Author Notes
This is a cookie my grandmother made every Christmas (no, not the vegan version I've re-created). I have no idea where the recipe originated--but some research unearthed that it was called the Bachelor Button because it was said to have been made by "spinsters trying to attract bachelors". (My grandmother was widowed at a fairly young age.) I would not want to speculate too far on her reason for making them every year. . . but still. I call this my vintage Christmas cookie because it is so old and because it has such personal meaning to me. I found this tucked away in my mom's recipe card box and when I saw my grandmother's handwriting and title: Bachelor Buttons I was thrilled! The best part of the cookie for me was always the maraschino cherry (my grandmother would keep these on hand for her cocktails--but when they appeared on a cookie--I stuck around for extra snacking when she baked her "Buttons"!). I add tumeric to the cookie to give it some of the yellow color the egg yolk offered. The cookie has a semi-crunchy outer layer and a chewy inner layer. I recall this being more dense when she made it--but very good--my revised version holds up better I think--staying moist and certainly having less calories and fat. —VeganThyme
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Ingredients
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1/2 cup
(1 stick) Earth Balance Vegan Butter
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1/4 cup
(or 1/2 stick) Earth Balance Vegan Shortening
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1 cup
light or dark brown sugar
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1 1/2 teaspoons
(eq. to 1 egg) Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed with 2 Tablespoons water
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1 teaspoon
vanilla
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2 cups
unbleached all-purpose flour
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1 teaspoon
baking soda
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3/4 teaspoon
salt
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pinch
of tumeric
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1/2 cup
chopped pecans
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1/2 cup
shredded coconut
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1
jar maraschino cherries drained
Directions
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Preheat oven to 375. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Mix your Egg Replacer and set aside.
Take about 1/3 cup of maraschino cherries and drain them, then, cut them in half. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add the vegan butter and shortening and chop up really well with a knife. Then, add brown sugar. This can get messy, but just follow along. Go ahead and try to mix this together with your hand blender. As it begins to piece up more--add the Egg Replacer--this will then help it blend more smoothly. Now add the vanilla extract, mix well with blender. Next, place all dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk together.
Add dry ingredients to wet and mix in with your hands or a wooden spoon until mixture begins to form a dough. Next, stir in coconut and then pecans. Place extra pecans on a plate. Roll about a teaspoonful of dough into 1" balls and then roll a bit in the pecans. Not necessarily to completely cover them, but just enough to add a nice touch. Place on cookie sheet and with your pinky or finger, press a hole into the dough--but not all the way through the cookie. Take a half (or whole) maraschino cherry and place in the hole. Space the cookies out about 2 inches. Bake for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool about 2 minutes more. Remove from cookie sheet and place on a cooling rack. Enjoy!
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