Recipe And A New Tattoo!

It's getting to be super busy baking season for me--goodies are disappearing faster than I can keep up at work;  I'm receiving a lot of custom orders, I'm making edible take-aways (I was thinking cookies...but maybe I'll do a bar??) to include in gift bags for attendees of my yoga studio's annual Thanksgiving day fundraiser;  I'm participating in a holiday show on November 30th and have to create a sampler platter for the show;  I need to create a sample basket to showcase at the desk at work for people interested in purchasing treats for the holidays AND I might start selling my treats at a local Beyond Juice.

Phew!

Just typing all this is making me exhausted : /  It is exciting stuff, though, don't get me wrong--it just seems like a lot!  Fortunately, I love baking and right now, the more I get to do it, the happier I am!

The past few days I have been working on perfecting some pumpkin cookies, either to sell at work or to save for the Thanksgiving day fundraiser next week.  I think I'm going to sell them at the desk for two reasons:

1.  There is only one left of the lemon-raspberry scones I brought in the other day, and once that goes there will be nothing at the desk.

2.  If I decide to bake these cookies for the Thanksgiving day fundraiser I'll probably have to make like three or four batches because each batch only makes about 18 cookies and the preparation required for making the cookies is not, necessarily, something I want to do four times.

The cookies really did turn out great, though.  They burst with flavors of fall and warmth and spices.  They have a slight crispiness on the outside (enhanced by the sugar) and a moist center.  For those of you looking for a vegan pumpkin cookie recipe that does not produce a puffy, cake-like cookie, then this is the recipe for you!


Vegan Crispy Pumpkin Chai Latte Cookies

Yields apx. 20 cookies

Ingredients:
Cookies
- 3/4 c. non-dairy spread (I use Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks)
- 1 c. cane sugar
- 1/2 c. packed brown sugar *see note
- 1 can pumpkin puree *see note
- 1 'egg' (I use a 1.5 t. Ener-G and 2 T. water combination)
- 2 T. instant coffee
- 1.5 T. pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 2 t. cinnamon, heaping
- 1/2 t. nutmeg
- 1/2 t. ginger
- 1/4 t. cloves
- 1 t. baking powder
- 1 t. baking soda
- 1 t. sea salt
- Extra coarse sugar
*Note:  Combine pumpkin with brown sugar in a small saucepan on the stove and cook down for 45 minutes to one hour to get rid of much of the pumpkin's natural water content.

Chai Icing
- 2 cups organic powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 T. non-dairy spread (I use Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks)
- 1/4 c. + 2 T. vanilla non-dairy milk
- 2 chai tea bags
- Dash sea salt

Ingredients:

1.  Preheat oven to 350' Fahrenheit.  Line two baking trays with parchment paper.  Set aside.  Pour some coarse sugar onto a plate and set that aside as well

2.  Start by preparing 'egg.'  Set aside.  Next, dissolve instant coffee in vanilla.  Mixture will thicken, achieving a syrup-like consistency.

3.  Beat the non-dairy spread and cane sugar together in a blender for 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy.  Slowly add in 'egg,' followed by coffee-vanilla extract mixture.  Beat for an additional 30 seconds or so then add the prepared pumpkin and continue to beat for another minute or so.

4.  In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients and gradually add to wet mixture until just combined.

5.  Use a large silicon cookie release to scoop even amounts of dough out.  Press into coarse sugar that you set aside earlier, flattening the dough, and place on prepared baking sheets.

6.  Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through baking time to ensure even baking.  Cookies are done when edges are golden and tops of cookies are slightly firm to the touch.  Allow cookies to cool for 3 or so minutes on baking sheets before moving to wire racks to finish cooling.

7.  While cookies are baking, make frosting.  Melt butter and combine with non-dairy milk.  Allow tea bags to steep in butter-milk mixture for 7 minutes.  Remove bags after the 7 minutes is up and squeeze bags to release extra liquid.  Mix tea mixture with sifted powdered sugar until it achieves icing consistency.  Add more non-dairy milk as needed.

8.  Drizzle icing over cooled cookies or dip cookies in icing.  Allow cookies to cool for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator before packaging so that icing doesn't smudge.

9.  Enjoy!

Now--and this is totally unrelated to my recent baking endeavor--my tattoo!

It's part one of three.  Part one was the basic outline and part two will be the shading!  It's going to be bright and bold!  Part three will be final touches ;)