The holidays are just around the corner, and that means your calendar is probably already filling up with family gatherings, parties and potlucks. Desserts are a must-have around the holidays, and following a vegan lifestyle doesn’t mean you have to miss out! There are plenty of delicious, vegan dessert recipes right at your fingertips. Here are a few of my favorite holiday-themed treats to keep your spirits high and your belly full this season.
1. Soft Molasses Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ cup white beans (any)
- 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar (optional)
- ¼ cup molasses
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- a dash of salt (optional)
Directions:
To make oat flour, whiz instant or rolled oats in your blender until it reaches a flour-consistency. Mix 1 cup oat flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt and spices together in a mixing bowl until well combined. Add remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Set batter aside to rest while oven heats to 350F. Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. Drop 14 spoonfuls of batter on to the cookie sheet and bake 10-15 minutes, or until cookies are firm to the touch.
2. Whole Wheat Pie Crust
Use this recipe for vegan whole wheat pie crust when making your favorite holiday pie, or use our suggestion and try a traditional apple pie (see below).
Ingredients:
- 1¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 whole banana, cold
- 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
- 1 tbsp raw sugar (optional)
- ½ tsp salt
Directions:
Combine flour and banana (a slightly unripe, still greenish banana is best) in a food processor, pulsing until there are no whole banana pieces left and you can mold the mixture (think play-dough). Transfer it out on to a clean surface and incorporate 1-3 tsp of warm water. You want enough water so that the dough is wet and not crumbly or dry, but not so wet it becomes sticky or hard to work with. Again, think "play dough". Roll it out using a glass (such as a drinking glass) until it's verythin. I find picking the dough up and moving it as I roll it out helps keep it from sticking to my clean surface. Once it is rolled out thinly, drape it over a greased, shallow 9" glass pie dish. Add your pie filling into the center, crumb topping over top and bake at 350F (regardless of what original pie recipe says). For a "premade crust" bake 10-15 minutes and let completely cool. If at any time the dough tears, push it back together with your fingers and a few drops of water.
To make apple pie, thinly slice 6-8 apples and toss with 1 tbsp cinnamon and 1/4 cup or more brown sugar. A few dashes of ground ginger is also a nice addition.
3. Sugar Cookies & Icing
Ingredients:
- 1 prepared ener-g-egg. prepared
- 5 tbsp vegan cream cheese
- ¾ cup raw sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1⅔ cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- Confectioner’s sugar (2 cups)
- Non-dairy milk (splash)
- Food coloring (optional)
Directions:
Using an electric mixer on the highest speed, whip Tofutti cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add prepared "egg" and vanilla and mix well. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt together. Add flour mixture to wet mixture in 3 to 4 batches, mixing as you go until a dough forms. (The dough may seem crumbly at first, but that is okay). Using your hands, mold dough into a ball. Wrap the ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease cookie sheet or line with parchment paper and set aside. Lightly flour a flat surface and roll dough out to 1/4 or 1/8" thickness. Cut shapes using floured cookie cutters. Toss cutouts back and forth between your hands to remove excess flour (essential!). Place cookies on cookie sheet and bake 5 to 9 minutes or until edges are slightly golden but be careful not to burn underneath. While cookies are baking, combine scraps together and roll out another dough and cut cookies. Once cookies are baked, transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool before icing.
To make icing, combine confectioners sugar with a splash of non-dairy milk and food coloring until it forms a thin paste.
4. Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
- 1 cup nondairy milk
- 1 tbsp agave nectar
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
- 1 tsp vegan chocolate chips
- cinnamon
Directions:
Combine nondairy milk, agave nectar, cocoa, chocolate chips, and a dash or two ground cinnamon in a blender and whiz until smooth. Gently heat over low in a pan on the stovetop or in the microwave using the beverage setting (or 1-3 minutes, depending on wattage).
For vegan whipped cream topping, see next recipe.
5. Coconut Whipped Cream
Ingredients:
- 14 ounces coconut milk
- a dash of vanilla extract (optional)
- a dash of confectioners sugar (optional)
Directions:
Place a can of coconut milk upside down in your fridge (leave it there over night to have a slumber party with your kale). When you open the can, there will be a firm, waxy layer on top. Scoop this out. (There will be water under it, discard or save for another use later -- you only want the solid cream part.) Beat the cream with electric beaters at high speed for a few minutes until it becomes light and fluffy (you can also beat in a touch of sugar and vanilla extract if desired).
Chef's Note: For a lower fat version, try tofu whipped cream(using lite tofu). You can also find commercial vegan whipped cream (soy and rice-based) at health food stores by Soyatoo.
6. Fruit Crisp
Ingredients:
- 12 ounces frozen blueberries, rinsed
- 5 tbsp agave nectar
- ⅔ cup rolled oats
- ⅓ cup whole wheat flour
- 2 tbsp raw sugar (optional)
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Place blueberries into 10" glass dish and sprinkle with sugar. In another bowl, mix oats, agave and flour together until it crumbles. Place crumbs over blueberries and sprinkle cinnamon over top. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until the top is crisp.
