How to Decorate AIP Sugar Cookies (& AIP Frosting Recipe)
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This sugar cookie decor is AIP compliant, and a super fun activity to do with the whole family! Pair it with AIP sugar cookies for a holiday treat.
Decorating sugar cookies is by far one of my favorite holiday traditions! Every year on Christmas eve, my husband and I set out two batches of my sugar cookies, set out all of the decor, turn on some Christmas music, and have fun decorating. It’s a fun and creative activity to do for the whole family, and it’s obviously delicious.
So what happens when you can’t just grab the normal icing, sprinkles, etc. from the grocery store! Here’s how you decorate sugar cookies to keep it AIP!
The Ingredients for Decorating AIP Sugar cookies
- Sugar cookies. Of course! This is my recipe for sugar cookies, or you can make it even easier by buying my cookie mix collab with Legit Bread!
- Palm shortening & coconut cream. These are the main ingredients I use to make the frosting.
- Matcha powder & pomegranate juice. These are what I use to color the frosting, though you can use other natural food colorings of your choice. I love making green frosting with matcha powder and pink/red frosting with pomegranate juice.
- Pomegranate seeds. These are AIP compliant and make the perfect red accent for sugar cookies. Plus, they taste so delicious.
- Carob chips. You’ll want to make them homemade like this!
- Marshmallows. You can make them homemade, or buy them from Sweet Apricity Caramels.
The Tools for Decorating AIP Sugar cookies
- Cookie cutters. You honestly don’t need cookie cutters if you don’t want to use them, but I highly recommend grabbing some! You can use any shapes you’d like, though I always love using snowmen, Christmas trees, mittens, etc.
- Piping bags and frosting tips. You can buy piping bags and frosting tips online or at craft stores, or you can just as easily use a plastic bag with a hole cut into the tip.
- Icing knife. If you don’t want to use piping bags, I like using an icing knife as well. Though you honestly could just use a butter knife!
How To Decorate AIP sugar cookies
- Make the frosting: By creaming together the coconut cream, palm shortening, and honey. Thoroughly break up the coconut cream and stir until a soft and creamy frosting is formed. Add the 1/2 tsp of the coloring (matcha powder or pomegranate juice) at a time, and stir. Adjust the amount of coloring until you reach your desired taste and color.
- Decorate: Once the sugar cookies (you should have enough to decorate about 2 batches) are fully cooled, frost with the frosting and your choice and decorate as desired!
Do you need to use piping bags and tips? Can you just whatever you have on hand?
You can make this process as fancy or as simple as you want. Honestly, I almost always just use a butter knife to frost cookies.
Can you use something other than sugar cookies for this?
This is also great for gingerbread, and decorating gingerbread houses!
Can you store the frosting for later?
The frosting is best fresh as it can solidify in the fridge. If you do make it ahead of time, just set it out on the counter to return back to room temperature.
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PrintHow to Decorate AIP Sugar Cookies (& AIP Frosting Recipe)
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 cookies 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This sugar cookie decor is AIP compliant, and a super fun activity to do with the whole family! Pair it with AIP sugar cookies for a holiday treat.
Ingredients
For the green frosting
- 1/2 cup palm shortening
- 1/3 cup coconut cream (the cream that hardens on top of a can of coconut milk set in the fridge)
- 2 tsp light-colored honey
- 1/2–1 tsp matcha powder
For the pink/red frosting
- 1/2 cup palm shortening
- 1/3 cup coconut cream
- 2 tsp light-colored honey
- 2–3 tsp pomegranate juice
For the decorations
- 3–4 tbsp AIP carob chips
- 3–4 tbsp pomegranate seeds
- 10–12 AIP marshmallows (homemade or sweet apricity)
Instructions
- Make the frosting by creaming together the coconut cream, palm shortening, and honey. Thoroughly break up the coconut cream and stir until a soft and creamy frosting is formed. Add the 1/2 tsp of the coloring (matcha powder or pomegranate juice) at a time, and stir. Adjust the amount of coloring until you reach your desired taste and color.
- Once the sugar cookies (you should have enough to decorate about 2 batches) are fully cooled, frost with the frosting and your choice and decorate as desired!
Notes
This recipe makes green and pink frosting. To make yellow frosting, use 1/2- 1 tsp turmeric powder!
- Prep Time: 10
Does this frosting dry and harden up so you can frost the cookies ahead and store them for later like traditional royal icing does?
The frosting is best fresh as it can solidify in the fridge. If you do make it ahead of time, just set it out on the counter to return back to room temperature.