Vegan Holiday Baking - Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft, spicy, and generously sized, these decadent vegan Christmas cookies are the perfect holiday treat or an ideal finale to your vegan holiday feast.

Vegan egg-replacement options

If you're new to vegan baking, you may be wondering how to work around the eggs that most baking recipes call for. The answer is finding the right egg substitute for the dish you're creating. In non-vegan recipes eggs are generally used to either provide leavening or act as a binder, or both. Vegan egg substitutes do the same, but different substitutes provide differing degrees of binding and leavening. Any of the vegan egg replacements listed below will work well in these cookies.

Ener-G Powdered Egg Replacer, available on-line and in many health food stores. Highly recommended.
Banana, mashed. Half a banana equals one egg.
Applesauce and baking powder. 1/4 cup applesauce mixed with 1/2 tsp baking powder equals one egg.
Cornstarch and baking powder. One heaping Tbs. cornstarch and a small pinch of baking powder mixed with two Tbs. water equals one egg.

One of the best things about these cookies is that they store very well - in fact, they actually get better if they're made in advance. For optimal flavor, make these cookies a day or so in advance and store in an air-tight container until you're ready to serve.

Ingredients:

1 cup Nucoa or Butter-Flavored Crisco

2 cups white sugar

2 "eggs" (see vegan egg-replacement options above)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 15 ounce can pumpkin pie filling (for a less sweet cookie, use a can of pumpkin puree)

4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

Pinch ground nutmeg

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (the cheapest available are usually dairy-free)

Have two greased cookie sheets ready. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Put shortening and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric beater, cream until smooth. Beat in "eggs." Stir in vanilla and pumpkin until well blended.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in another mixing bowl. Stir into the pumpkin mixture. Add chocolate chips.

Drop eight round tablespoons of dough onto each cookie sheet. Cookies will spread as they bake. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until edges begin to brown. Let cookies stand for a few minutes before removing from baking sheets to cool completely.

Re-grease sheets and repeat baking process. Store in air-tight containers until ready to serve.

Going vegan doesn't mean going without delicious food! For more great vegan Christmas Cookies, plus animal-free side and main dishes for a holiday feast, visit Vegan Christmas Recipes.

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