Well, Jen, once again, I'm probably too late for ya, but I'm trying anyway!
I came across this online. I don't know how good they actually are, but they look pretty safe!
Holiday Cookie Cutouts
recipe by Patsy Jamieson
There is no need to wait for December to enjoy crisp sugar cookies in fanciful shapes. Capture the spirit of fall by baking maple leaf- or pumpkin-shaped cookies. And when the festive season arrives, have fun with holiday shapes like stars and wreaths. Use the Cinnamon-Sugar Topping for crisp cookies that make perfect teatime treats or finish with Decorator Icing for more elaborate cookies.
Prep time: 45 minutes
Start to finish: 3 hours (including chilling time)
To make ahead: The cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks
Degree of difficulty: moderate
Ingredients
Holiday Cookie Cutouts
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour (you could probably use all-purpose flour and be fine)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup low-fat firm silken tofu (see Ingredient Note)
1 large egg (use 2 egg whites, or egg replacement)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon butter, softened (use soy butter substitute)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cinnamon-Sugar Topping or
Decorator Icing (recipes follow)
Ingredient Note: Choose silken-style tofu, available in most supermarkets, rather than regular tofu for this recipe. It has a custard-like texture, which is suitable for pureeing.
Cinnamon-Sugar Topping
Prep time: 5 minutes
Start to finish: 5 minutes
Degree of difficulty: easy
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large egg white, lightly beaten with a fork
Decorator Icing
Prep time: 15 minutes
Start to finish: 15 minutes
Degree of difficulty: moderate
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons pasteurized liquid egg whites or equivalent reconstituted dried egg whites (3 egg whites)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Food coloring (optional)
Water for thinning, if needed
To make:
To make Holiday Cookie Cutouts:
1. Whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Puree tofu in a food processor. Add egg, sugar, oil, butter and vanilla; process until smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides. Add the dry ingredients and pulse several times just until dough clumps together.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead several times. Divide in half and press each piece into a disk. Dust disks with flour and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray.
5. Working with one piece at a time, on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough slightly less than 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter. Gather scraps and re-roll. Place cookies about 1/2 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. If using Cinnamon-Sugar Topping, add it now.
6. Bake cookies, one sheet at a time, until light golden around the edges, 12 to 16 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely.
7. If using Decorator Icing, decorate cookies as desired. Let stand until frosting has set, 30 to 45 minutes.
To make Cinnamon-Sugar Topping:
This simple topping gives the crisp cookies a delightful finish. For a festive look, place a stencil over the cookie before sprinkling with sugar. You can also tint the sugar mixture with a few drops of food coloring.
In Step 5, mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Before baking cookies, brush with egg white then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
To make Decorator Icing:
This versatile icing is ideal for piping, but it can also be thinned with water and painted over cookies; it dries to a beautiful matte finish. To avoid health concerns about uncooked eggs, use pasteurized egg whites. You can find both refrigerated cartons of pasteurized egg whites and convenient pasteurized dried egg whites in most supermarkets.
1. Sift sugar and cream of tartar into a large mixing bowl. Add egg whites and vanilla; beat with an electric mixer at low speed until mixed. Increase speed to high and beat until icing has thickened and holds peaks, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Decorate cookies. While working, keep the icing covered with a damp towel to prevent it from drying out. Let cookies stand until icing has set, about 30 minutes.
Makes about 32 cookies.
Per cookie (undecorated): 67 calories; 2 g total fat (0 g sat, 1 g mono); 6 mg cholesterol; 11 g carbohydrate; 1 g protein; 0 g fiber; 25 mg sodium.
Cinnamon-Sugar Topping: Per 1/4 teaspoon: about 4 calories.
Decorator Icing: Makes about 2 cups.
Per teaspoon: 20 calories; 0 g total fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 5 g carbohydrate; 0 g protein; 0 g fiber; 2 mg sodium
Edited by Heather (10/08/14 03:15 PM)
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