Joy of Vegan Baking Choco-Chippers FTW!

The cookies I made were from The Joy of Vegan Baking. They are so far my favorite chocolate chip cookies. Not what I was going for, but they are that traditional, home baked cookie you got from gramma. I think I'm more excited about being a gramma than a mom, or maybe just being an aunt *hint*hint*wink*wink* sis! I plan on making these more often, they made about 30 and were super easy!

Choco Chip Cookies

Ok, so I totally aced this one! I decided I was sick of making health food cookies and splurged. I used the full amount of oil called for. EW I know.... but soooo yummy! I was inspired after noshing on SweetArt's Main Event (a vegan choco chip) I 1/4thed the recipe and only made 4 cookies. They were soooo amazing! I got the recipe from the Cookie Connoisseur by Kelly Peloza.

Here is the Main Event

Here is my cookie (sorry my camera is out of battery so my phone will have to do!) 

I used semi-sweet and dark choco-chips. They spread out a LOT and were very thin and delicious, this next batch, which I plan to make tonight, I will do half oil/half applesauce

Here is a picture of me red-riding-hood-ing it to my grandmothers!! 

I am on the search to make the best choco-chip cookie ever, I will make updates and progress. I plan on trying all the different recipes I find, perfecting them one by one, then choosing my favorite!

BAKING

Ok, so despite having failed at blogging, I did still bake during my hiatus. I made three different types (sorta) of cupcakes and two different types of cookies.

My cookie recipes were from the cookie connoisseur cookbook

The first was supposed to be your typical bakery style chocolate chip cookie. Thin, big, crispy and gooey on the inside. Problem is I made the dough before hand and didn't bake it till later so I could bake it at my dad's house. I now know that you should get the cookies into the oven (or any dough) as soon as you can after mixing wet and dry ingredients unless specified in the recipe as it messes with how it rises, etc. Probably why my cookies turned out more cakey. I loved this type the best though, reminded me of my grandma's homemade easter cookies that are such classics, except hers are more buttery.

See how they are more pillowy?

The second were supposed to be much more gooey..er.. but I think I overcooked them... actually I think I overcooked both sets... but I'm still learning... and they were still yummy, o well! Right out of the oven these tasted just like nestle break 'n bakes, chewy outsides and gooey center. However, given time to solidify they were mostly just crispy and a little chewy on the insides, almost stale-like. But still... it's a cookie, when they are good, they're great, when they are bad, they are still pretty good!!

See how they are a little crispier, and gooey..er looking?

Cupcakes:

I made one batch of chocolate cake from the joy of vegan baking. I poured them into cupcake liners, the first four I dropped peanut butter in half of the batter, the next four I poured the chocolate peanut butter icing in the middle of the batter just as I did the peanut butter. The last four I made and filled later with the icing. I don't know what the consistency of the icing was supposed to be but it was more like a ganache, chocolate peanut butter ganache, YUM!!! My favorite was the peanut butter filled ones, they tasted like my buckeye balls, but they were very rich. I also LOVED the ganache baked because they were delicate and rich and creamy and sooo yummy! much more of a sophisticated cupcake, sort of like a lava cake just not as runny.

See the peanut butter peeping through? YUM!

Filling the cupcakes!

Celebrating my birthday AT HOME!!!!

The inside of the PB filled cupcakes, sooo yummy!

With the extra batter I poured it into a quiche pan and made a mini cake, plopped some blobs of peanut butter and more ganache, baked, then iced with the ganache! SOOOOOOO YUMMY! Tasted just like a reeses bar!