RECIPE: Vegan/Gluten-Free Clementine Sunshine Cookies with Clementine Cashew Cream Frosting

Hello all!  Gah!  Again, SO glad this week is over.  It was too busy and therefore stressful and so much went wrong or did not turn out like it should have, blah, blah, blah.  I know all of you know what I'm talking about.  It's like what I need most is to pause, sit and *breathe* (which yoga helps me do).

I had grand plans of making a ridiculously long post this evening but honestly, I'm too pooped for that.  I had plans every day this week to force myself to relax and just plop my butt down at my computer and write a post, as a way of allowing myself to escape, but did I allow myself that?  No.  And as a result, I have a multitude of post ideas in my head, an excess of photos and a lack of excitement now that my buzz is killed.

Wah.  Wah.

So I decided tonight's post would be yet another recipe!  I made some vegan AND gluten-free "Sunshine" cookies the other day.  I call them this because clementines--the cookies' star ingredient--are sunshine-y and bright and sunshine-y and bright is what I need during these frigid days.  Plus!  Clementines are in season :)

Oh.  And can we just talk about these?!?!  Insane.  I want them in my belly.  Right.  Now.

 Vegan/Gluten-Free Clementine Sunshine Cookies with Clementine Cashew Cream Frosting

Yield: Apx. 24 hearts <3

Ingredients:
Cookies
- 1 3/4 c. organic powdered sugar
- 1/2 c. organic non-hydrogenated shortening
- 2 Ener-G 'eggs'
- 2 T. clementine juice
- 1 T. clementine zest
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 c. sorghum flour
- 1/2 c. + 2 T. tapioca starch
- 1/2 c. coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt

Cashew Cream Frosting
- 1 c. cashews, soaked overnight
- Juice and zest from 4 clementines
- 2 pitted dates
- 2 tsp. coconut oil
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 T. agave nectar

Directions:
1.  In a stand mixer, mix powdered sugar and shortening together until fluffy.  Add 'eggs', followed by clementine juice and zest and vanilla extract.
2.  In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients and add to wet mixture until just incorporated.
3.  Divide mixture in half, create two rectangles approximately 3/4-1 inch thick, wrap in wax paper and let chill in refrigerator overnight.
4.  The next morning preheat your oven to 425'.  While oven is preheating, roll out dough so that it's about 1/4 inch thick and cut out cookies.  Place on parchment-lined baking sheets and let bake for 6-7 minutes, or until very faintly golden around the edges.  Cookies will not spread a lot but will puff up a bit.
5.  Blend frosting ingredients together, adding more clementine juice, as needed, and spread on cooled cookies.
6.  Enjoy!
*Cookies will keep for about 1-1 1/2 weeks in the refrigerator :)