Vegan Cardamom Sugar Cookies with Mango Icing

5 from 3 votes

Delectable vegan cardamom sugar cookies slathered with a delicious mango icing for natural color and amazing flavor.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Total Time25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Global

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: cashews, mango icing, Vegan cardamom sugar cookies

Servings: cookies

Calories: 110kcal

2 ¾ cups unbleached all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup vegan butter (coconut oil is a healthier option but it will add some flavor to the cookies, which I don't love in this recipe, but if you don't mind it, go for it.)
1 ½ cups sugar
¼ cup applesauce
¼ cup nondairy milk
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Mix the non-dairy milk and vinegar and set aside.
In a bowl, mix the all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a stand mixer or in a large bowl, place the softened butter or margarine or coconut oil and beat with the sugar until everything is soft and well-mixed.
Add the applesauce, vanilla extract, and cardamom powder and mix well.
Add the flour mixture in two batches, mixing with a spatula after each addition until everything is incorporated. Add the milk and mix. The dough should not be wet but moist enough to come together in a ball.
Using your fingers, pinch off a small portion of the dough and roll into a smooth ball. Flatten it slightly and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Leave at least an inch between the cookies because they will spread.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until the cookies are lightly brown.
Remove, and after two minutes, slide off the cookies with a spatula to a rack to let them cool.

Soak the cashews in water for 30 minutes.
Drain the cashews and blend them in a very smooth paste. You might need to add some water-- if you do, add no more than a tablespoon at a time to make the blender blades move. I needed about ¼ cup of water.
Place the cashew paste in a colander covered with a double layer of cheesecloth and leave alone for a couple of hours. This will help remove some of the liquid and thicken the paste.
In a bowl, mix the cashew paste, mango puree, sugar, vanilla extract and mix well with a whisk. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before frosting the cookies (make sure the cookies are thoroughly cooled first).