Peanut Butter Goodness

I'll be the first to tell you I'm not a fan of peanut butter cookies. However, my friend Manne loves peanut butter cookies. They're his favorite. So since I'm going to be hanging with his crew in the morning, I decided to make some peanut butter cookies. The trick to these cookies is in the peanut butter. Be sure to find an all natural peanut butter. It's unlike any other peanut butter I've ever had. And it was only a little over $2 at Central Market!

Peanut Butter Crisscrosses
Ingredients
1/2 cup nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening
1/2 cup natural smooth peanut butter (try to get the no-stir kind if you can find it. If you can't, then stir like crazy so that the PB isn't clumpy)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 TBS molasses
1 1/4 cups flour
2 TBS cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 to 2 TBS nondairy milk (optional)

Directions

1. aPreheat oven to 350. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the shortening, PB, and sugar until light and fluffy. This can take up to 2 minutes with an electric mixer at medium speed or 4 minutes just using a fork. Mix in the vanilla and molasses.
3. Add half the flour along with the cornstarch, baking powder, and salt and mix well. Add the remaining flour and mix. Use your hands at this point to really work the ingredients together. The dough should hold together when squeezed; if it does not, then add a tablespoon or two of nondairy milk until it does (I had to add 1 TBS of soy milk for it to get to stick together).
4. Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls, flattening them with the palm of your hand. The dough may crack on the edges and that is OK. Place the cookies onto the cookie sheet. Use the underside of fork tines to press cross hatches into the cookies, one horizontal and one vertical.
5. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are very lightly browned. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the sheets for 10 minutes, andy less and they might crumble. Use a thin, flexible spatula to transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Fudgey Frosting

If all vegan food tasted like this (and I wasn't in love with meat), I would go vegan. Seriously. These cupcakes are amazing. And I must say I'm pretty proud of the frosting - I mixed it up myself. Talk about becoming a great baker!

I would only make these for very special occasions. Why? Vanilla beans are EXPENSIVE. So what prompted me to make these? It's my friend Chris' birthday, and I've promised him cupcakes for a few months now, so it was time I gave him some really good cupcakes. I'm glad I made these, because they are TO DIE FOR. And best of all, they're vegan!

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
Ingredients
1 cup unsweetened almond or soy milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 TBS corn starch
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped

Fudgey Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup margarine (1 stick)
a couple squeezes of agave
a couple TBS soy milk
1/3 cup cocoa powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake pan with liners.
2. Whisk soy/almond milk with vinegar and set aside for a couple of minutes so that it can curdle.
3. Sift flour, corn starch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
4. Beat together milk mixture, oil, sugar, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean in a bowl. Sift in (yes, sift twice) dry ingredients. Mix until there are no large lumps.
5. Fill cupcake lines 2/3 full. *Note: Batter is very liquidy! So don't overfill the liners!*
6. Bake for 20-22 minutes.

While the cupcakes are baking....

1. Beat together 1 stick of margarine with the powdered sugar.
2. Add some agave and milk to thin out the margarine mixture.
   
3. Add the cocoa powder and beat together.
4. If the frosting is too thick, add more liquid.
   
5. TASTE! If it's too bitter, add more agave.
   
6. Adjust agave and milk until you have your desired sweetness and consistency.

I don't have a picture, but trust me when I tell you these are AWESOME. Go make some. Now. I'm totally serious.