Iced Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

My inspiration for this recipe initially came from Trader Joe's Candy Cane Joe Joes. I.cannot.stop.eating.them.

Chocolate, pepermint, and candy canes are a combination made for each other. I adapted my sugar cookie recipe from my Grandma that I veganized awhile back.

Chocolate cut-out sugar cookies are where it's at you have my word. I can always gauge a new recipe by how much dough my hubby continues to steal and gobble down. There was a lot of that going on this time.

Iced Chocolate Sugar Cookies with Peppermint Candy Cane Topping

3 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups margarine (I used Earth Balance Buttery Sticks)
3 tsp baking powder
2 "eggs" using Ener-G Egg Replacer
1 Tbsp. coconut beverage (soy, almond, hemp, or rice work too)
2 tsp. vanilla

Peppermint Icing

1 ½ cups Powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. coconut beverage milk (or other milk alternative)
1 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract

Candy Cane Topping

6 Small sized or 2 large candy canes crushed

Cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the sugar and margarine (I recommend using a non-hydrogenated one). Mix together the Ener-G egg replacer with a whisk until creamy. Add it to the mixture, along with vanilla, baking powder, coconut milk and mix well.

Combine with the flour to make dough. Separate into 3 sections, and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or if you are in a rush about a half hour in the freezer. Roll out dough to 1/3 " thick and cut out shapes. Bake in oven 9-12 minutes or until edges are set. Transfer from pan to cooling rack until completely cooled.

Icing:
In the meantime, mix together the icing. Whisk together peppermint extract, powdered sugar and coconut milk, alternately adding coconut milk and powdered sugar. Once desired consistency is reached you are ready to decorate your cookies. I shoot for a maple syrup type thickness when you pout the icing.

Decorating:
I recommend using a pastry brush to "paint" the icing onto the cookies. You can also add sprinkles or crushed candy cane pieces onto the cookies after icing, but need to do it immediately after icing a cookie before it starts to dry.

 
Crushed Candy Cane Topping:
The simplest way to do this is in a food processor/blender, but you can crush them with a rolling pin.