DOH! It’s cookie dough!

Every plant-based foodie needs an omnivore friend like my friend Andrea.  She is constantly bringing new and wonderful foods to my attention.  Like last night.  I received a texted photo of an Eat Pastry cookie dough container.  And color me dense, but my brain made some inexplicable jump to “Whoa!  Vegan Cookie Dough ice cream!”.  I have gone back and studied that picture.  I still am not sure why I was convinced it was ice cream.  So sure was I that I was pretty puzzled when she hand delivered me – this morning - my very own tub of chocolate chip cookie dough “ice cream”.  I was concerned about keeping it cold.  She was not concerned.  I even dragged out my trusty lunch box – replete with twin, reusable ice “blocks” – to see if she thought they “will do until I get it home”.  She remained unconcerned – and by then was most likely wondering why I was so focused on whether or not those ice packs were “gonna do the job”.  I vaguely wondered why the container didn’t seem fresh-from-the-freezer cold, but I chalked that up to it being manhandled by the two of us while I babbled about my lunch box and its insulative properties.

I was proud that I had the strength of character to leave it alone until lunchtime.  Even happier that I had such a treat awating my post-lunch routine. Finally, out it came, followed by spoon, from the depths of my makeshift freezer.  Ripped off the lid, and marveled at the unique texture.  Huh!  That even looks like cookie dough – check that out!  Amazing.  I pop the first spoonful in my mouth.  And – at long last – my dull mind sputters to life and the pieces come together.  It IS cookie dough!  Honest-to-goodness cookie dough – no ice cream – just glorious, ready-to-be-baked COOKIE DOUGH! DOH!!!!

All righty then – well! – won’t that be fun to throw balls of vegan cookie dough delight in the oven – make the house smell great – AND have Kevin think I am all that AND a bag of chips because I am finally making him some COOKIES!  And I am beyond happy because this treat IS Non-GMO Project certified and proudly vegan!  There is a BUNCH of other cool stuff about this product, their company – not to mention their utterly charming packaging – but, you have to check out their website.  From their home page, if you choose the option on the right – “Time to Spare?” – you are channeled to a psychadelic, oh-my-did-someone-accidently-drop-acid-in-my-cookie-dough? type of animated cartoon that you simply have to see to believe.  No mind-altering substances required for an immediate trip to Cookie Dough Funky Town.

Luckily for Kevin, my furtive, guilt-inducing, cookie dough spoonful sneaks throughout the day – although they were frequent – were not so abundant as to leave me with an empty container.  Besides, I had already blown it by telling him about our gift, so I had to bring some home.  I hastily threw some pasta and salad together so that we could get on with the main event – freshly-baked cookie dessert!  I am Queen of the World!

It couldn’t be easier.  Heat oven.  Grease cookie sheet.  Rumage around in impossibly crowded utensil drawer to find bitchin’ but rarely used cookie dough scoop (in 2 sizes, no less!).  Plop balls of dough unceremoniously on prepared cookie sheet.  Provide a gentle smoosh atop each divine cookie ball’s pleasingly plump roundness via spoon.  Into the oven they go.  You must continue to practice patience (it’s a virtue you know!) another 12 to 15 minutes.

Finally.  You have gooey, melty creations that you can consume immediately (our preferred manner of intake) OR, you may let them hang out on a rack until classic, crispy cookies prevail.  Next, you will encounter a practice in restraint, unless you just don’t care anymore about fitting into those pants.