Cinnamon Crunch Cookies with Sugar-Free Vegan Icing

 

Cinnamon Crackers with Sugar-Free Vegan Icing


It has taken me three separate batches of these crunchy little cookies to even get pictures, because each time I’ve made them, they have quickly been devoured by both my husband and father before I could even say no. If that doesn’t speak for this recipe, I don’t know what will. They are just that good.

Remember Mother’s brand iced oatmeal cookies? When I was little, I absolutely loved those things. They had this little hint of spice to them that reminded me of spice cake, and it didn’t hurt that they were topped with a heavy coat of sugar-filled icing. They were just plain good, and when I saw a pack of them the other day, it took me for a trip down memory lane.

When I set out to make these cookies, icing wasn’t even part of the equation. My intention was to make a better option for little ones who prefer their snacks slightly sweeter, but after seeing those Mother’s oatmeal cookies, I figured I would give vegan icing a whirl and see what happened when I combined the two. The end result? Pure nostalgic happiness, without the following guilt trip.


Cinnamon Crackers with Sugar-Free Vegan Icing


While these cookies are absolutely addictive in their bare form, the icing really takes them over the top if you find yourself craving a little something extra. Thankfully, that little something extra is sugar, dairy and gluten free.

The flour recipe to make these is incredibly versatile, and if you own a high speed blender like a Vitamix, you can make it right at home. If you don’t, no need to worry, you can purchase these flours ready to go at your local health food store. Just sift the given amounts of each together and store any remaining in an airtight container.


Cinnamon Crackers with Sugar-Free Vegan Icing


My Sugar-Free Vegan Icing also requires a high speed blender, as you will be making your own powdered sugar with a mixture of Xylitol and pinch of arrowroot or cornstarch. If you don’t have access to a high speed blender, you can used organic powdered cane sugar, but keep in mind, this icing recipe will no longer be sugar-free.

Like I said before, these cookies are fantastic on their own. The icing is totally not necessary, but just an added little bonus for those who want it. If you do use the icing recipe, keep in mind that you will need to let the icing harden overnight before you can store these cookies. The icing will save in a sealed container in your fridge for about 2 weeks, just let it soften at room temperature before using it.

Cinnamon Crunch Cookies with Sugar-Free Vegan Icing
 
Recipe Type: snack
Cuisine: american
Author: The Lean Clean Eating Machine
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 cups
Crunchy cinnamon cookies for adults and kids alike that are vegan, gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free. Recipe for sugar-free icing included!
Ingredients
  • ***FLOUR BLEND:***
  • 1 cup superfine brown rice powder
  • 1 cup sorghum flour
  • 1/2 cup potato starch
  • 1/2 cup arrowroot starch
  • ***Cinnamon Crunch Cookies:***
  • ***Dry Ingredients:***
  • 1 cup of flour blend
  • 1/3 cup buckwheat flour
  • 1/2 tsp. gluten free baking powder
  • 1/3 cup unrefined organic coconut sugar
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp. pink Himalayan salt
  • ***Wet Ingredients:***
  • 3 heaping Tbsp. unsweetened apple sauce
  • 1/3 cup organic virgin coconut oil; room temperature, slightly softened
  • 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbsp. finely ground flaxseed or purchased flaxseed meal + 2 Tbsp. warm water; whisk and let thicken for 5 minutes
  • ***Sugar-Free Vegan Icing:***
  • 2 Tbsp. Ener-G egg replacer + 4 Tbsp. warm water; whisked together thoroughly
  • 3 cups sugar free powdered sugar (recipe below)
  • 1.5 Tbsp. vegan cream cheese (I used Daiya)
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • **For pink icing, add in 100% unsweetened pure cranberry juice or cherry juice 1 tsp. at a time until you reach your desired color. Add additional powdered sugar to thicken back up.
  • ***Sugar-Free Powdered Sugar:***
  • 3 cups Xylitol granulated sugar (I used XyloSweet Sugar Substitute)
  • 6 tsp. arrowroot or cornstarch to prevent clumping
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, pour the given amounts of each flour and starch through a sifter and mix to thoroughly combine. Place flour in an air-tight storage container, and put 1 cup back into the mixing bowl, along with 1/4 cup of buckwheat flour, gluten free baking powder, unrefined coconut sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Mix to thoroughly combine.
  3. In a small dish, whisk together 1 Tbsp. finely ground flaxseed or purchased flaxseed meal and 2 Tbsp. warm water. Whisk until combined and allow to thicken for about 5 minutes.
  4. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the slightly softened coconut oil, unsweetened applesauce, thickened flaxseed mixture and vanilla extract. With an electric mixer, whip ingredients together until fully combined.
  5. Add your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients and using your hands, mix until your dough has formed.
  6. With your hands, form the dough into two separate balls, then cover each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  7. If using icing, prepare while you wait by combining sifted powder sugar blend (3 cups xylitol + 6 tsp. arrowroot or cornstarch in high-speed blender until sugar is in powder form), vegan cream cheese, prepared Ener-G egg replacer and lemon juice into a mixing bowl.
  8. Using an electric mixer or wooden spoon, combine everything together until thick. Add more of the powder sugar blend if it needs to be thicker.
  9. For pink icing, add in 100% pure cranberry juice or pure cherry juice 1 tsp. at a time until you reach your desired color. Add additional powdered sugar to thicken back up.
  10. Set icing aside until ready to use.
  11. Remove dough from fridge and roll one dough ball out between two pieces of parchment paper. If your dough is too sticky, sprinkle the bottom of the paper and top of dough with a tablespoon of the flour blend. Roll dough into 1/4″ thickness and cut out with whatever your desired shape cookie cutters (I used about 1.5” sized cookie cutters).
  12. When finished, place cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes. When finished, remove cookies from oven, flip them over, then bake for an additional 8-10 minutes or until the edges are nicely brown. Repeat with other dough ball.
  13. Allow cookies to fully cool and crisp up on a wire rack before storing a sealed container.
  14. If icing cookies, use about 1/4 tsp. of icing per fully cooled cookie, spreading it evenly with a flat utensil.
  15. Allow cookies to sit on wire rack over night or until icing has fully hardened before storing them.
 

 

 

 

 

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