Saloni Mehta
Easy and Delicious Vegan Treats! Recipes for Baked Goods That Are Simple to Make
There are so many reasons we love the holiday season: the chance to spend time with loved ones, the festive atmosphere and all the indulgent food. This year, we want to make sure we have treats for everyone in our family, regardless of dietary restrictions, so we were thrilled to find the new cookbook Vegan Baking Made Simple.
“My goal with simplifying complex baking recipes is to use easily accessible vegan ingredients while keeping it budget-friendly,” says author and pastry chef Saloni Mehta. Indeed, these recipes are just as easy to make as their traditional versions. Add one to your holiday dessert spread this year!
Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes
(Makes 12)
3⁄4 cup unsweetened vegan milk, room temp.
1 ⁄3 cup plain vegan yogurt, room temp.
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 cup sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1 ⁄3 cup canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3⁄4 cups flour
1 1 ⁄2 tsp. baking powder
1 ⁄2 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp. poppy seeds
Prepared vegan lemon curd
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake tray. In a bowl, mix first 3 ingredients; let sit 3 minutes. Whisk in the next 4 ingredients.
2. In another bowl, mix dry ingredients; add to wet. Fold in poppy seeds. Fill cupcake tray; bake 15 minutes. Cool. 3. Carve out 1″ holes in middles. Fill with curd. Frost with buttercream*. Serve.
*For buttercream: In a bowl, whip 3⁄4 cup cold, cubed vegan butter and 1 cup powdered sugar with an electric whisk 5 minutes. Slowly add another cup powdered sugar; whisk 3 minutes. Mix in 2 tsp. vanilla and 4 tsp. lemon juice. Fill a piping bag.
PER PIECE: 378 calories, 6 grams protein, 57 grams carbs, 1 gram fiber, 38 grams sugar, 15 grams fat.
Apple Crumble Bars
(Makes 9)
1 cup cold vegan butter, cubed
3⁄4 cup plus
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 3⁄8 cups flour
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 ⁄8 tsp. salt
1 Gala and 2 Granny Smith apples, cubed
1 tsp. cinnamon
Caramel sauce, optional
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 x 8″ baking pan and line with baking paper, leaving an overhang. In a bowl, mix butter and 3⁄4 cup sugar with an electric whisk on low 3 minutes.
2. Add vanilla, 21 ⁄4 cups flour, 1 tbsp. cornstarch and salt; mix on low until dough forms. Press into pan; bake 12 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.
3. Mix apples, cinnamon, 3 tbsp. sugar, 2 tbsp. flour and 1 tbsp. cornstarch. Spread on shortbread. Top with crumble*. Bake 35 minutes.
4. Cool bars in pan then lift out. Drizzle with caramel sauce. Cut into 9 bars. Serve.
*For crumble: Mix 1 ⁄4 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp. sugar, 9 tbsp. flour, 1 ⁄2 cup rolled oats, 1 ⁄2 tsp. cinnamon and pinch salt in a bowl. Pour in 1 ⁄3 cup melted and cooled vegan butter; mix again.
PER PIECE: 533 calories, 13 grams protein, 84 grams carbs, 4 grams fiber, 35 grams sugar, 19 grams fat.
Chocolate Chunk Cookies
(Makes 12)
3⁄4 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate bar
2⁄3 cup cold vegan butter, cubed
3⁄4 cup plus
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
1⁄4 cup unsweetened vegan yogurt, room temp.
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
3⁄4 tsp. baking soda
1⁄4 tsp. salt
Flaky sea salt, for topping
Directions:
1. Grease a baking tray and line with baking paper. Chop chocolate into small chunks and set aside. In a bowl, mix butter and brown sugar. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or an electric whisk, mix on low 2 to 3 minutes. Add yogurt and vanilla; mix on low.
2. Mix flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl; add to butter mixture. Mix on low 1 to 2 minutes until dough comes together. Fold in ¾ of chocolate chunks.
3. Use a cookie scoop to place dough 2 to 3″ apart on baking tray. Chill at least 2 hours.
4. Heat oven to 350°F. Bake cookies 11 to 12 minutes. While warm, top with remaining chocolate chunks. Cool completely on tray, garnish with sea salt and serve.
PER PIECE: 246 calories, 5 grams protein, 33 grams carbs, 0 grams fiber, 11 grams sugar, 12 grams fat.
