Peppermint “Sugar” Cookies

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~ raw, vegan, gluten-free ~

While I was creating raw cookies for the holiday season,  I found that I was craving… color!  I LOVE all the raw cookies but in the end, they tend to all look alike.  I do love all the beautiful earthy colors of browns and tans that naturally enhance our cookies through nuts, seeds, dates, and so forth.  But sometimes I need a little color and since red is my favorite color, it was high time to create a red cookie.

I did a little homework to see what it takes to create a really red dessert.  So I turned to none other than the red velvet cake.  Just out of curiosity.  Did you know that to get that deep velvety red they use a whole one 1-ounce bottle red food coloring!!

I “red” an article that stated:  “Children are most often the ones who have a sensitivity to red 40, whether or not their parents have realized it or not. Reactions include temper tantrums, hyperactivity, aggressive behavior, uncontrollable crying and screaming, kicking, nervousness, dizziness, inability to concentrate and sit still, among other findings. Physically you may get frequent headaches or migraines, upset stomach and feel ill after ingesting this additive.

Often when Red 40 is eliminated from the child’s diet a remarkable change is noticed immediately.  Children who have been diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) generally have significant improvements of their behavior and ability to concentrate when artificial additives such as red food dye are removed from their diet. Red 40 can also affect adults; it is a common trigger for migraines.  It can also cause an upset stomach and make you feel uncomfortable and jittery.”  Source.

I didn’t need to go any deeper, that alone was enough to convince me to steer clear, not that I normally consumed it but after reading that they dump a whole bottle of that dye into a cake mix, I was just flabbergasted, yes… flabbergasted.

So for today’s red cookie, I juiced a rock-hard red beet!  I know, the sound of red beet and a cookie just don’t seem to go hand in hand but trust me on this, you won’t even detect it.  Want to know how I am sure of this?  Well, my dear husband does not like beets and that is putting it mildly.  The words such as loathsome – nasty – repulsive – abominable – revolting, are more like it. Sorry to paint such an image but I shared that because I gave Bob a spoonful of dough to taste test and he loved it.  I never even mentioned a thing about the beet, he had no clue!  I hope you enjoy this recipe. Blessings, amie sue

Ingredients:

18 cookies

Cookies:

• 2 cups  almond flour
• 1 cup raw cashew flour
• 1/3 cup coconut flakes, shredded
• 1/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt

• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp peppermint extract
• 1/4  cup + 1 Tbsp  fresh beet juice (8 oz weight of a fresh beet)

Decorating:

• White cake frosting
• Shredded coconut
• Dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds

Preparation:

Cookie:

1. In a food processor, fitted with the “S” blade, break down the almonds, cashews, and coconut into a flour – individually.  Add all together back into the food processor bowl, add salt and pulse together.
2. Add the maple syrup, vanilla, peppermint extract and beet juice.  Process until it starts sticking together and forms a ball.
3. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for at least 40 minutes or until chilled through.
   • This step is very important.  If you attempt to skip it you will find the dough too sticky to deal with.
   • You could also place the dough in the fridge overnight if you wanted to do this in phases.
4. Once chilled, line your surface with plastic wrap and place the chilled dough ball in the center.  Cover with another piece of plastic, then start to roll the dough out to about 1/4″ thick.  Remove the top plastic piece and using cookie cutters, cut out your shape(s) and transfer them to the mesh sheet that comes along with your dehydrator.
5. Dry at 145 degrees (F) for 1 hour, then reduce to 115 degrees (F) in the dehydrator for approximately 10-16 hours or until desired dryness is reached.
6. Frost, decorate and eat!

Culinary Explanations:

• Why do I start the dehydrator at 145 degrees (F)?  Click (here) to learn the reason behind this.
• When working with fresh ingredients it is important to taste test as you build a recipe.  Learn why (here).

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Tags: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Soy Free, sugar free, Vegan