I have a fondness for Chinese sweet dumplings. The Chinese name “湯丸” literally translates to “soup balls.” Beyond their symbolic meaning of togetherness, when gently simmered in ginger soup, they resemble cute miniature stuffed full moons adrift in water, a moon that you can put in your mouth and warms your stomach.
This new version of low GI sweet dumplings is adapted from a no-bake cookies recipe featuring only three ingredients (dates, peanut butter, oats) and can be made in 15 minutes. Experimenting with both peanut and sesame butter, I shaped them into dunes using a measuring spoon. With a single cup of oats, you can yield 18-20 cookies, each equivalent to a tablespoon. These ebony and golden treats remind me the most common fillings of traditional Chinese sweet dumplings, making them an ideal addition to my family’s Lunar New Year’s Eve feast.
I discovered that oat bran can serve as a suitable substitute for rolled oats, offering higher fiber content and eliminating the need for blending. Interested in a lower-carb alternative? Consider trying a baked version: swap oats for almond flour and add some baking powder to the dough. The resulting baked cookies are just as crunchy as those made with real butter! You can use any vegan butter and shape them into whatever form you like. These are my cashew butter tulip cookies.
Vegan Baked Cookies – Lower Carb Version:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup almond flour
- 70-80g dried dates
- 4-8 tablespoons vegan butter (adjust to taste preference)
- 1 pinch of salt (optional)
- 1 table spoon psyllium husk ( optional; binds the dough better and adds more fibre)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).
- In a blender, combine almond flour, dried dates, vegan butter, salt (if using), and baking powder.
- Blend until all the ingredients are finely mixed together.
- Shape the dough into cookies of your preferred size and shape.
- Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until they are lightly golden.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool before serving.
