Happy Earth Day Vegan Cookies

My best friend from high school, Emilie posted a picture of these super cute vegan Earth Day cookies that she made for her daughter's class. I think they are totally cool and will try them A.S.A.P., but wanted to share the recipe while Earth day was still happening. I also think it is super fun to be able to gobble up little earths. (Like Galacticus Devourer of Worlds. I am so a mom of little boys)

 This recipe is a modified version of a vegan sugar cookie recipe. If you do not color the dough and prepare it to make earths you can roll it out for Christmas cookies, or color it and make spring, fall or 4th of July cookies. Very versatile ;)

Vegan Earth Day Cookies

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or 2 cups white flour
3/4 cup white sugar, preferably vegan
 1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup canola oil or 1/2 cup safflower oil
3 -4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

blue and green paste food coloring

blue and green colored sugar sprinkles

Directions:

1
Mix together pastry flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. In another bowl, whisk the applesauce, oil and vanilla together until well combined.
2
Pour wet ingredients into dry, and stir to mix. Then knead them into a dough. Divide the dough in half and color one half blue and the other half green using desired amounts of the food color pastes. You may be able to use traditional liquid food colors, but to get the vibrance you will want it will require a lot of color and you may need to add some extra flour so the dough is not too sticky.

 3 

On a piece of wax paper gently combine tablespoon - 1/4 cup sized pieces of both colors of dough and form into a 12-18 inch log. Roll the dough up in the wax paper, seal in a gallon zip top bag and refrigerate 2+hours.

4
Start preheating the oven, 350 degrees. Remove the dough from the bag and wax paper wrapping. Roll the chilled dough in the sugar sprinkles. Slice into 1/4 inch slices and place on a nonstick or parchment lined cookie sheet.
 5
Bake for about 10 minutes, till just barely golden brown on the bottom edges. The colored dough makes it hard to tell if the cookies are done, they do not "brown" on top, but the bottoms will brown slightly. Remove from the pan and cool on a rack.