Special Occasion Cookie Boxes

How cute are these little cookie boxes!? And they couldn't be more simple. Once the cookies are baked, just stamp circles out, glue with royal icing, fill with candy and top with a final cookie! Cut out the cookies in any shape, like trees for Christmas or hearts for Valentine's Day.

 

Sugar Cookies

yields 16 cookies or 4 complete boxes

1 1/2cups organic powdered sugar
1 cup vegan butter, room temperature
1/4 cup almond milk

1/2 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling

1 1/2tbl cornstarch

1 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp baking soda

food gel paste, color of your choice
small candies, for the center

Cream together the powdered sugar and butter until light and creamy. Add the milk and extracts and combine. Add the flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar and baking soda and mix together.
To get the ombre effect:
Put in a touch of color and mix to combine throughly. Remove 1/4 of the dough and set aside. Add more color and mix. Remove 1/4th of the dough and set aside. Add more dye and mix, remove 1/4th of the dough and set aside. Add 1 final amount of color to achieve the darkest color.
Wrap all 4 balls of dough up individually and chill for at least 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350.
Flour the counter top and roll out one disc of dough at a time 1/4" thick. Stamp out 4 circles from each color. Bake for exactly 10 minutes.
The lightest colored cookie will be the bottom and are finished.
Stamp a smaller circle out of the second and third lightest colors while the cookies are still hot.
The darkest color cookie will be the top.

Royal Icing
2 cups organic powdered sugar
1 1/2 tbl almond milk
1 tbl light corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
food colors/sugar decorations
Whip the sugar, almond milk, corn syrup and vanilla until thick and smooth.


To assemble cookie boxes:
Pipe a layer of royal icing around the edge of the bottom cookie. Top with a cookie with a punched out center. Pipe another layer of royal icing on top and top with the third cookie. Fill with candy and place the 4th, whole cookie on top. Decorate the top cookie with royal icing.

Strawberry Balsamic Semifreddo with Pink Peppercorns and Smoked Salt

If you're looking for a new dessert to make this Valentine's Day, look no further! This layered semifreddo combines sweet, savory, salty and spicy in every bite and is a cinch to make. Dust off that ice cream machine that hasn't been used since Summer and make some strawberry balsamic sorbet. A maybe not-so-surprising combination, strawberries and balsamic pair beautifully together in salads so why not mix the two into a frozen treat? Top with fluffy whipped cream, spicy pink peppercorns and smoked sea salt and you have a layered dessert fit for the one you love most.

more valentine's day treats
Crumb Cake Walnut Brownies
Frosted Cut Out Sugar Cookies
Strawberry Chocolate Chip Pie


Homemade strawberry and balsamic sorbet layers the bottom of this frozen parfait and is topped with whipped cream, fresh strawberries, crushed pink peppercorns and smoked sea salt. An elegant dessert to serve for Valentine's Day or any special event.

Strawberry Balsamic Sorbet
parfait serves 5-6
1 lb strawberries, washed and hulled
1 cup water
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup organic cane sugar

Combine all of the ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the berries have broken down, 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain to remove the seeds.
Chill until completely cold.
Transfer to an ice cream maker and process according to your machine's directions or until the sorbet is soft and spreadable.
Line the sides and bottom of a loaf pan with parchment and spread the sorbet in an even layer. Freeze until ready to put in the coconut cream.

Coconut Cream
1-19oz can coconut cream (not coconut milk), chilled
1 cup organic powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 strawberries, thinly sliced
coarsely ground pink peppercorns, for garnish
smoked sea salt, for garnish
1 oz bittersweet chocolate, for garnish

Scoop out the thick cream layer in the can. If you are using a 19oz chilled can of coconut cream this will be most of the can.
Combine it with the powdered sugar and vanilla and whip for 3-5 minutes until stiff.
Pour half of the cream over the sorbet, lay down the strawberries and pour the remaining whipped cream over the top. Smooth out the top and lightly sprinkle the top with pepper and salt. Freeze completely.
When ready to serve, let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes then slice with a hot knife .Garnish the slice and plate with shaved chocolate.