Today: Allergy Mama Sunflower Butter Cookies Recipe & Sugar Cookies

Today Show: Allergy-Safe Desserts

Do you need to make desserts that can serve a crowd, including guests with food allergies? Today Show turned to blogger Kelly Rudnicki, author of The Allergy Mama’s Easy, Fast Family Meals, who shared holiday cookie recipes that are safe for everyone.

“Nobody should be deprived. We should absolutely include everybody,” Kelly said, noting that one out of every 13 kids has a food allergy. Just make sure to pay close attention to the ingredients you are using, and watch out for allergy warnings on the labels.

Today Show: Allergy Mama Sunflower Butter Cookies Recipe Ingredients

These Sunflower Butter Cookies are a great alternative to classic Peanut Butter Cookies. “You want to chill your dough for at least an hour,” Kelly said.

• 1/2 cup Dairy-Free Shortening
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/4 cup Unsweetened Applesauce
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 cup Creamy Sunflower Butter
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 1/2 cups Unbleached Flour
• 3/4 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 tsp Salt

Allergy Mama: Today Show Sunflower Butter Cookies Recipe Directions

1. Use the paddle attachment of a stand mixer to work shortening with sugars, butter, and applesauce together.
2. Separately, whisk flour with baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. Work dry mixture into the wet mixture until combined. Chill for one hour.
4. Preheat the oven at 375 F and prepare two baking sheets with parchment.
5. Form the dough into 1” balls and space them evenly on the baking sheets.
6. Use a fork to press patterned lines onto each cookie.
7. Bake about 13 minutes, to light brown. Let completely cool on the baking sheets.

Today Show: Allergy Mama Allergy-Friendly Sugar Cookies Recipe

Applesauce replaces eggs in this Sugar Cookie recipe. Rice Milk replaces dairy in the frosting. “Be really careful with the sprinkles and the toppings too,” Kelly advised.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Dairy-Free Shortening
• 1/2 cup Unsweetened Applesauce
• 2 3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour (or use Gluten-Free)
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Salt

Frosting Ingredients

• 1 cup Confectioner’s Sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp Rice Milk
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions

1. Beat sugar with applesauce, shortening, and vanilla in a mixer.
2. Separately, whisk flour with salt and baking powder.
3. Combine flour mixture with shortening mixture until mixed.
4. Chill for one hour.
5. Preheat the oven at 400 F and prepare baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. Roll dough out to 1/4” thick and use cookie cutters to create fun shapes.
7. Bake about nine minutes, to light golden. Let completely cool on the baking sheets.
8. For the frosting, whisk ingredients together and spread on the cookies once they have cooled.