Soy/Dairy-Free Sugar Cookies

For our family, the holidays have always meant a huge binge in cookie consumption. And when I say "huge," I mean it! Each year, my mom starts baking cookies sometime before Thanksgiving and will literally produce several hundred of the treats with various recipes.

Of course, with Little Miss going soy/dairy-free, we knew that our cookie consumption was going to have to change this holiday season -- so I was on the prowl for new recipes that would appeal.

Now, I can't take full credit for these recipes (I found both the cookies and the icing originals on AllRecipes.com) -- but with a couple quick changes, we were on our way to yummy delight!

Cookie Ingredients
1 1/2 cups softened soy/dairy-free spread (like Earth Balance Soy/Dairy-Free Spread)
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely. 

 Makes about 5 dozen.

Icing Ingredients
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tbsp almond or rice milk
2 tsp light corn syrup
1/2 tsp almond extract
assorted food coloring

1. In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.
2. Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies, or paint them with a brush.

I dipped my cookies in the icing to get better coverage. I also used candy coloring (available at Michael's) and a paint brush to add the snow flake details.

Enjoy!