Last week, while at Veggie Fest Chicago, I tried Trader Joe’s Sunflower Butter. For the very first time. It was like: “where have you been all my life?!” Seriously delicious. So of course I got some when I returned home to share with my girls. This morning, I opened up the jar and was hit, simultaneously, by the most wonderful aroma, and by an irresistible inspiration. There are many, many things I’m going to do with this butter. First up: Sunflower Chocolate Chip Cookies. This is my first pass, and the recipe will evolve. I’m already thinking of a few things to do differently next time (which will probably be soon!). But for now, my tastebuds are about to take a walk on the sunny side. Here’s what I did today:
Ingredients
- 5 Tablespoons Earth Balance, whipped organic buttery spread
- ¼ cup Trader Joe’s Sunflower Butter
- 2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 6 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons EnerG Egg Replacer
- generous ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons unbleached, all-purpose flour
- ½ cup vegan chocolate chips, optional
Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, place Earth Balance, sunflower butter, sugars, egg replacer, baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Blend by hand for a minute or two until well blended and smooth. Stir in water. Fold in flour, and chocolate chips, if desired. Drop mounds of dough two or three inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until set, then remove baking sheet from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
Tip: For denser cookies, roll the mounds of dough into balls then press with the tines of a fork that has been dipped in granulated sugar (like peanut butter cookies). Bake and cool as directed. Enjoy!
Makes about a dozen cookies.
Edit: They might turn green! Sunflower seeds have chlorogenic acid (naturally occurring in plant leaves and stems, etc., and also in the seeds of the sunflower plant). The chlorogenic acid reacts with baking soda and possibly baking powder to produce a green pigment as they cool.
- Acooba
Related Recipes: Vegan Chocolate Clouds, Dirty Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies.