When I was a kid, my favorite holiday treats were always those made with candy. Reese’s cup cookies, sugar cookies studded with holiday M&Ms…and peanut butter blossoms: a small, fluffy peanut butter-flavored pillows dusted with sugar and topped with a single Hershey’s kiss.

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This morning, I set out to veganize them.

My biggest complaint? The fact that Hershey’s doesn’t make a vegan kiss. Not really a huge problem when you have Ghirardelli chocolate chips on hand, but really, why has this market been left untapped? J



These taste exactly like the original version, but are made without animal products or Crisco. A winner in my book!

Vegan Peanut Butter Blossoms (adapted from Hersheys)
 - 1/2 cup Earth Balance
 - 3/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter
 - 2/3 cup white sugar
 - 1/2 tablespoon molasses
 - 1 tablespoon ground flaxmeal + 3 tablespoons water (flax egg)
 - 2 tablespoons almond milk
 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (omit if using salted peanut butter)
 - additional sugar for garnish
 - vegan chocolate chips (or Hershey’s kisses, or other bite-sized chocolate candy)

Preheat oven to 375*F. Prepare flax egg by mixing flaxmeal and water, then put aside to set. In a large bowl, cream Earth Balance with a hand mixer until all clumps are gone. Add white sugar and molasses, and beat until evenly distributed. Pour in almond milk, flax egg and vanilla extract and continue to beat until combined. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda and sea salt. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Form dough into 1″ balls and roll in white sugar to coat. Bake for approximately 9 minutes, or until cookies appear very slightly cracked. Working quickly, top each cookie with chocolate, pressing lightly to ensure that chocolate is secure (the surface of the cookies will crack). Transfer to wire racks to cool.

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After spending some time on the elliptical today while watching The Holiday, I refueled with a leftover lunch.
On the left: leftover homemade pasta with olive oil, garlic and broccoli rabe from i-Pasta.
On the right: a mixture of black beans, steamed broccoli, crumbled tempeh and falafel chunks, leftover from a dinner I prepped for my parents a few nights ago.
Filling, simple and tasty.
Dessert was the last scone from yesterday morning. 
Not vegan, but delicious. Contradictory, I know.
Time to decorate our tree!!