There are few better scents than that of sugar cookies baking in the oven. It never fails to remind me of the holidays. After a few trial and error attempts I have created a delicious, allergen-free recipe that will fill your home with the smell of pure sugar….who could be a Grinch with that smell lingering in the air? These cookies are perfect for a holiday cookie exchange or a family party because they are so versatile and can be decorated in so many ways. Surprisingly, some commercially available frosting and sprinkle brands are vegan and allergen-free, yippee! Here is a short reference for when you want to get your holiday cookie decorating on:
This awesome baking product company has grown seemingly overnight and has kept their promise to remain allergen free. They make awesome cake and cookie mixes as well as some of the best frosting I have ever tried.
- Vanilla Frosting
- Vanilla and Chocolate Frosting Mixes
This company creates many cake and bun mixes that are mostly allergen-free; however, there are a few that contain soy and nuts, so be careful to read the ingredients. These mixes come with frosting such as vanilla (not allergen-free, but vegan) and dark chocolate (allergen free- yay!).
- Dark Chocolate Frosting
Let’s Do… Brand by Edward and Son’s
These sprinkles are all-natural and come in flavors like chocolatey, confetti and carnival!
- Chocolatey Sprinkelz
- Confetti Sprinkelz
- Carnival Sprinkelz
Sweet Holiday Allergen-free Sugar Cookies
1 cup soy-free Earth Balance (or other allergen-free margarine substitute)
1 cup raw sugar
2 flax “eggs” (1 tbsp. ground flax seeds mixed gently with 1 tbsp. warm water= one egg)
3 cups coconut powder (you can use quinoa flour as well, but the taste may be a bit nuttier)
1/4 tsp. ground sea salt
1 tsp. natural vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350F and lightly grease a cookie sheet
2. Cream together margarine, vanilla and sugar, add flax “eggs” and mix until uniform, smooth texture
3. Slowly add flour and salt and mix until smooth, the dough should feel a bit dry but malleable
4. Roll in small round teaspoonfuls and flatten against the cookie sheet
5. Bake at 350F for about 15 minutes or until the bottom and sides begin to brown
**Note– Don’t worry if your cookies appear to be a bit flat and/or crumbly, they are just as delicious!
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Photo: Kate Coffey
