Happy Fourth of July!

In honor of Independence Day, we have some not-quite-as-healthy but delicious star cookies.  Rich chocolate with a hint of cayenne for a little sweet and spicy kick, these are vegan gluten-free cookies that will really make your fourth pop ;)

Spicy Chocolate Stars

Ingredients:

1-2/3 cup gluten-free flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
dash sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (1/2 teaspoon if you want it spicier!)
1/2 cup  oil (coconut, grapeseed or avocado)
3/4 cup raw cane sugar or sucanat or coconut palm sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup nondairy milk

Directions:

1.  Sift dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
2.  In a larger bowl, whisk wet ingredients.
3.  Preheat oven to 350 and grease several cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
4.  Mix dry ingredients slowly into wet, and then roll out between wax paper until 1/2" thick.
5.  Cut into desired shapes, such as stars for a patriotic cookie ;)
6.  Bake 10 minutes, let cool then top as desired.

I melted nondairy chocolate chips and drizzled them over the cookies, finishing with some red, white and blue sprinkles (side note: these are not organic sprinkles and a totally artificially dyed.  Omit the sprinkles or look for food dye made colored with beets, etc for healthier colorful decorating).

Yogi and Zeke say happy 4th!!

photobomb!