High Five For Christmas

This weeks High Five 4 Friday Christmas is : Christmas Sweets. We love to bake, and we do a lot of it this time of the year.


1)The best sugar cookies ever!!!

Sugar Cookies. (Gluten-Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free)

2 cups Gluten-Free Flour(see recipe)***
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup Earth Balance Soy Free Butter
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. Splenda (or 3/4 cup sugar)
1 egg(Chino Valley Ranch Soy Free Eggs)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 325 F.
In a medium bowl combine the flour and salt with a wire whisk.
In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until well mixed. Scrape down sides of bowl, then add the flour mixture. Blend on low speed just until combined. Do not over mix.
Gather dough into a ball. On a floured surface, roll out dough to a 1/4 inch thickness. With cookie cutters, cut dough into desired shapes and place on ungreased cookie sheets. 
Bake for 13-15 minutes, being careful not to brown. Let cool 
Decorate with colored sugar or sprinkles.

*** 1 1/4 cup rice flour, 1/4 cup tapioca starch, 1/2 cup potato starch, 1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum. (makes 2 cups)

Royal Icing

4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
3 T. meringue powder
6 T. warm water
1/2 t.  vanilla

Beat 8-10 min. This should be the consistency to trim the cookies, if to thick add water, if to thin add conf. sugar just a little bit at a time.
(makes 3 cups of base consistency icing) 
Put a portion for trim in a decorator bottle (or) bag,
Take a portion of the icing and put in a separate bowl and add a little more water to get a flow consistency to fill in the cookies. You can also add desired tints or coloring. You can also put sprinkles, sugar or glitters on cookies while flow is still wet. Let dry. ENJOY!!!

2)Enjoy Life Hot Chocolate. The best hot chocolate we ever had. It taste like your drinking a chocolate bar.
You can find the recipe here.


3)Peanut Butter Fudge.(found on Pinterest)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup Earth Balance soy free butter, plus additional for greasing pan
• 1 cup Earth Balance creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 16 ounces confectioners’ (powdered) sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Butter the bottom and sides of an 8- x 8-inch pan, then line with parchment paper. (The butter helps the paper stick to the pan.) Lightly butter the top of the parchment paper, as well. Combine the 1 cup butter and peanut butter in a large microwave safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap and microwave on full power for 2 minutes. Carefully remove from the microwave, stir, then microwave on full power for an additional 2 minutes.

2.  Remove the bowl from the microwave. Carefully stir in the vanilla and confectioners’ sugar with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until evenly combined. The mixture may become a little crumbly at first, but continue to stir until the ingredients are smooth and a nice “dough” forms.

3.  Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer, pushing to fill the corners. Place an additional square piece of parchment paper directly on the surface of the fudge. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Use a large knife to cut into 1-inch cubes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

4)Eggnog Coffee Cake. Perfect for Christmas morning.(This recipe was found on Mandy's recipe box but we changed it to be allergy friendly)

Eggnog Coffee Cake

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup Earth Balance soy free butter 

1 cup So Delicious eggnog

1 cup caned coconut milk(refrigerate)

1 teaspoon rum extract

2 soy free eggs

2 1/2 cups  special flour blend(same flour as in the sugar cookies above)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Struesel Topping

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon special flour blend

1 tablespoon Earth Balance soy free butter 

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Grease bottom only of rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches, with butter. In small bowl, mix all Streusel Topping ingredients with fork until crumbly; set aside. In large bowl, beat 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Beat in 1 cup eggnog, the coconut milk, rum extract and eggs until blended. Stir in 2 1/2 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Spread in pan. Sprinkle Streusel Topping over batter. Heat oven to 350°F  bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes.

Eggnog Glaze

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1-2 Tbsp. So Delicious Eggnog

In small bowl, mix all Eggnog Glaze ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over coffee cake.

5)Cinnamon Apple Creamed Hot Cereal. Perfect for those cold Christmas days.

Recipe here.

What is your favorite Christmas sweets? Leave us a comment below.