Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is from Colleen Patrick-Goudreau's The Joy of Vegan Baking. First of all, this cookbook is AMAZING. (Thank you Mom and Dad for such a great Christmas gift!) It is full of decadent deserts, mouth watering breads, and finger lickin' pastries and treats! Anyway, in this cookbook many of the recipes are made with Ener-G Egg Replacer. I haven't always had success with this stuff but as I learned from this book, blending it with water is absolutely KEY. It will do its job flawlessly. So don't leave this step out!! Anyway, these cookies are awesome, totally awesome. They're a hit everywhere I bring them. They're the perfect "I can't believe it's vegan!" treat. No one would ever guess! They taste just like those yummy Tollhouse cookies I used to bake with my mom. I baked these tonight for my neighbor who offered to watch our pets while we're in New Hampshire for the week. I know she and her husband will love 'em.

Ingredients

4 1/2 tsp. Ener-G Egg Replacer (equivalent of 3 eggs)

6 Tbs. water

1 cup non-hydrogenated, nondairy butter, softened  (I always use Earth Balance and it's awesome)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose fliur

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 to 2 cups nondairy semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (optional) - I used walnuts!

1. Preheat the oven to 375*F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or use a nonstick cookie sheet.

2. In a food processor or blender, whip the egg replacer and water together, until it gets thick and creamy. Remember what I said about this step!!

3. In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugars, and vanilla. Add the egg replacer mixture to this wet mixture, and thoroughly combine.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the wet mixture until it begins to form a dough. When it is almost completely combined, stir in the chips and nuts.

4. Spoon on to the cookie sheet (I use an ice cream scoop for this!) and bake for 8-10 minutes (it takes 12 minutes for me), or until golden brown. Let stand for 2 minutes, move to wire racks to cool completely.