5 Delicious Ways to Celebrate National Dessert Day

 

It may sound too good to be true, but yes…this is an actual day!  October 14 is indeed National Dessert Day, and we’ve got 5 scrumptious recipes to help you celebrate.  There’s a little of everything here: chocolate, lemon, peanut butter, molasses; crispy, chewy, soft, and silky; even a couple of vegan options.  Craving something sweet yet?  On with the recipes!

(Cool-looking numbers courtesy of the NYC subway system)

“Eat ‘Em Upside-down” Lemon Sugar Crisps

In order to get the most from the fresh lemony flavor of these cookies, you really should “eat ‘em upside-down”!  Why? Because the sprinkle / light brushing of fresh lemon juice (your choice depending on the level of tartness you prefer) these cookies receive before baking makes their tops by far the most flavorful part.  Turning the cookie upside down allows your taste buds to receive the maximum amount of lemony goodness per bite.

Vegan Zucchini Brownies

Yes, these chocolatey, cake-like brownies are vegan, but the non-vegans in your life will never know unless you spill the beans.  In place of the 3-plus eggs found in most traditional brownies, this recipes uses a winning combination of unsweetened applesauce and silken tofu.  And wait…what?  There’s zucchini in there?? No way! (Way.)

Nana’s Molasses Cookies

When I would go spend summers with my Nana and Papa, there was usually a canister of these cookies on the kitchen counter.  She made them in the tiny oven of their white porcelain 1930s Chambers gas range.

Today I make them in my modern-home-standard-issue electric oven using  her old recipe.  I take a bite and find myself right back at that kitchen table, squared off  against a robust gray-haired lady bent on my ultimate Scrabble destruction.  Miss you, Nana.

Vegan Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

Sounds weird, I know, but removing the flour actually makes these cookies super light and delicate.  I made this recipe vegan by using Ener-G Egg Replacer, but you can easily substitute one egg in place of the Ener-G and water.

 

Vegan Chocolate Icebox Pie

Oh. my. goodness.  Chocolate icebox pie…and it’s vegan!  The crust is unbelievably flaky and tender.  The filling is a little bit labor-intensive, but totally worth it.  It uses Ener-G egg replacer instead of egg yolks, Earth Balance vegan margarine instead of butter, and soy milk instead of dairy milk.