My favorite cookies growing up were “Peanut Butter Blossoms”. My Mom found the recipe in a magazine, co-sponsored by two major brands. These cookies, sparkling a little with sugar and melty chocolate perched atop crackled peanut butter cookie, were my absolute favorite. My Mom would only make these for Christmas, during which I’d be repeatedly admonished to stop eating them all. After the holiday season was over I’d spend the rest of the year pining for them.

The nice thing about being a grown up is that I can make these cookies whenever I like. When we do manage to send out Christmas cookies to loved ones, I always try to include some of these.

The use of flax meal as a binder compliments the peanut flavor perfectly. The nice thing about making a vegan recipe for this old stand-by is that all the animal products are removed. I believe food, cookies especially, always taste better when made compassionately, hence my name for these yummy cookies, “Peanut Butter Beauties“. I’m happy to share my childhood favorite, now made vegan, as part of the So Delicious Spring Fling Dairy-Free Recipe Contest.

The Stuff

• 1 3/4 cups flour*
• 1/2 sugar (evaporated cane juice)
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 cup shortening**
• 2 T So Delicious Unsweetened Almond Plus 5X almond milk
• 1/2 cup peanut butter***
• 1 t vanilla
• 2 T golden flaxseed meal whisked with 3 T water
• Extra sugar to roll cookies in
• Dark chocolate for topping cookies (see note)

  * Using whole wheat pastry flour is fine and just adds to the overall nuttiness of the cookie.
  **I like either Spectrum Naturals or Earth Balance.
  ***Crunchy or Creamy is fine. For extra special ones, get freshly ground peanut butter.

The Making

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Set out your shortening to warm up just a little.

Blend the 2 tablespoons of flax meal with the 3 tablespoons of water and set aside. As this mixture sits it will get thick and have a gel-like consistency.

In a large bowl, or the bowl for a stand mixer, add the shortening and peanut butter. Blend together on a low speed until they are will mixed. Add sugar and continue blending until sugar, peanut butter, and shortening are light and creamy. Add in remaining ingredients, aside from flour and blend, scaping down sides if needed.

Add flour in slowly, in 3 to 4 batches, and blend slowly to incorporate it. You will have a nice, firm dough, not too sticky when done.

Shape dough into 1″ balls and roll each ball in sugar. Place balls 2″ apart on an un-greased cookie sheet; the cookies will spread out so don’t skimp on the spacing.

Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown and starting to crack. Remove from oven.

While cookies are still on the cookie sheet, immediately top each cookie with a piece of chocolate. Press chocolate into the center cracks of the hot cookie carefully so they don’t fall apart, but the chocolate is wedged in. Carefully remove from cookie sheet to wire rack to cool completely. The chocolate will melt further into the cookie as it cools.

Makes 3 dozen+.

A Note About Chocolate:

These cookies are traditionally made with chocolate that isn’t vegan and isn’t really that tasty anyway. I have used good bars, Theo Jane Goodall bars to be exact, and broken into rough squares or rectangles to top with. Now I’m using E. Guittard 72% Bittersweet Chocolate Couverture Wafers and they are far easier to use than breaking up the bars. I just use one wafer per cookie and they are perfect.

I love green tea sweets and these shortbread are a perfect mix of the green, sharp taste of the matcha with the buttery shortbread. During the holidays I chill the dough overnight and roll out to cut into tree shapes.

The Stuff

• 2 Earth Balance Buttery Sticks (this is 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1-3 Tablespoons *Matcha (see note)

The Making

Heat oven to 325 degrees (F).

Sift the flour, salt and matcha together into a bowl.

In a mixing bowl beat together the Earth Balance and powdered sugar until fluffy. Add in sifted mixture and mix slowly until the dough just comes together.

If you are planning to roll out dough for cutting ships, put dough in bowl, cover and refrigerate until chilled and firm to touch, at least 30 minutes. Overnight is even better.

If you’re planning to slice rounds, roll the dough into a log, wrap in plastic, waxed paper or parchment paper. Refrigerate until chilled and firm to the touch. Again, at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Slice dough into 1/4 inch rounds or roll to 1/4 inch thickness and cut with your preferred cookie shape. Place cookies on parchment paper on a cookie sheet, approximately 1 inch apart.

Bake cookies for 16-18 minutes until they are just beginning to brown around the edges. Turn your pan around halfway through the  cooking time.

Remove baked cookies from cookie sheet immediately and cool on wire rack

Makes 3-4 dozen, depending upon if you make cut cookies or sliced

*A comment about your matcha – don’t skimp on your tea. Use quality matcha, not any kind of drink mix. Green tea cannot be substituted for matcha. We use a matcha called Liquid Jade from Tao of Tea and it provides a marvelous flavor.

I’ve seen these cookies called “Mexican Wedding Cookies”, but my Mom called them “Russian Tea Cakes” and they were part of her Christmas cookie recipe arsenal. We’ve changed the base recipe to make it vegan and use whole wheat pastry flour. We’ve found the change in flour makes for a lovely nutty note that compliments the walnuts perfectly.

little ball of yumminess

The Stuff

• 2 Earth Balance Buttery Sticks (this is 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (Bob’s Red Mill)
• 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• Additional powdered sugar for rolling baked cookies in

The Making

Heat oven to 400 degrees (F).

Mix Earth Balance, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla in a large bowl on a low speed until well incorporated. Add in flour, nuts and salt and mix at a low speed until the dough holds together.

You might need to knead the dough a little in the bowl to get any loose nuts back into the dough.

Roll dough into 1″ balls. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, an inch apart.

Bake 10-12 minutes, until just set. Cookies should not brown.

Remove cookies from sheet pan and cool on wire rack until just warm.

Roll slightly warmed cookies in powdered sugar and return to rack to finish cooling. Roll a second time in powdered sugar.*

Makes 4 dozen, if you keep the balls to 1 inch.

*I’ve actually skipped the double-roll in sugar and just rolled them in while cool. Yes, they aren’t as coated in sugar, but they still look lovely. If you’re making multiple batches in a day I’ve sometimes just packed up the cooled cookies and rolled in sugar before putting them into tins, gift bags, etc.