffy.