Coconut Sugar Cut-Out Cookies

Can you believe it? 6 more days till Christmas. The day always comes so fast and the anticipation is so present you can almost taste it. The to-do list  is hopefully mostly scratched-out and maybe only some last minute wrapping and baking to be done. So, you may want to add this recipe to the list, so please don't hate me for this extra last minute Christmas fun. 

If you haven't found a good gluten-free Christmas cookie recipe yet, I would dare to say this is my favorite this year. Last year I made a Stevia-Sweetened Sugar Cut-Out cookies, but this year I have been enjoying coconut sugar for it's rich pure flavor, low glycemic index and healthy minerals and benefits. 

There is nothing too special about this gluten-free cookie recipe except that you can actually feel "normal" and use your most favorite cookie cutters and roll out this perfect dough like any other. It is also nut-free, gum-free (but sticks together perfectly!) and very simple, which to me is some of the most important requirements after it being gluten-free. I found it so hard to find a nut-free version of cut-outs. And, yes, nuts may be fine with you, but for my son and myself I have really found peace with avoiding them. This recipe makes about 1-2 dozen cookies depending on your cutter shape's sizes, and I will be doubling it next time because it is so fun to make these cookies. 

I did make quite a few gingerbread men cookies with this dough, but as you may tell from the lack of them in the pictures,  my son ate them all. He liked to eat their heads first and thought it was hilarious! What a hoot! And of course he kept calling them "the good guy cookies" I think my next batch will be just a bunch of "good guys" because he loved them so much.

Also...side note... this recipe would be a great recipe for any teething babe or toddler that is eating more solids because it is a cute cookie treat that they can hold with their own hands, it doesn't crumble too badly, and it's so much better for them than eating something processed or full of preservatives or artificial sugars. You could make these cookies year round with different cutters for every holiday or season of the year just for this fun of it and for the kids of course.

Now, I love these cookies without icing, BUT to stick with the Christmas decorating fun you may want to find a simple icing that works for you or your family. I decided to try out a frosting I used on cupcakes earlier this year. I whipped up almost equal amounts of raw honey and soft coconut oil and came up with a simple sweet icing. I added some strawberry juice/puree to some of that base to make a semi-red color, and some chlorophyll to make a slight green color. Some real-food items for decorating could be candied ginger, raisins, craisins, chocolate chips, coconut flakes and other favorite dried fruits or seeds. I put the icing in a pipping bag (or ziplock bag) to control the use and amount. 

Regular powdered sugar icing or cream cheese frostings are usually naturally gluten-free, but I'm a little too health-nerdy to just allow myself to eat too much toxic sugar and dyes just because so I thought I would try my luck at finding something a little different. A little more rustic and unusual.

Some other help/recipes for finding a healthier alternative icing look here:

Real Sustenance-make your own icing for cut out cookies

Whole Life Nutrition- make your own powdered sugar

She Let Them Eat Cake- creamy frosting

Now to the cookie cutting! ENJOY!

Coconut Sugar Cut-Out Cookie Recipe

(gluten and nut-free, vegan)

1 cup of freshly ground buckwheat flour

1 1/3 cup of freshly ground GF oat flour

2/3 cup of white rice flour
*or use 3 cups of your favorite GF flour blend*

1 TB of chia seed meal

1 TB of flax seed meal

2/3 cup of coconut sugar

1/2 ts. of sea salt

1/2 ts. of baking soda

1/2 ts. of baking powder

8 TB of room temperature soft organic coconut oil

6 TB of homemade unsweetened applesauce

1 1/2 ts. of apple cider vinegar

1 TB of pure vanilla

3 TB of non-dairy milk (I used So Delicious coconut milk)

*I grind my own flour, so I used Bob's Red Mill gluten-free rolled oats and ground the oats in a high powered blender (magic bullet, vitamix, ect) I did the same thing with raw buckwheat groats to get the buckwheat flour. The freshly ground flour always makes the best baking flour for texture and taste. I usually measure just a bit less of the oats or groats that I need and grind them to make the full amount of flour I need. If I make too much you can always use it in another recipe soon. 

UPDATE 12/2014: I made this recipe recently and subbed out the buckwheat flour with NAMASTE'S GF flour blend and also subbed out the flax and chia seeds. It can be made with subbing the flour and forgetting the seeds to get the same results as the posted recipe. 

In a large mixing bowl, mix together your dry ingredients first...then add the oil, applesauce and vanilla and milk. Mix well with a fork or to be honest, your hands and fingers do the job best. Knead the lump of cookie dough in your hands for a few minutes until you get a perfectly mixed ball of cookie dough. If your dough is a touch sticky, then sprinkle some more rice flour to stiffen it right up, or if you prefer, stick the dough in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to stiffen up and ready for rolling out.

Roll out the ball of dough on a floured parchment paper. Try and keep the thickness around 1/2 inch and roll out as evenly as possible. Then start cutting with your favorite shapes. Put the cookies in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15-18 minutes. I like my cookies a bit crispier, so I stay around 18 minutes baking time, but if you want softer cookies then stay around 15 minutes.  This recipe should make about 2 dozen cookies but really depends on the size of your cutters and how big and small you want your cookies to be.

These are so fun to make with kids, even my 2-year old son had fun "rolling" out the dough and cutting up some cookies. Yes, it made a mess and we had to re-do many of the cookies, but he learned so much and it was fun to see him try and create something of his own. And, with not much to do outside these days with no snow and weird yucky weather.... baking fun is the most excitement we have going on around here these days!

I loved sprinkling some raw coconut flakes. It kinda felt like it was snowing. Even if it was just for a magical second. I miss snow. Is it weird I am saying this? :)

I have my fingers crossed for a white Christmas...I am hoping and waiting...I live in Michigan for goodness sakes! It seems like as long as I can remember lots of snow starting in early November. Not last year or this year, it has just been cold, rainy, wet and dreary. But I haven't lost hope yet...it could still happen, right?! And, I may just listen to "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" again....:)

Hmmm, but in the meantime, finishing up shopping, wrapping, baking and resting in between will keep us busy and also in anticipation for the Christmas and new year to come! 

Much love to you as always! 

Hearty Oat Orange Drop Biscuits + Homemade Spicy Pear Butter (gluten-free, vegan)

I made some amazing pear butter last week. I was inspired by a friend's Christmas gift of some delicious apple butter and was reminded of my 3 gallons of frozen pears in the freezer. I froze them in a frenzy last fall when I bought over a bushel of barlett pears from a local CSA. They are so fabulous fresh, but the greatness of the fresh pear just doesn't last very long. So into the freezer the pears went. Not really knowing what would come of them. Thought I could or would do something wonderful with them some day.

And that day has come. Well last week it came, and now I know what I will be doing with pears for many years to come. So yeah, the reason I made these cute biscuits was pretty much just to justify how much I wanted to eat the wonderful pear butter. Call me an emotional eater. I know. It's true.

You see, I do have some reasoning behind wanting to make some pear butter though. This January I am trying to clean up from a crazy month of December and eat no sugars or sweet treats at all. I am dedicated to only using stevia as a sweetener, and an occasional spoonful of honey or maple syrup for tea. But to not make cookies or cakes or whatever calls for sugar or cane whatever... this is hard for me because I love to bake. But cleansing is also a great thing to do for yourself every now and then. And, I am dedicated to intentionally add more greens (and no more holiday desserts) to my life over the next couple weeks and months.

I still found my way back to baking though. This time it is with the use of some hearty oats to make a healthy biscuit to pair with tea, breakfast or even some vegetable soup for dinner. I was impressed at how well these oat biscuits stuck together and created a not-so-crumbly gluten-free treat. The gluten-free oats and chia seed really do their job when it comes to gluten-free baking.

Also, oranges and oats are a great combo this time of year. Together they somewhat stand as survival foods for the middle of winter. You need oats for the fiber, hearty whole grain goodness and yes, they have been proven to make you "feel" happier. So, when the winter blues have you in a tizzy, maybe try some oats. And oranges, well let's just say that maybe they are not grown in season here in Michigan, but I know many of us Michigander's are quite thankful for a "fresh and in-season" orange from the southern states this time of year.  Then, when you add in the pear-goodness of the sweet and spicy butter- you will be comforted enough to know that spring will come again.

Hearty Oat Orange Drop Biscuit Recipe (vegan)
1 2/3 cup of gluten-free oat flour (or grind certified gluten-free rolled oats in a magic bullet or high powered blender to make your own oat flour- which is what I do)
2/3 cup of certified gluten-free rolled oats
2/3 cup of organic millet flour
1/3 cup of tapioca flour
1 TB of chia seed meal
1 TB of baking powder
1 ts. of sea salt
2-3 TB of pure maple syrup or use 10-15 drops of liquid stevia
4 TB of room temperature organic coconut oil (I used Nutiva)
4 TB of cold vegan butter (I used Earth Balance- soy free)
'butter-milk mixture'
1 1/3 cup of coconut milk beverage (I used So Delicious)
juice from one lemon- about 1/4 cup of juice (or orange could work here too for more flavor)

1 organic washed orange to zest 2 ts. for batter, and 2-3 ts. for topping the biscuits


First, mix together your milk and lemon in a glass bowl to sit and culture for at least 10 minutes. Then in a different large mixing bowl mix together your dry ingredients and then cut in the oil and butter like you would a pie crust recipe. Lastly, add the milk mixture and stir well. It will be a bit foamy and wet  when you first mix it all together. So let the batter sit for 10-15 minutes for the oats to soak up the moisture. Then these biscuits are a "drop" biscuit recipe- so you will use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to pour out and drop the batter on a parchment papered baking sheet. Then top the biscuits with a sprinkle of orange zest. This recipe will make 1 dozen large biscuits, or 18 smaller biscuits. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 18-20 minutes. Until golden brown and stiff. Pull from oven and let cool for a few minutes before moving and serving. 

Spicy Pear Butter Recipe
2 gallons (8 quarts) of frozen pears (with or without peal)
Pears don't have to be exactly measured- You can use whatever you can get your hands on. Also, if you don't have frozen pears, fresh pears will work too. I do not think canned pears will work because of the excess moisture, but maybe some one out there can prove me different.

In a large 8-10 quart pot, dump your semi-defrosted frozen pears and basically you let them simmer down into a boil and you let them simmer on the stove for 6-10 hours until the pears have turned into a very thick sauce. You can add your spices after a few hours of cooking down and taste test to see if you want to add a touch more. Start smaller so that you don't over do it though.

start with these spices, and then add a pinch more if you want more spice:
1/2 ts. of allspice
1/2 ts. of ground nutmeg
1/2 ts. of ground cinnamon
1/2 ts. of cloves

Then, after the pears are cooked down, Let cool for 6-8 hours and then pour into a blender to whip into a nice thick and smooth butter. The butter should really look like a creamy butter...:)

Then if you want to preserve your butter you can follow traditional preserving methods and can it for a later date. I like canning the butter in pint-sized jars so that they are easy to get the butter out with a small knife or spoon. Perfect.

The 2 gallons of pears roughly made about 4 pints of butter. Just to get an idea of how much water is reduced.

Serve your biscuits warm with some pear butter (or your favorite fruit preserve) and tea. A perfect snack for a wintry day, or heck, any day really. The biscuits are simple to make. And the butter, well it just takes a while, but probably the simplest recipe I know. Delish and together serve as a great reminder that spring will come again and there will be green grass and a growing garden. In the meantime, biscuits and pear butter will help us hibernate, stay cozy and hopeful for 2012.

I hope you are enjoying a new start this year. We actually have only gotten an inch or two of measurable snow where I live in Michigan (we usually have feet of snow by now). And, it was 50 degrees today! I had the windows open and was spring cleaning like it was April. They are promising more harsh winter conditions soon, so I guess we can't really say it is spring yet. Still, it's fun to dream about seeds, my garden and tulips...

Hope you have a beautiful day.

Much love and light to you!

Sugar-Free Stevia-Sweetened Holiday Punch

When I was a kid I loved going to my aunt's or grandma's house for the holiday and getting a special cup of punch. It was always a bubbly kid-friendly treat and it made you feel festive and full of cheer. There is something about the holidays that bring out the inner cheerful self. You don't need a lot of sugar or "adult beverages" to make this happen either. In fact, your body will thank you for it if you do not overload on empty carbs and calories of sugar. So, that is why this festive holiday punch is so great. It is sweetened with stevia and fresh and frozen fruit. Gorgeous too. A beautiful punch bowl is the perfect centerpiece to any party-table. Forgo the soda and sugar-filled crap and stick to some sparkling fruity goodness that will bring your whole holiday table and party together. 

This punch recipe is super simple and has all your favorite seasonal flavors. You can make it in your own festive punch bowl in minutes. You can also get the kids involved or add a few different flavors depending on your tastes or what you have available. I like to stick to a cranberry-apple combo and use stevia to sweeten.

Cranberry Apple Holiday Punch Recipe
2 liters of mineral or sparkling water (Pellagrino, Perrier, or Gerolsteiner)
4-6 cups of fresh apple cider
6-8 ounces of pure cranberry juice concentrate
55-60 drops of NuNaturals stevia liquid
1-2 cups of frozen whole cranberries
1 fresh apple, horizontally sliced with the seeds in

In a large punch bowl, pour in all of the chilled liquid ingredients and stir together. Then add in the frozen cranberries to help the punch stay chilled and add flavor and color. Lastly, slice an apple horizontally, leaving the seeds in and you will see how the slices will look like they have a star in the middle. You can pop the seeds out at this point if you want. You can double and triple this recipe if you desire, or mix a back up amount in a pitcher to re-fill the bowl when it is running low. If you want to trade out the cranberries for frozen raspberries and juice, that is also a great option. It is just that simple, and no sugar needed!

Which leads me to this amazing NuNatural's stevia giveaway...

 

NuNaturals is a health company that sells many varieties of stevia products. You may be asking, what is stevia? Stevia is an herbal sweetener derived from a plant native to South and Central America. It has been called over the years the sweetleaf plant or sugarleaf plant and is called stevia because of the bontanist who first researched it. I first tried stevia in the powder form sometime last year because I was curious about it. You hear so many good things about it. Like how it is calorie-free, doesn't raise your blood sugar and is an herb so there is no weird additives or allergic reactions. I was curious to try and reduce the use of other sweeteners, but also to try and bake with a combination of stevia and another sweetener. I was skeptical of how it would taste. And, it turns out that it is actually very good. It helps you spread the sweetness and have even a more complex sweetness to your treat. Not to mention...less calories...and no changes to your blood sugar.

Last summer I bought a stevia plant from my local farmer's market. I liked seeing the real plant where my stevia extract came from and it was also fun to add the fresh leaves to tea, lemonade and desserts for an added touch of sweetness. It was also fun to have friends over and have them just pick a leaf off and eat it. It is surprisingly sweet and is actually 30 times sweeter than sugar. Yet, it is calorie free because it the stevia sweetener is derived from the green leaf. When the leaves are dried and made into a powder or extract, the sweetness is amplified and is 200-300 times sweeter than sugar and that is why you only need a few drops or pinches here and there to add the sweetness.

Yet, I was slow to try it out because of the cost. It seemed super expensive when I looked at the prices, but I started slow and tried a powder variety that I really liked. Then, last month I received an amazing sample of stevia products from NuNaturals. They were overly generous in the sampling of a huge variety of their product and more than helpful on their website with information, recipes, reviews and more. I was impressed, and as you can see from my last 4-5 recipe posts, I have made quite a bit of holiday cookie recipes with their great stevia product. I have also discovered that the price of stevia is totally worth it in the long run. My favorite is the NuNatural's pure vanilla stevia liquid. Perfect for baking! You use so little for each recipe that the bottle will last a very long time so the cost is worth. I honestly really like NuNatural's stevia over other brands I have tried as well. The product has a smooth sweetness and no noticeable aftertastes or bitterness. I am throughly impressed with NuNatural's product and think I found the brand I plan to stick with when it comes to stevia. Many thanks to NuNatural's for sharing their product with me. I am loving it in my gluten-free, dairy-free, and now sugar-free baking!

And, best of all, NuNaturals wants to offer a giveaway to my readers...in fact, they want to gift to 4 winners in this amazing giveaway. And, on top of that, for those who don't win but are really wanting to try their product, NuNaturals will offer a discount code for all of my readers. And, as always, they also will send you (or anyone) samples of their product in a the mail. (All of these details will be listed below).

The NuNatural's giveaway details include:
1.) This giveaway is open to FOUR (4) blog readers and will be selected at random by random.org by me. The contest is open immediately and the winners will be drawn on December 22 at 9pm EST. You have 1 week to enter and tell your friends!
2.) The 4 winners will receive 1 box of NuStevia Packets (50 ct box) and 1 bottle of NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia Liquid (2 ounce bottle)
3.) The giveaway is open to Continental U.S. residents ONLY

What you need to do for a chance to win:
1.) Leave a comment on this blog telling of your favorite way or idea of a way to use stevia
2.) For extra chances to win, "LIKE" Hope for Healing Gluten-Free Recipes on Facebook, and "LIKE" NuNaturals  Facebook Page, and make sure to leave an additional comment each time you do that. You have at max 3 chances (3 comments) to get in the running to win.
3.) PLEASE leave your email address in each comment so that you can be easily contacted if you win.

In addition to your chance to win:
1.) You can send a self-addressed envelope to NuNatural's for a sample of their product. Send the envelope to:
NuNaturals, INC
2220 West 2nd Ave.#1
Eugene, OR 97402

2.) PLUS, all of my readers are authorized immediately for special discounts with a discount code when you order online from NuNaturals.  Go to their website: www.nunaturals.com, and when you place and order and come to the checkout page you need to enter the code: BLG0612, and then you will receive a special discount of 15% off your entire order. And, if you buy more than $35 dollars after this special discount, you get free shipping in the continental US. This offer is effective now and ends 06/30/12.

CONTEST IS CLOSED- EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 22, 2011.

Stevia Sweetened Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookies

O my stars, is that some starry spice cookies sweetened with stevia?!? Why yes, yes they are gingerbread stars sweetened with stevia. Hm, delicious and nutritious too :)

I made some "sugar" cut out cookies in my last post that were sweetened with NuNaturals liquid vanilla stevia. My newest best friend in the baking department. Yes, stevia is much different than adding some refined brown or white sugar, but for the sake of a healthy life, it is worth the difference. These cookies are not meant to be super sweet, but just enough sweetness to be a yummy treat. Also, these lovely cookies leave you the option to frost or top with other special icings or decorations. This recipe is based purely off of my last recipe post. Since the "sugar" cut out cookies, I have been imagining the added spice to make a gingerbread version. They too are not on the super sweet side and may be perfect for adding a touch of icing or decor. Especially if you decide to cut out actual ginger-men-people :) I decided to do stars. Pretty stars that remind me to look up to the sky and say thanks this season. 

 Stevia Sweetened Sugar Cookie Recipe (vegan)

Dry:

1 1/3 cup of fresh buckwheat flour (I grind my own fresh flour from groats in my magic bullet)

2/3 cup of tapioca flour

2/3 cup of organic millet flour

1 TB of chia seed meal

1 TB of flax seed meal

1/3 cup of coconut palm sugar 

1/2 ts. of baking powder

1/2 ts. of baking soda

1/4 ts. of sea salt

1 ts. of ground cinnamon

1 ts. of ground ginger

1/2 ts. of ground cloves

1/2 ts. of ground nutmeg

dash of allspice

Wet:

7 TB of room-temperature organic coconut oil (I used Nutiva)

4 TB of unsweetened applesauce (I used homemade)

2-3 TB of water

3 TB of blackstrap molasses

1 ts. of apple cider vinegar 

40-45 drops of Pure NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia Liquid

Mix all the dry ingredients together first, then add the wet and mix well with your clean hands or a spatula. It helps to plop the dough on a parchment paper sprinkled with your choice flour (tapioca, millet or buckwheat). If your dough is too wet this will help it become more of a pliable roll of dough, and can use up to another 1/4 cup of flour in rolling out. Dust your rolling pin with flour and then roll out your dough around 1/2 inch to 1 inch thick. Roll the dough as much as you can and then use your cookie cutters in the dough. Try and get as many cookies as you can, then roll out the remainder and repeat. You should get between 2 dozen cookies depending on the size of your cutters. 

The dough is a perfect pliable dough, so if you do not want to make cookie shapes with cutters you could roll dough balls or mold some shapes. The dough also sticks together better than any other GF  cut out cookie I had made before, so I was pretty excited about that. I am going to experiment more with this flour and wet base for this cookies to see what else I can come up with. Also, perfect for a teething baby or toddler to hold onto and chew on and still the buckwheat cookie will melt with moisture in your mouth.


Place all your cookie cut-outs on a parchment papered cookie sheet (or non-stick pan would work too) and you do not need to set too far apart because they do not expand too much. If you want more sweetness, you could sprinkle some coconut palm sugar on top before baking. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before moving from cookie sheet and can let the cookies remain to cool on a cooling rack or paper.  Top with icing and deco if you desire. Maybe a maple glaze would be a nice finish if you didn't want icing and decor. 

P.S.

Regardless of these being great "Christmas" gingerbread cookies for the holiday...these cookies are also rich in iron and magnesium. With the buckwheat and molasses, plus the chia and flax you will get an amazing kick of vitamins and minerals. So even after the holidays have passed, these thick cookies serve as a perfect snack for the anemic, malnourished, or growing babe.  

So, I have been having fun with my Christmas cookie cutters. I think it is way more fun to make fun cookies when you have a little boy to enjoy them. He really still doesn't appreciate the shapes too much yet, but it is the beginning to a fun tradition. I hope you are enjoying the season and are able to slow down and really have some special moments with ones you love. These cookies may just help you get into the spirit. Stop the gluten-free grinch and make some cookies :)


Much love to you as always!

Stevia Sweetened Sugar Cut-Out Cookies

It's Christmas all around and Christmas cookies are certainly on the mind. Yet, if you are like me, which I may just be a tad health-crazed, but I would like to try and make a cookie that doesn't give me a sugar buzz or makes me feel guilty and sick. So to the the drawing board (or kitchen lab) I go. Exactly where I love to be! I was inspired by Whole Life Nutrition and Karina at GF Goddess, but didn't want nuts or dairy in my cookies, so I made my base out of buckwheat instead. Which is in my opinion, my favorite!

Also to help my process, I recently received a very generous and amazing sample of stevia products from the company Nu Naturals. I have tried their product before, but have not tried their stevia liquids. I am super impressed with their product. Great flavor and no weird extras. Straight from the stevia plant and lots of great research and recipes to back up their product. So, I have only used a few of the samples so far, and would like to try a lot more "sugar-free" baking with their stevia this month. Looking forward to trying and sharing more (also, Nu Naturals would like to share the love with some of my readers, so there will be a giveaway announcement soon...soooo, maybe an early Christmas present for yourself!)

I am super excited about making cookies and baked goods with less (or no) sweetener. I already bake mostly with maple, agave, honey or sucanant. But to use stevia with it's natural sweetness and add it with a touch of maple or coconut sugar to add flavor it really is a perfect combination. Plus, there is no sugar hangover and no sugar overload headaches. I don't think I am alone in saying that sugar makes you sick. Not only is sugar proven to reduce (or destroy!) your immunities, but also seems to cause so many other ailments when it becomes an addiction in our lives. Yes, every now and then it is hard to escape it's pull, but for the sake of a healthier happier life I say "NO" to the conventional sugar and look for better, healthier alternatives. Once you make that change, and you see the difference, it's hard to go back...

Stevia Sweetened Sugar Cookie Recipe (vegan)

Dry:

1 1/3 cup of fresh buckwheat flour (I grind my own fresh flour from groats in my magic bullet)

2/3 cup of tapioca flour

2/3 cup of organic millet flour

1 TB of chia seed meal

1 TB of flax seed meal

1/3 cup of coconut palm sugar or sucanat

1/2 ts. of baking powder

1/2 ts. of baking soda

1/4 ts. of sea salt

Wet:

8 TB of room-temperature organic coconut oil (I used Nutiva)

6 TB of unsweetened applesauce (I used homemade)

1 ts. of apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)

1/4 cup of pure water

40-45 drops of Pure NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia Liquid

Mix all the dry ingredients together first, then add the wet and mix well with your clean hands or a spatula. It helps to plop the dough on a parchment paper sprinkled with your choice flour (tapioca, millet or buckwheat). If your dough is too wet this will help it become more of a pliable roll of dough. Dust your rolling pin with flour and then roll out your dough around 1/2 inch to 1 inch thick. Roll the dough as much as you can and then use your cookie cutters in the dough. Try and get as many cookies as you can, then roll out the remainder and repeat. You should get between 2-3 dozen cookies depending on the size of your cutters. 

The dough is a perfect pliable dough, so if you do not want to make cookie shapes with cutters you could roll dough balls or mold some shapes. The dough also sticks together better than any other GF  cut out cookie I had made before, so I was pretty excited about that. I am going to experiment more with this flour and wet base for this cookies to see what else I can come up with. Also, perfect for a teething baby or toddler to hold onto and chew on and still the buckwheat cookie will melt with moisture in your mouth. 

Place all your cookie cut-outs on a parchment papered cookie sheet ( or non-stick pan would work too) and you do not need to set too far apart because they do not expand too much. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-18 minutes depending on your oven and how golden you want them. I left mine in for 18 minutes in my oven because I wanted them to be a bit more crispy than chewy, but they also were still chewy too, so really my kind of perfect sugar cookie. 

Let cool for 10 minutes before moving from cookie sheet and can let the cookies remain to cool on a cooling rack or paper. These cookies are a great "sugar-cookie" substitute for the gluten-free vegan friend- and can be topped with your favorite cookie frosting, or even a cookie glaze. I am experimenting with these cookies with a coconut raspberry frosting. I used stevia again to sweeten the frosting, and the red raspberries were used to flavor and color, because I did not have any natural dyes to color some frosting. I loved the taste of the frosting, but not sure if it is perfect for a cookie frosting just yet. I will post the recipe (below), and will continue to experiment.

These cookies may be considered a bit bland without some traditional "sugar" cookie frosting. So use your favorite recipe for this cookie, or get creative with topping with a maple glaze, dried fruit or coconut. I tried making a raspberry coconut cream icing and it turned out pretty good, still I am not sure if it is exactly what I wanted for this cookie, so I may try it on another cookie or even cupcakes, but I will post it if you are curious or may want to try some kind of version of this recipe yourself. I am still doing some experimenting of my own...more to come :)

Raspberry Coconut Creme Icing Recipe

1/4 cup of coconut cream from a full-fat coconut milk can

1/4 cup of defrosted frozen raspberries ( with juices)

7-8 TB of tapioca flour

30-35 drops of liquid Pure Vanilla Stevia (Nu Naturals)

In a small bowl, whisk the coconut cream, raspberries and stevia, then add one TB of flour at a time to thicken the icing to your liking... Whisk in each Tb so that there is no clumps and it mixes well. Then when it is thick to your liking, pour the icing into a ziplock bag and put in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. Then when you are ready to frost the cookies, cut the corner of the bag of frosting. Just a bitty cut and then you can control the amount of frosting and decorate what you like. I know there is some natural food-coloring out there that I plan to try soon. 

Well friends, let the cookie-baking fun begin! I hope you are having a great time getting ready for the Christmas holiday. Tis the season and it is always so warming and fun to bake cookies, sit by the fire, and play some Christmas music. I hope your heart and home are warmed this season as you anticipate the coming Jesus in your life with all His gifts of love and blessing. 

Much love to you as always!