Toasted Oatmeal Coconut Currant Cookies

Our time visiting family in Austin TX includes a lot of shared vegan meals and good times. Every couple of weeks, Richard has baked up a batch of oatmeal cookies that Caroline and T have come to squirrel away in the freezer - hidden from the children - for their mid-afternoon breaks from their work-from-home jobs. Here's how he makes these fully vegan delights.

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INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup (1 stick) vegan "butter", room temp
• ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup almond milk
• 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
• 1 ½ cup old fashioned oats
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup currants (or raisins - I prefer currants for their smaller size)
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

PROCESS

• Preheat the oven to 350° F
• Spread the coconut evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Do the same with the oats. Toast both in the oven until the coconut is a light golden brown (about 5 minutes - keep an eye on it as it can go from toasted to burnt pretty easily.) Toasting brings out the flavors of the coconut and oats.
• Beat the softened butter, the two sugars, and the vanilla until light and fluffy
• In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, toasted coconut, toasted oats, currants, and pecans using a wire whisk. (Use your fingers to break apart any clumps of currants.) 
• Add the dry ingredients to the butter / sugar mixture and beat on low until well combined into a crumbly dough
• With mixer on medium-low, add the almond milk until a smooth dough has formed - about a minute
• Chill dough in refrigerator for about 30 minutes
• Form dough into balls (about 2 tablespoons each) and arrange on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper with 2 inches between (I like to use two cookie sheets, so that I can set one up while the other is baking and cooling)
• Bake around 15 minutes - they'll still be rather soft. Don't be afraid to clean up the shape of the cookies while they are still soft - makes for more professional uniform look.
• Cool right on the cookie sheet for a couple of minutes before moving to a wire rack