Raw Gingerbread Cookies:)

Happy Monday everyone! I am starting the week off with my last raw vegan holiday cookie of the week!

Raw Gingerbread Cookies:)

2 cups almonds, ground to flour (almonds were soaked/dehydrated)
1/4 to ½ cup flax seeds, ground
2 Tablespoons molasses* or yacon syrup
2 Tablespoons agave
1 teaspoon ginger, ground
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
½ teaspoon allspice, ground
¼ teaspoon cloves, ground
1 T water if needed

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl, adding water if needed. After dough is formed, knead on clean counter for several minutes until smooth.

I have not tried it, but I think you could use ground chia seed in place of the flax seed.

2. Roll out and shape as desired with cutters, cookie stamps, or freehand. I had a sleigh chocolate mold that I used.

3. Dehydrate at 112 degrees for 24 hours. Dough will still be somewhat soft and chewy, yet firm.

4. Cool cookies and decorate as desired.

*Molasses is not a raw ingredient but for the authentic gingerbread flavor it is the best!

I made a icing with cashews, coconut flakes, coconut butter, agave, and water. I used a couple of drops of vegetable color for the red and green icing.

I would love to share another craft idea today. Cinnamon dough ornaments. The recipe is just 2 ingredients, cinnamon and applesauce. I have been making these for years and I just love them!

Simply mix equal amounts of cinnamon and applesauce, and shape dough as desired. You may need a bit more cinnamon if your applesauce is watery. I dust the counter with a little extra cinnamon to prevent sticking.

Poke holes or add hooks before drying.

I use my old cinnamon for the ornaments, or dollar store spices if I don't have any:)

I used my dehydrator to dry them quickly in a few hours, but just let them dry a day or so if you don't have a 'D':)

When dry, decorate with fabric paint "icing", jewels, or rick-rack.

The ornaments last for years and smell so good! Kids love to make them:)

As you can see, these ornaments are not decorated yet, so I better get busy!

Happy Raw Holidays to everyone reading this!!!

Raw Cherry-Hemp Brownie

I really want to thank everyone who has been leaving such wonderful comments!

I am so humbled by such kind words, it makes me feel so good, like I am not alone in my little raw food world..hehe!

And now...
The raw vegan holiday cookie of the week...

Raw Cherry-Hemp Brownie

Ingredients:
2 cups walnuts
½ cup soft dates
½ cup dried cherries
¼ cup hemp seeds
2 tablespoons coconut oil
½ teaspoon cherry extract
¼ cup cocoa powder
Dash salt


1. Process all ingredients in food processor fitted with “S” blade until mixture holds together.

2. Shape into rounds or pear shapes for Rudolf:) I made about 1 dozen.

3. Chill while making frosting.


Raw Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients:
¼ cup coconut oil, room temp
¼ cup grated cacao butter, 2 tablespoons melted measure
1 tablespoon agave
1 tablespoon cacao powder

Melt cacao butter over hot water in small bowl. Let cool about 15 min at room temp.

Add coconut oil, agave and cocoa powder.

Mix until well combined. If cacao butter is very warm, and melts coconut oil, allow to stand at room temp until frosting consistency.

This frosting will be soft at room temp, but get hard when chilled.

Decorate frosted brownies as shown using dehydrated raspberries or cherries, almond slices, cut pecans, pumpkin seeds, and currants.

Please forgive the quick post today:) Holiday Hugs to all!!!

Raw Cowboy Cookies

YeeeHaaa...the raw holiday cookie of the week is the awesome Cowboy Cookie. The recipe is adapted from this one on gone raw by 3crows. Thank you to 3 crows for the wonderful recipe!

Raw Cowboy Cookies

1 cup oat flour, made from ground oat groats, sprouted and dehydrated if desired.
1/2 cup cashew flour, made from ground cashews, soaked and dehydrated if desired.
1/4 cup dried shredded coconut
2 tablespoons melted cacao butter, measure after melting
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 tablespoons yacon syrup, or date paste/syrup made from blended soaked dates
1 tablespoon agave
1/4 of a vanilla bean, seeds only or 1/2 tsp. extract
1/4 cup raw chocolate chips or chunks
1/4 cup chopped pecans, or other nut of choice
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch of salt

1. Combine oat flour, cashew flour, coconut, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.

2. Add melted oils, yacon, agave, and vanilla, and mix well.

3. Stir in chocolate and nuts. I reserve a little of each to press into top of cookies after shaping.

4. Shape into cookies, top with reserved nuts and chocolate if desired and chill.
I made one dozen two inch cookies from this recipe.

I had some chunks of my raw chocolate recipe that I used today, but if you have the time, pipe out some chips:)

The first time I made these cookies, I created a nutmilk to go with it . Here is the recipe:

Cinnamon Pecan Milk

a lovely milk, warm and spiced

Ingredients:
½ cup pecans, soaked if you like:)
12 ounce fresh water, warmed if it is cold out!
3 pitted medjool dates, soaked until soft
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation:
1. Place all ingredients in blender, and blend until creamy.

2. Strain through nut milk bag. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon if you like.

I may leave this combo out for Santa this year;)

Click here for more raw holiday recipes and ideas.

Vanilla Chai Spice Macaroon

Here is my pick for raw vegan holiday cookie of the week. I like it because it is really easy and quick to make, and they look like little snowballs:)

I used chai spices, but you can just use vanilla with a dash of cinnamon if you prefer.

Vanilla Chai Spice Macaroons

Ingredients:
2 cups dried shredded coconut
½ cup cashews
3 tablespoons agave
¼ cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon chai spice mix, recipe follows
additional coconut to roll cookies in

1. Process cashews in food processor fitted with the “S” blade until well ground.

2. Add coconut, chai spice, coconut oil, and agave until well mixed.

3. Shape into small scoops, roll in additional coconut.

4. Sprinkle with additional chai spice mix.

5. Chill until firm.

Here is a cute snowman face using cacao nibs and a goji berry nose:)

Vanilla Chai Spice Mix Recipe

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon sweetener of choice*
½ inch vanilla bean, pod and seeds
6 -8 cardamom pods, seeds only, hull removed
2 points of star anise, pod and seeds
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves, or 2 whole
12 coriander seeds
4 allspice berries
2 white peppercorns
Few grinds of nutmeg

Place all ingredients in spice grinder and process until fine.

Adjust all spices to your own taste. I am not sure I ever make it the same way twice, and I usually don’t measure exactly.

This is a recipe for a large amount of chai spice mix that I copied and pasted a long time ago, and I based my recipe on it:
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. ground ginger
2 Tbsp. ground cardamom
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. ground cloves
2 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. allspice
2 tsp. powdered vanilla
1 tsp. white pepper


These are pictures of the whole spices common in chai spice blends. Pick and choose the ones you like! Additional spices may include mace, fennel, and bay leaf.

Cardamom

Star anise

White peppercorns

Nutmeg

Coriander

Allspice

Cinnamon and vanilla bean

*Sweeteners
Maple sugar, simply dried maple syrup. Not raw but really yummy:)

Date Sugar, can be raw if you make it yourself from dehydrated, ground dates.

Palm Sugar, was labeled raw in the bulk bins, but is definitely processed with heat:(

Evaporated Cane Juice, I don't think this is raw, as there is some debate.


I will have another cookie for you next week, but please let me know if you have a favorite you think I should try:)

All holiday recipes will be on this post for Happy Raw Holidays!

Have a nice weekend everyone!