Recipe: Vegan Chocolate Cherry Coconut Cookies

By Jacy Wojcik in Food on Nov 13, 2008 8:57PM

November is National Vegan Month and to celebrate we will be bringing you recipes, reviews and food pr0n of vegan dishes and restaurants. We found this animal product-free cookie recipe from an excellent source for vegan recipes and news- Chef Beverly Lynn Bennett's website, The Vegan Chef. We swapped a few ingredients for others and added a few of our own (because we lurve coconut) and made some pretty delicious cookies. Although, we must admit, the absence of butter, refined sugar and eggs were missed. Vegans: we'd love to hear your cookie-baking insights and secret ingredients below...

1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup safflower oil
1 t. vanilla
1/4 t. almond extract
1 cup unbleached flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips
1/3 cup dried cherries or cranberries
1/ 2 cup coconut
1/3 cup sliced almonds or chopped walnuts (optional)

In a large bowl, whisk the soy milk, agave nectar, oil, vanilla, and almond extract. Add both types of flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and stir well to combine. Fold the dried cherries, coconut, chocolate chips and optional nuts (heh) into the cookie dough. Place small balls of dough onto nonstick pan and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned around the edges.