Okara is the pulp left over from making soymilk. It’s full of fiber, and it makes these delicious, low-fat cookies moist. Vegan and oil-free.
It’s a hard job, but somebody had to do it, and I hope you all appreciate what I went through for you today. I mean, it’s bad enough having to make one batch of cookies, but to make another batch of them the next day? And to have to test these little morsels of coconut goodness by actually eating a few? Torture! But for the readers of this blog, I’m willing to go the extra mile or, in this case, the extra calorie.
It all started about a week ago, when a reader, Melanie, wrote asking why I never make cookies: “My guess is you are not a big fan of cookies….I love cookies and I thought I might send the encouragement over to you to put up some cookie recipes!”
I let Melanie know that I also love cookies–I have a huge sweet tooth and am crazy about most desserts–but the problem with cookies is that they are very hard to make without using oil or margarine; it’s the fat that gives them that crisp cookie texture, so when most people bite into a fat-free cookie, they wind up disappointed. I just hate disappointing people!
If you do a search of this blog you’ll find that I’ve posted only one cookie recipe, and even then I included a full-fat version. But I told Melanie that I’d keep working on my fat-free cookie skills and try to post more cookie recipes.
Then on Monday, something else happened: I received my new filterless soymilk maker in the mail. One of the many advantages of this machine (besides the fact that it’s so easy to clean that I’ll actually use it) is that you can make vanilla soymilk by throwing vanilla beans straight into the machine, to be ground up along with the soybeans. I love the taste of vanilla beans, so I made some fresh vanilla soymilk the very next day, and it was truly the best homemade soymilk I’ve ever had.
But there was a problem: vanilla-flavored okara. Okara (not to be confused with okra) is the pulp that’s left over after you make soymilk, and normally I use it to make things like “crab” cakes and burgers. Vanilla okara just wasn’t going to work for such savory dishes, so I needed to use it in something sweet. I remembered Melanie’s email and got to work coming up with a cookie based on okara.
The results were delicious–“The best cookies you’ve ever made” according to my husband and daughter. Soft and cakelike, they’re not going to fool anyone into thinking they’re a traditional cookie; there’s no crisp cookie crunch, and I can imagine some critics denouncing it as more of a thin scone than a cookie. I think my family just likes soft cookies, and in case there are others of you out there with the same taste, I decided to post the recipe.
Of course, this morning I realized that most people don’t have okara in their fridge, especially vanilla okara. I figured that you could use mashed tofu instead of okara, but I didn’t want to recommend that without trying it myself. So here I am, alone in the house with a rapidly disappearing plate of Tofu Coconut Cookies, which, I’m happy to say, taste as good as the okara version. I can’t wait until E gets home and takes them out of my reach!
Okara (or Tofu) Coconut Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes packed (about 46g)
- 1 cup unbleached flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup okara *or 8 ounces firm tofu, blended in a food processor until almost creamy
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon coconut extract optional
- 3-7 tablespoons water I used 3 with okara, 6 with tofu
- 1 tablespoon sugar I used vanilla sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Process the coconut in a blender or food processor until it is coarsely ground.
- Mix the coconut, flour, baking soda, salt, and 1/2 cup sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the okara (or drained tofu), vanilla, and coconut extract and begin to stir. Add water by the tablespoon until all the dry ingredients are incorporated and a heavy dough forms. Do not add too much water or over-stir.
- Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to drop rounded tablespoons of dough at least two inches apart on a baking sheet lined with silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Flatten each cookie slightly with a fork. Bake for 10-16 minutes or until edges are golden and middles seem done. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring each cookie to a wire rack. Sprinkle with sugar and allow to cool completely before serving.
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
If any of you have extra okara to use up, Bryanna Clark Grogan just posted a delicious-looking recipe for Dark, Fudgy Okara Brownies. Go check it out!
Note: As of September 2013, the SoyQuick soymilk maker that I have is no longer being produced. Here is a link to a model that looks very similar to it.
Please Pin and share!
SusanV
Here are the pre-August 2009 comments that were lost when the site was moved from Blogger:
54 Comments:
Blogger Marni said…
Wow, these look fantastic! Baking and tasting cookies two days in a row? That’s dedication. Thanks for all your hard work and self-sacrifice. We appreciate it. 😉 I’m looking forward to trying these little babies.
3:48 PM, September 26, 2008
———————————
Blogger evestirs said…
awesome! thanks again 🙂
3:50 PM, September 26, 2008
———————————
OpenID shellyfish said…
Oh these sound so good! My family also likes softer, more dense & cake-y cookies (I often pull them out of the oven a little early to keep the centre from getting hard). These will be perfect!
4:10 PM, September 26, 2008
———————————
Blogger River said…
Well, someone give the woman a medal! That is some sacrifice you made for us, I think I will wear a pin in your honor tomorrow 😛
The cookies look great, and so delicate! Thanks for the recipe!
6:08 PM, September 26, 2008
———————————
Anonymous Rabbit said…
Wow! I’ve been reading your blog for a couple months now and recently (a week ago) went fully vegan. I had no idea you could make soy milk at home- that alone makes this post awesome! But those cookies… *drool*
Thanks!
6:26 PM, September 26, 2008
———————————
Blogger Bex said…
Those. Look. Beautiful.
I love love love cookies and I need to find healthier alternatives to the fatty ones I usually munch.
7:59 PM, September 26, 2008
———————————
Blogger Tracy said…
I love your first photo of sprinkling sugar on the cookie! These cookies sound great!!
9:03 PM, September 26, 2008
———————————
Blogger Jenn said…
I’ve thought before, if I could make a fat-free cookie that tasted awesome I should win a nobel prize. I am a HUGE cookie lover, and have tried SO many to no avail. I will try these out tomorrow and re-post how they went over on 4 kids and hubby. They look amazing! I love coconut. Thank you SO much for the sacrifice. By the way, the firm tofu you used – is it the firm silken in the aseptic container or the refrigerated kind?
12:11 AM, September 27, 2008
———————————
OpenID snarkyvegan said…
Do you have any photos of how the soy milk maker works? My soy milk maker has a filter and I’m just trying to figure out the filterless method. There aren’t any photos that I could find on the manufacturer’s website that show the insides and all the components.
Thanks for the cookie recipe, so far I haven’t tried okara in sweets.
cheers!
1:22 AM, September 27, 2008
———————————
Blogger LMNE said…
Man oh man! I knew if anyone could do it, it would be you! I am so excited to try these if it was not so late already tonight I would be making them right now, but alas they will have to wait until tomorrow. Thanks again Susan! 🙂
1:23 AM, September 27, 2008
———————————
Blogger mr.sound and mrs.sound said…
I must say no things are easy. If you want something to be nice we should work hard sometimes. Thanks for this share.
http://www.foodista.com
7:02 AM, September 27, 2008
———————————
Blogger SusanV said…
Jenn, I used water-pack tofu, not silken. I’m pretty sure that silken would work, too, but you’d have to experiment with how much water to use. I think it would take much less.
Snarkyvegan, I took some photos of the soymilk maker that I plan to post soon. Basically, it comes with a strainer and a jug, and you pour the milk through the strainer once it’s made. The strainer is much easier to clean than the filter in the older version.
7:35 AM, September 27, 2008
———————————
Blogger renee said…
Fabulous! We always have okara around (from our very hard to clean) soymilk maker which I use everyday. Most days the okara goes to the compost. I can’t wait to try these. But I’ll be using dates instead as we are trying to get rid of refined sugars in our house.
Also wanted to say Susan I’ve been reading your blog since before it was a blog (just the website) and I will continue to come here even though I don’t get the full post in my reader. I’m not fond of the ads (which is why I loved the reader version) but I totally understand why you have them, you work hard on on this blog and would like some reward for it!
I have always valued the contribution you’re making to the healthy vegan eating scene and recommend your blog to everyone who cares. I wish you continued success as you become more well known and published (with the financial rewards that follow).
Now, off to make some cookies!
8:03 AM, September 27, 2008
——————————————————————
Blogger Lisa (Show Me Vegan) said…
your experiments definitely paid off. These look delicious!
8:23 AM, September 27, 2008
———————————
Blogger Adde said…
Splendid! I have been looking for a way to use up my leftover okara. However, I don’t get to make much soymilk – milk makers being unavaliable in sweden and the traditional method being a bit tiresome.
9:48 AM, September 27, 2008
———————————
Blogger Jes said…
I love the okra idea! I’ve been playing around with okra goo (the leftovers from cooking okra) as an egg substitute with pretty good success, but this recipe looks rad since it’s a lot simpler!
11:07 AM, September 27, 2008
———————————
Anonymous Joanna said…
these cookies are really unique. coconut has to be one of my favorite ingredients in baked goods. i’m glad you explained what okara was because i was clueless!
1:42 PM, September 27, 2008
———————————
Blogger tofufreak said…
awesome! i used store bought okara to make your crab cakes last time. they turned out great! can’t wait to try these out too!
2:46 PM, September 27, 2008
———————————
Blogger Suzan said…
I love the idea of using okara in cookied! I’ve always used it in savory dishes, but never desserts. I can imagine that they’re very soft and moist, with more fiber and protein than most cookies. I can’t wait to try them.
2:58 PM, September 27, 2008
———————————
Blogger Ivy said…
Susan, when you make your own soymilk, you’re not getting all the extra vitamins that companies fortify their soymilks with, right? Just curious, as that would stop me from buying a soymilk maker. thanks!
6:40 PM, September 27, 2008
———————————
Blogger Ivy said…
One more thing, tofufreak said they used store-bought okara. Where would you get that–at an Asian food store? Thanks!
6:41 PM, September 27, 2008
———————————
Anonymous Anonymous said…
I never know what to do with the okara, thanks for the recipe!
Although I am happy with my soymilk maker (from the same company, too), the new one looks beautiful. Easier clean-up and filter-less too! I hate having to clean the filter…
8:00 PM, September 27, 2008
———————————
Anonymous Flo Makanai said…
Wonderful recipe, thanks!
I don’t have a soymilk maker and I’m not sure I could find the one you have in France, where I live, so I’ll try first with firm tofu.
5:24 AM, September 28, 2008
———————————
Blogger Elizabeth said…
These look amazing! And I’ve been having a coconut craving too…
Just one question: How is it that with the reduced fat tofu that the calorie count WW points is more?
Thanks for the recipe!
7:55 AM, September 28, 2008
———————————
Blogger Aimei said…
Hi Susan,
I was delighted to chance upon your blog with all these healthy recipes. I love to bake so I guess I would never be able to turn my diets or my bakes to a vegan one but I do hope to eat in moderation as much as I can.
I’ll defintely visit your blog often! 🙂
10:03 AM, September 28, 2008
———————————
Blogger SusanV said…
Elizabeth, I’m not sure. I used the info from my package of Tree of Life Reduced-Fat Tofu to get the data for the tofu version, and I was surprised to find that the calories were slightly higher. I think the real issue, though, is the fiber: Weight Watchers points are based on calories, fat, and fiber, and while okara contains fiber, tofu doesn’t.
Aimei, I hope you’ll give vegan baking a try. It’s fat-free baking that often gives unsatisfactory results; it’s easy to get delicious results using all vegan ingredients. I focus here on recipes that don’t use oils; if you’re willing to use them, you can achieve delicious baking results that no one would suspect were vegan. Lots of my fellow vegan bloggers demonstrate that all the time!
10:26 AM, September 28, 2008
———————————
Blogger Divya said…
Lovely blog and amazing recipes. I love that you write about low cal and healthy recipes… First time here, and I am enjoying it
11:50 AM, September 28, 2008
———————————
Blogger Valerie said…
I always loved soft cookies. I still always laugh when I think about the first time I made my mom’s oatmeal raisin cookies and they came out really hard and crispy. I asked my mom why hers were soft and mine were crispy when using the same recipe and she replied “Oh I never actually cook them as long as the recipe calls for.”
12:58 PM, September 28, 2008
———————————
Anonymous Sylvia said…
Yum!! I want to make a batch of these plain.. then a batch with raisins.. and then a batch with nuts… and maybe a batch with chocolate..
These look so good, I can’t wait to run to the health food store and get some okara!
Thanks for another great recipe!
4:12 PM, September 28, 2008
———————————
Blogger The Payne Family said…
I love cookies and I am really excited to use up some okara that is in my fridge. Could post your recipe for burgers that use okara? Thanks for your site. I love it!
5:45 PM, September 28, 2008
———————————
Anonymous Jane said…
Oh thank you for sharing Susan… I’ve been tossing my okara and feeling guilty about it for months! I haven’t exactly been wearing myself out in the search for a recipe either. Between this recipe and the brownies I’m going to have to start drinking more “milk.”
THANKS!!!
Jane of VeganBits.com
11:35 PM, September 28, 2008
———————————
Blogger funwithyourfood said…
We made some of these in class the other day! Wheni first read the name I thought it said OKRA cookies haha. They’re very moist and soft
Teddy
9:10 AM, September 29, 2008
———————————
Blogger Bianca said…
What a neat way to re-use the leftover okara. I made my own soymilk once (not with a machine, but by hand), and I think I used the okara to make sausages…but it wasn’t vanilla, of course!
3:55 PM, September 29, 2008
———————————
Blogger Sarah said…
What a great looking recipe! I made cookies with tofu once, but I think I used silken tofu…& they were definitely not healthy. 🙂
They sound delcious! I’ll have to try the tofu version, since that’s what I have in the fridge.
7:05 PM, September 29, 2008
———————————
Blogger Samantha said…
Okay, who else read the title of this post quickly and thought it said “Okra”? Because I did. And almost gagged. But upon further (and more careful) reading, these sound delicious! Thanks, Susan!
8:44 AM, September 30, 2008
———————————
Blogger Meagan said…
I am always looking for ways to use my okara, so I had to try this recipe…it is easy and SO delicious. I forgot to tamp down the cookies before baking them, but they still turned out delicious. Because I didn’t flatten them, they really are like moist, dense mini-scones. Still, they are delicious! I also wanted to try Brianna’s okara brownie recipe, but I was frightened off by the warnings about how dry the okara has to be…
8:56 AM, September 30, 2008
———————————
Anonymous Heather said…
I am sitting here munching on a warm tofu coconut cookie right now! I used silken tofu, a little less water, and extra vanilla extract because I don’t have coconut extract.
They remind me of very dense sweet bread. I’ll definitely be making these again! 🙂
Heather
2:26 PM, September 30, 2008
———————————
Anonymous Anonymous said…
Hi Susan,
I am new to your blog and just tried making your chai coffee cake. I cut back on the sugar by a third and it still turned out fabulous! Both me and my boyfriend can’t stop eating it! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes. Thank you 🙂
Nicole
4:24 PM, September 30, 2008
———————————
Blogger Lexi said…
Wow, these are a dream come true Susan!
Unfortunately,I don’t have any sweetened coconut on me at the moment :[ I know it’s a vital part of this recipe, but is there anything else I could sub? [oats, raisins,jam, etc?]
Thanks,
Lexi
8:17 PM, September 30, 2008
———————————
Blogger SusanV said…
You could try oats, for an oatmeal version, or cocoa for a chocolate one. I’ve never tried either, though, so I can’t promise what will happen!
8:43 PM, September 30, 2008
———————————
Blogger Nicole said…
Mmm, anything with coconut sounds good in my book!
11:29 PM, September 30, 2008
———————————
Blogger veggie belly said…
Wow!! What a great recipe and amazing pictures! I’m just beginning to realize how versatile tofu is 🙂
11:16 PM, October 02, 2008
———————————
Blogger Marynelle said…
Is your new Soy Quick really easy to clean? I had the SDZ-4 or -5 silver Soy Quick and ended up giving it away as it was way too fiddly for me. BUt soy milk is so expensive and has all that extra stuff in it as well. Thanks for sharing your yummy recipes! MaryC
5:42 PM, October 04, 2008
———————————
Anonymous Julianne said…
Not a texture I’ve experienced before but very tasty! I used Cauldron brand tofu (UK) and I’m not really sure it needed any water adding but I added 2tbs to be on the safe side and they cooked in about 15 mins.
2:14 PM, October 06, 2008
———————————
Anonymous Anonymous said…
Wow! I made these cookies over the weekend and they were absolutely delicious! I know I will come back to this one again and again. You are amazing. Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes!
7:02 PM, October 06, 2008
———————————
Blogger Elizabeth Joy said…
I made a triple batch of these yesterday and was very impressed! They are excellent. I did make a few changes. I used two parts brown rice flour and one part corn flour. The only sweetener I had in the house was honey, and I only put in 1/3 of what was called for. I didn’t have vanilla, so I used 2 tsp of cinnamon. I made them in 1/8 cup scoop balls. Delicious! Now I’m wondering about a carob version, and a molasses/ginger version. The possibilities have me drooling. How great to have a gluten free/fat free/vegan cookie!
7:29 PM, October 08, 2008
———————————
Anonymous Anonymous said…
Sooz in Mississip: Catriona in Maypole, South Ayrshire,UK said a lot of people wanted my recipe for rocket garbanzo soup. Ha ha. that was 1994…and, the method to make it got lost. let me try again, k? Will try to find a posting place.
9:54 PM, October 11, 2008
———————————
Anonymous elessar said…
Ok. Elessar here. Catriona said people were interested in in how I made this soup, when I worked as a prep chef in Amer’s Deli on State Street in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I have looked for the recipe, and it’s not in my Mastercook program. So
Saute 2 red bell and 1 green bell and 2 yellow or orange peppers in 4 T olive oil and 3 cups Spanish onions until soft. Meanwhile scoop 2 cups of tahini (stirred vigorously (first) blended with 3 lemons, salt to taste, and about 2 1/2 tablespoons of raw minced garlic.
Pour contents of pepper-onion prep into a big pot with 15 cups vegetable stock or water, the tahini mix, 2 Table-spoons of cayenne, ancho or other red chili powder.
Taste.
Add what is missing. This recipe is all about balancing tastes. Raw sweet corn roasted in a dry fry pan is a lovely addition, as is finely- chopped fresh coriander leaf (cilantro). Me? I drop in 4 jots of very hot sauce in my bowl.
So there.
5:46 PM, October 13, 2008
———————————
Anonymous Re-L Cherie said…
Finally, a delicious fat-free cookie recipe. I was wondering, is it acceptable to use tofu in place of okara in any recipe? Because there is another recipe I’m hoping to try, but I unfortunately do not own a soymilk maker…
9:41 PM, October 15, 2008
———————————
Blogger Marsha said…
I made these yesterday. They are simply delicious. Soft and chewy. Its the first okara recipe I’ve tried that I actually like.
2:20 PM, January 23, 2009
———————————
Anonymous Dror said…
Thanks for the recipe. I tried it and it turn out to be quite good.
I must say the cookies taste bit strange to me, something that remind me of ginger but without the spicy touch, but as long as the office carnivores said they were good, it’s fine by me.
I also change the recipe bit and used whole wheat flour and compensated with bout half spoon more baking soda to help it rise better, and result were really to my liking, after 16 minutes in the oven net result was crunchy skin with nice soft texture inside.
So, finally I got something to do with all the okara I get when I make soy milk 🙂
3:17 PM, February 17, 2009
———————————
Anonymous Nancy Nevada said…
Hi Susan – I’m so pleased I found these. My students want to try vegan cookies, and I know one of them loves coconut.
I’m not particularly concerned about fat content – what do you think about using coconut milk instead of water, and then leaving out the coconut extract? I’d rather buy a $2 can of something I can use for cookies than a $6 extract I’ll probably never use again.
6:12 PM, March 31, 2009
———————————
Blogger SusanV said…
Nancy, the extract is optional, so you could just leave it out. I’m not sure how using coconut milk would affect the cooking time, so I hesitate to tell you to do that. If you do, watch them carefully to make sure they don’t burn.
6:15 PM, March 31, 2009
———————————
Blogger Allana said…
Hi Susan,
Bring on the soft, chewy cookies anytime! I tried this recipe twice; both had satisfying baking results, but in the taste tests….I could detect the noticeable taste of raw okara. Am I the only one???
I thought that maybe I should lower the oven temperature next time. Sure, I would love to give this recipe a try again; its simple and not fussy. Besides, nothing beats home made vegan cookies especially ones that use up leftover okara! I appreciate any suggestions; and of course, the great post. Thanks!
Allana
9:49 PM, August 07, 2009
Laura
This is the best vegan cookie recipe I have ever tried! I didn't have any coconut extract so I added 2 tbsp coconut rum in place of some of the water…delicious results. We will definitely be making these again!
Dre
Susan- I made these cookies last night and they were a huge hit with both of my non-vegan roommates as well as my co-workers this morning! What a wonderful receipe. Thanks for the post! I made mine with Tofu. I'm going to try a few variations this weekend with nutmeg, and cinamon. Thanks again! Happy Holidays!!
aneka resep
Unique recipes, i’ll replace Okara with tahu , tahu is very cheap in my country, tahu is soyabean and mixed with a little vinegar to the texture of solid
m
I made these cookies today, and stayed with the recipe, with the exclusion of the coconut extract as it wasn’t available near me. The flavor is great, and the texture on the inside is nice and fluffy and moist. However, the texture on the outside is a bit rubbery. I thought I over baked the first batch, but I reduced the time on the second and they have the same thicker outer skin. Is this because of the tofu or have I over mixed them?
Gloria
I was really excited to try this out but mine turned out really dry and flavorless 🙁 — I put them into the oven like little spheres, slightly flattened and they did not sink at all— they remained circular!
I was a little disappointed but everyone else seems to have gotten great results. The only thing I did differently was that I replaced water with coconut milk. I put 3 tbsps of it in the batch and my batter was not over liquified either. My okara was not completely dry but I dont know if that was a factor?
Nathalie
I just tried these cookies subbing almond pulp for okara since I make almond milk instead of soy milk. I also used 1/2 unbleached white flour, 1/2 soft whole wheat flour instead of all white. I ended up with tasty results but similar issues as others mentioned – great soft insides but a bit of a rubbery outer skin. I also sort of overcooked my first batch, but the second batch was cooked just right and I still had that issue. Plus they didn’t flatten out at all. Honestly though, I’m not complaining because they still taste great and are a healthy alternative for sweet snacking!
Kate
I have a question about your soy milk maker … what kind of soy beans do you use? Just the regular dried ones in bulk at the health food store, or something else? Looks like a great way to get even more “unpackaged.” We’d try the okara cookies, but I wonder about both the okara and the coconut on a strict no-oil diet plan for heart disease. What do you think?
~~ kate
SusanV
I buy the organic soy beans in bulk. It’s been a while since I’ve bought them, so I’m not sure if they have the organic beans most places or if you have to buy them on the internet. The okara is mostly fiber, so I don’t think it would be a problem, but the coconut might be too high fat for a heart-disese diet (I wouldn’t risk it without consulting a doctor or whoever’s plan you’re following). Also, I have a pumpkin cookie that only has a trace of fat.
alua
Oh excellent! I was totally looking for something else (the Coconut chai breakfast cake, or some other sponge-like cake to whip up with whatever ingredients I happen to have at home to satisfy my current sweet craving), but accidentally stumbled across this recipe.
Always thrilled for something else to do with okara, since I too have a soy milk maker and plenty of okara every week… (Here’s another okara option by the way; http://aliensdayout.com/2011/02/vegan-biji-jjigae.html)
How dry is your okara though? I sometimes use my soy milk maker’s strainer, sometimes a cheesecloth, and can get much more moisture out with the latter…
Candela
I just made these cookies and I love them! I was diagnosed with gallstones a few weeks ago and am in the middle of a pregnancy… which means no gall bladder surgery for another 5 months and a very low-fat diet! I have been craving cookies so much and these just hit the spot! Thank you for sharing all your efforts to make healthy, yummy food 🙂
Catherine
Hi, first let me say your blog is so great when I’m looking for something new to cook! I tried these cookies using coconut flour, which absorbs humidity (and taste great, and contains fibers and no gluten!); they where delicious! I added some tonka bean for flavour too.
newvegan55
Wow, Susan, it’s a hard life you lead! Just wondering, since I can’t do soy, do you think this recipe would work with the stuff left over from making almond milk? It’s basically the same thing….I’m also GF, think I’ll have to do some playing around and if you’d like, I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Brenda
I’ve made these before with tofu, and yum! But I recently experimented with making my own soymilk and so had okara on hand. Double yum! Thanks for a delicious recipe!
Veena
We always have okara in the fridge since we make our own soymilk and sometimes we forget it and have to compost it the next week 🙁 Well.. I decided that I HAD to find a SIMPLE recipe that I could use to make cookies.. and here it is!
I made a batch last night and they turned out GREAT!
Modifications I made
-we only had unsweeted organic coconut flakes, so I used a total of 3/4 cup sugar.
-I did not add ANY water, the moistuer in the okara was enough for the recipe
-I had to bake it in our oven for 20 mins, then leave in oven for 2 minutes with gas turned off, then on the counter for 5 minutes, then transferred to the drying rack. (I have had prior experience with the okara cookees from other recipes being TOO moist, so was being very careful 🙂
Thanks SO much for the recipe.
I found another japanese one that uses ONLY okara and sugar! planning to make that with minimal sugar and smaller cookies to that they can be used with Indian Chai to dip in
My two cents – Veena
Alta
Do you press the water out of the tofu before using?
Susan Voisin
No, just drain off any standing water.
Outfit31
Oh my gosh!!! I made mine with whole wheat pastry flour and a half and half mix of turbinado and coconut palm sugar. They hardly made it from the bowl to the cookie sheet!!! Yummy baked or even, unbaked!!! Made the best of my first try of some yucky soy milk!!!
Deb
I am just discovering okara. One thing I cannot eat is coconut, but I love the idea of cookies. Any other cookie flavour (oh no chocolate either) that would work here? Thanks, love the site.
Kris
Dear Susan,
thanks AGAIN for a wonderful, enlightening recipe! My first vegan cookies. They taste so great my tummy keeps calling me back into the kitchen 🙂 I am new on the V-Side and with the help of websites like yours I like it more and more..and more.
Thanks! So delicious.
Lew
These turned out great! I think it is worth making soy milk just for the okara now.
Alice
Hi! Just wondering – did you have to dry the okara left over from the soy milk maker first? Or does the recipe use ‘wet’ okara, plus the water that’s still needed? 🙂
Susan Voisin
I just use it wet.
Phillip
How can there be only 15g total fat in the recipe and include 1/2 cup coconut flakes?
Susan Voisin
A half cup of coconut flakes has about 12 grams of fat. http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nut-and-seed-products/3108/2
Jett
Love your blog but please remove the pinit, Facebook, Yum!, header that floats on the blog. On a smart phone it pops up every time you scroll down to read then takes too long to go away, it is sooooo distracting! I end up reading your blog on Tumblr instead!
My Roman Apartment
I have a soy milk maker so I used yesterday’s okara to make a double batch of these cookies. Nice base recipe! This makes a delicately flavored cookie with a chewy texture. Not too sweet. They are great little tea cakes.
Cooks Notes:
I made Japanese “pirate” cookies. I didn’t pulverize the coconut first, just used the dried strings straight out of the package, like macaroons. Substituted spiced rum for the water. I omitted the coconut extract since I have none in the kitchen. Sprinkled with powdered sugar not granulated. These turned out perfect.
I am going to play around with the base recipe. I think nuts or cranberries would make great additions. Kind of like a chewy scone.
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Victoria
This is such a great recipe on its own, and to play around with and try different flavors! The okara gives it a richness and mouth feel of a cookie that has butter or oil in it. Today I made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, adding in a bit of oatmeal (both ground and whole) to compensate for the added liquid, and subtracting out some of the coconut. I used applesauce instead of water at the end and added molasses, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and a pinch of ginger and nutmeg. I used just a little less pumpkin than okara. I’ve also done cinnamon/fresh ginger/cardamom and often just add dark chocolate chips or some other nut or dried fruit to the base recipe–we love them all and I have some in the freezer at all times! 🙂
Marguerite K.
After seeing the ingredients and mixing the dryish mass, I decided to add 2 tablespoons of organic coconut oil and coconut milk instead of water. I used coconut sugar instead of white cane sugar. The taste like a breakfast cookie, could be a bit sweeter. Next time I will add more coconut oil or almond butter, although I would like to preserve the coconut flavour. I wonder if you could recommend something instead.
Francesca
Great recipe, I made for many years. Today I made it with ground almond instead of coconut and almond extract for the flavour and sprinkled with powdered vanilla sugar. Amazing.