VEGAN LEMON COOKIES:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup vegan butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
VEGAN ROYAL ICING:
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 6 tablespoons liquid from canned chickpeas
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- Pinch of salt
DECORATIONS:
- 1 batch Vegan Royal Icing
- Vegan black food coloring
- Gold sanding sugar
- Gold candy pearls
EQUIPMENT:
- 2 ¼-inch round cookie cutter
- 12 lollipop sticks
- Decorating tips: #1, #3
Makes 12 Cookies
Vegan, Gluten Free
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Beat in the lemon zest and juice.
4. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture until combined.
5. Shape the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 325F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a ½-inch thickness. Cut out 12 cookies using the round cookie cutter and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
8. Insert a lollipop stick halfway into each cookie.
9. Freeze the cookies for 10 minutes.
10. Bake until the cookies are firm to the touch but not browned at the edges, about 10 minutes.
11. Let cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
DECORATE:
1. Make the vegan royal icing. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the powdered sugar and chickpea liquid until smooth and thick, 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, almond extract, and salt until well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Divide it between 2 bowls. Tint one bowl black and leave the other white. Scoop the black icing into a decorating bag fitted with a #1 tip and the white icing into a decorating bag fitted with a #3 tip.
2. Outline the cookies with the white icing, then fill in the centers. Let the icing harden for about 1 hour.
3. Pipe a circle of white icing at the edge of the cookies. While the icing is still wet, sprinkle on the gold sanding sugar.
4. Pipe the black icing onto the cookies to create the face and hands of a clock. While the black icing is still wet, place a gold pearl in the center of the clock.
5. Let the cookies set for 1 hour before serving.