vegan peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies

I am suffering from a spring cold. Even though it's not very warm outside, I still like to think it's unfair to feel snotty and sore throat-y when I could be having fun at the beach. If I lived in California. I even stayed home for a bit the other day, and attempted to nap or relax or watch a movie to get better. Instead, what did I do? I baked cookies.

Being out of eggs, I had to get creative. Forced veganism. Which isn't so bad, right? Lots of people don't eat animal products by choice, even lots of people I know. It's all the rage in this corner of the universe. And just because I love a juicy burger every now and then doesn't need I need butter and eggs in ALL my baked goods.

So here you go: truly vegan, and truly delicious, simple peanut butter cookies with some chocolate thrown in for good measure. They stay a lovely crisp texture on the outside with the beloved soft center of a good coffee shop cookie. I hope you make them; I know you'll love them... even if you're a carnivore like me. Which I intend to stay, even though cookies like this exist in the world.

Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment.

Cream together:
1 cup all-vegetable shortening
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup "buttermilk": soy, almond or rice milk with a teaspoon of lemon juice stirred in, allowed to sit until thickened

Mix in:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Stir in:
2 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (make sure the chocolate is dairy free, if you are really going for the vegan thing)

Scoop overflowing tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart on a prepared baking sheet. Flatten each ball slightly with a fork, making the signature criss-cross pattern. Bake 10-12 minutes, one sheet at a time, until set. Allow to cool for a few minutes on cookie sheets, then transfer to a cooling rack. Keep in an airtight container until you can't stand it any more and they have all been gobbled up.