In the milk industry, cows are forced to endure a cruel cycle of exploitation and suffering, repeatedly impregnated before each calf is taken away and their milk is sold for profit instead of nourishing their babies. When they can no longer produce milk, these exhausted mother cows are slaughtered for meat at around five years old.

Thankfully, this Valentine’s Day, you can choose treats that are sweeter to cows!

We have four new vegan recipes by Farm Sanctuary Chef Gail Patak to help you celebrate love for all. 

Enjoy them with a special someone, or treat yourself!

They’re a classic for a reason.

Makes 12 cookies

Dry Ingredients:
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp sea salt

Wet Ingredients:
3 cups vegan butter, melted and cooled (Earth Balance recommended)
4 cups brown sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 eggs’ worth of egg substitute (mix 4 Tbsp ground flax seeds with 12 Tbsp water. Set aside for 5 minutes to thicken.)
3 cups chocolate chunks
2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

*Gluten-free option: Use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 flour. Just substitute for the same measurement of traditional flour (6 cups).

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix flour, baking soda, and sea salt in a bowl and set aside. 

In a large bowl, combine melted Earth Balance, egg substitute mixture, and brown sugar. Mix by hand until combined. Pour in the dry ingredients from the bowl and stir to combine. Next, stir in chocolate chunks and walnuts.

With a tablespoon, scoop onto a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes, *rotating after six minutes, until golden.

*For chewier cookies: When rotating halfway through baking, gently hit the pan against the counter to deflate the cookies. This will help produce a thinner, chewier cookie.

Optional: Chocolate Ganache Dipping Sauce
2 cups dark chocolate chunks
1 cup oat milk or canned coconut milk

Put chocolate chunks in a stainless steel bowl and set aside. Heat milk in a saucepan or microwave. Pour the hot milk over the chocolate and let sit until the chocolate is melted. Mix gently with a wooden spoon until combined. Let sauce cool slightly and dip each cookie on one side – or drizzle sauce onto the cookies with a spoon.

Vanilla and citrus flavors are a perfect combination in this delicious, moist pound cake.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
⅔ cup maple syrup
½ cup water
4 Tbsp orange juice
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour an 8-inch round cake pan or bundt pan, then set aside. 

Place flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt in a large mixing bowl and gently stir to incorporate; using a metal whisk works well.

Pour the remaining ingredients into a second bowl and gently stir. Then pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, checking at 35 minutes with a toothpick for a crumb consistency.

Let the cake cool completely, then prinkle with powdered sugar before serving if desired.

This recipe puts the can in cannoli! By baking the shells instead of frying, you can skip some complicated steps.

Makes 12 cannolis

Tools needed:
Rolling pin
5-inch metal cutter: https://a.co/d/cKulihl
Tongs
Cannoli tubes: https://a.co/d/c7P72qx

Here is how to prepare the various elements of your vanilla cannolis.

Ingredients:

For the baked shells:
2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 Tbsp cane sugar
2 Tbsp butter, cold (Earth Balance recommended)
2 Tbsp sweet marsala (or other sweet red wine)
2 Tbsp water, cold
1 tsp cinnamon (option but recommended)
Pinch of sea salt

*Fun and quick alternative: Purchase a store-bought vegan puff pastry (Pepperidge Farm recommended) to roll and cut as your dough. Follow the instructions below and bake at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes.

For the filling:
2 cups nondairy ricotta cheese (Kite Hill recommended)
½ cup nondairy cream cheese (Tofutti or Trader Joe’s recommended)
½ cup confectioner’s sugar
1 Tbsp lemon zest
2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt
½ cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions:

For the baked shells:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, starting with the flour and then adding the other dry ingredients, followed first with the butter (incorporate by hand and blend until a crumbly mixture forms). Then add the remaining wet ingredients. Combine with a mixing spatula until incorporated, then form a dough ball.  

Place the dough on a clean area (you can use a large cutting board) prepared with a dusting of flour. Gently knead dough, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour and no more than 1 day.

Prepare a clean area and your rolling pin with a dusting of flour to roll the prepared dough. Roll dough out to approximately ⅛ inch thickness. Use a 5-inch round cutter to cut your round forms. Take any unused dough remnants and knead them to cut out any additional shells.

Wrap the round dough pieces around the cannoli tubes, sealing the ends together with a touch of water or non-dairy milk (full-fat oat milk is recommended). Don’t use too much water or milk, and keep the liquid from going onto the tubes; use just enough to seal directly on the dough.

Bake the shells, while on the cannoli tubes, for approximately 15 minutes or until golden.

For the filling:
Place all ingredients except for the chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl and combine until smooth (stirring by hand or with a handheld mixer). 

Optional: Would chocolate complete your cannolis? Add ½ cup of mini chocolate chips into the filling mixture above, and mix until incorporated before filling your shells.

Fill each cannoli shell and enjoy!

Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour or until ready to use. This filling can be made ahead of time and refrigerated overnight.

How could the treats above get any better? More chocolate, of course! Make this quick fondue as a fun dip for your cannolis, cookies, and pound cake. We also recommend berries and pretzels!

Ingredients:
1 13.5-ounce can Thai Style Coconut Cream*
2 cups vegan dark or semi-sweet chocolate (Enjoy Life recommended)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of ground cinnamon

Instructions:
Place chocolate in a mixing bowl and set aside. Heat coconut cream or milk in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then pour the hot cream or milk into the mixing bowl over the chocolate. Let sit for 1-2 minutes, then gently stir until smooth. Be careful not to over-stir; the chocolate may cool too quickly and harden a little. If desired, you can slowly add more milk or cream for a thinner consistency.

Serve immediately.

Optional:  

• 1 ⅔ cup full-fat oat milk can be used instead of the coconut cream if preferred.
• Add 1 tsp of liqueur or flavor extract (framboise, orange extract, or almond extract) to the mixture before serving.