Twelve Days of Christmas | Day 11 | Almond Wreaths
Makes 24 cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup butter or butter substitute
2 eggs
3 tablespoon rice milk or regular milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 package organic, gluten-free Sugar Cookie Mix from The Pure Pantry
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter or butter substitute in mixing bowl with electric mixer. Add eggs, milk and almond extract and blend on low speed. Slowly add sugar cookie mix. Continue mixing until dough in blended together.
If using a cookie press, place portion of dough in cookie press and form wreath shaped cookies, one inch apart, on cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.
If forming wreaths by hand, chill dough for 10 minutes. Remove from refrigerator. Using about 1 tablespoon dough, roll into 3 inch long rope. Bring ends together to form a wreath. Repeat to make remainder of cookies.
Bake cookies for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and dust with confectioner’s sugar. Let cool completely before removing from cookie sheet.
Twelve Days of Christmas | Day 10 | Peppermint Ice Cream Sandwiches
Ingredients:
½ cup unsalted butter or Earth Balance butter substitute, room temperature
2 large organic eggs, or equivalent egg replacer
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of peppermint extract
1 package Sugar Cookie Mix from The Pure Pantry
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 pint vanilla ice cream or Coconut Bliss Vanilla Ice Cream (dairy-free)
½ cup crushed gluten-free candy canes or crushed gluten-free peppermint candy
Instructions:
In a large bowl, cream the softened butter, using an electric mixer. Add the eggs, vanilla and peppermint extracts. Slowly incorporate the Sugar Cookie mix and cocoa powder into the batter. Scape the dough from sides unti lwell incorporated. Gather dough into 2 flattened discs, wrap the discs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the chilled dough on a work surface, covered with rice flour or corn starch, to a 1/8” thickness. Cut out circles, using a 3” round scalloped cookie cutter. Place the cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, spaced several inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a baking rack to cool completely.
Crush the peppermint candy in a plastic bag using a mallet or rolling pin.
Remove vanilla ice cream from freezer. Place ice cream in large mixing bowl. Using a large fork, press half the peppermint candy into the ice cream. Place bake in freezer until cookies are cooled.
Remove ice cream from freezer and let sit for about 5 mintes, until soft enough to spread but not too melted. Spread about two tablespoons peppermint ice cream on one cookie and place other cookie on top to create a sandwhich. Roll edges in crushed peppermint. Place fnished sandwiches on a small cookie sheet in freezer for 15 minutes or until ready to serve.
Twelve Days of Christmas | Day 9 | Lemon-Ginger Pinwheels
The combination of ginger, molasses and tart lemon creates a delicious burst of flavor in your mouth!
Lemon-Ginger Pinwheels
Gluten-free with Dairy-free options
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups butter or butter substitute
2 eggs or equivalent egg replacer
2 packages organic, gluten-free Sugar Cookie Mix from The Pure Pantry
1 teaspoon lemon rind
2 teaspoons lemon juice (reserve additional juice for lemon glaze)
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons molasses
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
Lemon Glaze:
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
1. In large mixing bowl, cream butter or butter replacer with electric mixer. Add eggs or egg replacer and blend to combine. Add two packages of Sugar Cookie Mix and blend on low speed. Divide dough into two equal portions, keeping one portion in the bowl and placing the other portion aside on waxed paper.
2. Add 1 teaspoon lemon rind, 2 teaspoons lemon juice and 1/8 teaspoon salt to dough and blend until combined. With hands form into ball and flatten to disk. Cover with waxed paper and refrigerate.
3. Place remaining dough in bowl. Add molasses, cinnamon, ginger and cloves and beat until blended. With hands form into ball and flatten to disk. Cover with waxed paper and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
4. To make the pinwheel: roll lemon and ginger dough separately making two 10 x 8″ rectangles. Place the ginger dough onto the lemon dough and roll up from one of the long sides pinching edges to seal. Wrap in clear plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour (or up to 24 hours).
5. Remove dough from refrigerator. Cut into 1/4-inch slices. Place 1 inch apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until lightly browned on lemon section. Cool on cookie sheet for 3-5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. For lemon glaze: mix powdered sugar reserved lemon juice. Spread on top of cookies and let dry.
Tweleve Days of Christmas | Day 8 | Cinnamon Stars
Ingredients
3/4 cup butter or butter alternative such at Earth Balance Coconut Spread
1 egg or equivalent egg repalcer
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon black strap molassas
1 package Organic Sugar Cookie Mix from The Pure Pantry
1/2 cup finely chopped slivered almonds, optional, for decorating tops of cookies
Dairy/Casein Free (vegan) Vanilla Icing
1 tablespoon Earth balance margarine (Earth Balance Coconut Spread)
2 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 box confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Using electric mixer, cream together margerine and egg. Mix in cinnamon, molasses and vanilla. Add sugar cookie mix and blend on low speed until combined.
2. Remove dough from bowl and separate into two balls. Pat into disks and wrap with waxed paper. Refridgerate for 30 minutes.
3. Remove dough from refridgerator. Prepare a work surface with waxed paper dusted with gluten-free flour. Dust rolling pin wtih gluten-free flour. Place one disk on waxed paper and roll out with rolling pin to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with star shaped cookie cutters. Carefully remove cut out cookies with metal spatula and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool.
4. Prepare icing recipe. In a large mixing bowl cream margarine, add cold water, vanilla, and agave. Sift into bowl 1 box confectioner’s sugar. Blend on low speed until combined. If too dry add 1 teaspoon cold water. If too wet, add 1 tablespoon more sugar. Spread each cookie with a thin layer of frosting. Sprinkle chopped slivered almonds on top if desired. Let dry completely and store in airtight container.
Twelve Days of Christmas | Day 7 | Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
This is my favorite holiday treat — its like Peppermint Bark in a cookie! Developed by Cathy Asman, a wonderful baker, former employee and friend.
Ingredients:
½ cup unsalted butter or Earth Balance butter substitute, room temperature
2 large organic egg, or equivalent egg replacer
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of peppermint extract
1 package Sugar Cookie Mix from The Pure Pantry
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
18 ounces white chocolate chips
½ cup crushed gluten-free candy canes or crushed gluten-free peppermint candy
Instructions:
In a large bowl, cream the softened butter, using an electric mixer. Add the egg, vanilla and peppermint extracts. Slowly incorporate the Sugar Cookie mix and cocoa powder into the batter. Shape the dough from sides unti lwell incorporated. Gather dough into 2 flattened discs, wrap the discs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the chilled dough on a work surface, covered with rice flour or corn starch, to a 1/8” thickness. Cut out circles, using a 3” round cookie cutter. Place the cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, spaced several inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a baking rack to cool completely.
Crush the peppermint candy in a plastic bag using a mallet or rolling pin. Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler over low heat, stirring constantly.
When the cookies have cooled, spread white chocolate on top of cookies and sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy. Let dry completely before storing in airtight container.
