cookies they smudge

Last week I attended what was supposed to be a small, homey get together. The anti-rager, I kept calling it, the kind of party where the "partying" consists of sitting around cozily and lazily, listening to records, wearing sweaters, drinking vegan-nog, recapping your holiday gifts (regiving your unwanted gifts, perhaps?) and, yes, eating cookies, some vegan, others, not so much:


It was still the holidays back then, and I suppose it is now, because I certainly am still eating cookies. Unlike my sister's fancy day-tracker, I know the time of year by the telltale culinaria (winter = baking, summer = juicing, autumn/spring = salads!). Suffice to say, the party soon dropped the anti and was just a rager, but never fear, the cookies still were eaten and compliments were heartily passed around.

So as to arrive fashionably and foodily late, I decide to whip up a batch of Sparkled Ginger Cookies from Vegan with a Vengeance before heading over, one of my favorite cookbooks and a simple, tried and true recipe at that. I was extra excited to make this recipe because Em and I each received Silpats for Christmas, something I've been wanting for a long time, but was never really sure if I wanted to drop $25 at Foster's on just one item. Silpats are amazing because they transform our shoddy, kinda busted cookie trays into non-stick producers of moist, chewy and golden victuals. Unfortunately, due to my desire to get every last dish done in the 10-12 minutes the cookies were to bake, I didn't really check or rotate the trays as I should have, and a whole dozen burned to little flat pancakes of sadness. However, the two trays on the top tier of the oven must have had a bit more moxy, as they turned out reasonably well and definitely edible. See:

Later, at the party, I was lamenting the loss of those poor dead cookies and how much it sucks to throw any food away, especially something you just got done making. A nice lady told me that with the Silpat, you should reduce your baking time, or at the very least, check in on your goods about 5 minutes before the recipe says to. So, now I'll have to try again, and again, and again and maybe again after that. Just because the holiday season is winding down doesn't mean i can't continue to enjoy cookies! Cookies for all I say! Moist, delicious, well baked cookies for all!

Sparkled Ginger Cookies
makes 2 dozen cookies

4 tablespoons turbinado or demerrara sugar (regular sugar works well but coarse is best and most sparkly)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup soy milk
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two cookie sheets. Place the turbinado sugar in a small bowl. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. In a separate large mixing bowl, mix together the oil, molasses, soy milk, sugar, and vanilla. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and combine well. Roll into 1-inch balls, flatten into a 1 1/2-inch-diameter disk, press the cookie tops into the turbinado sugar and place 1 inch apart sugar side up on a prepared cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, let cool on cookie sheets for 3 to 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.