Healthy Gingerbread Cookies

4 C. whole wheat pastry flour
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa or carob powder
4-5 tsp. powdered ginger
1 tsp. ground cloves
¼ tsp. sea salt
1 C. margarine, non-hydrogenated
½ C, brown rice syrup or wheat malt
½ C. barley malt
1 tsp. vanilla
Vanilla rice milk

Decorations: raisins, pumpkin or sesame seeds, minced nuts, toasted coconut

1. Combine flour, cocoa powder or carob, spices and ginger.

2. In a separate bowl, cream margarine with rice syrup, barley malt, and vanilla until smooth.

3. Slowly add dry ingredients. Mix well until a stiff dough has formed. If the mixture seems dry, slowly add the rice milk to achieve the moisture you need.

4. Divide the dough in half and flatten each piece into a thick disk. Wrap in wax paper and chill at least 2-3 hours.

5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of dough (keeping the other refrigerated until ready) to about 1/8-inch thick. Cut into shapes using various cookie cutters. With a wide spatula, lift cookies onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining dough, re-rolling scraps to make more cookies.

6. Decorate cookies as you like with the ingredients listed above, and bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are beginning to brown.

7. Allow cookies to cool on the sheets until firm to finish baking and prevent breakage.

Yield: 4 dozen cookies

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