One of the best things about the holidays is the holiday-themed cookies. Growing up, I always enjoyed dipping cookies in a cold glass of eggnog. Something about the sugariness of the cookies and the creamy, spicy flavor of the eggnog is such a great combination and always reminds me of the winter holidays.

Flash forward several years, I still enjoying this holiday treat as a vegan, thanks to companies like So Delicious who makes delicious plant-based eggnog.

This recipe is one my wife, Sam, came up with. It’s an upgrade on the cookies and eggnog concept, but made into a sandwich with two buttery shortbread cookies and a creamy eggnog cheesecake filling that’s sure to bring joy to your world these winter months!

Shortbread Cookies

Yields 10 cookie sandwiches

Cookies

Eggnog Cheesecake Filling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 310℉.
2. In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients.
3. Using a fork, add vegan butter and vanilla extract. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients.
4. Mix ingredients into a ball of dough using your hands. Add 1 tablespoon butter at a time if still crumbly.
5. Roll ball of dough into a sheet about ⅛ inch high. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes. Alternatively, shape cookies with hands for a rustic look.
6. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper, place cookies on the cookie sheet, and bake for 15-20 minutes.
7. While the cookies are baking, combine all cheesecake filling ingredients and whisk thoroughly.
8. When done baking, remove the cookies from the oven. Let cool until firm enough to handle.
9. With a butter knife, spread the filling on a cookie and put another cookie on top. Put in refrigerator to cool for at least one hour.
10. Enjoy alone or dunk them into a glass of non-dairy eggnog or milk.

The post Eggnog Cookie Sandwiches appeared first on Vegan Outreach.

Or maybe there’s no occasion and you just want a few—ahem, or a couple dozen—delicious holiday cookies at home to enjoy all by yourself! Whatever your holiday cookie needs may be, we’ve got some tasty recommendations for you!

Vegan Eggnog Cookies

Yes, vegan frosted Eggnog Cookies are a thing. Thank you, Rabbit and Wolves.

Soft Pumpkin Ginger Snaps

Move over commercially-made, bagged Ginger Snaps. Here’s a pumpkiny, soft version that’s sure to win out any ginger snap-lover’s taste buds! Try Vegan Richa’s Soft Pumpkin Ginger Snaps.

Salty Sweet Toffee Cookies with Dark Chocolate Glaze and Candied Pecans

If the name of this blog—How to Philosophize with Cake—doesn’t peak your curiosity, I think this Salty Sweet Toffee Cookies with Dark Chocolate Glaze and Candied Pecans recipe will!

Gingerbread Man Cookies

What’s a holiday gathering without eating a traditional gingerbread cookie? Here’s a great go-to Gingerbread Man Cookies recipe by Sweet Potato Soul.

Perfect Vegan Sugar Cookies

We’ll wrap things up with another traditional cookie—It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken’s Perfect Vegan Sugar Cookies. And everyone knows that the real fun starts when the frosting and decorations come out!

Is your favorite vegan holiday cookie not mentioned here? Leave us a comment and tell us what cookie suits your holiday fancy!

Happy cookie-making!

The post Holiday Cookie Roundup appeared first on Vegan Outreach.

Festive Cheese Platter

Yields 2 round cheeses.

Ingredients

Cheese Base

Directions

1. Drain the cashews from the soaking water and add them to a blender. If you didn’t soak the cashews ahead of time, place in a pot of boiling water for about ten minutes and drain.
2. Add the garlic powder, salt, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and coconut oil. Blend together, scraping down the sides as needed until you have a thick cream. Depending on your blender, you may need to add a tablespoon of water to help it run.
3. Transfer the creamy mixture to a small pot and fold in the chopped chives.
4. Add the agar agar—diluted in a bit of cold water—to the pot and mix.
5. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly. Let it cool slightly while you place some plastic wrap over two flat ramekins or small containers.
6. Divide the cheese mixture between the two ramekins, placing the mixture on top of the plastic wrap. Press it down well into the ramekin with a spatula since this will be your mold. Wrap the top with the plastic wrap.
7. Place the cheeses in the fridge for anywhere between 4 hours to 24 hours, depending on how firm you like it. It will still be a creamy cheese, but the more you leave it the more sliceable it will be. You can also increase the agar agar if you want an even firmer cheese.
8. Right before serving your cheeses, carefully remove them from the molds by pulling a bit on the plastic wrap, and then remove the plastic.
9. Place the extra chopped chives on a plate and carefully place the cheese over them so that they stick to the top. Turn it over and place it on your platter. Repeat the process with the second one, only this time using the crushed pretzels and smashed pink peppercorns.
10. Stick some whole pretzels on top of the pretzel-peppercorn topped cheese for a beautiful and festive look.
11. Add any additions you’d like to your cheese plate—from fresh fruit to different breads and toast, dried fruit, olives, etc.
12. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

The post Video: Festive Cheese Platter appeared first on Vegan Outreach.

The author of the recipe, Kacy Franzen, is a dedicated animal activist, certified health coach, and lover of food. If you’re a fan of this recipe, check her website and Instagram.

Isn’t holiday baking great? Unless you’re lazy. Then you know what’s better than holiday baking? Not baking!

For example, melting a couple of ingredients together and turning them into chocolate truffles with a festive candy cane coating—easy as that! So turn on some Christmas music, pour yourself a little vegan nog, and whip up these delightful little treats that your friends and family are going to love!

Candy Cane Truffles

Yields 12-16 truffles.

Ingredients

Directions

1. Place the vegan chocolate chips in a mixing bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan, heat the coconut cream over medium heat for a few minutes until it begins to simmer. Pour the hot coconut cream over the chocolate chips and cover. Let the mixture sit for five minutes.
2. Add the peppermint extract and gently mix everything together until melted and well combined. Refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours.
3. While the chocolate is chilling, place the candy canes in a plastic bag. Use something heavy to smash them into little pieces (I used a rolling pin). You can also crush them up in a food processor.
4. When the chocolate is chilled and firm, use a teaspoon to scoop out chocolate and form into little balls. Then roll the balls in the crushed candy canes to coat.
5. Place the truffles on parchment paper and put them into the refrigerator to chill until you’re ready to share—or enjoy all to yourself!

Happy Holiday Baking and Non-Baking!

This Candy Cane Truffles recipe was loosely adapted from the Minimalist Baker’s 2-Ingredient Dark Chocolate Truffles recipe.

The post Candy Cane Truffles appeared first on Vegan Outreach.

End your holiday meal with one—or all—of these seasonal desserts! We bet your friends and family won’t even miss the pumpkin pie!

Gooey Pumpkin Spice Latte Chocolate Pudding Cake

Get you and your guests’ chocolate craving met with Oh She Glows’ Gooey Pumpkin Spice Latte Chocolate Pudding Cake.

Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie

The adults at your Thanksgiving party will be asking for seconds—possibly thirds—of May I Have That Recipe? Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie.

Sweet Potato Pecan Crumb Cake

All you sweet potato fans, get excited for Vegan Richa‘s Sweet Potato Pecan Crumb Cake.

Apple Cider Cupcakes

Sweet Potato Soul has creatively transformed a warm, holiday beverage into a cupcake! Give these Apple Cider Cupcakes a try—they’re sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Cranberry and Pumpkin Breakfast Loaf

A slice of sweet bread and a cup of coffee is a great way to round off a meal—try The Vegan Cookie Fairy‘s Cranberry and Pumpkin Breakfast Loaf! You won’t be disappointed.

From everyone at Vegan Outreach, have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

The post Move Over, Pumpkin Pie appeared first on Vegan Outreach.

Whether this is your first holiday season as a vegan or you’ve been vegan for several years, Kim Sujovolsky, founder of Brownble, has put together a comprehensive list of tips to help ease any stresses or worries you may have!

If there are other tips you’ve found helpful at holiday gatherings, and which aren’t mentioned in this video, be sure to share them in the comment section below!

The post Video: Tips for Enjoying the Holidays as a Vegan appeared first on Vegan Outreach.

Hummus platter with bell peppers, broccoli, cabbage and celery. Recipe here. 

This platter is one I’ve admired since it was created a few years ago! [Source]

Vegetable platter with cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers and lettuce. [Source]

Veggie packed platter! [source]

Full of fruit platter! [source]

Perfect for the kids table: [source]

A mix of fruits and veggies platter: [source]

The post 7 Cruelty-Free Thanksgiving Centerpieces appeared first on Vegan Outreach.

I love soup every day of the year, but especially when it’s cold outside. We’ve been suffering with bitterly cold temperatures below 60° here in California, and we’re coping by stocking up on the soup (and the parkas, scarves, gloves, etc).

If you, too, are in need of some warm wintry recipes, here are our favorites:

Creamy Tomato Thyme Soup

Black Bean Quinoa Soup

Plant Strong Soup

Chinese Vegetable Noodle Soup

Lemon Orzo Soup

Hearty Miso Soup

Curried Butternut Squash Lentil Soup

Irish Farmhouse Soup

Potato Leek Soup

The post 9 Winter Soups appeared first on Vegan Outreach.

This holiday season, try your hand at compassionate baking! Here are some of our Pinterest favorites:

Vegan Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

Sugar Cookies 

Gluten-Free No-Bake Snowballs

Chocolate Peppermint Crinkled Cookies 

Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Snowman Pops

Candy Cane Oreos

Gluten-Free No-Bake Gingerbread Cookie Balls

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows

Peppermint Patties

Gluten Free Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies

Gluten Free Coconut Sugar Cookies

Quinoa Ginger Snaps

The post 13 Vegan Holiday Cookies appeared first on Vegan Outreach.

Want to try your hand at vegan baking this holiday season? Here are some of our Pinterest favorites!

Coconut Snowballs

Recipe from The Kitchn

Creamy Dreamy Peppermint Patties

Recipe from Oh She Glows

Sugar Cookies

Recipe by Stephanie Lundstrom 

Pistachio Praline Linzer Cookies

Recipe by Bittersweet Blog

Everyone’s Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe by Vegan Outreach

Gingerbread Cookies

Recipe from I Love Vegan

Chocolate Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies

Recipe from Forks and Beans

The post 2015 Holiday Cookie Roundup appeared first on Vegan Outreach.