Decorating Cut-Out Cookies without Dyes or Sprinkles

One of my cherished memories from when my kids were young is decorating Christmas cookies together on Christmas Eve. When our diet changed, I was determined not to miss out on this family tradition. With a little experimentation, I learned that we did not have to sacrifice anything.

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Tips for Working with Almond Flour Cut Outs

Transferring Dough Cut Out to Baking Sheet

Almond flour cookies make tasty cut-out cookies, but the dough can be a little more fragile to work with when transferring the dough cut out to the baking sheet. If your dough shapes tend to fall apart or stick to the surface, try the following technique:

1. Roll the dough on a sheet of parchment paper with a piece of plastic wrap on top. Roll to about ¼" thick.
2. Press the cookie cutter down against the cutting surface and then jiggle it a little side to side to completely free the cookie from the dough surrounding it.
3. Cut all shapes, but do not attempt to transfer them.
4. Slide a thin cutting board or piece of cardboard under the parchment paper with the rolled dough on top and put the whole thing back into the freezer.
5. Let the dough freeze again and when it is very firm, remove from the freezer. It will be much easier now to slide a spatula under the cookies and transfer them to the baking sheet.

When Dough Gets Stuck in Cutter

If your cutters are not hollow (the type that produces design impressions in the dough as shown in the photo above), almond flour dough may get stuck inside the cutter. To prevent this, lightly spray or brush coconut oil on the insides of the cutter, then dip in almond flour to coat. Gently tap the cookie cutter on a hard surface to dislodge extra almond flour. The cutter is now ready to use.

Cut-Out Cookie Recipes

Try one of these cut-out cookies recipes or use your favorite instead. I used the SCD Cut-Out Cookies recipe for this demonstration:

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Decorating Ideas

Icing/Frosting

I used the Nut Butter Cream Frosting from Comfy Belly, but you can use your favorite frosting or icing recipe. You can color the icing using the juice from frozen fruit (eg, raspberries), but if you add too much juice, it will cause the icing/frosting to separate and not combine smoothly. I preferto add color with some creative sprinkles options, instead.

Sprinkles

Examples of potential sprinkle ingredients (note: I chose not to use the cranberries for this project).

The following are some great options for decorating your cookies if they are compliant with your diet and tolerated:

Freeze-Dried Fruits

Freeze-dried fruits make great sprinkle powder in a variety of colors:

• Apple = white
• Pineapple = very light yellow (or off white)
• Mango = yellow/gold
• Strawberry = pinkish red
• Raspberry = red
• Blueberry = deep purple/black

Cinnamon

A dusting of cinnamon makes a great brown sprinkle.

Cacao Powder

If cacao is included in your diet, it also is a great brown sprinkle.

Shredded Coconut

Shredded coconut is a great white sprinkle.

Citrus Zest

• Lemon = bright yellow
• Orange = orange
• Lime = light green

Chopped Nuts and/or Chocolate Pieces

Chopped nuts and/or chocolate pieces work well as larger accents like buttons on a snowman.

Decorate!

Prepare the freeze-dried fruits: Pour into a blender cup and process until a fine powder.

Prepare the citrus zest: Wash the fruit surface well, dry well, then grate with a fine grater/zester.

Decorate: Spread the icing on the cookie and dust with the desired sprinkles. Involve the whole family. This is a creative and fun activity for kids and a nostalgic one for adults who grew up decorating cookies with their families.