To Each His Own

These may look like normal, run-of-the-mill chocolate crinkle cookies, but don't be fooled...

...They're VEGAN!!!

Yes, they're vegan. And they're friggin' delicious!!! 

As an avid baker, I have always felt that certain ingredients are just not negotiable -- specifically, butter and eggs. If a recipe calls for 'butter', please don't substitute hydrogenated vegetable shortening -- it's not the same thing. And if a recipe calls for 'eggs', please don't try to convince me that using applesauce or something called 'egg substitute' is just as good -- I won't believe you. I will admit that there are times when using shortening and/or applesauce in a baking recipe makes sense, but I don't generally approve of these ingredients' use solely as non-animal substitutions. But hey, that's just me.

Honest, I have nothing against vegetarians/vegans. I've been friends with several vegetarians/vegans in my life. It's not necessarily what defines them; it's just a choice they made. In fact, I currently live right smack-dab between two very nice military families that just so happen to be of the vegan persuasion. That's right -- my little family is the medium-rare hunk of animal flesh sandwiched between two "granola" buns! I sometimes wonder if our frequent Weber-grilling ever grosses them out......but I never lose sleep over it. What can I say? I love meat! So I guess we'll just agree to disagree and go on being friendly neighbors.

Anyway, back to the cookies...

The website that I got them from calls them "Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles". I don't know if there's anything snickerdoodle-y about them, except that they're rolled in cinnamon-sugar before they're baked, but whatever. And as far as I'm concerned, the fact that they're vegan is just a coincidence. First and foremost, they are really, really yummy! There are no strange vegetarian ingredient substitutions (except for the non-dairy milk, but that's not so bad really -- I used coconut milk, by the way), so I didn't mind testing out the recipe. And once they're baked and cooled, and you feel the tingly spice of cayenne on the back of your tongue, you really don't care what they're called or how animal-friendly they are. Like I said, they're delicious! 

So go, try them, be "vegan" for a change. And after you get done baking and eating these cookies, go outside and grill a big, huge steak. :)

"BEEF -- it's what's for dinner"