Baking is something I have enjoyed since before I can even remember. We had a little TV in our kitchen growing up and whenever my mom would leave the room and Seinfeld or Oprah or the News was on, I’d risk carpal-tunnel to press that teeny channel up button on the side of the television until I finally reached Food Network. It was usually the Barefoot Contessa baking something so out of reach and so stunningly beautiful I just couldn’t resist trying to make it myself. I’ve been baking ever since- often not even taking a bite and giving it all away because I enjoy it that much! I was thrown a curve ball, however, when my husband decided to become a vegan two years ago.

He was my guinea pig. He has the biggest sweet tooth of anyone you’ve ever met and one of my favorite past times was adding new recipes to my recipe binder through the week and going to town on the weekend; pies, breads, cakes, croissants, soufflé’s- you name it, I made it. Butter eggs and cream galore were the keys to magic and when those were taken away from me, I felt like my days of delicious treat making were over. I’m so thankful to have learned there is a whole world outside of eggs and dairy, one just as delicious as I remember.

While I still eat dairy about once a month and K eats it on the regular (I’ll cut it out of her diet completely when she turns 2), Oshioloma and O are completely dairy free. Oshiolema and I still eat eggs but O is 100% egg free. Are you confused yet? On top of that, Oshiolema is the only one in our family with a gluten intolerance but O prefers to avoid gluten-free foods at all costs. SO, all of that to say, baking these days is a little different but it’s always- always– worth it. We don’t give the kids sweets very often, but when Oshiolema sees those tell-tale signs of something delicious about to happen he refuses to leave my side, “helping” for the sake of sneaking chocolate chip after chocolate chip the whole time.

I’ve tried many recipes in the last two years in search of the perfect vegan chocolate chip cookie that I could also adapt to be gluten free and friends, I’ve found it. I stumbled upon this recipe while flipping through this cookbook last weekend and when the cookies were described as “Big Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies,” I was all in. And one of these days I promise I’ll be able to share an actual recipe instead of a cookbook, but today is not that day. If I can’t find it on the internet, I always assume the author doesn’t want it there! But I will link to this fantastic Vegan cookbook that I highly recommend.

It breaks up recipes by Holiday so you’ll never be without a delicious vegan version of your favorite go-to’s ( truffled almond alfredo and sticky buns for Mothers day, potato salad, “burgers” and grilled pizza for the 4th of July…) It’s absolutely jam packed with recipes that had never crossed your mind before. This isn’t sponsored! I just can’t help but shout it from the rooftops when I find a resource I love on this food journey.

If you get the cookbook, flip all the way to the back and make these cookies- I may or may not have had them with breakfast the whole weekend. No regrets.

you can find the cookbook here: The Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook

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