The first-ever vegan cookie and sweets convention is heading to Long Beach, California, this weekend. Appropriately named Vegan Cookie Con, the one-day event promises “all things sweet and a little savory, too” and a cookbook signing by YouTuber, blogger, and cookbook author Lauren Toyota.
The event will feature vegan sweets made by local bakers, chocolatiers, bakers, and some well-known brands, including cookie shots from The Dirty Cookie, 21 Grams Baked, Maya’s Cookies, CBD-infused desserts by Stoner Girl Treats and Eats, Mama Chingona, and Vegan Rob’s.
Toyota, a former MTV Canada host and creator of the YouTube channel and blog “Hot for Food”, will host a signing session for her top-selling cookbook, “Vegan Comfort Classics” and a baking demo. Toyota has a knack for creating plant-based versions of popular comfort foods, stemming from her love for food – and of course, vegan cookies.
Vegan Cookie Con co-founder Kawani Brown expressed her excitement for Vegan Cookie Con in an email sent to LIVEKINDLY, describing it as a “sweets heaven” where guests don’t have to double-check whether or not their treats contain animal products.
“It’s something that has been in the planning stage for quite a while and we are so excited to finally bring it to fruition,” Brown continued. Brown is also the co-founder of the Long Beach Vegan Festival, which just hosted its third annual event last July.
Brown added that a convention centered around vegan cookies is particularly appropriate this time of year, with the holiday season fast-approaching.
While Brown said that she loves all cookies – “chewy, crispy, thick, thin” – she does have an idea of what her ultimate vegan cookie would look like. “Lots of vanilla, coconut sugar, white and dark chocolate chips, oat flour, and pecans,” she said.
Guests can also expect a wide array of events, ranging from learning how to work with aquafaba, the liquid from a can of chickpeas that can be used to make vegan meringue, how to use CBD oil in plant-based cooking, and a cookie bake-off. The event is family-friendly, featuring a “Milk and Cookies Lounge” from So Delicious Dairy Free and a cookie decorating station for kids.
Vegan Cookie Con is set to take place on November 11 at The Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach, CA. For ticket information, see here.
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