Control Freaks

Sometimes one just has to bake something vegan. Usually this only happens when you are with a vegan and trying to be sensitive. Actually, this does only happen when you are with a vegan and trying to be sensitive. That said, when Nic showed up unexpectedly at my door I knew there would be some animal product-less baking in our near futures.

We perused a few vegan websites and were not unimpressed with the selection of recipes, but the true answer did not take long to find. Allowing my taste buds' agenda to take over, I embarked on a google search of "vegan peanut butter cookies." The rationale for wanting vegan peanut butter cookies was that the nuttiness of peanut butter overtakes the other flavors in peanut butter cookies. A frequent conundrum with vegan baking is that the flavors are somehow not as stellar as those of butter, eggs and granulated sugar (for some reason many vegan recipes shy away from sugar in exchange for agave or maple syrup. Explain, someone), and are instead just a little weird. On the other hand, it is very difficult to craft a truly foul flavored PB cookie (that said, I hated the things, vegan or not, for most of my childhood... but we are all young and stupid at some point). But I digress.

The second link that came up was for none other than 101cookbooks's vegan PB cookies. Nic agreed that they sounded half decent. She also agreed to let me use almond butter (the container was open and the PB was sealed) and some agave instead of all maple syrup (maple syrup is expensive and I have no other foreseeable use for the agave).

MaNic/Nuts Cookies

adapted from recipe by Heidi Swanson

* 2 cups whole wheat flour
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 3/4 tsp salt
* 1/2 cup almond butter
* 1/2 cup peanut butter (I had chunky because it's better, but creamy will suffice)
* 1/2 cup maple syrup
* 1/2 cup agave
* 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
* 1/3 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 350˚ F.

Have your fellow control freak mix the flours, b.p. and salt in a bowl. In a larger bowl, combine the nut butters, maple syrup/agave, olive oil and vanilla. Mix them until very well combine and smooth (except for the peanut chunks).

Pour in the flour, salt and baking soda. Mix until just barely combined. Let the dough sit for 5 minutes (or so. We all now how I feel about waiting). Give a few more stirs. The dough is sticky, so it is advisable to use a spoon to scoop dough onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes. Let cool before removing from the sheet, as they will be soft still and fall apart easily when still hot.

Final commentary: When they first came out of the oven, the cookies were good, but had a slight bitterness (most probably from the almond butter and olive oil) that exacerbated the fact that they were not very sweet. They were not bad, just - different. That said, after sitting for a night the bitterness dissipated and the maple/agave flavor strengthened. They maintained their x-factor, as the olive oil flavor subtly remained, but they were slightly more delicious after resting.