I love being in
the kitchen. Baking, cooking, mixing
flavors together in a way that makes me and my family both happy and
healthy. I could spend all day in my
kitchen and be perfectly happy. This
time of year, most of that kitchen time is usually spent baking. My family lives on a pretty good budget and
one of the most budget-friendly gifts to give is baked goods. Most people will enjoy them as well,
especially since I am super allergy conscious and go out of my way to make even
the most decadent of treats healthier.
As an herbalist,
I am always looking for ways to sneak healthy herbs into my family’s daily
routine. One of these is to add herbs in
all of my food. I make herbal-infused
snacks, drink herbal lemonades, add healthy herbs to every meal, and I even put
delicious herbs into desserts. Since
Christmas is the season of the Christmas Cookies, I figured that I would share
a few of my herbal cookie recipes with you for a happy and healthful holiday
season.
I grew up with
the Betty Crocker cook book, and it’s my typical starter for all of my
recipes. So these sugar cookies all
started out with Betty’s vegan sugar cookie recipe. After that, I added my own flare and you can
feel free to do the same.
Peppermint Carob Cookies
A Gluten
Free, Vegan Recipe
Cookies:
1 cup
organic coconut oil, softened
¼ cup
organic vanilla cashew milk
1 teaspoon
organic vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoon
fresh, chopped mint
3
tablespoons carob powder
2 ½ cups of
gluten free flour
2
tablespoons tapioca powder (or arrowroot)
1 teaspoon
baking soda
1 teaspoon
cream of tartar
1 pinch of
sea salt
Glaze:
½ cup organic
powdered sugar
3 teaspoons mint milk (you can make it with your favorite vegan milk alternative if you want)
*optional
organic green or red food coloring
Cookies:
In a large
bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, mix powdered sugar, coconut oil,
cashew milk, vanilla extract, mint, and carob powder. Slowly stir in flour, tapioca, baking soda,
cream of tartar, and salt. Blend well,
cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is fine). Heat oven to 375 F. Lightly grease cookie sheet (I use an organic
olive oil spray, but coconut oil would work as well). Divide dough in half. Roll each half into ¼ inch thickness on a
floured surface. Cut into desired shapes
and place cutouts onto cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake 7-8 minutes, be careful not to let the
edges get overly browned. Remove from
cookie sheet, place on a cooling rack and allow to cool before glazing.
Glaze:
In a small
bowl, combine ingredients and mix. If
you want your glaze to be thicker, add more sugar. If you want it to be thinner, add more
liquid.
Mojito Sugar Cookies
A Gluten
Free, Vegan Recipe
Cookies:
1 cup
organic coconut oil, softened
¼ cup
organic vanilla cashew milk
1 teaspoon
organic vanilla extract
1 teaspoon
natural rum extract or your light rum of choice
1 ½ teaspoon
fresh, chopped mint
Zest of 1
lime
2 ½ cups of
gluten free flour
2
tablespoons tapioca powder (or arrowroot)
1 teaspoon
baking soda
1 teaspoon
cream of tartar
1 pinch of
sea salt
Glaze:
½ cup organic
powdered sugar
2 teaspoons light
rum, or natural rum extract
1 teaspoon
fresh lime juice
Cookies:
In a large
bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, mix powdered sugar, coconut oil,
cashew milk, vanilla extract, rum extract, mint, and lime zest. Slowly stir in flour, tapioca, baking soda,
cream of tartar, and salt. Blend well,
cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is fine). Heat oven to 375 F. Lightly grease cookie sheet (I use an organic
olive oil spray, but coconut oil would work as well). Divide dough in half. Roll each half into ¼ inch thickness on a
floured surface. Cut into desired shapes
and place cutouts onto cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake 7-8 minutes, be careful not to let the
edges get overly browned. Remove from
cookie sheet, place on a cooling rack and allow to cool before glazing. *optional: sprinkle sugar crystals over cookies
before baking.
Glaze:
In a small
bowl, combine ingredients and mix. If
you want your glaze to be thicker, add more sugar. If you want it to be thinner, add more liquid
(lime or rum, whichever you want to be stronger). When you have mixed your glaze, spoon or
drizzle it over your cookies.
Lavender and Lemon Sugar Cookies
A Gluten
Free, Vegan Recipe
Cookies:
1 ½ cups
organic powdered sugar or you can powder your own (read about the process here)
1 cup
organic coconut oil, softened
¼ cup
organic vanilla cashew milk
1 teaspoon
organic vanilla extract
2 tablespoons
dried lavender
Zest of 1
lemon
2 ½ cups of
gluten free flour
2
tablespoons tapioca powder (or arrowroot)
1 teaspoon
baking soda
1 teaspoon
cream of tartar
1 pinch of
sea salt
Glaze:
½ cup organic
powdered sugar
1 teaspoon
fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoon
cooled lavender earl gray tea
Cookies:
In a large
bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, mix powdered sugar, coconut oil,
cashew milk, vanilla extract, lavender, and lemon zest. Slowly stir in flour, tapioca, baking soda,
cream of tartar, and salt. Blend well,
cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is fine). Heat oven to 375 F. Lightly grease cookie sheet (I use an organic
olive oil spray, but coconut oil would work as well). Divide dough in half. Roll each half into ¼ inch thickness on a
floured surface. Cut into desired shapes
and place cutouts onto cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake 7-8 minutes, be careful not to let the
edges get overly browned. Remove from
cookie sheet, place on a cooling rack and allow to cool before glazing.
Glaze:
In a small
bowl, combine ingredients and mix. If
you want your glaze to be thicker, add more sugar. If you want it to be thinner, add more liquid
(lemon or tea, whichever you want to be stronger). When you have mixed your glaze, spoon or
drizzle it over your cookies.
Spiced Orange Cookies
A Gluten
Free, Vegan Recipe
Cookies:
1 ½ cups organic powdered sugar or you can powder your own (read about the process here)
1 cup
organic coconut oil, softened
¼ cup
organic vanilla cashew milk
1 teaspoon
organic orange extract
1 tablespoon
pumpkin pie spice
Zest of 1 orange
2 ½ cups of
gluten free flour
2
tablespoons tapioca powder (or arrowroot)
1 teaspoon
baking soda
1 teaspoon
cream of tartar
1 pinch of
sea salt
Glaze:
½ cup organic
powdered sugar
3 teaspoons
orange juice
Cookies:
In a large
bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, mix powdered sugar, coconut oil,
cashew milk, orange extract, spices, and orange zest. Slowly stir in flour, tapioca, baking soda,
cream of tartar, and salt. Blend well,
cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is fine). Heat oven to 375 F. Lightly grease cookie sheet (I use an organic
olive oil spray, but coconut oil would work as well). Divide dough in half. Roll each half into ¼ inch thickness on a
floured surface. Cut into desired shapes
and place cutouts onto cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake 7-8 minutes, be careful not to let the
edges get overly browned. Remove from
cookie sheet, place on a cooling rack and allow to cool before glazing.
Glaze:
In a small
bowl, combine ingredients and mix. If
you want your glaze to be thicker, add more sugar. If you want it to be thinner, add more liquid. When you have mixed your glaze, spoon or
drizzle it over your cookies. *optional:
sprinkle pumpkin pie spice over cookies right after glazing.
Hibiscus Spice Cookies
A Gluten
Free, Vegan Recipe
Cookies:
1 cup
organic coconut oil, softened
¼ cup
organic vanilla cashew milk
1 teaspoon
organic vanilla extract
3 tablespoons
powdered hibiscus flowers
1 tablespoon
pumpkin pie spice
2 ½ cups of
gluten free flour
2
tablespoons tapioca powder (or arrowroot)
1 teaspoon
baking soda
1 teaspoon
cream of tartar
1 pinch of
sea salt
Glaze:
½ cup organic
powdered sugar
½ teaspoon
pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons cooled
hibiscus tea
1 teaspoon
organic cranberry juice
Cookies:
In a large
bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, mix powdered sugar, coconut oil,
cashew milk, vanilla extract, spices, and hibiscus. Slowly stir in flour, tapioca, baking soda,
cream of tartar, and salt. Blend well,
cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is fine). Heat oven to 375 F. Lightly grease cookie sheet (I use an organic
olive oil spray, but coconut oil would work as well). Divide dough in half. Roll each half into ¼ inch thickness on a
floured surface. Cut into desired shapes
and place cutouts onto cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake 7-8 minutes, be careful not to let the
edges get overly browned. Remove from
cookie sheet, place on a cooling rack and allow to cool before glazing.
Glaze:
In a small
bowl, combine ingredients and mix. If
you want your glaze to be thicker, add more sugar. If you want it to be thinner, add more liquid. When you have mixed your glaze, spoon or
drizzle it over your cookies.
*optional,
instead of using the glaze, get a good quality white or green frosting and use that
for pretty and Christmas-y cookies.
Vanilla Rose Cookies
A Gluten
Free, Vegan Recipe
Cookies:
1 cup
organic coconut oil, softened
¼ cup
organic vanilla cashew milk
2 teaspoons
organic vanilla extract
2 tablespoons
rose powder
1 tablespoon
red rose petals
2 ½ cups of
gluten free flour
2
tablespoons tapioca powder (or arrowroot)
1 teaspoon
baking soda
1 teaspoon
cream of tartar
1 pinch of
sea salt
Glaze:
½ cup organic
powdered sugar
2 teaspoons cooled
vanilla rooibos tea
1 teaspoon
rosewater
*optional
organic red food coloring
Cookies:
In a large
bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, mix powdered sugar, coconut oil,
cashew milk, vanilla extract, spices, rose powder, and rose petals zest. Slowly stir in flour, tapioca, baking soda,
cream of tartar, and salt. Blend well,
cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is fine). Heat oven to 375 F. Lightly grease cookie sheet (I use an organic
olive oil spray, but coconut oil would work as well). Divide dough in half. Roll each half into ¼ inch thickness on a
floured surface. Cut into desired shapes
and place cutouts onto cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake 7-8 minutes, be careful not to let the
edges get overly browned. Remove from
cookie sheet, place on a cooling rack and allow to cool before glazing.
Glaze:
In a small
bowl, combine ingredients and mix. If
you want your glaze to be thicker, add more sugar. If you want it to be thinner, add more liquid. When you have mixed your glaze, spoon or
drizzle it over your cookies. *optional:
sprinkle sugar crystals and pose petals over cookies before baking instead of
glazing
I hope you
all enjoy these recipes. If you didn’t
notice, there is a basic cookie recipe for all of them, so feel free to change
the spices and glazes around to make your own!
Good flavor combinations to try include rosemary and lemon, basil and
lime, or elderberry and carob. Have fun
and feel free to let me know how your experiments go!
Resources:
Betty Crocker – Vegan Sugar Cookies: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/vegan-sugar-cookies/45ab6889-511a-4345-9391-9ea5c00c8d4a
Cookie and Kate – How to make your own powdered sugar: http://cookieandkate.com/2014/how-to-make-powdered-sugar/
No comments:
Post a Comment