Sugar cookies with icing is a perennial Christmas favorite. The whole family can join in the activity to decorate Christmas cookies and especially sugar cookies. Last year during Holiday season my friend, Dr. Liz, asked if I had a favorite sugar cookie recipe but I didn’t, in fact, it had been years since I had a sugar cookie or similar; even in the days before I became vegan, sugar cookies with icing were too sweet tasting for me. I don’t often tackle old recipes calling for lots of unhealthy ingredients such as butter, eggs, oil and sugar. Understatement – to make this recipe healthier was a challenge but I was up for it.
Of course since our taste buds on a whole foods, plant-based life-style makes us hypersensitive to sugar, my first task was to cut down on the sugar, which I handily did. I borrowed Sarah’s, my neighbor’s, Christmas cookie cutters and off to my test kitchen – now I was all in. Testing. Tasting. And I am happy to report that I, as well as, those who were tasting and testing the cookies were pleased with the results! I had fun creating, baking and eating, I hope you have as much fun as I did! SEE CoachBJ’s Sugar Cookie recipe below.
SUGAR COOKIES – Whole foods, Plant-Based sugar cookies. I did use a glaze to icing the cookies, a little extra for Christmas celebrations. You can’t just eat one!
COACH BJ’S SUGAR COOKIES
Serves: 20 – 24 medium size cookies || Prep Time: 45 minutes || Cook Time: 9-10 minutes
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (2.20 ounces)
2/3 cup white whole wheat flour (2.90 ounces)
2 tablespoons arrowroot
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons aquafaba (chick pea brine)
1/3 cup maple syrup
3 – 5 tablespoons non-dairy unsweetened milk, as needed
Cooking Directions:
Preheat oven 350 degree F. Combine the first 6 dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a small bowl add peanut butter, aquafaba, maple syrup and non-dairy milk; whisk until smooth. Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients to form a moist dough ball. Sprinkle a non-stick surface with flour, knead the dough and form into a disk shape. Place the disk on the floured surface, place a piece of wax paper over the disk and roll to 1/4 inch thickness with a rolling pin. Use cookie cutters to make various shapes. Place shapes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat. Bake for 9-10 minutes. Cool the cookies before adding icing and decorating. Lay out decorated cookies to dry.
Have FUN decorating the cookies with icing, sprinkles and chocolate, that is, if you don’t eat them all first.
1/4 cup confectioners sugar (powdered)
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2- 1 teaspoon non-dairy unsweetened milk or as needed
For COLORED ICING using natural liquids as delineated below:
1/4 cup confectioners sugar (powdered)
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
To make ORANGE/GOLD: 1/2- 1 teaspoon orange concentrate produces a pale yellow, add a pinch of turmeric to change to golden or
To make PINK/REDDISH hue: 1/2 – 1 teaspoon squeezed blueberries juice or cranberry juice or
Melt CHOCOLATE pieces or chips mixed with a little non-dairy milk
SUGAR COOKIES: Vegan sugar cookies. The colored icing was made by adding blueberry juice, orange concentrate, melted chocolate and mixing…it was fun decorating and eating them.
HAVE FUN BAKING AND EATING HEALTHY
SUGAR COOKIES!!
