Please hope me "forgotten cookie exchange in Japan" edition

December 15, 2018 12:50 AM

I kind of spaced on the fact that I have a cookie exchange tomorrow morning, but being where I am, I can't just pop out and get what I need. With what I have available in my pantry, can you help me make an awesome cookie?

I ran out to our neighborhood store and realized that I wouldn't be able to just grab the ingredients I wanted, much less a prepackaged mix, but I hope that with your input I can make some delicious cookies. Its already nightime on Saturday here, so I need to get on this! (The host has already claimed sugar and peanut butter cookies and I think another attendee is doing gingerbread.)

I have:
A big bag of King Arthur flour
Sweet rice flour
Lots of chia seeds
Lots of matcha powder
LOTS of powdered sugar
Some xanthum gum
One box of brown sugar
Vanilla and Almond extract
Applesauce
A gallon of soy milk (American style)
Vegetable oil
Firm tofu
All the usual cookie spices, sprinkles, and food coloring
A whole package of bisquik
A packet of fudge brownie mix
Cornbread mix
Masa
Probably a little baking soda
Caribbean Rum
Sierra Torpedo beer

No:
Actual granulated sugar
Cream of tartar
Baking powder

The added difficulty is that this is a VEGAN cookie exchange, but I am pretty good at veganizing things if someone has something that pops in their head. I am panicking at the social expectation of good cookies to share, help!

posted by stormygrey to Food & Drink (7 answers total)

This looks like it might be a recipe you can adjust for what you have, minus the chocolate chips (though do you have a chocolate bar around you could break up?): Vegan Test Kitchen Recipe: Delicious Tofu Cookies.

Good luck!
posted by taz at 1:01 AM on December 15, 2018

I wish I were this good of a chef to be able to answer this, but you might want to try googling "reverse recipe search" and trying to find recipes based on your ingredients list that way.
posted by AppleTurnover at 1:14 AM on December 15, 2018

Is the fudge brownie mix vegan? I might check what additions are needed and make those, as you may just need water and vegetable oil.
posted by stillmoving at 3:16 AM on December 15, 2018

You can substitute the oil and soy for butter and milk pretty flawlessly in mix recipes, so if the brownie and cornbread mixes are vegan, you make quick brownies, or you can add a bunch of brown sugar to the cornbread mix and make sweet cornbread bars. Throw together some powdered sugar and food coloring and water/soy milk to make a quick seasonal colors frosting, throw some sprinkles on there, and you’re good.
posted by moonlight on vermont at 5:36 AM on December 15, 2018

I think the big issue here is not having granulated sugar, which is why I'd suggest using the brownie mix. I found this recipe for making cookies out of brownie mix. If you're used to veganizing things, it shouldn't be hard to sub for the eggs, and you can just leave out the chocolate chips.
posted by FencingGal at 6:30 AM on December 15, 2018

Cornbread cookies, if you can figure out vegan substitutes for the egg, honey, and butter.
posted by nicebookrack at 5:14 PM on December 15, 2018

it's nearly impossible to screw up box brownies. I assume the mix calls for an egg and some oil and water; sub some soaked chia seed gel for the egg; bake them as drop cookies if you're strict about "cookie" definitions; it'll be fine.

If you have mint extract and a food processor you could even make a top layer with powdered sugar and tofu and make them frosted mint brownies.
posted by fingersandtoes at 6:38 PM on December 15, 2018