Cut Out 'Sugar' Cookies (gluten free)

These cut out cookies are perfect for the holidays because you get the rich taste of traditional sugar cookies, but none of the dairy and refined sugar. I've always loved a touch of almond extract in my cookies, but you can omit it if you want. As you can tell, cookie decorating is not my thing and I rely heavily upon sprinkles! Good thing these cookies are just as tasty with only sprinkles as they are with icing. Btw--I used Sweetapolita brand vegan sprinkles.

Makes 12-15 cookies, depending on cookie cutter size

Ingredients

Dry:

• 1/2 cup almond flour

• 1/2 cup oat flour

• 1 tbsp arrowroot powder

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp salt

Wet:

• 1/4 cup unsalted cashew butter (I used this toasted cashew butter)

• 1 tsp almond extract (if you omit, increase vanilla extract to 1 tsp)

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/4 cup maple syrup (if you want sugarless, use Lakanto maple syrup)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Blend wet ingredients in a food processor or Vitamix until smooth.

3. Add wet ingredients to dry and gently combine.

4. Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

5. Roll the dough out between two pieces of wax paper into about 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Use a spatula to lift cookies onto a parchment lined baking tray. If the cookies are too wet/sticky to lift, simply slip a tray under the cookies and wax paper and put them in the freezer or fridge until they chill enough to lift them onto the baking pan. Collect the scraps and repeat the process until you have used all the dough.

6. Cook for 9-12 minutes or until lightly browned. (I like mine a little crunchy.) Let cool completely before icing them.

Note: If you want to hang these on a cookie tree, use a straw to punch out a hole in the dough before baking them (see photos below).

Icing:

• 1 cup powdered sugar or Lakanto sugarless powdered sugar

• 2-4 tbsp plant milk

• 1/4 tsp almond extract

• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

• Optional: 1-2 tbsp Kite Hill vegan cream cheese

Sift powdered sugar into a bowl, add the extracts, and whisk in as much plant milk as needed to create the consistency of icing.

Note: I use Lakanto powdered sugar substitute and find that the icing holds better if I add 1-2 tbsp of vegan cream cheese or butter. I use Kite Hill cream cheese because it has virtually zero saturated fat per serving.