Essential Cut Out Cookies

ESSENTIAL CUT-OUT  COOKIES
12 Tbsp (180g) Earth Balance vegan shortening, softened
1 cup (200g) turbinado or raw cane sugar
1/2 cup (120 ml) unsweetened plant milk
1 tsp good-quality vanilla extract
3 cups (360g) flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt

• In a large bowl, beat the shortening and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
• Beat in the rice milk and vanilla until combined.
• In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
• Gradually add the flour mixture into the shortening/sugar/rice milk/vanilla mixture.
• Form into two balls, flatten them out a bit and wrap in cling film. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Or freeze for future use.
• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C)
• On a floured surface, and with a floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a thickness of ¼” (6mm). Press cookie cutter shapes, place onto lined baking sheet. Gather the scraps and re-roll until all the dough is finished.
• Bake for 8-12 minutes (depending on the size of the cookie), swapping the top to the bottom racks after 5 minutes. The cookies should tinged golden on the edges.

  

GLUTEN-FREE ESSENTIAL CUT-OUT  COOKIES (vegan)
4 Tbsp white chia seeds mixed with 12 Tbsp warm water
12 Tbsp (180g) Earth Balance vegan shortening, softened
1 cup (200g) turbinado or raw cane sugar
1/4 cup (120 ml) unsweetened plant milk
1 tsp good-quality vanilla extract
160g sorghum flour
120g brown rice flour
120g tapioca flour flour
2 Tbsp coconut flour
1 Tbsp psyllium husk
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt

• In a small bowl, combine the chia seeds with water to make a the chia eggs. 
• In a large bowl, beat the shortening and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
• Beat in the chia eggs, rice milk and vanilla until combined.
• In a separate bowl, combine the flours, psyllium husk, baking powder, and salt.
• Gradually add the flour mixture into the wet mixture.
• Form into two balls, flatten them out a bit and wrap in cling film. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Or freeze for future use.
• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C)
• On a floured surface, and with a floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a thickness of ¼” (6mm). Press cookie cutter shapes, place onto lined baking sheet. Gather the scraps and re-roll until all the dough is finished.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes (depending on the size of the cookie), swapping the top to the bottom racks after 5 minutes. The cookies should tinged golden on the edges.

ICING
1 lb (453g) confectioner’s sugar
6-7 Tbsp water
Natural food coloring

• Beat all ingredients until smooth. If too stiff, add another teaspoon of water. Thinner icing is easier to spread over a large surface. Divide into separate bowls if using more than one color.
• If piping, or “drawing” on to the cookies, scrape icing into one corner of a sturdy Ziploc bag (it helps to have one bottom corner of the bag resting in measuring jug, so that it doesn't move while pouring the icing in). When all transferred, try to squish all the icing into that corner, and close the Ziploc, making sure there is no excess air trapped inside. Bunch up the top of the bag and tie it up with a rubber band, so that you have a firm, cone-like bag of icing. Cut a tiny corner off to start decorating. The icing will keep at room temperature for two weeks, or longer if stored in the fridge. If it's too hard, let soften slightly before using.