Vegan Gingerbread Shortbread

• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together softened margarine or butter if using, sugar and Hedessent flavours, until light in color, about 3 minutes.
• Turn mixer to low and slowly add flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Mix until just combined and turn onto counter to finish dough by lightly kneading by hand.
• Divide dough and place each dough ball on a piece of saran wrap. Gently press to flatten. Wrap and place in the fridge for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper, set aside.
• Dust work surface with flour and unwrap dough. Dust dough and rolling pin. Flatten dough into a 1/4-inch disk. Use star shape cookie cutters to cut dough.
• Transfer your first round of cookies to one baking tray 1-inch apart, roughly 12-15 cookies per tray. Place tray into the freezer while you continue with remaining dough for the second tray.
• Remove tray from freezer placing the second tray into freezer. Place the baking tray onto the center rack of the oven, bake for 12 to 14 minutes, checking halfway until edges of cookies are a pale golden color.
• Repeat with remaining cookies. Transfer cool cookies to cooling rack to fully cool before icing.

Icing

• In the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat margarine or butter until creamy. Stop mixer and add in icing sugar and falvourings.
• Slowly mix everything together. Increase speed to medium- high, add 1 tbsp. of dairy free milk at a time until icing becomes thick and creamy. Spread icing onto cooled cookies and decorate if desired.

TIPS

• This dough works better chilled.  Work in smaller batches
• Personalize your cookies! Add food colouring to icing if desired and top with a pinch of nutmeg or a few sprinkles.
• When icing you can use either a knife or piping bag whichever you prefer.