Vegan fruitcake is made with nuts, seeds, dried fruit, spices, and fruit juices and is easily customizable based on your preferences. If you have a jar of mixed nuts laying around in your cabinet or a package of dried fruit you want to use up to create more space in your pantry, mix them both in this easy vegan and gluten-free recipe and enjoy the sweet and savory flavors with a bit of crunch.

Another bonus about this vegan fruitcake recipe is that it’s made in one bowl. Yeah, that’s right, this is an on-bowl vegan and gluten-free recipe so clean-up is made easy and your dessert caters to most allergies. Checking off all the boxes, this vegan and gluten-free fruitcake is freezable, whole, or sliced, so if you want to make extra to enjoy at a later date, you can store the cake easily. It’s time to dig in!

What You’ll Need to Make Vegan Fruit Cake

• Oat flour
• Sugar
• Baking powder
• Cinnamon
• Ground cloves
• Ground cardamom
• Ground nutmeg
• Vegetable oil
• Apple juice
• Mixed dried fruits
• Mixed nuts and seeds

Easy Variations for Vegan Fruit Cake

This recipe is very adaptable, so feel free to mix and match your fruits, nuts, juices, spices, and seeds, and add any extras you like. You can really add any of your favorite melodies to this recipe and it’s a great way to use up any leftovers or bags of nuts to clear out. You can keep your fruits and nuts whole, or chop them roughly. Try any one of these easy alternatives to switch up the flavor of your vegan fruit cake:

• Try dried cranberries, figs, apricots, blueberries, prunes, raisins, or dates. Or use candied fruits like cherry, orange, lemon, or tangerine
• Choose nuts like hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans, macadamias, or pistachios. Toast them for extra flavor, if you prefer.
• Seeds like pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, or sesame seeds are great in this fruitcake.
• Spice your fruitcake with vanilla extract, pumpkin spice, or a splash of whiskey or rum.
• Play around with the liquids you add to the cake. Apple juice and water are a great combo, but you can also use plant milk, orange juice, cranberry juice, tea, or a combination of these. Adding a little coffee can give lovely flavors as well.
• To make this cake oil-free simply use apple sauce or mashed bananas instead of the vegetable oil
• You can bake this cake in a traditional round cake mold, or you can use muffin tins or a loaf pan. Make sure to adjust the baking time if choosing different baking dishes.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 55 minutes

Vegan Fruitcake

8-12 portions (slices)

Ingredients

• 2 cups / 250 g oat flour
• 1/4 cup / 50 g sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1.5 tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/3 cup / 80 ml vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup / 120 ml apple juice
• 10 oz / 300 g mixed dried fruits
• 10 oz / 300 g mixed nuts and seeds

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 360 F / 180 C.
2.  In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and nutmeg.
3. Pour in oil, apple juice, and around 2/5 cup or 100 ml water, and mix everything well together.
4. Fold in fruits, nuts, and seeds.
5. Pour dough into a silicon form, or a lightly greased pan, and smooth out the top.
6. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
7. Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing.

The post No-Waste One-Bowl Fruitcake That’s Vegan and Gluten-Free appeared first on The Beet.

You’ll love the taste of rich, chocolatey flavor from natural cocoa powder and the tender, soft texture of the donut. Aside from the taste, this recipe is quick and easy, and most of the ingredients you’ll already have on hand. It takes just ten minutes to prep the donuts and glaze and ten minutes for the donuts to bake. They’re the perfect grab-and-go dessert to serve at the holiday party and are so easy to make, children love to partake in this recipe!

What You’ll Need to Make Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Donuts

It’s time to gather your ingredients to make the donuts before you make the chocolate glaze. You’ll start by adding the dry ingredients in your bowl and then mixing the wet ingredients, including your flax egg into that same bowl to create the doughy batter. Many of these easy vegan ingredients you’ll already have on hand, likely stored away in your pantry. For this you will need:

• Flax egg
• All-purpose flour
• Granulated Sugar
• Natural Cocoa Powder
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda
• Salt
• Soy Milk
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Apple Sauce
• Vanilla Extract
• Vegan Butter

What You’ll Need to Make Vegan Glaze

When the donuts are in the oven, it’s time to make the vegan chocolate glaze and add the crushed peppermint candies. The glaze is easy to make and you’ll dunk each donut in it when they are baked through and cooled off. You’ll reuse the cocoa powder, salt, and soy milk from the donut recipe for the glaze, so don’t put those away yet! You’ll want to use the vegan glaze for all your dessert recipes, here’s what you’ll need:

• Natural cocoa powder
• Powdered sugar
• Salt
• Soy Milk
• Crushed Peppermint Candies

What is a Flax Egg?

For an easy egg substitute that’s completely vegan, a flax egg works perfectly and has the same sticky texture and binding properties as a real egg, and is super simple to make. All you need is water and flax, and the exact flax-egg ratio. Everything you need to know about flax egg, how to make a flax egg, including the correct ratios, check out The Beet’s flax egg recipe.

How to Store Vegan Donuts

If you have leftovers or plan to make extra for the next day, these vegan donuts can easily be stored at room temperature, no refrigeration needed! In an airtight container at room temp, your donuts will stay fresh for one to two days. If you want to enjoy the donuts later in the week, refrigerate them for up to four to five days, but if you want to have them months from now, wrap each donut in wax paper and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Easy Vegan Substitutes for Vegan Donuts

Have all the ingredients on hand but missing a few? We have easy substitutes that you may already have and will save you a trip to the grocery store. Don’t have vegan butter? Try coconut oil instead and use the same measurements. If you’re looking for a gluten-free option for vegan donuts, try using a gluten-free blend instead of all-purpose flour. The ratios are the same! Don’t have applesauce but have a banana laying around? Use mashed banana instead of apple sauce and you’ll still get that gooey, eggy texture. If you don’t have vanilla extra or want to amplify the taste of peppermint use peppermint extract instead.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes

Cost: $3.05 recipe | $0.25 serving

Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Donuts

Makes 12 donuts

Ingredients

Donuts

• 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water) ($0.10)
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour ($0.12)
• 1 cup granulated sugar ($0.12)
• 6 tablespoons natural cocoa powder ($0.65)
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder ($0.02)
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda ($0.02)
• ½ teaspoon salt ($0.01)
• ¾ cup + 1 tbsp soy milk ($0.36)
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar ($0.01)
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce ($0.15)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ($0.20)
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter, melted ($0.15)

Glaze & topping

• ¼ cup natural cocoa powder ($0.44)
• 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar ($0.42)
• A pinch of salt optional
• 3-4 tablespoons soy milk ($0.10)
• 2-3 tablespoons crushed peppermint candies ($0.18)

Instructions

Donuts

1. ​​Combine the ground flaxseed and water in a small bowl. Set it aside for 5-10 minutes, or until gelatinous and thickened.
2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, and lightly spray or grease a 12-donut pan.
3. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then whisk to combine.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the flax egg, milk, vinegar, applesauce, butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, but be careful not to overmix the batter.
6. Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a large tip or a freezer bag with one corner cut off. Pipe the batter into the prepared donut pan, about ½ -¾ full.
7. Bake the donuts for 9-10 minutes, or until slightly springy. Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then pop them out of the pan and onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Glaze & topping

1. To make the glaze, sift the cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and salt together in a small bowl, then mix in the soy milk until the glaze is smooth.
2. Once the donuts have cooled completely, dip the tops in the glaze. Immediately sprinkle them with crushed peppermint candies, then return them to the wire rack until the glaze has set. Enjoy!

Nutrition: 1 of 12 servings
Calories 230 | Total Fat 2.3 g | Saturated Fat 0.6 g | Cholesterol 0 mg | Sodium 164 mg | Total Carbohydrates 52 g | Dietary Fiber 2.4 g | Total Sugars 36.3 g | Protein 3.2 g | Calcium 50.5 mg | Iron 1.5 mg | Potassium 118.6 mg |

The post Easy Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Donuts in Under 20 Minutes appeared first on The Beet.

Vegan pine cone cookies may look complicated to make, but this recipe actually takes minimal effort and just five ingredients! This no-bake cookie recipe is easy to follow and only requires 10 minutes of active time. Vegan pine cone cookies do require a couple of hours to chill, so leave time to cool and decorate.

No-bake vegan pine cone cookies can be easily customized to be free of gluten, sugar, or unhealthy ingredients. You can also have fun with the recipe and add your favorite spices, nuts, or even alcohol!

Vegan Pine Cone Cookie Ingredients 

• Cookies (Store-bought or homemade)
• Vegan chocolate spread or nut butter
• Jam
• Chocolate cornflakes
• Powdered sugar

Should You Use Store-Bought or Homemade Cookies?

Both homemade and store-bought cookies can be used to make vegan pine cone cookies. You can use any vegan cookie for this recipe – try vegan oat cookies, vegan gingerbread, vegan Oreos, spekulatius, sugar cookies, ginger cookies, or a combination of these.

This no-bake vegan pine cone cookie recipe will work with any leftover cookies or cookie crumbles from the bottom of the bag.

What to Use Instead of Jam, Vegan Chocolate Spread or Nut Butter

As the ‘wet ingredient’ you have so many options to choose from as well: jam (apricot and orange are our favorites), vegan chocolate spread, peanut butter, hazelnut butter, tahini, or vegan cream cheese. You can use these alone or in a combination in this recipe.

How much to use of these will depend on the type of cookies you crumbled. If you use filled or softer cookies you will need less of the ‘wet ingredients’ compared to some drier cookies.

Customize Vegan Pine Cone Cookies

No-bake vegan pine cone cookies are extremely versatile and customizable.

• Use orange or lemon zest to brighten up the flavor of the cookies.
• Sprinkle your favorite holiday spices such as ground ginger, cinnamon, or pumpkin spice to the mix.
• Chocolate lovers will want to add in cocoa powder for extra chocolate flavor.
• If you’re looking for different textures throughout the vegan pine cone cookies, use coconut flakes, chopped dried nuts or cacao nibs.
• Vanilla extract is always a great addition to any vegan cookie or vegan holiday dessert.
• Dust the cookies with sugar before serving for a snowy effect.
• Mix in rum or whiskey for a bold flavor.

How to Make Pine Cone Cookies

1. Place vegan cookies in a food processor. Pulse into fine crumbs. Work in batches, if needed.
2. Transfer vegan cookie crumbs into a large bowl, and add chocolate spread and jam. Start with a smaller amount, you can add more if needed as you go. Add any extra ingredients if using them as well.
3. Start to mix and “knead” the dough, until it’s sticky but shapable. Add more jam and/or chocolate spread, if needed. Place dough covered in the fridge for an hour.
4. If the dough seems too dry after chilling, add a splash of dairy-free milk and knead again.
5. Shape about 1/4 cup of the dough into a cone or pyramid. Starting from the bottom, insert chocolate cornflakes into the dough to resemble pine cones. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
6. Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours. Dust with sugar before serving.

Make Your Own Vegan Chocolate Spread From Scratch

You can either buy vegan Nutella or make your own vegan chocolate from scratch. Homemade vegan chocolate spread takes under 5 minutes to make. Melt 7 ounces of dark chocolate in a double boiler, stir in a few tablespoons of coconut cream and refrigerate for 25 minutes.

No-Bake Vegan Pine Cone Cookies

Makes about 12 pine cones

Prep Time: 10 mins

Chilling time: 1 hour

Decorating: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1.1 lbs/500 g cookies (about 4 cups of cookie crumbs)
• 2-4 tbsp vegan chocolate spread or nut butter
• 4-6 tbsp jam
• chocolate cornflakes
• powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Place cookies in a food processor. Pulse into fine crumbs. Work in batches, if needed.
2. Transfer crumbs into a large bowl, and add chocolate spread and jam. Start with a smaller amount, you can add more if needed as you go. Add any optional extras if using them as well.
3. Start to mix and “knead” the dough, until it’s sticky but shapable. Add more jam and/or chocolate spread, if needed. Place dough covered in the fridge for an hour.
4. If the dough seems too dry after chilling, add a splash of plant milk and knead again.
5. Shape about 1/4 cup of the dough into a cone or pyramid. Starting from the bottom, insert chocolate cornflakes into the dough to resemble pine cones. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
6. Serve pine cones immediately or chill in the fridge for a couple of hours. Dust with sugar before serving.

More Vegan Holiday Cookies You’ll Love

• Vegan Snowball Cookies
• Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
• Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Swirl

The post Easy No-Bake Vegan Pine Cone Cookies With Just 5 Ingredients appeared first on The Beet.

Chickpeas and other legumes are a great way to add nutrients such as plant protein, B vitamins, and fiber, making this another dessert with benefits. While I prefer using chickpeas in this recipe, white beans would work as well. Here I show you how to add all this goodness into one of my favorite treats, blondies. It even saves you money at the grocery store!

How to Make Vegan Blondies with Chickpeas

These blondies call for chickpeas instead of brown sugar or flour, a healthier option. When chickpeas are blended, they form a fudge-like, dense texture that’s easy to mold into a blondie. Because chickpeas don’t have tremendous flavor on their own, they easily absorb other flavors like vanilla and coconut sugar. Flaxseed meal is used to bind the wet and dry ingredients and replaces an egg.

• Flaxseed meal
• Water
• Chickpeas
• Rolled oats
• Coconut sugar
• Coconut oil
• Pure vanilla extract
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Dark chocolate chip

Are Blondies the Same As Brownies?

Blondies and brownies both have chewy textures and are usually cut into squares, however, blondies have a softer, lighter texture and a less-rich taste than brownies. The main ingredients in a blondie are different from a brownie. Blondies use vanilla extract and brown sugar for a sugary, fudge-like taste, and brownies use chocolate and cocoa for that dense chocolatey taste.

What Does a Blondie Taste Like?

The Vegan Blondies have a cakey, fudgy with a dense, chewy filling and crisp edges. When you bite into these soft brownie-like vegan blondies you’ll taste hints of vanilla, textured oats, and sweet dark chocolate bits. These melt-in-your-mouth dessert squares are warm and delicious, perfect to enjoy in colder weather. Enjoy them with your coffee or hot chocolate.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Buttery Vegan Blondies

Makes 9 blondies (1 per serving)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 (15-ounce) can of no-salt-added chickpeas, drained and rinsed well, or 1½ cups of cooked chickpeas
• ½ cup rolled oats
• 2/3 cup coconut sugar
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Make a flax egg by combining the flaxseed meal and water in a small bowl; allow it to sit for 5 minutes.
3. Place the flax egg along with the rest of the ingredients, except the chocolate chips, in a food processor and blend until smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips by hand.
4. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan using a rubber spatula, smooth the top, and bake for 30 minutes. It will look a little underbaked when you take it out of the oven but will firm up as it cools.
5. Let cool completely before slicing into 9 squares.

(Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week.)

For more great plant-based recipes and healthy ideas follow me on Instagram, @NutritionbyMia, and for 100 easy recipes, check out my cookbook, Mostly Plant-Based: 100 Delicious Plant-Forward Recipes Using 10 Ingredients or Less.

Read More: To Save Money at the Grocery Store, Eat Plant-Forward. Here’s How

The post How to Make Vegan Blondies with a Can of Chickpeas appeared first on The Beet.

Is Banana Bread Vegan?

Banana Bread is not usually vegan as it typically contains eggs or some form of dairy such as butter or milk. Luckily, there are tons of vegan alternatives and substitutions for butter, milk, and eggs.

This healthier recipe for vegan banana bread calls for coconut oil instead of melted butter. This recipe also uses dairy-free milk instead of dairy milk. Some of our favorite dairy-free milks to use in banana bread are oat milk and almond milk. Or, use banana milk to infuse the batter with even more flavor.

Eggs typically act as a binder in many baked goods like banana bread. This recipe uses four medium mashed bananas instead of eggs as a binder in vegan banana bread.

Ingredients You’ll Need For Easy Vegan Banana Bread

• Ripe (or overripe) mashed bananas (about 4 medium bananas)
• Coconut oil
• Flour
• Sugar
• Baking powder
• Cinnamon
• Ginger powder
• Ground cloves
• Salt
• Dairy-free milk
• 1 banana for decorating (optional)

Should You Use Ripe or Overripe Bananas in Vegan Banana Bread?

Most recipes call for overripe bananas because, during the ripening process, they get sweeter and develop more flavor. Don’t stress if you don’t have any overripe bananas. You can also use ripe bananas but the bread won’t taste as flavorful.

How to Ripen Bananas Fast

The fastest method to ripen bananas is with a paper towel or plate and microwave. Take the unpeeled bananas and pole small holes with a fork all over the bananas. Place the banana on a paper towel or plate.

Microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time. Keep microwaving the bananas until you reach the desired softness. Only microwave one banana at a time.

The paper bag method is the most effective method. The only catch is that it can take up to a couple of days for the bananas to ripen.

Place the bananas in a paper bag and close it. This traps a gaseous plant hormone known as Ethylene gas in the bag. Ethylene gas is essential to the ripening process in fruit.

Leave the bananas in the paper bag overnight. Bananas can take up to a couple of days to ripen so make sure to keep an eye on them.

5 Toppings That Upgrade Your Healthy Banana Bread

• Vegan Dark Chocolate Chips
• Walnuts or Pecans
• Zucchini
• Vegan Nutella
• Berry Jam
• Vegan Cream Cheese

Tips and Substitutions For Vegan Banana Bread

This recipe is very easy and adaptable so feel free to play around with it.

• Use flours like white, whole wheat, spelt, oat, or a gluten-free blend.
• Cut back on the amount of sugar if you prefer vegan banana bread that is less sweet.
• Swap coconut oil for vegan butter.
• Make an oil-free vegan banana bread by swapping oil or butter for applesauce.
• Skip on the spices (though they work super well here), or double them for an even more flavorful result.
• Pumpkin spice mix, star anise, nutmeg, or cardamom work with the recipe too.
• You can add extras to your Banana Bread. Try chocolate chips, walnuts, hazelnuts, chopped dates, poppy seeds, oats, or fresh blueberries.
• Use soft, and spotty bananas.
• Make vegan banana bread french toast with leftover slices.

The Easiest Way to Make Vegan Banana Bread

1. Mash bananas with a fork. Add coconut oil, and mix well.
2. In a separate bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and spices.
3. Add dry ingredients to bananas, and stir gently until just combined, making sure you don’t overmix it. You still want banana chunks visibly present in the batter. Add a splash of dairy-free milk if the batter is too dry.
4. Spoon batter into the loaf pan, and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
5. Let Banana Bread cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely (otherwise it’s difficult to slice).

How to Avoid Dry Vegan Banana Bread

Avoid overmixing the vegan banana bread batter. Overmixed batter will lead to dry, dense banana bread. You want the batter to still have some banana chunks.

Another common mistake that causes dry vegan banana bread is the ratio of flour to banana. Too many bananas will lead to a wet banana bread loaf. Too much flour will lead to dry, dense banana bread.

Can You Use The Same Recipe to Make Vegan Banana Bread Muffins?

This recipe is extremely versatile and can be used to make muffins as well. Add blueberries, chocolate chips, cinnamon, pumpkin, or strawberries to have different variations of muffins for the week. You can also use the batter to make banana bread pancakes and cookies.

What is the Best Way to Store Vegan Banana Bread?

Banana Bread stays fresh when covered for a couple of days at room temperature. You can also freeze any leftover banana bread slices. When ready to eat, take the banana bread out of the freezer and place it in the fridge to defrost. Warm them up in the oven for a few minutes when ready to eat.

Easy Vegan Banana Bread

for 1 loaf

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Baking Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 14 oz / 400 g ripe, mashed bananas (about 4 medium bananas)
• 1/3 cup / 80 ml melted coconut oil (plus more for greasing the loaf pan)
• 8 oz / 225 g flour
• 4.2 oz / 120 g sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• pinch of salt
• 2-4 tbsp unsweetened plant milk (if needed)
• optional: 1 banana for decorating

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 360 F/180 C. Grease and line a loaf pan.
2. Mash bananas with a fork. Add coconut oil, and mix well.
3. In a separate bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and spices.
4. Add dry ingredients to bananas, and stir gently until just combined, making sure you don’t overmix it. Add a little plant milk if the batter is too dry.
5. Spoon batter into the loaf pan, and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
6. Let the banana bread cool down for 10 minutes in the pan. Transfer it to a wire rack and allow it to cool completely (otherwise it’s difficult to slice).

Nutritionals (1 of 8 Slices)

Calories 298 | Total Fat 9.8g | Saturated Fat 8.1g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 6mg | Total Carbohydrates 51.9g | Dietary Fiber 2.7g | Total Sugars 22.9g | Protein 3.7g | Calcium 79mg | Iron 2mg | Potassium 376mg |

More Banana Recipes You’ll Love

• Vegan Banana Upside-Down Cake
• Vegan Banana Bread Oat Cookies
• Vegan Blueberry Banana Baked Oatmeal
• Vegan Banana Split
• Vegan Double Chocolate Banana Bread

The post Healthy and Easy Vegan Banana Bread appeared first on The Beet.

Don’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen? We’ll help you get to the party sooner thanks to this quick and easy recipe made in just one bowl. Chewy Gingerbread Cookies are simple to make and don’t require too much cleanup, plus they can be prepared ahead, so they are great for busy days. You can also freeze the cookie dough balls for extra quick snacks.

What You’ll Need to Make Vegan Ginger Cookies

• Ground flaxseeds
• Vegan butter
• Powdered sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Gingerbread spice mix
• Molasses
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Flour

How to Make a Flax Egg

Instead of using a real egg to bind together your cookie dough, we use a flax egg which consists of ground-up flaxseed. Try our Easy Flax Egg Recipe to find out everything you need to know about how to make a flax egg, the perfect flax egg ratio, and what to use a flax egg for.

Note: A flax egg works as a binding agent so it doesn’t work well as an egg alternative for every recipe.

Best Vegan Butter for Cookies

Finding the perfect vegan butter for your cookie recipe has never been so easy since we taste-tested five different vegan butter brands and rated them for taste, texture, and health. For the perfect doughy and crisp cookie, we suggest using Earth Balance Buttery Spread or  Miyoko’s European Style Cultured Vegan Butter.

How to Make Vegan Ginger Cookies

To make these Ginger Cookies you can use store-bought gingerbread spice mix, or you can make your own if you prefer. To make these vegan cookies homemade, mix together 2-2 tablespoons of ground ginger and cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and a pinch of black pepper. Store any leftovers in a small jar or container.

Tip and Subsitiues for Vegan Molasses Ginger Cookies

Want to switch up and customize your vegan cookie recipe? Try any one of these easy alternatives that cater well to allergies and taste preferences:

• Use more or fewer spices, depending on what you prefer
• You can add also extra flavors such as orange or rum extract, or ground cardamom
• For maximum flavor infuse your butter with spices. Simply melt the butter and add your spice mix, then cook for 5 minutes on low. Allow butter to completely cool down and solidify before using – it’s best to prepare this the day before
• Instead of flax egg, you can also use chia egg or your favorite store-bought egg replacer
• For extra crunch roll the dough balls into sugar or cinnamon sugar before baking

Prep time: 25 minutes
Chilling time: 1.5 hours
Baking time: 12 mins

Vegan Chewy Gingerbread Cookies

Makes about 25 cookies

Ingredients

• 1.5 tbsp ground flaxseeds (or egg replacer of your choice)
• 7 oz / 200 g soft vegan butter (at room temperature)
• 2 cups / 250 g powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2-3 tbsp gingerbread spice mix
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 tsp baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 2.5 cups / 300 g flour

Instructions

1. Prepare flax egg. Mix together ground flaxseeds with 6 tablespoons of water. Let stand for 5-10 minutes, until thickens.
2. Add butter to a bowl, and using an electric whisk start to mix on low. Add sifted sugar, and mix until combined.
3. Add vanilla, spice mix, molasses, baking soda, and salt, and keep on mixing, until creamy and well combined.
4. Start adding flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until everything is completely combined.
5. Cover dough and place in the fridge for at least 1,5 hours, but ideally overnight.
6. After the chilling time, preheat the oven to 400 F/200 C.
7. Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon portions (a mini ice cream scoop works best for this). Roll into small balls, and place on a baking tray, leaving some space between them. Work in batches, if needed.
8. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until golden brown and the edges are crispy. Allow them to cool slightly, then transfer them to a cookie rack to cool completely.
9. Cookies are best on the day of baking, but your can store any leftovers in an airtight container for a couple of days.

Vegan Cookie Recipes You May Like

• Vegan Snowball Cookies
• Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie
• Peppermint Brownie Cookies 

The post Chewy Vegan Molasses Ginger Cookies appeared first on The Beet.

What You’ll Need to Make Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

• Flour
• Cocoa Powder
• Sugar
• Baking Powder
• Salt
• Vegetable Oil
• Peppermint Extract
• Plant Milk
• Chopped Dark Chocolate (Optional)
• Peppermint Flavored Candy Cake (Optional)

How to Make Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Vegan Peppermint Brownie Cookies is an easy vegan recipe made in just one bowl so very little cleanup is required. The pre-baking process is simple and takes just ten minutes. You’ll combine the dry ingredients (your flour, powders, and sugar) in a bowl and mix then add your wet ingredients and mix until cookie dough consistency.

Then, you’ll roll your dough into a ball on a baking sheet and leave room for a festive crushed peppermint topping. Bake your cookies for roughly 8 minutes –– they will appear slightly “under-cooked.” The key to the perfect, gooey on the inside and crisp on the outside cookie is to not let them cook all the way through. If you have leftovers, you can easily freeze them!

Tips and Substitutes for Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Brownie Cookies

Have allergies or want to try another way to make these cookies? Try any one of these easy alternatives:

• Instead of all-purpose white flour, you can try whole wheat, oat, or a gluten-free blend as well. You can use white or brown sugar here.
• Feel free to use only 1/3 cup sugar for a less sugary version, or more for extra sweet cookies.
• Instead of basic (unsweetened) milk use chocolate milk instead. Or for the fudgiest and most delicious result try chocolate pudding If you don’t like the peppermint flavor you can skip it completely or use vanilla extract instead.
• If you’re not using peppermint you can add extra chopped chocolate or walnuts to the cookies instead for more flavor and texture.

Is Chocolate Vegan?

In this recipe, the chocolate taste comes from cocoa powder, derived from the cacao bean which is completely vegan. Dark chocolate is typically vegan because it’s not commonly made with milk, however, make sure to double-check the ingredient label.

Are Candy Canes Vegan?

Candy canes are typically vegan since they are simply made with sugar, corn syrup, and natural flavoring and coloring. On the other hand, gourmet candy canes dipped in chocolate or butterscotch are not vegan since these ingredients are dairy-based.

Prep time: 10 mins
Baking time: 8 mins

Vegan Peppermint Brownie Cookies

Makes about 20 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup / 120 g flour
• 1/2 cup / 50 g cocoa powder
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup / 70-100 g sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 7 tbsp / 100 ml vegetable oil
• few drops of peppermint extract
• 1-6 tbsp plant milk
• 1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate (optional)
• peppermint flavored candy cane, crushed (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 340 F / 170 C.
2. Sift flour and cocoa powder into a bowl. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt, and mix well together.
3. Add vegetable oil and peppermint extract, and mix well together, until you get a cookie dough consistency. You likely need to add a few tablespoons of milk to reach desired consistency. Go slow and add 1 tablespoon at a time.
4. Stir in chopped chocolate, if using.
5. Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon portions (a mini ice cream scoop works best for this). Roll into small balls, and place on a baking tray, leaving some space between them.
6. Bake for 7-8 minutes, until edges are crispy, but cookies look still “underdone”. Sprinkle with crushed candy, then let cool completely.

Vegan Cookie Recipes You May Like

• Vegan Snowball Cookies
• Vegan Brownie and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough S’mores
• Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie

Vegan Peppermint Recipes You May Like

• Chocolate Peppermint Cake
• Chocolate Peppermint Bars
• Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake

The post Easy One-Bowl Vegan Peppermint Brownie Cookies in Under 20 Minutes appeared first on The Beet.

Are Donuts Vegan?

Donuts are not vegan because they are made with eggs, milk, and butter. We made this vegan gingerbread donut recipe vegan but replaced milk with vegan buttermilk, eggs with a flax egg, and butter with vegan butter.

Vegan Gingerbread Donuts Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground ginger
• Ground allspice
• Ground cloves
• Salt
• Flaxseed meal
• Vegan buttermilk
• Brown Sugar
• Unsweetened applesauce
• Vegan butter
• Brown Sugar
• Maple Syrup
• Soy Milk
• Powdered sugar

Vegan Gingerbread Donut Subsitutions

• Swap vegan butter for coconut oil
• Make this recipe gluten-free by replacing all-purpose flout with 1:1 gluten-free blend
• Use mashed banana if you don’t have applesauce

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How to Make Vegan Gingerbread Donuts From Scratch

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, and lightly grease a donut pan with cooking spray.
   In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, and salt together. Set aside.
2. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the flax egg, vegan buttermilk, brown sugar, applesauce, and melted vegan butter until well combined.
3. Transfer the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients, and stir together until just combined (a few flour streaks are okay).
4. Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a large tip or a freezer bag with one corner cut off. Pipe the batter into the prepared donut pan, about 1⁄2 – 3⁄4 full.

How Long Do You Bake Donuts For?

Donuts only need about seven to nine minutes in the oven. The key to a perfectly baked donut is to let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing them and placing them on a wire rack.

Which is Healthier? Baked Donuts vs Fried Donuts

Baked donuts are healthier than fried donuts because you are avoiding the extra saturated fat in oil that is required in the frying process. Saturated fat is not only higher in calories, but too much of it can actually lead to heart disease. Another big plus to baking is that it is a much cleaner process than frying and getting oil all over the stovetop.

Do Baked Donuts Taste the Same as Fried Donuts?

Baked donuts taste just as good (if not better) than fried donuts. The cooking method does not alter the taste of the donuts but might make the texture a little more bread-like and the exterior less crispy.

The Easiest Vegan Donut Glaze

In a small saucepan, add the vegan butter and brown sugar. Bring to a light boil over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add the maple syrup and soy milk, then bring it back to a light boil.
Whisk in the powdered sugar until the glaze is smooth. Add the last tablespoon of soy milk if needed.
Working quickly, dip each donut in the glaze.
Transfer back to the wire rack until the glaze is set.

How to Store the Baked Vegan Gingerbread Donuts

The holiday donuts can be made in advance and stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 1-2 days and in the fridge for 4-5 days. You can also wrap each donut in wax paper and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes

Cost: $1.86 recipe | $0.23 serving

Baked Vegan Gingerbread Donuts

Makes 8 donuts

Ingredients
Dry

• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour ($0.12)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda ($0.02)
• 3⁄4 teaspoon baking powder ($0.02)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon ($0.04)
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger ($0.02)
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground allspice ($0.01)
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves ($0.01)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt ($0.01)

Wet

• 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 2 1⁄2 tablespoon water) ($0.10)
• 1⁄2 cup vegan buttermilk (1⁄2 scant cup soy milk + 1⁄2 tablespoon vinegar) ($0.24)
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar ($0.09)
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce ($0.10)
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons melted vegan butter ($0.22)

Glaze

• 2 tablespoons vegan butter ($0.29)
• 1⁄4 cup packed brown sugar ($0.10)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup ($0.15)
• 1-2 tablespoons soy milk ($0.05)
• 2⁄3 cup powdered sugar ($0.27)

Instructions

Donuts

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, and lightly grease a donut pan with cooking spray.
   In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, and salt together. Set aside.
2. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the flax egg, vegan buttermilk, brown sugar, applesauce, and melted vegan butter until well combined.
3. Transfer the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients, and stir together until just combined (a few flour streaks are okay).
4. Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a large tip or a freezer bag with one corner cut off. Pipe the batter into the prepared donut pan, about 1⁄2 – 3⁄4 full.
5. Bake the donuts for 7-9 minutes, or until slightly springy. Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then pop them out of the pan and onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Glaze

1. In a small saucepan, add the vegan butter and brown sugar. Bring to a light boil over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add the maple syrup and soy milk, then bring it back to a light boil.
2. Whisk in the powdered sugar until the glaze is smooth. Add the last tablespoon of soy milk if needed. Working quickly, dip each donut in the glaze. Transfer back to the wire rack until the glaze is set. Enjoy!

Vegan Gingerbread Donuts Nutrition Facts

Nutrition: 1 of 8 servings
Calories 269 | Total Fat 5.7 g | Saturated Fat 2.3 g | Cholesterol 0 mg | Sodium 210 mg | Total Carbohydrates 52 g | Dietary Fiber 1.3 g | Total Sugars 32.5 g | Protein 3.3 g | Calcium 74.7 mg | Iron 1.5 mg | Potassium 102 mg |

Vegan Gingerbread Recipes You Might Like

• Vegan and Paleo Ginger Molasses Cookies
• Vegan Carrot Cake With Cashew Icing
• Vegan Gingerbread Cookies

The post Baked Vegan Gingerbread Donuts Under 50 Cents a Serving appeared first on The Beet.

What Are Vegan Snowball Cookies?

Snowball cookies are a bite-sized dessert traditionally made with only six ingredients including butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, flour, finely chopped nuts, and salt. These vegan holiday cookies are rolled up into a ball and covered in powdered sugar so it looks just like a snowball. Snowball cookies are also called Russian Tea Cakes or Mexican Wedding Cookies.

Vegan Snowball Cookie Ingredients

• Vegan butter
• Icing sugar
• Vanilla Extract
• All-Purpose Flour
• Salt
• Chopped Pecans

Easy Substitutions for Vegan Snowball Cookies

We used Earth Balance butter, but you can use any vegan butter brand.
Make this recipe gluten-free by using a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend instead of all-purpose flour.
Don’t have pecans? Use walnuts, almonds, or pistachios. You can also omit the nuts if you have allergies.

We added a touch of lemon juice and lemon zest to the recipe to enhance the flavor of vegan snowball cookies. This really brightened up the entire flavor profile of the vegan cookie.

How to Make Vegan Snowball Cookies

In a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add the icing sugar and vanilla, and continue beating for another 30-60 seconds to incorporate. Add the sifted flour and salt, then reduce the speed to low until the batter is just combined. Fold in the chopped walnuts or pecans.

Storage Tips

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature. If freezing, don’t roll in the icing sugar. Thaw the cookies when ready, and roll them in icing sugar.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes

Cost: $2.27 recipe | $0.16 serving

Vegan Snowball Cookies

Servings: 14 cookies

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup softened vegan butter ($1.17)
• 3 1⁄2 tablespoons icing sugar ($0.07)
• 3⁄4 teaspoon vanilla extract ($0.18)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted ($0.12)
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt ($0.01)
• 1⁄2 cup chopped pecans ($0.54)

For dusting

• 3⁄4 cup icing sugar ($0.18)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
   In a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the icing sugar and vanilla, and continue beating for another 30-60 seconds to incorporate. Add the sifted flour and salt, then reduce the speed to low until the batter is just combined. Fold in the chopped walnuts or pecans.
3. Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough and roll it into balls. Add each one to the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each one.
4. Bake the cookies for 15 minutes, or until the bottoms are just turning golden brown and the cookies are set.
5. While the cookies are baking, add the rest of the icing sugar to a shallow bowl.
6. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes on the tray. Roll each one in the icing sugar, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Once completely cooled, roll the cookies in the icing sugar once more. Enjoy!

Vegan Snowball Cookie Nutrition Facts

Nutrition: 1 of 14 servings
Calories 151 | Total Fat 9.5 g | Saturated Fat 4.4 g | Cholesterol 0 mg | Sodium 73.3 mg | Total Carbohydrates 15.8 g | Dietary Fiber 0.6 g | Total Sugars 8.5 g | Protein 1.3 g | Calcium 6.1 mg | Iron 0.5 mg | Potassium 27.9 mg |

Vegan Holiday Cookie Recipes You Might Like

• Festive Vegan Crinkle Cookies
• Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
• Vegan Raspberry Chocolate Chunk Cookies
• Vegan Ginger Molasses Cookies

The post 6 Ingredient Vegan Snowball Cookies appeared first on The Beet.

What is a Millionaire Shortbread Bar?

Millionaire shortbread bars are traditionally made with a shortbread crust, caramel, and chocolate ganache. In this recipe, we show you how to make each component completely dairy-free and vegan. The best part about this easy vegan dessert is that it costs $11.09 to make, bringing it to under a dollar a serving!

Vegan Millionaire Shortbread Bar Ingredients

• All-purpose flour (You can also use gluten-free all-purpose flour)
• Vegan butter – (These are the best vegan butters to bake with)
• Cane sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Vegan sweetened condensed milk
• Brown Sugar
• Light corn syrup
• Dark vegan chocolate
• Coconut cream
• Salt

Is Caramel Vegan?

Caramel is not vegan because it is usually made by heating white sugar, vanilla extract or sea salt with heavy cream, which is made with dairy. We put our own vegan twist on caramel by using vegan condensed milk, vegan butter, brown sugar and corn syrup.

How to Make vegan Caramel

To a medium saucepan, add the vegan condensed milk, vegan butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Bring the mixture to a light boil over medium-high, stirring frequently, until the butter is melted and the ingredients are well combined.
Once lightly boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring constantly. When the caramel has turned a deep gold/brown and it’s pulling away from the edges of the saucepan, remove it from the heat.
Stir in the vanilla extract and salt.

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The Easiest Way to Make Vegan Millionaire Shortbread

Classic shortbread is a traditional Scottish biscuit made with white sugar, butter, and wheat flour. This can easily be made vegan by substituting regular butter for vegan butter. Swap out wheat flour for all-purpose flour to make this even more affordable.

Beat the vegan butter and cane sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the vanilla and beat for another 30 seconds to incorporate. Turn the speed down to slow while slowly adding in the flour and salt. Scrape down the sides throughout.
Mix until just combined, then transfer the dough to the prepared pan, pressing it evenly with your fingers or a spatula.
Bake the shortbread crust for 15 minutes, or until the edges are a light golden brown.

Vegan Chocolate Ganache

The only difference between regular ganache and vegan ganache is the chocolate you use. Opt for dairy-free and vegan dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate.

Melt the vegan chocolate in a double boiler, stirring frequently. Once it is melted, remove the chocolate from the heat and stir in the coconut cream and vanilla.

How to Assemble Vegan Millionaire Shortbread Bars

Once the shortbread is baked, pour the vegan caramel over the crust.
Transfer to the fridge for at least 60 minutes.
Top the caramel layer with the chocolate ganache and evenly spread it out with a spatula. Sprinkle with sea salt.
Place in the fridge for 30-40 minutes to set the chocolate.

Serving and Storage

Vegan millionaire shortbread bars are traditionally cut into squares and served immediately. This recipe makes 16 squares in total. Keep bars in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week. If you have leftovers, you can freeze them for a few months.

Prep time: 60 minutes

Bake time: 15 minutes

Chill time: 60 minutes

Total time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Cost: $11.09 recipe | $0.73 serving

Vegan Millionaire Shortbread Bars

Servings: 16 squares

Ingredients

Vegan Shortbread

• ½ cup softened vegan butter ($1.17)
• ¼ cup cane sugar ($0.03)
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract ($0.05)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour ($0.12)
• ¼ teaspoon salt ($0.01)

Vegan Caramel

• 14 ounces (1 ½ cups) vegan sweetened condensed milk ($4.15)
• ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar ($0.12)
• 7 tablespoons unsalted vegan butter ($1.02)
• 2 ½ tablespoons light corn syrup ($0.02)
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract ($0.10)
• ⅛ teaspoon salt ($0.01)

Vegan Chocolate ganache

• 7 ounces (200 grams) dark vegan chocolate ($3.99)
• ¼ cup coconut cream ($0.25)
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract ($0.05)
• Flaked sea salt for the top (optional)

Instructions

Vegan Shortbread

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper.
   Leave some hanging over the edges for easier removal
2. In a large mixing bowl with a stand mixer, beat the vegan butter and cane sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides with a spatula as needed.
3. Add the vanilla and beat for another 30 seconds to incorporate. Turn the speed down to low while slowly adding in the flour and salt. Scrape down the sides throughout.
4. Mix until just combined, then transfer the dough to the prepared pan, pressing it evenly with your fingers or a spatula.
5. Bake the shortbread crust for 15 minutes, or until the edges are a light golden brown.
6. Remove the pan and let the crust cool while you make the caramel.

Vegan Caramel

1. To a medium saucepan, add the vegan condensed milk, vegan butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Bring the mixture to a light boil over medium-high, stirring frequently, until the butter is melted and the ingredients are well combined.
2. Once lightly boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring constantly. When the caramel has turned a deep gold/brown and it’s pulling away from the edges of the saucepan, remove it from the heat.
3. Stir in the vanilla extract and salt, then pour the caramel over the crust. Transfer the pan to your fridge to set it for at least 60 minutes.

Vegan Chocolate Ganache

1. Melt the vegan chocolate in a double boiler, stirring frequently. Once it is melted, remove the chocolate from the heat and stir in the coconut cream and vanilla.
2. Transfer the chocolate ganache to the top of the caramel layer, and evenly spread it out with a spatula.
3. Optionally, sprinkle the very top with flaked sea salt (like Maldon or Fleur de Sel). Place the pan back in the fridge for about 30-40 minutes to set the chocolate. Cut into squares and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Vegan Millionaire Shortbread Bar Nutrition Facts:

1 of 16 servings

Calories 336| Total Fat 19 g | Saturated Fat 9.8 g| Cholesterol 0 mg |Sodium177 mg | Total Carbohydrates 38.8 g | Dietary Fiber
1.3 g | Total Sugars 30.5 g | Protein 3.7 g | Calcium 87.9

Vegan desserts you might also like

• Vegan Salted Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
• No-Bake Double Chocolate Caramel Bars
• Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Swirls
• Gluten-Free and Vegan Peanut Butter Shortbread Bars

The post Vegan Millionaire Shortbread Bars For Under $1 a Serving appeared first on The Beet.