VEGAN GINGERBREAD COOKIES ~ RECIPE

This is a really simple recipe, and it doesn't require many unordinary ingredients that you wouldn't already have in the cupboard!

What you'll need:

• 150g brown sugar (I used dark brown sugar for both batches, I think either light or dark would work fine)
• 2 tbsp golden syrup (maple syrup should be fine too)
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground clove
• 190g butter substitute (I use Nuttelex)
• 1 small tsp bicarb soda
• 450g plain flour
• Icing sugar + water (for easy icing)

Method:
1. Combine all the ingredients together, either on the stove or just in a mixing bowl (like I did), making sure to sift the flower. However, if you're choosing to mix them on the stove, remove the mixture from the heat and then add the flour.

Note: Add extra spices if you'd like a stronger flavour! I think I will next time.

First batch

2. This is what the dough should look like after everything is combined. It should be firm, so you may need to add more flour. Cover the bowl with glad wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.

First batch

3. After you've taken the dough out of the fridge, spread some flour on your workbench and your rolling pin so that the dough won't stick to them, you will need to keep adding more as you go. Find some cookie cutters (I used gingerbread men, candy canes and Christmas trees) and pop them on a tray ready to be put into the oven. You can preheat the oven, in fact most recipes would say you should but I always forget and they turn out fiiiine, to 180 degrees Celsius and bake the cookies for 10 - 15 minutes. 

First batch

Here are my cookies, just out of the oven!
Note: It can be hard to tell whether they're done or not when you take them out because they will still be a bit soft (they harden up once they've cooled for a bit) but resist the urge to leave them in for just a little bit longer! That's what always stumps me and then they end up burning. In fact, that may or may not have happened today...

Second batch

SO. I made a second batch of cookies and you can probably tell from the photos that they're slightly different from the first one.
In the original batch, I had to use blackstrap molasses instead of golden syrup, despite the fact that I can't STAND molasses, oh my God. Even the smell.
I was hoping it wouldn't be noticeable once the cookies were out of the oven but I decided that while the dough was in the fridge, I would go up the street, buy some golden syrup and make another batch of cookies, because who wants gingerbread cookies that taste like sewerage? (No offence intended if you really like molasses hahah)
I used the same process and all other ingredients were the same, but I think the second batch is definitely better than the first, although everyone else in my house seems to like the first just fine, so maybe it's just dependent on personal taste - I still suggest golden syrup though.

I simply used icing sugar mixed with water to decorate these (just add icing sugar and water to your desired consistency - more icing sugar compared to water = thicker mixture) but obviously you can do whatever decorations you want! Food colouring is always fun too.

I didn't bother icing the first batch, mainly because I was tired but also because I wasn't as emotionally invested in those ones hahah.

So have fun baking and Merry Christmas!!

Weekend purchases - H&M

Fluffy white jumper, so soft and cosy!
Cuts off around the hips and the sleeves are perfect length ~ definitely not too short which is a problem I struggle with hahaha ($20)

Up close

A green sweater/jumper: I really like this colour and again, the sleeves are a good length but the bottom tends to cling around my hips/stomach and then puff out a bit in the middle, which is a style I'm not that fond of so I'll returning this. Other than that, it's really comfortable and fits really well, I would recommend this! ($15)

This is a big light grey quilted jumper/sweater thing (I'm not quite sure... It's thin ish?) with rolled up sleeves. It is quilted on the torso with plain arms. I really like quilted things so I picked this up almost immediately after I saw it, but it's either supposed to be very oversized or I got a size too big. I'm going to take it back and try a size smaller but if thats too small, I think I might keep the first one, I don't know! Oh and unfortunately, the sleeves don't roll down any further so keep that in mind if three quarter length sleeves aren't your thing. Maybe you could unpick the thread that is holding them up though? ($25)

This is possibly one of my favourite things I bought yesterday. It's a light, flowy dress which you could pair with so many things and wear as a casual day dress or something nice to wear out at night and it was such a good price I was actually surprised! It's getting close to spring now so I think this dress will be perfect. ($20)

Here is the floral print up close, excuse the stuff stuck up on my wall please haha

Hope you enjoyed, everything here was from H&M (which is surprising because I don't usually find much that I like in there, although maybe I just don't go in often because it's always SO packed with people)! Have a great day/night wherever you are! :))
Leave a comment to let me know if this was a useful post and what you think about this all :)