Healthy holiday cutout cookies (vegan, gluten-free)

Mmmmm...cookies. It’s the most wonderful time of year for baking them. So, the days are ticking down rapidly. As easy to mix, roll and shape as play dough and as playfully delightful, these festive cutout cookies are meant to be shared, from prep to partaking. As an added bonus, they freeze well…and they are pretty much guilt-free.

ORGANIC INDIA whole husk psyllium works as a binding agent in these gluten-free, vegan morsels, allowing for a light, nutty crunch instead of crumble. Naturally sweetened with fresh orange juice and zero-calorie, low-glycemic monk fruit sweetener, these treats for your sweets are about as good-for-you as healthy-for-cookies get. 

As well as lending unique binding properties, psyllium provides a rich source of both soluble and insoluble fibers. Best known for supporting digestion, psyllium is also increasingly noted for numerous other health benefits, including supporting healthy blood sugar and preventing heart disease. Certified organic and GMO Project verified, our ORGANIC INDIA psyllium is a gift to wholesome baked goods — sure to help make the season sparkle.   

Makes approximately 16 medium-sized cookies.

Ingredients 

1 ½ cups almond flour 

¼ cup coconut flour 1 Tablespoon psyllium  

¼ teaspoon baking soda 

Pinch sea salt (about ⅛ tsp) 

¼ to ⅓ cup monkfruit sweetener, to taste 

3 tablespoons aquafaba (drained chickpea water) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

¼ cup olive oil 

2-3 tablespoon orange juice or as needed 

Rice or other gluten-free flour for dusting (to help with rolling), optional 

Sprinkles, icing and other decorations of choice 

Instructions 

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

Combine almond and coconut flours, psyllium, baking soda, sea salt, and monk fruit sweetener in a medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine. 

Add aquafaba, vanilla, oil, and 2 tablespoons orange juice. Stir to form a dough that can be pressed into a ball and flattened. Add additional orange juice if needed. 

Gently roll out balls of dough, dusting with rice or other gluten-free flour as needed to assist. Use cookie cutters to make shapes. 

Bake for 8-10 minutes, until browned along tops and edges. 

Cool completely before removing from baking pan. Ice and decorate as desired.

* To make a naturally sweet icing, combine 1 cup of coconut sugar with 1 tablespoon tapioca flour and process in a high-speed blender until powdery. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in fresh lemon juice until achieving desired consistency.

*This recipe first appeared on the ORGANIC INDIA USA blog.