Happy Spring! It might still be snowing in Cleveland, but that hasn’t stopped me from thinking about my favorite sweet treats for the season. Ever since Trader Joe’s released their vegan marshmallows a few years ago, I’ve been obsessed with making s’mores and Vegan Rice Krispie Treats! A 10 oz. bag is just $2.99! Don’t worry—if you don’t have a local Trader Joe’s you can snag some Dandies on Amazon.

My recipe for vegan rice krispie treats is so easy to make, and it’s delicious, too! Give this simple recipe which will have you reminiscing about childhood a try! You won’t regret it!

Happy snacking!

Jocelyn

* Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate and referral links. I may earn a commission or bonus if you click through to make a purchase.  All opinions are my own. I only work with companies and brands I personally support.

Vegan Rice Krispie Treats

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Ingredients/ Shopping List:

Directions:

The post Recipe: Vegan Rice Krispie Treats! appeared first on Vegan Hostess.

What better way to spend this chilly weekend than to stay in make cookies and snuggle up with a binge-worthy Netflix show? A few years ago, a friend sent me a recipe for Salty Sesame and Dark Chocolate Chip cookies from Joy the Baker. It certainly wasn’t the easiest recipe to ‘veganize’ considering if called for quite a bit of butter and an egg, plus an extra egg yolk. However, it was worth the hassle! This recipe for Vegan Salted Sesame Cookies is now one of my all-time favorites.

These are the perfect cookies for anyone who likes things sweet and salty.The sesame seeds add a unique twist on a salty chocolate chip cookie. You can customize the flavor by adding more or less crystalized ginger chips or even chocolate chips! Plus, these cookies come out of the oven warm and chewy. Honestly, they have a consistency rarely found in homemade vegan cookies.

So here it goes, below is my highly modified version of the Salty Sesame and Dark Chocolate Chip cookies from Joy the Baker. Give them a try. Your tastebuds will thank you!

Cheers!

Jocelyn

* Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate and referral links. I may earn a commission or bonus if you click through to make a purchase.  All opinions are my own. I only work with companies and brands I personally support.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup, 2 sticks Earth Balance, softened
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated vegan sugar or sugar alternative (I used Splenda)
• 2 eggs worth of Ener-G Egg Replacer
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp tamari
• 2 tbs black sesame seeds
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips (I used ghirardelli)
• 1/2 cup crystalized ginger chips
• Sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Line two baking pans with parchment paper.
3. Mix together the flour, baking soda and salt.
4. In a large bowl, beat together the Earth Balance and sugars until light and fluffy.
5. Pause the mixer and add the two Ener-G Egg Replacers and beat until well combined.
6. Add the vanilla and soy sauce and beat another 1-2 minutes.
7. Stop the mixer and add the dry ingredients.
8. Beat on low speed until mixed and no clumps remain.
9. Fold in the dark chocolate chips, sesame seeds, and ginger chips.
10. Pour a shallow layer of sesame seeds in a small dish.
11. Rolls golf ball size balls of dough by hand and then roll them in the sesame seeds before placing them on the parchment lined baking sheet.
12. Repeat until all of the dough has been used.
13. Sprinkle a very light amount of sea salt over the cookie dough balls.
14. Bake for ~12 minutes until the edges of the cookies look golden brown.
15. Remove from the oven, transfer to cooling racks, and allow to cool completely before enjoying these delicious cookies!

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And happy long weekend! How are you spending it? Finally getting that household project done? Relaxing? Visiting with friends? I’ve been in cleaning mode, but it inspired me to rearrange my dining room and break out my sewing machine. I’m so excited to finally make something with the most adorable cat fabric I found at a small shop in Denver last fall. Wish me luck. One other thing Cory and I have been up to—making crackers! In the past we’ve made homemade pita bread and a simple crusty bread. Those are both wonderful recipes, but when you’re looking for something to go with your fresh bruschetta or faux cheese, nothing beats a crunchy cracker.

Last summer, I attended the Cleveland Vegan Festival. Not only was it an amazing day filled with food demos, vegan treats and free swag, but I also got to meet Miyoko Schinner! If this name is new to you, you are missing out. She is the queen of vegan cheese and even wrote the book on it!

I absolutely love her vegan butter and rustic “cheese” wheels. They are so good it will fool all of your non-vegan friends and family members! I was so excited to see Miyoko’s cheese demo and to meet her afterwards. Admittedly, I actually went a little speechless.

Once I snapped out of it, I purchased her classic book, “The Homemade Vegan Pantry: The Art of Making Your Own Staples.” This book is the perfect “how to” guide for anyone seeking to learn how to make classic staples right at home. I know, I know. Why make pantry staples at home? Especially, when you can go to the store and buy them for reasonable prices. But I have to tell you, it just isn’t the same. Homemade food is fresher, healthier, and you know exactly what you’re eating! Plus, Miyoko’s book is proof that homemade, rustic staples don’t have to be a pain. Anyone can make them with a little time and practice.

This  book is chock full of thick, smooth paper with beautiful color photos to accompany many of the recipes which will inspire you to get ready to roll up your sleeves and cook. The Homemade Vegan Pantry: The Art of Making Your Own Staples includes everything from homemade vegan butter or mayo to pizza dough or other breads, to granola and breakfast sausage. These recipes pack a punch, but don’t require a chef’s expertise. Most ingredients are common and can be found in your local grocery store, but a handful of recipes require some more unique finds like yuba, aka tofu skin.

Cory and I have made Miyoku’s cracker recipe no less than four times the past month! It’s so simple, with just five required ingredients! Plus, you can customize it according to your own taste preference. The first batch we made was spiced with oregano and thyme. For the next batch we went with a slightly cheesy taste by using nutritional yeast. The best part—this recipe takes under an hour to make from start to finish.

Why not check out The Homemade Vegan Pantry: The Art of Making Your Own Staples the next time you’re in the market for a cookbook? You won’t regret it!

In the mean time, what’s your favorite staple to make at home?

Cheers!

Jocelyn

* Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate and referral links. I may earn a commission or bonus if you click through to make a purchase.  All opinions are my own. I only work with companies and brands I personally support.

The post Cookbook Review: The Homemade Vegan Pantry appeared first on Vegan Hostess.

Happy New Year! What better way to ring in 2018 than with a super simple recipe for Vegan Cinnamon Rolls. I just love taking a somewhat complicated dessert and making it under an hour. For years, I’ve wanted to make vegan cinnamon rolls, but honestly, the dessert intimidated me. This holiday season I purchased several Pillsbury seamless dough sheets to play with. It’s the perfect way to take this dessert from a bit of a hassle to one of the quickest and easiest dishes to make!

These vegan cinnamon rolls will make your home smell like a Cinnabon location. They are light, airy, have just the right level of sweetness. The secret is using pumpkin puree to help get the right level of gooey sweet goodness. So why not take it easy today. Go get a cup of coffee and enjoy making these quick and easy vegan cinnamon rolls with your loved ones!

Happy eating!

Jocelyn

PS – Like this recipe? Check out my recipe for Vegan Pumpkin Roll.

* Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate and referral links. I may earn a commission or bonus if you click through to make a purchase.  All opinions are my own. I only work with companies and brands I personally support.

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

***Please feel free to share widely, just give me some credit or a link back

Prep Time: ~10 minutes; Cook Time: 35 minutes; Yield: 9 servings; Supplies: 8×8 Glass Baking Dish

Ingredients

• Rolls
  • 1 package Pillsbury seamless dough sheet
  • ½ cup canned pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
    

    

•  Glaze
  • ½ cup (or more) vegan powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon almond or soy milk
  • or cheat and use softened Pillsbury Vanilla Frosting!

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Unroll the dough sheet on the parchment paper.
4. In a small bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, spices and vanilla extract.
5. Spread the mixture evenly over the dough sheet.
6. Roll up the dough sheet length/ long wise, and slice the roll into ~1 in thick pieces.
7. Place the cinnamon rolls down, close together in the 8×8 Glass Baking Dish.
8. Bake the cinnamon rolls for 30-35 minutes.
   1. Halfway through, check the rolls to see if they are rising and if the top is beginning to look light brown.
   2. While the rolls are baking, either make your vanilla glaze or soften pre-bought icing. If making from scratch:
      1. Add the vanilla extract to the powdered sugar and slowly add your soy/vanilla milk until the consistency is a smooth, slightly runny glaze.
9. Remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven and drizzle with the vanilla glaze.
10. Let cool for 10 minutes and enjoy!

The post Recipe: Vegan Cinnamon Rolls appeared first on Vegan Hostess.

My partner has been trying out different bread recipes for sometime now. I’m excited to say, he thinks he finally found “the one.” Cory stumbled on this Youtube video from Tasty and decided to give it a try. He ended up making a few changes, including proofing the dough twice instead of once and using a little more water. The result was an amazing—a simple homemade crusty bread with a soft center! I think the result is partially due to the new Lodge Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven 5-Qt that we picked up last month.

Side note: I did not want this dutch oven as my kitchen is quite small and it takes up some space, BUT it is so versatile and makes everything taste great—really, anything from sauteed peppers and onions to this bread recipe!

This recipe + Lodge dutch oven made the tastiest homemade bread with just the right outer shell crunch and soft, fluffy center. This bread is perfect for soups, sandwiches or even bread pudding! It’s visually pleasing with a nice golden color and the taste is perfectly yeasty! Watch the video and give our adapted version of the recipe a try!

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Cheers and happy eating!

Jocelyn

PS —Like this recipe? Check out my post on homemade pita bread, too!

* Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate and referral links. I may earn a commission or bonus if you click through to make a purchase.  All opinions are my own. I only work with companies and brands I personally support.

Simple Homemade Crusty Bread

***Please feel free to share widely, just give me some credit or a link back. Heavily adapted from this Youtube video from Tasty. Check them out!

Prep Time: 50 minutes
Rise Time: 60 minutes
Proof Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients/ Supplies:

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