Animal Gingerbread Cookies

The holiday season is here and we’re combining Animal Month with Christmas to bring you the perfect recipe for beautiful vegan gingerbread cookies! Before you start, make sure you have animal-shaped cookie-cutters or make some on your own.

Ingredients for Cookies:

1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tbsp cinnamon

2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 cup coconut oil, room temperature

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp cane sugar

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup molasses/maple syrup

1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

In one bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, then set aside. In a second bowl, cream together the coconut oil and the sugar. Beat for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is nice and light. Add the water, molasses/maple syrup and vanilla, beat for another 30 seconds until well mixed.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed sugar mixture, beating to combine.

Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours/overnight.

Before rolling, let the dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 163C (325F).

Roll the dough directly onto parchment paper. The dough should be 1/4″ thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out the dough. Put the unbaked cookies in the freezer to chill for 10 minutes.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges and barely firm in the center. Let them cool completely before decorating.

Ingredients for Icing:

2 cups powdered sugar

3 1/2 tbsp soy milk

4 tsp golden corn syrup

 Instructions:

In a small bowl, beat together the powdered sugar and soy milk until smooth.

Add the corn syrup and continue beating until thick and glossy.

After making the cookies and icing, you can decorate as shown in the picture.

Enjoy! Just remember to share with us pictures of your fabulous cookies 🙂

If you’re wondering what to get for your pet this holiday season, check out DIY Gifts for your Pets.

This was written by TeenBuzz blogger Hanny, the most adventurous member of our TeenBuzz radio team. She loves traveling as much as she can to experience and learn about different cultures, food, scenery and most of all – the people.

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