Tips for Vegan Baking

The holiday’s are here! In my family the holiday season brings with it so many amazing traditions and one of my favorites is baking cookies. Every year the girls in my family get together for one day to bake hundreds of cookies. This day is one that I look forward to all year!

When I made the switch to a vegan lifestyle that brought a new challenge for this cookie tradition, baking vegan goodies. What I have learned is that it really isn’t any more challenging than baking traditional cookies.

When it comes to vegan baking, a few key tips can make all the difference.

Know your alternative ingredients:

• Flax Seed - This can stand in for eggs and in my opinion makes the most moist baked goods I have ever had. Simply replace your eggs with 1 tbsp of ground flaxseed mixed with 1 tbsp of water.
  1 tbsp flax=1 egg

• Applesauce - Another replacement for eggs.
  1/4 cup of applesauce = 1 egg

• Coconut milk, almond milk, soy milk and oat milk - All can be used to replace any dairy in your recipe in the same amount that the recipe calls for

• Plant-Based Butter - A replacement for dairy butter in the same amount as listed in the recipe

Be mindful of the leavening agents:

• Since vegan baked goods don't always rise as easily as traditional ones, consider using a combination of baking powder and baking soda for a little extra lift. If you are going from a vegan specific recipe it will already call for both to be used

That’s it! Don't be afraid to experiment and have fun. Vegan baking is all about creativity, so feel free to add in unique ingredients like nuts, spices, or even veggies to give your creations a flavorful twist.

Happy vegan baking!