Vegan Cranberry Walnut Cookies
Sugar can raise your triglycerides – and contributes to weight gain – so it’s not exactly heart-healthy. However, I do tend to bake a little something every weekend. I tell myself it’s ok, because I use whole grain flour, and heart-healthy oils rather than butter. (I like my cookies with a nice helping of rationalization, thank you.)
For this weekend, I think I’m in a cookie mood. I could give you one of my own cookie recipes, but I haven’t yet topped this one that appeared in Eating Well magazine. The combination of orange, dried cranberries and walnuts creates a flavor explosion in your mouth. These cookies are so good that people can’t believe they’re vegan. They’re so good that I ate five in a row the last time I made them. I’m going to try and limit myself to three this time. (But don’t hold your breath on that one.)
Not once have I made vegan baked goods – and you’ve inspired me to try!
nice to discover your blog. I like the sound of the mission and look forward to seeing the recipes.
Nice blog. You could also substitute the baking Splenda for the sugar. I’m diabetic and would love to make these cookies. But between the sugar and the sugar in the processed cranberries, it’d be enough to send me into shock. (Not really, but still too much.) I could justify splurging on a cookie or two with cranberries if I knew the rest of the sugar wasn’t real.
Thanks for re-posting this, I definitely have to give them a try!
I tested these cookies and they taste great! But I had problems with the form. I didn’t roll balls, but used an ice cream scoop (worked very well)! But the cookies came out as small domes instead of flat shape. What went wrong? Do you have any idea? Thanks and kindest regards!
Interesting. Maybe if you used an ice cream scoop, the cookies were just too large? Glad you liked them, anyway.
Splenda is not a “healthy alternative to sugar”. Try brown rice syrup or maple syrup, coconut sugar, or raw sugar; and amend the dry ingredients if need be to take into acct the moisture in the sweetener.
Chris, also, try cutting up dried prunes instead of cranberries. They and English walnuts in baked goods are a match made in heaven. Walnut & prune scones are my go-to flavor pairing. Still sweet but not refined.
Hi, thank you for this recipe! Looks tasty.
I agree with Sue, that Splenda is not a healthy alternative to sugar. Stevia is gaining popularity, and seems to be safe, and it is from a plant. It also comes in organic versions (so no pesticides/processing).
May I please add that most sugar is processed or whitened with bone char, a by-product of the slaughterhouse industry. Therefore, when you see ‘white’ sugar, it is white because it has been processed by dead animal remains. To create a recipe that is entirely ‘vegan’ or animal free, one can use organic sugar such as Florida Crystals, or other organic sugars because these, by law, can not be altered from their original state (no processing). The result is the cane sugar is in its natural state, so it is a light brown color, and ‘not white’ from animal bones. This is not to be confused with ‘brown sugar’ -not the same ‘Brown sugar’ is usually still processed with bone char, but molasses is added to give it the brown color. Just be sure the brand of sugar says it is “organic”, to ensure you are cooking “vegan”.