Vegan almond cookies

I used to work in Chinatown in NYC teaching and one of my loveliest memories were visiting the Chinese bakeries with friends. I remember my kids bringing in goodies to class like pork buns, coconut buns, scallion pancakes and sesame cookies . Everyday before and after work I visited the corner bakery on Henry St for breakfast or snacking. Mmmmm. Fond memories. I learned a lot about food, family, and friendship during those years... and perhaps even the art of asking in restaurants... "what exactly is inside that?".

Recently I came upon this recipe for vegan almond cookies that totally took me back to those
years. I thought I'd share it.
It is slightly sweet, slightly salty and just the right crispy texture for sweet memories of moon cakes, Chinese new year and friends who are now far away west.

Enjoy!


Vegan almond cookies
From "veganomicon" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup brown rice syrup
1/4 cup rice or soy milk
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/3 cup sliced blanched almonds

Preheat oven to 350*

-Place parchment paper on 2 cookie sheets.
-Sift together the flour, almond meal, baking soda and salt in one bowl.
-In a large bowl or your kitchen aid mixer, beat together the oil, brown rice syrup, rice or soy milk, sugar, extracts and sesame oil.
-Add the flour mixture in and mix until a firm dough forms.
-Roll the dough into balls using about 2 tb of dough a piece.
-Press one side of the ball into the sliced almonds . And place them on the cookie sheet at least 2" apart, almond side up.
-Flatten each ball slightly to about 1 " thick.
-Bake for 12 to 15 minutes , until slightly golden brown at the edges. Let them cool for at least 10 minutes before removing them from the cookie sheets . The cookies will be soft when they first get out of the oven but will firm up while cooling.

(before baking...)





(after baking!)