Tag: bakers against racism

Spicy Chinese 5 Spice Gingerbread Stars

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These cookies will punch you in the throat–in the best way. Think warm gingerbread spices, with an Asian twist–these cookies pack a fiery kick and will leave a zingy, lingering burn in your throat. These go well with a creamy glass of nondairy milk or a hot cup of peppermint tea!

Y’all know I have a well documented obsession with Chinese five spice, also known as ngũ vị hương in Vietnamese. I put it in everything, including banh mi bites, to bao, “beef” dishes, and even cookies! Today’s recipe is actually just a spicy remix of my Chinese 5 Spice Gingerbread Cookies.

I came up with this combination as I was finishing up my latest Bakers Against Racism sale–this time, it was a collaborative effort with Kowon Bakery and Mollycule428! We had such an amazing (and overwhelming) response from our ATX sale, and so much interest from DFW, that we extended the sale to DFW. This has been the most successful BAR event I’ve participated in this year, and I could not have done it without Angeline and Molly! Our group effort really made it all possible.

The support from both Austin and DFW has been incredible, and we are learning so much and getting energized for our next collaborative effort. We raised $1,400 to donate to efforts to flip the senate blue in Georgia! We decided the majority of our funds should go to grassroots efforts, so early last week, we sent $1,000 to Fair Fight, with the remaining $400 to be split between the two Democratic candidates. We are feeling so grateful and inspired by everyone’s energy–so if you supported or shared the sales, thank you so so much!!

Chinese Five Spice Gingerbread Cookies
makes 2 dozen, give or take, depending on cookie cutter size
I used small cookie cutters so this batch made about 40 little cookies!

You can purchase Chinese five spice at any Asian supermarket, or you can DIY.
Active time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1.5 hours
Ingredients:

  • 3 cups white flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese five spice
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon – 1 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 6 tablespoons coconut oil, softened (not totally melted)
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 3/4 cups coconut sugar
  • 1 flax egg
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2-3 tablespoons almond milk

 Method:

  1. Sift and whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  2. In a large bowl (I used my stand mixer), beat together the coconut oil and coconut sugar until fluffy. Beat in the maple syrup, flax egg, molasses, spices, and vanilla extract.
  3. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, until smoothly incorporated. During this process, add 2-3 tablespoons of almond milk, as needed.
  4. Divide the dough in half.
  5. On a lightly floured surface, form each half of the dough into a disc, about 1 1/2 inches in height. Wrap the discs in plastic and refrigerate for an hour.
  6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Take one of the discs out of the fridge. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness, or 1/8 inch thick if you want a crunchier cookie. Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Place the cookies 1” apart on a baking tray (wiped with coconut oil).
  7. Place the baking tray into the fridge for 5-10 minutes, for the dough to firm up again (optional: this helps keep the cookie shapes intact).
  8. Repeat the process for the second disc of dough.
  9. Bake the cookies for 7-9 minutes. I baked mine for 7 because I like softer cookies, but 8-9 minutes will yield crunchy cookies! I’ve done it both ways with good results.
  10. Remove cookies from the oven and transfer to wire cooling racks.
  11. Enjoy as is, or decorate them with some vegan royal icing! I also topped each cookie with a sliver of candied ginger, but that’s optional!

I hope you all have a happy holiday and stay safe and warm!! Stay tuned for more recipes and an announcement about our upcoming Valentine’s themed bake sale! 😉

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Rice Krispie Treats (+ Giveaway!)

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Hi friends! I don’t know about y’all, but I am feeling BURNT OUT. Between work stress, Zoom fatigue, the pandemic, and this election cycle, I’ve been feeling so much pressure and anxiety from all angles. Naturally, I have turned to baking as an outlet, and have been occupied with various #BakersAgainstRacism efforts. Always, but especially in these isolating and uncertain times, I find it is so meaningful & important to put our energy towards causes bigger than ourselves (in whatever capacity we can).

Aren’t these gorgeous?! They are the latest treat I baked for my most recent #BakersAgainstRacism sale, along with my Butterbeer Macaroons! It was a smaller response this time, I’m guessing because everyone is super drained and stretched thin. We raised $225 for The Okra Project—a collective seeking to address the crisis of violence by providing meals + resources (including therapy) to Black Trans people worldwide. I talked a bit more about the meaning of this particular sale on my Instagram here.

I remember at the start of election week, I kept reminding myself regardless of the results, that I would continue to invest myself in creating a better world through efforts like this. So if you ordered or shared about the bake sale, thank you so much for being a part of this supportive and empowering community.

ALLERGY FRIENDLY FALL BLOG HOP!

Speaking of community, this recipe is part of an Allergy Friendly Fall Treats Round Up, in collaboration with several other blogger friends. Most of the recipes are vegan, GF, and many are also nut free! Check out their creations below, and don’t forget to enter our fun giveaway on Instagram!

Apple Cider Donuts by The Urben Life

Vegan Pumpkin Coffee Cake by The Baking Fairy

Vegan Chocolate Ginger Cookies by The Zestfull

Top 8 Allergen Free Carrot Cake Loaf by The Frugalista Mom

Vegan Pecan Bars by Messy Vegan Baker

Flourless Chocolate Cookies by One Sweet Appetite

Vegan Pumpkin Granola by Jess Baumgardner

Vegan & Gluten Free Pumpkin Blondies by Spabettie

Paleo Almond Butter Cups by I Chews U

Vegan & Gluten Free Apple Pie Pancakes by Kvetching In The Kitch

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Waffles by Color Me Courtney

Vegan Pumpkin Pecan Cupcakes by Mrs Neil’s Vegan Meals

psl-6

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Rice Krispie Treats
makes 1 dozen (depends on pan size—I used a 11 x 16 pan)

Active prep time: 10 minutes
Wait time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:

For the treats:

  • 6 tablespoons vegan butter
  • 4 tablespoons pumpkin puree
  • 2 bags of 10 oz vegan marshmallows (I’ve had good results with Funky Mello and Dandie’s)
  • 3 teaspoons instant coffee
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice mix
  • 8 cups rice cereal (Rice Krispies or any off-brand! I used HEB’s brand)

For the coffee pumpkin glaze, whisk together the following (adjust liquid/sugar as needed for desired consistency):

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon instant coffee
  • 1 tablespoon hot water
  • 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree

For the cinnamon glaze, whisk together the following:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 tablespoon nondairy milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon hot water (slowly add more if needed)
  • 1/2 tablespoon melted coconut oil

Method:

  1. In a large non-stick pan, melt the vegan butter and pumpkin puree on high heat, whisking to incorporate.
  2. Add the marshmallows to the pan and lower the heat to high-medium. Stir until melted and fluffy (this takes about 5 minutes).
  3. Stir in the instant coffee and pumpkin spice and mix well.
  4. Take the mixture off the heat and add the rice cereal.
  5. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 11 x 16 inch pan (coated in vegan butter or coconut oil). You can make these as thick/thin as you want. My pan was 1/2″ deep, and I wanted the bars to be thick, so I ended up only covering 2/3 of my pan.
  6. The mixture will be very sticky, so it’s best to use a large sheet of parchment paper or foil to press it down in the pan (I also applied pressure to the exposed side of the mixture). Allow it to set for at least 10 minutes. I also like to place a book and some weights on top of mine to make sure there are no air bubbles. Letting it set in the fridge yields the best results–I’ve found the cold really helps solidify the treats!
  7. Carefully remove the mixture from the pan and cut into bars. Drizzle with coffee and cinnamon glazes (above) if desired. Enjoy!
  8. These can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days, or up to 5 days in the fridge (I found they will get a little stale if left too long). But they are so good you probably won’t have to think about storing any!

Thanks so much for checking out my recipe. Hopefully it brings you some comfort during these crazy times! I hope you are taking time to process your emotions lately. Feel them! Let them out. Wipe your tears of relief, of exhaustion (this has been me a lot lately). Remember it is okay to celebrate and find some peace while recognizing what is still at stake & knowing that there is still much progress to be made in this country.

As an empath, I have been all over the place as of late. Trump losing has been such a breath of relief for all marginalized communities. May we continue to listen and advocate for each other and hold those in power accountable. Thank you to the BIPOC who made these strides possible—especially Black women. And let’s recognize that their vote was not to save us, not just to defend democracy, but for their survival. I will continue listening to and supporting community leaders and organizations who have been doing the work, like the Austin Justice Coalition, and I urge you to do the same in your community.

I know the direction I am moving. Let’s keep moving and acting in the direction of love and compassion, to quote a dear friend of mine. I’m in the middle of organizing a collaborative #BakersAgainstRacism sale in Austin for the holidays to raise funds to help flip the senate in Georgia! LET’S GOOO! Keep your eyes on my Instagram for the announcement. And if you don’t live in ATX, check out a sale near you because this is a collective effort taking place in multiple cities around the world!