We all love desserts for two reasons: sugar and fat. Those are the two main ingredients that keep bringing us back to sweet treats, especially cookies. Typically, butter is the main fat ingredient in most cookie recipes. Luckily, sugar is vegan, but how do those pastry chefs get fat into vegan desserts?
No worries! You can still get fat into vegan desserts: getting fat from plant-based options like avocado not only offers a fuller flavor profile, but it’s also better for you.
Check out the benefits of cookies made with vegan ingredients!
What Are Vegan Ingredients?
Vegan means that there are no animal products in your diet. Vegan ingredients are always plant-based, and some vegans even avoid honey because they refuse to steal from the bees.
Vegan desserts won’t use butter, milk, or eggs. Instead, you’ll find substitutes like avocado, black beans, or other dairy options like milk produced from almonds or oats. Eggs are a necessity in baking—but are they? They are a binding agent in desserts, but there are tons of eggs substitutes like flax seeds, bananas, or aquafaba, which is the juice from a can of chickpeas, that work just as well, if not better.
Benefits of Vegan Ingredients
Some people shy away from veganism because they think it’s impossible to get their daily intake of minerals and vitamins. Not true! Also, you can still follow a carnivore diet and enjoy the occasional vegan meal. Desserts made with vegan desserts are a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth still while watching your health.
Check out the other health benefits of vegan ingredients:
- Heart Health: Cutting out artery-clogging animal fats will help keep your heart pumping efficiently.
- Lower Cancer Risk: Plant-based foods provide more vitamins and phytochemicals that prevent most cancers.
- Weight Loss: Did you know that vegans eat fewer calories but feel more sated than those who eat animal products? It’s true!
There are loads of benefits of cookies made with vegan ingredients—what’s stopping you from a late-night cookie pick-up in Nova? Do yourself a favor and try out the best vegan cookies from MidnighTreats!
FAQs
Why are vegan cookies better? ›
Heart Health: Cutting out artery-clogging animal fats will help keep your heart pumping efficiently. Lower Cancer Risk: Plant-based foods provide more vitamins and phytochemicals that prevent most cancers. Weight Loss: Did you know that vegans eat fewer calories but feel more sated than those who eat animal products?
How healthy are vegan cookies? ›Depending on the recipe, and more specifically how much refined sugars they contain vegan cookies probably aren't the healthiest option when it comes to a sweet treat. Opting for a recipe that uses natural fruit-sugars to sweeten them could be the healthiest option.
Are vegan cookies healthier than normal cookies? ›That said, vegan cookies aren't necessarily “healthier” than regular cookies. Just because you don't have the added milk fats or egg yolks of conventional desserts does not mean your confection won't be heavily laden with caloric glory.
Are vegan baked goods healthy? ›A vegan cake may be healthier for the environment and it may contain fewer saturated fats than a non-vegan cake but it's not a health food and shouldn't be eaten too often. However a slice of vegan cake is healthier than having two slices of vegan cake.
Why are vegan desserts healthier? ›100% dairy and animal fat-free vegan desserts rely on quality plat-based, whole-food ingredients like fruits, nuts, maple syrups, honey and so on, very close to their natural states. That means vegan dessert provides us with the maximum nutritional potential we could get from any healthy dessert ingredients.
Are vegan desserts more healthy? ›Raw vegan desserts are typically made with more nutritious ingredients than those that tend to be found in regular desserts. They often don't contain any processed ingredients, such as refined sugars, which means you aren't taking in all of those unnecessary, empty calories.
Do cookies have health benefits? ›It provides high nutrition and protein
Eating cookies can help boost your energy because it contains whole grain flour, which provides a nutritious source of protein, vitamins, fiber, and minerals that help produce a stable metabolism.
Simply put, vegan baking alternatives are just healthier. Still, vegan cookies aren't a miraculous calorie-free food. You can add tons of sugar to a recipe even if you've cut out all the milk and eggs. Vegan cookies still need a source of fat to replace the butter, as well as flour and, of course, sugar.
What is the difference between vegan cookies and regular cookies? ›You can be certain that our vegan cookies contain no animal products, by-products, or any other product derived from animals. And, they always taste scrumptious. Vegans have to be careful when choosing food products, as many processed foods often contain hidden animal by-products.
Which cookies is best for health? ›Simple Mills Chocolate Chip Cookies
With just 7 grams of sugar per serving, these cookies contain fewer added sugars compared to many other store-bought options. Furthermore, being rich in healthy fats and protein from almond flour, these cookies promote healthy skin, hair, nails, and support brain function.
How does vegan butter affect cookies? ›
In recipes where they're the only vegan substitute, both vegan butters will produce baked goods with texture similar to that of dairy butter, with flavor being the main difference. When substituting additional vegan ingredients (mainly eggs), the recipe may not turn out the same, texture-wise, as originally intended.
Why is vegan baking good? ›Vegan Bakes are Nutrient-Rich
Vegan recipes rarely call for many processed ingredients or saturated fats. Instead, the nuts and seeds used as dairy substitutes are a great source of unsaturated fats, which help lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
Health benefits, when done right
Research has shown that a vegan diet can help do the following: Promote weight loss. Reduce your risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels. Lower your chances of getting certain types of cancer, such as colon cancer.
Several studies have reported that vegan diets tend to provide more fiber, antioxidants, and beneficial plant compounds. They also appear to be richer in potassium, magnesium, folate, and vitamins A, C, and E ( 1 , 2 , 3). Vegan diets even appear to be higher in iron.
What's the difference in vegan cookies? ›The only difference between vegan cookies and 'regular' cookies is the ingredients used. In the vegan ones, there will be no dairy and no eggs whatsoever. However, when made correctly, they can taste just as good, if not better!
Why is vegan food better? ›Several studies have reported that vegan diets tend to provide more fiber, antioxidants, and beneficial plant compounds. They also appear to be richer in potassium, magnesium, folate, and vitamins A, C, and E ( 1 , 2 , 3). Vegan diets even appear to be higher in iron.
Do vegan cookies taste different? ›One reason why vegan baked goods might not taste as good as traditional baked goods is because of the lack of eggs and butter. Eggs and butter help to add richness, flavor, and moistness to baked goods. Without these ingredients, vegan baked goods can sometimes be dry and bland.