Chef Linda
Linda Soper-Kolton, Chef, came to the Sanctuary as a guest chef to share her love of compassionate cooking in our then-fledgling culinary program. Lured by the magic of the Sanctuary, her love of animals and the urgency of our mission, Linda stayed on to lead and grow the culinary program, inspiring and educating with love, patience, and delicious food.
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Nutjammers

By Chef Linda

Sometimes, the simplest substitutions can make a vegan dream come true. Nutjammers, a must-have holiday cookie for many, was originally made with butter and cream cheese.  Swap out dairy versions for vegan ones, and these delectable, tender, jam and nut-filled pillows can grace your holiday table or fill your cookie jar with joy and compassion. Vegan butter is fairly easy to find in many grocery stores today; we used Earth Balance Buttery Sticks. Varieties of vegan cream cheeses, made with soy or nut milk, are on the market today as well. The assembly is a little time-consuming, but with only a few ingredients, the dough and filling are easily made. These delightful treats are well worth the effort!

Ingredients

 ½ cup vegan butter, softened
 4 oz vegan cream cheese
 2 tbsp granulated sugar
 1 cup all-purpose flour
 1 cup ground cinnamon
 ¼ tsp baking powder
 ¼ tsp salt
 Sifted powdered sugar
For the Filling
  cup cup walnuts, finely chopped
 ¼ cup apricot, peach, or raspberry jam
 1 tsp granulated sugar (optional)(if you desire a sweeter result)

Directions

1

In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, and sugar with an electric mixer. Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just combined; don't overmix. Form dough into a smooth, flat disc, about 2 inches thick. Wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, or make the dough a day or two  in advance and store in the refrigerator. Dough can also be made in advance and frozen; thaw in refrigerator overnight.

To make the filling, mix together chopped walnuts, jam, and sugar.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Remove dough from the refrigerator. Sprinkle a little flour on a clean surface and place unwrapped dough on top. Sprinkle a little more flour on top and roll dough into a 12-inch square.  Cut dough into thirty-six 2-inch squares. Place about 1/2 teaspoon of filling in the center of each square and folder over to make a triangle. Use the tines of a fork to press and seal the edges.

Place triangles on the prepared baking tray. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool. When cookies are cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Store in a covered container for up to a week.

Nutjammers

Nutjammers

DifficultyModerateCook Time20 mins
YIELDS
Makes 36 Cookies

Nutjammers
INGREDIENTS

 ½ cup vegan butter, softened
 4 oz vegan cream cheese
 2 tbsp granulated sugar
 1 cup all-purpose flour
 1 cup ground cinnamon
 ¼ tsp baking powder
 ¼ tsp salt
 Sifted powdered sugar
For the Filling
  cup cup walnuts, finely chopped
 ¼ cup apricot, peach, or raspberry jam
 1 tsp granulated sugar (optional)(if you desire a sweeter result)

DIRECTIONS

1

In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, and sugar with an electric mixer. Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just combined; don't overmix. Form dough into a smooth, flat disc, about 2 inches thick. Wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, or make the dough a day or two  in advance and store in the refrigerator. Dough can also be made in advance and frozen; thaw in refrigerator overnight.

To make the filling, mix together chopped walnuts, jam, and sugar.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Remove dough from the refrigerator. Sprinkle a little flour on a clean surface and place unwrapped dough on top. Sprinkle a little more flour on top and roll dough into a 12-inch square.  Cut dough into thirty-six 2-inch squares. Place about 1/2 teaspoon of filling in the center of each square and folder over to make a triangle. Use the tines of a fork to press and seal the edges.

Place triangles on the prepared baking tray. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool. When cookies are cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Store in a covered container for up to a week.

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