Cookies for a Cause

A vegan searching for dessert has a tough dilemma: that sugar cookie might not seem so sweet if you can't sleep knowing that the butter in it came from a factory farm. Thanks to Natalie C. Padilla '12, not only can you now indulge guilt-free, but you can also help fund an animal rescue group that provides safe homes to abused livestock.

For 10 weeks, Padilla is baking a different variety of vegan cookie each week and selling her animal-friendly sweets at Boloco on Mt. Auburn Street. The proceeds will be donated to The Farm Sanctuary Inc, a charitable organization.

This week, Padilla is selling vegan carrot cake cookies with cream cheese filling (made from soy milk) at Boloco. If you can't wait to make it over to the burrito joint, Padilla shared a recipe with Flyby which you can make on your own.

Happy Cow Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

14 tablespoons vegan non-hydrogenated margarine

3/4 cup vegan granulated sugar or turbinado sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons corn starch

2 cups vegan chocolate chips

Peanut butter to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda; set aside. Combine margarine with both sugars; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; add salt, vanilla, and cornstarch mixed with one tablespoon water. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips and a good dollop of peanut butter. Drop tablespoon-sized balls of dough about two inches apart on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely.