Jack-O'-Lantern Cookies

Have some sweet and spooky fun with these great natural Jack-O'-Lantern cookies for Halloween.

How:

• Make the spelt cookie recipe (listed below)
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• Roll out dough and cut into pumpkin shapes
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• Bake cookies and let cool
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• Make yam frosting recipe (listed below)
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• Spread the yam frosting on the cookies to color your jack o' lanterns orange
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• Use black and green icing, or use raisins, for the eyes, nose, mouth, and stem (natural food coloring ideas)
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• Enjoy your festive Halloween cookies!
  
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Spelt Cookie Recipe

1 cup butter
1 cup honey or sugar
4 egg yolks
¼ cup rice, soy or cow's milk
3 ½ cup spelt flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. mace

Reheat oven to 350 degrees. Add salt, baking powder and mace to flour. Set aside. Cream butter. Add sugar or honey in thirds to the butter and cream after each addition. Add half of the egg yolks at a time and cream after each addition. Fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Add milk and mix into a ball. Cover with waxed paper and refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours. Roll out with a rolling pin between two pieces of waxed paper. Cut with cookie cutters or roll and pat flat with your hands. Lay cookies on buttered pan and bake for 15 minutes or until as brown as you like them. Remove from cookie pan and cool on counter.

Yummy Yam Frosting Recipe

Reprinted from Feeding the Whole Family by Cynthia Lair (Sasquatch Books, 2008)

Watch the video on how to make this frosting from Cookus Interruptus here.

This naturally sweet, beautiful golden-orange frosting comes from the creative mind of Rita Carey. 

1 cup mashed baked yams
¼ cup softened cream cheese*
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup or agave nectar
1 teaspoon lemon or orange juice

Place yams, cream cheese, butter, syrup and juice in a bowl and cream together.  Puree this mixture with a hand mixer or in a food processor to a smooth, spreadable consistency.

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Makes ¾ - 1 cup frosting

* vegans can substitute 2 ounces of silken tofu