Making cut out cookies and decorating is a great activity for the family! You know I like to steal the butter out of traditional baked goods but for a roll out cookie you have to leave the ratio pretty high or you won't get the right consistency. But some has been replaced with apple sauce and this are slightly less sweet than your typical cookies. And of course I use Whole Wheat flour and plant based food coloring so you can still feel good about feeding this to your family, and yourself.
Makes about 24 cookies depending on size of cutters
Cookies
2 1/4- 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour + more for rolling
2/3 cup cane sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
4 tbsp unsweetened apple sauce
1 extra large egg at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
Icing
2 cups powdered sugar
3-4 tbsp low fat milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
Plant based food coloring
Freeze dried fruit such as raspberries or blueberries, crushed, for dusting on cookies
To make cookies you will need a large bowl with either an electric mixer or hand mixers. Add the butter, applesauce and sugar to the bowl and beat on medium until everything is well combined. About 2 minutes. This will not be as smooth as a traditional butter/sugar combo as the apple sauce makes it grainy. That is okay! Add egg and vanilla and beat for another 2 minutes on medium.
In a medium size bowl add 2 1/4 cup flour, baking powder and salt and gently whisk. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined and a ball starts to form. If the dough is too sticky add in a little more flour. You will want to be able to roll this out without it sticking to the rolling pin. Split dough into 2 equal balls.
Place a sheet of parchment paper down and lightly flour it. Roll one of the dough balls out to 1/4 inch thick, any shape. Set aside. Place another sheet of parchment paper down, flour it and roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick. Place this sheet of parchment on top of the other. Cover the top dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours up to overnight.
Once chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove dough from fridge. If you see the dough is sticking to the parchment paper carefully lift it up. Use cookie cutters of your choice and place cookies on sheet, 3 inches apart as they will spread. Repeat with 2nd piece of dough. If you have too many cookies to fit on the cookie sheets you can bake in 2 batches. Bake 10-12 minutes until lightly golden brown. I like my cookies with a little more chew so I bake at the minimum amount on time.
Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes then place cookies on a wire rack. Cool completely before icing.
Icing
While cookies are cooling prepare the icing. Whisk sugar, 3 tbsp milk, vanilla and salt in bowl until well combined. You want the icing to be slightly runny. If you drizzle it off of a spoon it should drip very slowly. If it is too thin add a little more sugar, too thick add a few drops more of milk. Once it is at the consistency you want you can divide into bowls and add in food coloring of your choice. You will see that the colors of the plant based food coloring is more pastel. You will never get a bright neon color like you do with the traditional artificial food coloring, but that is okay!! Especially for these Spring cookies, the light colors are perfect for the season.
Spread frosting over cookies and sprinkle on the crushed up fruit
Let dry on the rack for 2 hours so the icing can harden. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If I make too many I like to freeze some of the batch to have for a rainy day.
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