1cupEarth Balance vegan butter-y sticks(2 sticks), room temperature
1egg OR 1 chia egg(3 Tablespoons hot water with 1 Tablespoon of ground chia seed)
1t. vanilla bean paste
3cupsof my favorite gluten-free flour blend
1 1/2t. guar gum
1 1/2t. baking powder
1/2t. salt
1/2t. cinnamon
1/4t. cardamom
1/4t. ground ginger
1/8t. nutmeg
1/8t. fresh ground black pepper
1/4t. fennel seed, ground in spice grinder
For the Maple Glaze:
1cuppowdered sugar
3Tablespoonsmaple syrup
1Tablespoonwater, if needed
Instructions
For the cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream sugar and Earth Balance/butter until just incorporated in bowl of stand mixer. Add egg (or Chia egg) and vanilla bean paste. Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl. Add dry ingredients one cup at a time to mixture in stand mixture.
Split the dough into two equal parts. Press into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Roll out on plastic wrap. (Optional: roll on a floured surface but this creates a more brittle, dry cookie.) I unwrap the dough and turn out onto one sheet of plastic wrap, then top with another sheet of plastic wrap and roll out til about 1/4" thick. These may be cut with any size round cutter you would like. I use a 2" round cutter, which yields 48 total cookies.
Bake on silpat or parchment lined baking sheet at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes.
For the Glaze:
Make the glaze after the cookies have cooled.
In a bowl, mix together sifted powdered sugar and 3 Tablespoons maple syrup. Add water a little at a time if needed to reach a thick consistency that can be spooned onto the cookies.
Using a spoon, spread a small dollop atop each cookie. Allow to sit uncovered until the glaze has set.