Fork and Beans

Making food fun for the family

Christmas Light Cookies

by


The older I get, the more I realize that people fall into 2 categories:

1. Those that love Christmas.
2. Those that hate Christmas.

I have yet to meet someone who is in between and could take or leave it either way. No, there are clear lines that divide the population and by age 30ish, you have your mind made up. It’s in the “Coming of Age” rule book). Those that love Christmas, do so because it is a time of magic and beauty. A season where their lives are filled with Presents, Family, and Love. Those that hate Christmas, do so, well, for the same reasons. Presents (they cannot afford) to buy for those that they really don’t like to begin with, Family. Need I say more? And love. What a commercialized sham. I tend to be pessimistically optimistic in my day-to-day life (meaning I grumpily approach life as a half-full glass of water, yet with a sense of cheerful suspicion that someone has replaced my water with some sort of poison). But when it comes to this time of the year, I cannot help but squeal like a little school girl in expectation that my glass is half-full of eggnog (the non-dairy kind). One of the things that especially transports me into this happy state is Christmas lights. Which makes all the sense in the world to make Christmas Light Cookies.

Christmas Lights Cookies, perfect for lightening up your gluten, egg, and dairy-free holiday

 This cookie recipe is a part of the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies series that I have teamed up with Brooke from Crackers on the Couch. She supplies her favorite recipe and I figure out a way to convert it to make it a tasty gluten-free and vegan treat.  Go to Brooke’s blog to check out how she did it. They look delightfully awesome!

Christmas lights are so personally transfixing for me. They wrap me up into a different reality and fill my heart with a sense of child-like wonderment. I could stand and stare at them for hours. Maybe it is the fairytale that they tell when I experience them. “Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a girl, who at that brief moment, had no care in the world. And everything was beautiful just for that moment…”

Print
Christmas Lights Cookies

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: 2-3 dozen

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 c. Earth Balance (softened)
  • 3/4 c. sugar
  • 3 1/2 c. Cara's All-Purpose Blend
  • 1 tsp. xanthan gum

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Cream butter and sugar together with a hand mixer. Mix thoroughly.
  3. Combine flour and xanthan gum. Gradually mix (1 c. at a time) the flour into butter/sugar mix until combined and a nice dough forms.
  4. Roll out between two pieces of parchment paper that have been lightly floured until the dough is 1/4" thick. If it's too soft to roll out, chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
  5. Cut out into desired shapes. Bake for 15-20 minutes (1/2 the time for small cutouts).
https://www.forkandbeans.com/2011/12/07/christmas-light-cookies/

Sometimes it’s good to listen to a fairytale every now and again. Reality has a way of barging into our lives way too often, anyway. And if you ask me, I think that it’s completely okay to forget about our troubles and immerse ourselves in lights, even if it’s just for a month… she typed, as she sipped on her Silk eggnog.

Namastasty

About Cara

Based in Chicago with her husband and son, Cara is the creator behind the site Fork and Beans: A place where kids can have fun with their food.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Laurel

    Ooh, I love all the pretty lights. I missed so much with my computer malfunction – strings of lights and snowflakes. That’s all I need from the season. Sometimes sugar filled fantasies are all that get me through. BTW I’ve made shortbread with ground chia seed. I didn’t add water to make a gel just about 1 1/2 tsp thrown in with the dry ingredients. They held together and stayed crisp until devoured. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you. That man of yours needs to be there to save you from yourself!

  3. Sissy

    The other night, Robert came down with his phone….he had taken a picture of the girls…apparently, Corynn got scared (another word for mischievous, annoying little sister) and got in bed with Cami (who was actually sleeping). They were so close to each other and sleeping so cute….it just made me lau and tear up a bit….so many good memories of having my own sissy! I am so blessed not just to have you as my sis, but also that I will have THREE girls who will hopefully make their own sweet Christmas memories like we did. (PS – remember how we used to draw on each other’s backs and try to guess the picture???) 🙂

    • Cara

      As much as we joke about the horrible, rotten things that we used to do to one another, we still had some really sweet, innocent mmoments, wouldn’t you say? So glad that our friendship gets better and stronger as we get older.

  4. Sissy

    What about sleeping in your sissy’s bed the night before Christmas??? Talk about memories!!!! 😉

    • Cara

      Hey, you are spoiling future post topics! That really is the *top* holiday memory for me. I am sure it is for you too because *I* am involved 🙂

  5. Richa@HobbyandMore

    ahh the pretty lights… i need to get me some sprinkles!.. we dont really celebrate christmas.. but the lights,.. songs and the cheer definitely is wonderful.. this year we celebrated Diwali ( which is in October )with my parents after 10 years..coz we always end up going to India in december and no big celebration in december there.

      • Richa@HobbyandMore

        Its like our Christmas.. over 10 days of celebrations.. a big harvest festival celebrations of stories of good winning over evil.. make lots of indian sweets.. and we light oil lamps instead of electric lights..visit family and friends.. eat, eat, more eat., exchange sweets, desserts or edible things instead of gifts… and eat.. similar stuff.. 🙂 my parents this year chose to give dried fruits and similar stuff instead of the milk and ghee(clarified butter) loaded indian sweets… i am proud of them!

    • Cara

      You know, I think you really could! I was just too chicken to try it because I only had an hour to get it right. Try it and tell me how it works out.
      What? No funny story?

        • Cara

          I am NEVER tired of your stories!!! They are the highlight of my day (honest to goodness!) But I totally understand those days–today is one of those for me too. Which is probably why I was hoping for an Isobelle story–I just wanted to smile 🙂 You are the best, you should know. An utter and total delight.

          • Isobelle

            Thank you, Cara 🙂
            I’m glad to have someone to tell my sometimes incomprehensible stories to.

            If you’d like to know, I bit into an apple today that was bruised on the inside (the INSIDE). I didn’t eat the rest, but it made me think that the apple was probably in some sort of emotional pain or something. It was hurting. Inside.

          • Cara

            If that was my apple, I would give it a hug (before I threw it away, that is). Wouldn’t it be interesting if we could take a bite out of people and see all of their bruises? I woner how many would corrode my innards?

          • Isobelle

            That would be interesting. Your innards would probably be corroded all of the time though. And it would be your fault. For biting everybody.

            My poor apple.

  7. Your biggest fan!

    I LOVE CHRISTMAS! I’m one of those “glass is overflowing” types and the lights? Oh the wonder 🙂 ***…”I like to give. Sometimes I’d find myself hurting from giving too much, and I’d say “Stop it”. That’s why I got into broadcasting.” *** Theses look so good. All of your recipes are deLIGHTful! But, what the heck is xanthan gum?

    • Cara

      I’m really going to treasure this. And all of you.
      hahahaha. I wonder what people think when they read our exchanges. Probably something along the lines of, “These women are either super sappy and/or they make no sense.”
      Where do you think I got the love for all thing holiday related???

  8. mj monaghan

    Cara, I absolutely LOVE the name of your blog! I love a good play on words. Your pics are fabulous also. You’re on to something with the gluten-free. I can’t go veg, but gluten is probably a big contributor to a lot of health issues. Great site! I’m following you now. Not to be confused with stalking you :).

    http://mjmonaghan.wordpress.com/

  9. naturalnoshing

    Oh I love Christmas! I am one of those people 🙂
    And those shortbread lights are too stinkin’ cute!!! I want all five right now, please!
    I bet they are super delicious too – are you still the only one taste testing these recipes? Sugar rush!!!

    • Cara

      I had a feeling you were a Christmas lover, Nora 🙂
      And yes, I am still the lone taste tester. Hopefully that will change next week. Fingers crossed. Until then, I will do my duty and eat cookies every afternoon at coffee time 🙂

      • naturalnoshing

        I am in the same boat too! 🙁 It’s bittersweet though – I do love me some eatin’ but it’s fun to share the experience with someone else too!
        Does he get back Dec 16th? I am super excited for you!!!!! I hope all goes according to plan love!

        • Cara

          Well, he was saying the end of January yesterday, but today it’s back to the 14th. We will see… I need someone here to take care of me while I am injured!

  10. Lizzie

    I love the lights too. My absolute favorite thing about the season, actually, is seeing someone’s Christmas tree through their window, all lit up and glowing.

    • Cara

      aaaaaaahhhhhhhhh, I love that! I also love when it is dark in the house but you can see the glow of the lights outside. It’s so peaceful to me 🙂

  12. Caitlin

    wow, that is one ridiculously simply ingredient list! they looks so pretty, too! i can’t remember the last time i had sprinkles. i don’t even know where i would get vegan ones..

  13. Ashlae W.

    Cutest. cookies. EVER. I love the little bulbs and different colored sprinkles! Now, do tell me where you got that cutter so I can be a copycat? They’re just SO adorable.

    PS – most advent calendars come with treats that I can put into my face. Yours is so deceiving.. teasing my eyes and all.

    • Cara

      I got the cutter at Ross, actually. It came in a pack of like 12 other mini cookie cutters. Copycat. Again. ha!
      Your advent treats are in the mail…

      • Ashlae

        I am such a copycat. It’s becoming embarassing. And whaaaat? You’ll be getting yours at the end of next week – finals are *almost* over. Ahhhhh!

        • Cara

          Well you won’t get yours until you move *since that is the only address I have for you anyway* 🙂 How are finals going? Mine are next week and I am not looking forward to them…

  16. coldandsleepy

    Josh is one of those rare in-betweeners. He likes some things about Christmas (visiting family, giving & receiving presents) but doesn’t really care for decorations or songs or Christmas movies or trees or even Christmas lights.

    And that last one is kinda blasphemous… like you, I am transported by Christmas lights and sometimes I kinda wish they were out all year. Everything looks so NICE with Christmas lights on.

    I looooove how simple this recipe looks! And I do have a little bag of xanthan gum to burn through.. hmmmmmm…

    • Cara

      What????? Josh is completely blasphemous!! How does one NOT like Christmas lights??? And everything he dislikes about Christmas are the very reasons why I love it. I think we should arm wrestle over who is right. Loser wins, seeing that my wrist just gave out and I am typing this with one hand…

Trackbacks