Vegan Spritz Cookies

Photo: Jim Franco

Spritz Cookies
Makes about 40 cookies

Classic spritz cookies, made with a cookie press, are the very essence of Christmas, and they are a welcome and tasty addition to your holiday cookie tray. Serve them plain or dress them up with colored sugars, sprinkles, or frosting. You can also decorate them with beautiful red dried cranberries.

1 cup Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread
3/4 cup unrefined sugar
2 tablespoons Ener-G egg replacer, beaten with ¼ cup water
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of sea salt
1 teaspoon almond extract
Colored sugar, sprinkles, chips, or dried cranberries, for decoration

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Oil two baking sheets.

With a mixer, cream the buttery spread in a large bowl and slowly add in the sugar. Stir in the egg replacer mixture.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and gradually beat into the butter mixture until well incorporated. Stir in the almond extract.

Fit a cookie press with the desired disk, fill with the dough, and press the cookies onto the prepared baking sheets about 3 inches apart. Decorate with the desired toppings.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes. Then remove and let cool on a plate or cooling rack completely before serving.

Excerpted from Vegan Holiday Cooking from Candle Cafe (Ten Speed) by Joy Pierson, Angel Ramos, and Jorge Pineda (2014)

More vegan cooking:
Vegan Butternut Squash Lasagna
Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes
Vegan Pad Thai