Vegan Giant Ginger Cookies

Yum! Raw sugar!

This recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens’ 100 Best Cookies issue. I’ve made quite a few of these recipes and if you see this issue (usually on newsstands at Christmas) you MUST pick it up. These were a huge hit with my colleagues at the Arizona Health Sciences Library and at the University of Arizona Poetry Center. Even Jake, who is not a HUGE fan of sweets, loved these cookies. Actually, as I was packing some up to take to my colleagues he came into the kitchen and said: “Hey…uh…where are you going with those cookies?” He looked a bit sad when I told him I was taking them to share with others. Anyway, try these out. I recommend them with a nice hot cup of tea and a saucy novel.

Vegan Giant Ginger Cookies
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups Earth Balance
2 cups granulated sugar
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup turbinado sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat Earth Balance with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 30 seconds.
4. Add the granulated sugar and beat till well combined.
5. Add the bananas and maple syrup and beat till combined.
6. Add in the flour mixture and mix as much as you can with the mixer, switching to a wooden spoon if it becomes too difficult.
7. Place the turbinado sugar in a small bowl.
8. Form dough balls 2-inches in diameter (unless you want smaller cookies). Roll balls in the sugar to coat. Place them 2 1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
9. Bake 15 minutes, or till bottoms are light brown and tops are still slightly puffy.
10. Cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Vegan Giant Ginger Cookies