Yield: 25 to 30 “normal” cookies or 9-10 “behemoths“

These cookies are a tribute to the first recipe/cooking competition I ever won. Years ago, when I was in graduate school at Vanderbilt University, I entered the local Italian Street Fair Bake-Off. (One can’t study all the time, right?) Not a vegan at that point, my winning entry was Lemon-Brandy and Blueberry Custard tarts: a luscious brandy-spiked lemon custard nestled inside individual pate sucre tart shells and topped with fresh blueberries.

I still remember running into the paper goods boutique in Hillsboro Village where I lived just before the delivery deadline to purchase a plastic plate to put them on. There, I bumped into Marilyn Murphy, a studio art professor (and wonderful artist) that I knew casually. I explained what I was doing, feeling a little silly for obsessing over the color of plate I put the tarts on–just the right shade of blue-violet–but, she assured me that color and presentation does matter.

I also vividly remember my dear friend Allison accompanying me to the announcement of awards that evening and squealing in delight as I won a trophy for Best Pie and Best Overall. Afterward, we whirled around on one carnival ride after another, the trophies squeezed tightly between our knees.

A riff on my favorite chocolate chip cookies, here I have replaced the chips with dried blueberries and brightened the dough with the addition of lemon zest. Because I was also thinking of blueberry pancakes, I opted for a little maple extract instead of brandy–though either would be good–and the addition of some pecan pieces.

No, I haven’t gone off my soft post oral-surgery diet (that you are, no doubt, tired of hearing about). Rather, I made these cookies to take to my periodontist along with a Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon poster as a thank you gift for taking such excellent care of me.

½ cup vegan butter, room temperature (I use Earth Balance)
½ cup vegetable shortening
½ cup light brown sugar
½ cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsweetened soy milk, preferably at room temperature (plain or vanilla soy milk works too)
1 generous teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon maple extract
2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
zest of 1-2 lemons (I used 1 1/2, as that’s what I had)
½ teaspoon salt (omit if butter is salted)
approximately 3/4-1 cup of dried blueberries
approximately 3/4-1 cup of pecan pieces

Preheat the oven to 350 F. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, shortening, brown sugar, and sugar until it is light and fluffy. Slowly blend in the soy milk, vanilla and maple extract. Add the flour, baking soda and lemon zest, and mix on low speed until well combined. Then fold in the blueberries and nuts. Drop small spoonfuls onto Silpat covered, oiled or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets. Press tops of mounds down slightly and bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Or use an ice cream scoop to make 9-10 extra large cookies, pressing the mounds down to about a 1/2″ tall disk, leaving 2″ between, and bake for approximately 15 minutes. Cool slightly on cookie sheets and then remove to racks to cool completely. Store in airtight containers.