Gluten-Free & Vegan Soft Sugar Cookies

Submitted by shancarter

"My attempt at recreating the commercially available soft cream cheese sugar cookies, but gluten-free and vegan"

 

• Ready In: 18mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Yields: cookies

ingredients

• 250 g cassava flour (or alternative flour blend)
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon table salt
• 100 g granulated sugar
• 36 g powdered sugar
• 1 cup coconut cream (Aroy-D, 100g)
• 40 g palm shortening (at room temperature)
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons Ener-G Egg Substitute
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F
2. Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set them aside.
3. In a large bowl, place the cassava flour, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar and confectioners’ sugar, and whisk to combine well.
4. In a separate bowl, place the cream cheese, butter, egg and vanilla, and mix to combine well.
5. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the cream cheese mixture.
6. Mix to combine, and then knead it together with your hands until a smooth dough forms.
7. Place the dough between two sheets of unbleached parchment paper and roll out a bit less than 1/3-inch thick.
8. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out rounds of dough and place them about 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
9. Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake set in the center and just beginning to brown on the edges, about 10 minutes.
10. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
11. Once the cookies are completely cool, pipe or spoon a generous amount of a firm (Lofthouse-style) frosting onto the top of each in whatever pattern you like. Allow to set at room temperature until the frosting hardens and is firm to a light touch. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.