Gingerbread Cookies

Makes about 16 cookies (depending on the size of your cutters)

1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup plain soymilk

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour (or a mix of both)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

spice blend:
1/2 teaspoon each ground nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

Directions
In a large bowl whisk together oil and sugar for about 3 minutes. Add molasses and soymilk. The molasses and soymilk won’t really blend with the oil but that’s ok.

Sift in all of the other dry ingredients, mixing about half way through. When all of the dry ingredients are added, mix until a stiff dough is formed. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for an hour or up to 3 days in advance. If you chill longer than an hour you may want to let it sit for 10 minutes to warm up a bit before proceeding.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease your cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface roll the dough out to a little less than 1/4 inch thick. Cut out your shapes with your cookie cutters and use a thin spatula to gently place on cookie sheets. If you are using them to decorate a tree or something, remember to punch a hole in their heads (!) before baking. Bake for 8 minutes.

Remove from oven and let them cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet then move to a cooling rack. Wait until they are completely cool before icing.

Vegan Cookie Icing

2-1/4 C Confectioners Sugar

2 Tbl Light Corn Syrup

1-2 Tbl Almond Milk add more as neede 1/2 tsp at a time

Vegan Food Coloring optional

In a bowl, combine the powdered sugar, corn syrup and almond milk with a fork until smooth. If it is too thick, add more almond milk 1/2 tsp at a time. If it is too thin, add more confectioners sugar 1 tsp at a time.

The icing should maintain its shape when drizzled but eventually 'heal' or settle back into itself. Test a cookie or two and wait a few minutes to see if it's too runny before proceeding.

I use a small round tip to outline and then fill in the cookies.

Tint the icing to make a variety of colors. The gel food coloring does not affect the consistency of the icing at all.

Allow to air dry until hardened. At this point, you can choose to use edible food color markers if desired.