Recipe: Gingerbread Cut Out Cookies (using soy milk, no eggs)

GINGERBREAD CUT OUT COOKIES


1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup plain soy milk
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
FOR THE SPICE BLEND:
1/2 teaspoon each ground nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

In a large bowl, whisk together the oil and sugar for about 3 minutes. Add the molasses and soy milk. The molasses and soy milk won't really blend with the oil but that's okay. Set aside.

Sift in all the other dry ingredients, mixing about halfway through. When all of the dry ingredients are added, mix until a stiff dough is formed. Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill for an hour or up to 3 days in advance.

WHEN READY TO COOK:
If the dough chills 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 degrees F. Lightly grease two baking sheets or line them 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 the cookies on the sheets. If you are using the cookies to decorate a tree or something, remember to punch a hole in their heads (!) before baking.

Bake for 8 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet, then move them to a wire rack. Wait until they are completely cool before icing.

Makes about 16 Cookies
Source: Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero