Chocolate Chunk Ginger Cookies

I have a handful of memories from when I was very young. My oldest memory comes from when I was only eighteen months old. I was laying on the table in a doctor's office as the doctor hovered above me, putting stitches in my chin, the damage the result of falling and cracking my chin open on a stone fireplace. I do not recall any pain or suffering, but I do remember my mother singing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star while rubbing my foot to soothe my cries—a snapshot of tranquility in a scary world for a young child. I have often been curious why this particular moment caught in my mind, both vivid and cloudy at the same time.

Perhaps it is a reminder of my mother's love for her daughter.

On my third birthday, my mother gave me the independence to choose the outfit I would wear for my party. I remember standing in the laundry room, surveying my choices with excitement. I felt so proud of the pink, frilly outfit I chose. It may have been a simple decision for my mother, but the freedom felt so special to me on that day. I wore my polka-dotted dress with confidence, spinning around to make the edges of the gown flare up.

After my sister was born, I remember sandwiching her between my cabbage patch dolls while she slept, believing she might need some friends her own size. When she awoke, she looked to her left and right and let out a terrified wail. Not expecting her reaction, I found her frightened cries hilarious enough to send me off into a fit of giggles. The moment was amusing enough to hold onto for many years to come.

And, I fondly remember the first time I stole a chocolate chip cookie fresh from the oven.

I couldn't have been older than four or five. It was a cold winter night and the house was filled with cozy warmth. My mother made a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies, leaving them to cool on the counter's pull out cutting board. After she left the room, I paced back and forth in front of them, wanting a cookie, but feeling guilty that I didn't have permission. I ended up stealing one before my mother came back to check on them. I hid underneath the table and ate my forbidden cookie in silence, hoping that if my mother came back into the room, I would be hidden from her prying eyes. I did not think far enough ahead to realize that my mother would notice that a cookie was missing, but the crime had already been committed. Even so, I was satisfied with my quiet defiance.

My early memories hold moments of independence, rebellion, silliness, love, and chocolate chip cookies—a portrait of a happy, healthy childhood.

Chocolate Chunk Ginger Cookies are a twist on the traditional chocolate chunk cookie. Dark brown sugar, ground ginger, and a hint of molasses lend a dark and spicy undertone, adding a new dimension to the cookies. A surplus of chocolate chunks gives these cookies a little attitude. Warm from the oven, these over-sized cookies are soft and chewy, gooey from the melted chocolate, and much too easy to make disappear.

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Chocolate (Dairy-Free) Ice Cream

I've missed ice cream. It seems like a silly thing to say, but it's true. Growing up, rarely a week passed by where I didn't have a bowl of vanilla ice cream covered with chocolate sauce or a banana split for dessert. I come from an ice cream-loving family, where chocolate syrup is an anchor in the kitchen cupboard. As I grew older, I'd often mix my own blended ice cream coffee shop drinks, enjoying my own twist on a mocha. However, after I discovered I'm lactose intolerant this summer after taking on a month long vegan challenge, I haven't had more than a few spoonfuls of ice cream since.

While the absence of ice cream was easy to handle at first, the cravings have slowly crept up on me until it finally became time to do something about it. I actually put dairy-free chocolate ice cream on my holiday list this year.

A few months ago, I was really struggling with my newly required dairy-free eating habits. I shared my difficulties with you, a mixture of confusion in how to approach eating and lamentations at the loss of my old lifestyle. Looking back, I realize now that I was grieving. Grieving for the loss of milk and cream, for butter and for cheese. I had moments of denial, when I'd order a cheeseburger instead of a hamburger at a restaurant. I was angry and upset at my body, telling anyone who talked about my favorite dairy-filled foods to wash their mouths out with heavy cream. I tried to justify my actions, telling myself the pain I would feel later was absolutely worth that piece of caramelized bread pudding (and, of course, it never was).

While some people can embrace new eating habits with ease, I needed time to sort my feelings out, to let go of the foods I had eaten and loved my entire life. Over the last few months I have been in the process of acceptance, but I finally, finally, feel like I've reached it.

I never knew such feelings could arise out of food.

While some baked goods are effortless to convert to dairy-free, ice cream is one of those sneaky desserts that is difficult to make without its namesake—cream. I've tried several of the dairy-free brands in the stores with disappointing results. With an unpronounceable ingredient list and a texture that resembles marshmallow cream or shaved ice, they leave much to be desired. As is the case when the supermarket fails me, I look to the kitchen and my own ingenuity to make something better than I can find.

Oh, let me tell you, this is exactly what I've been craving.

Chocolate (Dairy-Free) Ice Cream is bright, satisfying, and perfect for those in your life with a milk allergy or intolerance. The richness of the ice cream comes from full-fat coconut milk. Do note, however, that the final product will have a subtle coconut aftertaste which cannot be avoided (but for me, a coconut lover, it was an added bonus). The ice cream isn't too sweet, with a deep chocolate flavor coming from cocoa powder. This ice cream is the real deal—smooth, creamy, and an excellent dairy-free ice cream alternative.

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Candy Cane Cupcakes

It is snowing outside. Big, fluffy snowflakes are falling silently from the sky, piling up on window frames and tree branches. The world is covered with white, a blanket of fleece matching the stark ivory of the cloudy sky. Snug and warm in my house, I want to wrap a blanket around my shoulders with a cup of tea in hand, gazing at the postcard outside my window in the soft light of morning. Even though I live in a cold climate, where winter seems to compose half of the year's weather, it is moments like this that make the ice and the cold worth all of those chilled months.

I cannot imagine a winter without snow.

The appearance of candy canes usually marks the beginning of winter for me. The occasional seasonal snow that comes and goes has finally settled in for a long visit and the time has come to bundle up with winter scarves and over-sized mittens. Candy canes were an intrinsic part of the holiday culture of my childhood. Candy canes weaved themselves into classrooms and daycare, sneaking into craft corners and making an appearance as ornaments on the tree. Even when I was small, I loved the idea of candy canes, enjoying the way the colored stripes twirled themselves up the length of the candy stick. I didn't, however, enjoy the taste. Each year I made it my mission to like candy canes, trying another one just to see if my tastes have changed.

Even now, years after my pursuit began, I may not have completed my mission, but I can assure you I have come so much closer.

Though I may not enjoy a candy cane by itself, I adore it in combination with a few of my favorite treats, such as hot chocolate, ice cream, or even popcorn. After coming home for the holidays, I noticed a stash of candy canes hidden away in the candy cupboard. The timing seemed right to put them to good use. While some children may have visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads, I had visions of these cupcakes, with a candy striped peppermint frosting to bring in the flavors of the classic candy cane. Though the candy striped swirl may appear complex, I can assure you that the effect is quite easy to achieve.

This might be one of my favorite ways to enjoy candy canes yet.

Candy Cane Cupcakes feature a rich peppermint buttercream on top of a chocolate cupcake. Though buttercream frosting has a tendency to get too sweet, this frosting has a good amount of salt to cut back on the sweetness. The stripes in the frosting are created with red gel food coloring to give it a genuine candy cane feel. Sprinkled with a few crushed candy canes, the cupcakes come together to create a festive holiday treat.

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