Orange-Strawberry (Nut-Free) Cut-Out Cookies

I seem to be on a nut-free cut-out cookie kick these days.  Maybe it’s Valentine’s Day.  Or maybe it’s knowing that my mother-in-law, who is allergic to nuts, will be visiting this spring and I want to have yummy options for her.  Either way, here is another nut-free cut-out cookie recipe for you!  These cookies have a lovely flavor on their own and don’t really need the frosting (but boy, are they ever yummy with the frosting! and pretty too!).  Freeze-dried Strawberries are getting easier and easier to find in stores (I typically buy them at Trader Joes because it’s a great portable snack for the kids).  Make sure you check the ingredients on your rum extract to make sure there are no wheat ingredients.

Note:  White chocolate chips are very difficult to find without at least some milk ingredients.  Two brands to look for are Lieber’s Decorating Chips and VeganSweets White Chocolate Chips.  Both of these are available relatively inexpensively online.  Another option is to buy pure cocoa butter and make your own white chocolate (check out this cookie recipe for directions, you’ll probably want to triple or quadruple the batch).

Ingredients (Orange-Strawberry Cut-Out Cookies):

• ½ cup extra virgin coconut oil
• ½ cup honey
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup coconut flour
• 1 ¼ cups freeze dried strawberries (about one 12oz bag)
• 1 ½ Tbsp fine orange zest (zest from about 1 orange)
• ¼ tsp rum extract

1.    Melt coconut oil in the microwave on medium power.  Let cool slightly.
2.    Process freeze dried strawberries in a small food processor until completely powdered.
3.    Mix honey, rum extract, orange zest, eggs and freeze-dried strawberries.  Add coconut oil, stirring well to make sure you don’t scramble the eggs.
4.    Add in coconut flour and stir very well.  Place dough in fridge to harden, at least 1 hour.
5.    Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet (or two) with parchment paper.
6.    Roll dough out between two sheets of parchment paper to ¼“ thick.  Use your favorite cookie cutter to cut out shapes.  Place relatively close together on the cookie sheet.  Ball leftover dough together and roll out again.  Keep going until all the dough is used up.
7.    Bake for 12 minutes (adjust depending on the size of your cookies).  Let cool on cookie sheet or a wire rack.  Enjoy!

Ingredients (Strawberry White Chocolate Frosting):

• 2/3 cups white chocolate
• 2 Tbsp coconut milk
• ½ cup freeze dried strawberries

1.    Melt white chocolate and coconut milk in the microwave on medium power.  Check and stir frequently because white chocolate seizes easily.  Let cool slightly.
2.    Process freeze dried strawberries in a small food processor until completely powdered.
3.    Mix strawberry powder into chocolate mixture.
4.    Spread over cookies immediately, while the frosting is still warm.  Let cool (and harden) on a wire rack or cutting board.  Enjoy!

Do you need help finding any ingredients?  Check out  Important Pantry Items for the Paleo Baker.