vegan chopped liver

Not what you'd thought vegan chopped liver would look like, huh?  The title of this post actually references a joke in my family.  Growing up, my mom would make cookies which my brother and I would promptly devour.  By the dozens.  Isn't that what kids are supposed to do?  After a few too many batches of cookies and a weigh-in at the doctor's office, we were restricted.  My mom continued to make cookies, but would take them to work functions or give them to neighbors and friends.  And save a few for my dad, of course, which she hid away in the freezer in an opaque Tupperware with a handmade label: "chopped liver."  She knew my brother and I wouldn't touch that with a ten-foot pole.  She never even made chopped liver for us!  That might have been our clue.  Our curiosity got the best of us and one day, we popped the lid off that Tupperware and to our surprise found chocolate chip cookies instead of chopped liver.  Good one, Mom!  

My mom's chocolate chip cookies are famous.  She got the recipe from a coworker in the seventies and ever since, she's been sharing them (and the recipe) with everyone she's met.  She swears it's the quantity of brown sugar in these that makes them different from your average chocolate chip cookie.  They are dense and crunchy, but underbaking them yields a softer, chewy bite (which is how I like them).  Here is the original recipe, with the veganized updates:

A fairly compact cookie; they don't spread out much during baking.

Chocolate Chippers
Makes 4 dozen

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup Crisco oil (or olive oil or Earth Balance margarine sticks)
2 eggs (or 2 tablespoons ground flax seed mixed with 6 tablespoons water)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour (or whole wheat flour)
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts, optional (pecans are awesome!)

Directions: Using wooden spoon, mix sugar, oil, and eggs (or flax mixture) in large mixing bowl.  In separate bowl, combine soda, salt, and flour, then gradually add to wet mixture.  Stir in vanilla, chocolate chips, and nuts (if desired).  Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes until cookies are lightly browned.  Cool one minute on cookie sheet before transferring to cooling rack.

My favorite variations: Use almond extract instead of vanilla.  Use M&Ms instead of chocolate chips.  Substitute 1/2 cup old fashioned oats for 1/2 cup flour.