Vegan Halloween Sugar Cookies

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the vegan butter, caster sugar, and vanilla paste until the mixture is light and fluffy. You can use an electric mixer or do it by hand.
2. Add the plain flour and salt, stirring until combined. Then pour in the unsweetened soy milk and stir until the mixture begins to come together.
3. Lightly dust your work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Don't worry if it's still crumbly; no need for extra milk.
4. Knead the dough gently until it forms a smooth ball. Be careful not to overwork it.
5. Wrap the dough in cling film or place it in a Ziploc bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line a couple of baking sheets with baking paper.
6. Once chilled, roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 5mm (1/4 inch) thick. Lift and rotate the dough occasionally to prevent sticking.
7. Cut out as many cookies as possible and place them onto the prepared baking sheets. Refrigerate the trays for 30 minutes.
8. Gather the dough scraps into a ball, re-roll, and cut more cookies. Repeat until all dough is used, remembering to chill each new batch before baking.
9. While the cookies chill, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) or gas mark 4.
10. Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, until just golden brown.
11. Transfer the baked cookies to a cooling rack and let them cool completely before decorating.
12. Sift the icing sugar into a large bowl. Slowly add warm water, one tablespoon at a time, stirring until the icing is smooth and thick enough to hold its shape when piped. Adding more water is easier than adding more icing sugar, so proceed cautiously.
13. Divide the thick icing into smaller bowls and tint each with gel food colouring of your choice.
14. Transfer some of each coloured icing into separate piping bags, then pipe outlines onto the cookies. Allow the outlines to set slightly.
15. Return the remaining icing to their bowls and stir in half a teaspoon of water per bowl to create a thinner, spreadable consistency. Add a few more drops if needed.
16. Carefully spoon or pipe the thinner icing into the centre of each cookie. The piped outlines will act as a dam to keep the icing from flowing over the edges.
17. Add sprinkles before the icing sets.
18. Allow the icing to dry for one to two hours before serving.