One of the best ways to bring the full-sensory holiday experience to your home is to bake gingerbread cookies. They smell, look and taste festive, really delivering the ho-ho-ho.
This recipe contains no eggs. Butter is replaced with shortening, vegan butter or margarine (many margarines are vegan, but check the label for milk products such as lactose or whey; nonvegan types usually say “contains milk” in bold letters).
The usual approach is to roll out the dough, but you can also treat it like Play-Doh, which is especially fun for kids. They can mold their own free-form shapes, just don’t let their creations get too thick or they won’t bake evenly.
A simple white icing finishes the job. Make your own or buy an easy-to-use tube.
Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 cups flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/3 cup shortening, vegan butter or margarine, softened
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Icing, for decorating
Directions:
Combine flour, baking powder, salt and all the spices in a bowl. Stir well. Cream shortening and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until smooth, then beat in molasses and vanilla.
Gradually mix in flour mixture. If dough becomes so thick it is hard to mix, add 1-2 tablespoons water. Refrigerate dough at least 1 hour. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with baking parchment.
Sprinkle work surface with flour. Roll out dough, working in batches, to about 1/8-inch thickness and cut with cookie cutters. Place cookies on prepared sheet; repeat to use up dough. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, then let cool on baking sheet on a rack (cookies will firm up as they cool).
Decorate with icing. Makes about 18 medium-sized cookies.
Approximate nutrient analysis per serving (not including salt to taste): 110 calories, 3.5 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 150 mg sodium, 17 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 1 g protein. Nutritional analysis provided by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.
The Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation is an international nonprofit with a local office in Kaimuki. Its mission of community service includes the promotion of a healthy vegetarian lifestyle. To learn more, visit facebook.com/hawaiitzuchi or call 808-737-8885.
