Inspired by the neon pink dragon fruit/pitaya smoothie bowl trend, I decided to experiment with using dragon fruit to create a slightly tart neon pink frosting (no food coloring needed). I decided to strain out the small black seeds for a smoother finish, but they can also be left in for spotted dolphins. In my humble opinion, the resulting texture of the frosting is a perfect happy medium between a hard cookie icing and a sumptuous buttercream, perfect for simple cutout cookies. For the eyes I used homemade vegan googly eyes, but you could just as easily use mini chocolate chips. This is my first time working with dragon fruit, but I am so happy with how these turned out!
Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups vegan butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 flax egg (1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons water)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons pink dragon fruit or pitaya, strained (I used a thawed Pitaya Plus Smoothie Pack)
vegan googly eyes or mini chocolate chips (optional)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups vegan butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 flax egg (1 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoons water)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons pink dragon fruit or pitaya, strained (I used a thawed Pitaya Plus Smoothie Pack)
vegan googly eyes or mini chocolate chips (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, cream together 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 cup vegan butter using a standing mixer or hand mixer. Add in vanilla extract, flax egg and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice.
In a separate bowl, stir together the 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour with 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until thoroughly incorporated. If the dough is a bit dry, add a splash of water until it reaches your desired texture. Refrigerate the dough for 15-30 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out about half of the dough at a time. I recommend placing a sheet of parchment paper on top of the dough to keep the rolling pin from sticking. Using a dolphin cookie cutter (or other mystical being of choice), cut out your shapes and transfer them to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving at least 1/2" between the cookies. Remaining scraps of dough can be pressed together into a new ball of dough. Continue until all of the dough has been used up.
Place the filled cookie sheet in the oven for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. Transfer the finished cookies to a cooling rack.
Now onto the frosting. In a medium bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar with the remaining 1/2 cup vegan butter using a standing mixer or hand mixer. Add in the remaining 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons strained pink dragon fruit and continue to mix until creamy and delightfully pink.
Once the cookies are cool you are ready to decorate. I highly recommend getting in the zone with some really good music or 90s sitcoms. Using a piping bag or small squeeze bottle, first outline the border of the cookies. In lieu of creating a thicker frosting for outlining and a thinner frosting for filling, I found that placing my outlined cookies in the freezer for a few minutes worked just as well, and allowed me to use the same frosting for filling. I also used a small flat knife to spread the frosting evenly and blend in the border. Optionally, you can give the dolphins added personality with vegan googly eyes or mini chocolate chips. If you are a decorating wiz, feel free to elaborate from there with tedious outlines, contrasting underbellies or Coachella crowns; whatever your heart desires. These freeze very well if you are making them ahead of time. Enjoy!
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, cream together 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 cup vegan butter using a standing mixer or hand mixer. Add in vanilla extract, flax egg and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice.
In a separate bowl, stir together the 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour with 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until thoroughly incorporated. If the dough is a bit dry, add a splash of water until it reaches your desired texture. Refrigerate the dough for 15-30 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out about half of the dough at a time. I recommend placing a sheet of parchment paper on top of the dough to keep the rolling pin from sticking. Using a dolphin cookie cutter (or other mystical being of choice), cut out your shapes and transfer them to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving at least 1/2" between the cookies. Remaining scraps of dough can be pressed together into a new ball of dough. Continue until all of the dough has been used up.
Place the filled cookie sheet in the oven for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. Transfer the finished cookies to a cooling rack.
Now onto the frosting. In a medium bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar with the remaining 1/2 cup vegan butter using a standing mixer or hand mixer. Add in the remaining 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons strained pink dragon fruit and continue to mix until creamy and delightfully pink.
Once the cookies are cool you are ready to decorate. I highly recommend getting in the zone with some really good music or 90s sitcoms. Using a piping bag or small squeeze bottle, first outline the border of the cookies. In lieu of creating a thicker frosting for outlining and a thinner frosting for filling, I found that placing my outlined cookies in the freezer for a few minutes worked just as well, and allowed me to use the same frosting for filling. I also used a small flat knife to spread the frosting evenly and blend in the border. Optionally, you can give the dolphins added personality with vegan googly eyes or mini chocolate chips. If you are a decorating wiz, feel free to elaborate from there with tedious outlines, contrasting underbellies or Coachella crowns; whatever your heart desires. These freeze very well if you are making them ahead of time. Enjoy!