Monday 1 December 2014

Ginger & Spice Cakies

Vegan Ginger & Spice "Cakies" - soft cake like cookies

Yes! Cakies - kind of a cookie, kind of a cake...kind of a marriage made in heaven ;-) I was after a very soft cake like cookie with all the flavour of gingerbread and these hit the spot perfectly, especially with a little drizzle of vanilla glaze on them! They are also a great addition to the holiday baking season, now fervently upon us :-) 

I based the recipe on a recipe in my old childhood favourite cookie cook book, Scholastic's "The Cookie Book" - I've referenced it before on the blog, it was purchased about 1983 through my school and I do still use it! If anyone else in Canada remembers this book, do let me know :-)
In the book these were called "Molasses Cookies" and the name must have put me off as I never made them. They were descibed as soft and a quick read of the ingredients indicated this recipe was probably just what I was after, a big soft gingerbread spiced cookie.

Vegan Ginger & Spice "Cakies" - soft cake like cookies

Naturally I made a few changes: omitted the egg altogether (and it wasn't missed), omitted the raisins, swapped the molasses for Golden Syrup and added a drizzle of vanilla glaze. Now, I love molasses but I was after a more delicate flavoured cookie here, molasses can sometimes overpower things I find. Plus, I already have a gingerbread recipe I absolutely adore and make every Christmas and didn't want something similar here. 

That being said, I know Golden Syrup is hard to find (if at all) for those in North America so molasses can be used instead. You will end up with a darker cookie with a different taste to these but I have no doubt they will still taste great :-

Vegan Ginger & Spice "Cakies" - soft cake like cookies

Ginger & Spice Cakies:

-makes 15 cookies

1/4 cup / 50g vegan butter
1/4 cup / 60g golden caster sugar, granulated is fine too
1/4 cup / 90g Golden Syrup
1/4 cup / 60ml unsweetened soy milk
3/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cup / 200g plain flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves

Glaze:
1/2 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar)
2 - 3 tsp unsweetened dairy free milk (I used almond milk here)
1/8 tsp vanilla extract


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Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F and line 2 baking sheets with baking paper.

Measure out the soy milk and add the vinegar. Give it a stir then set aside to curdle. In another bowl mix together the flour, salt and spices - set aside.

In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar until well mixed. Add the syrup and mix well. Add the baking soda to the milk and vinegar mixture and give it a stir, it should get a little foamy. Add this to the butter mixture and stir. WARNING: it will look like a disgusting curdled mess at this point but that's fine - it is actually what you are after :-)

Tip in the flour mixture and stir just until there is no more flour showing but do not over mix. You should have a soft dough, slightly more akin to thick cake batter than cookie dough.

Drop by heaped tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, about an inch apart. Pop into the preheated oven and bake for about 12 minutes. They should be lightly golden around the edges but still soft to the touch.

Let cool on the tray for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to fully cool.

Glaze: mix together 2 tsp of the milk and the vanilla with the powdered sugar, stir until all the sugar is dissolved. If it is too thick add a bit more milk - I needed just another 1/8 tsp. You want the glaze thick but "drizzable"- let it fall down from the spoon and if it's falls in ribbons that's about right.

Keep the cookies on the wire rack but place a sheet of baking paper underneath and drizzle the glaze all over the cookies in a back and forth motion. Leave for about an hour for the glaze to set then they are ready!
Vegan Ginger & Spice "Cakies" - soft cake like cookies



Nutritional Information: based on 1 cookie out of 15

Calories: 121
Fat: 2.4g
Sat Fat: 0.5g
Protein: 1.5g
Carbs: 23.1g
Sugar: 8.0g
Fibre: 0.4g
Sodium: 72.9mg

You Might Also Like:

Perfect Gingerbread
(recipe link in post)
Cinnamon Roll
Cookies

11 comments:

  1. I have that cookbook!!!!!! I thought I was the only one. It's a handmedown from my Nannie :)

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    1. Yay!!! I knew someone else must have it! :-D So funny, mine was purchased through my elementary school, along with some other books I don't remember, of course, I kept the cookbook ;-) Thanks so much for the comment!

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  2. These look so cute! I love that you still use such an old book. I have a couple of really basic cookbooks that are fairly old, but would love to see what's in some 60s treasures!

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    1. Thanks :-) I love old cookbooks, I even kind of collect them a little bit. I have a couple that were my grandmother's, one is from the 40's - love it! I have one from the 60's I still use as well, the pineapple upside down cake recipe on here is veganized from it :-)

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  3. They look wonderful! That ginger touch makes them the perfect Xmas treat! =)

    xoxox

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  4. Everything here looks mouthwatering. Thank you so much for sharing, and warm greetings from Montreal, Canada. :)

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  5. Thanks so much Gemma and Linda!

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  6. Dear Debbie, thank you very much for these delicious cakies! I made them yesterday and took them to the office. We had a meeting today and as i am the only vegan there, i thought i'd bring something to eat, rather than have nothing (my Boss brought non vegan cake). So my colleagues enjoyed the cakies as well. :)
    Greetings from Germany Heike

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    1. Hi Heike! That's great, thanks so much for the comment, so glad they were enjoyed :-)

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  7. Made these tonight and they were absolutely delicious :-) glaze doesn't look as pretty as yours though because I got impatient and drizzled while they were still a bit warm. Thank you for the excellent recipe.

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    1. So glad you liked them! Thanks for the comment :-)

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