Mexican Chocolate Cutouts

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
  
• 1/4 cup 60% to 70% tub-style vegetable oil spread (just veg oil?)
  
• 1/2 cup sugar or sugar substitute blend* equivalent to 1/2 cup sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or ground chipotle chile pepper
  
• 1/4 cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 1 egg
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
  
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1-3/4 cups if using sugar substitute blend)**
  
• 1 recipe Vanilla Icing and/or Chocolate Icing
  

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine butter and vegetable oil spread; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Add sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper; beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Add egg and vanilla; beat until combined. Beat in cocoa powder. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours or until easy to handle.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough, half at a time, to just under 1/4-inch thickness. Using 1- to 2-1/2-inch star-shape or desired shape cookie cutters, cut into shapes. Reroll scraps as necessary. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes or until edges are firm and centers are set. Transfer to wire racks; cool completely. Decorate tops with Vanilla and/or Chocolate Icing as desired.
4. *Sugar Substitutes: Choose Splenda® Sugar Blend for Baking. Follow package directions to use product amount equivalent to 1/2 cup sugar and decrease all-purpose flour to 1-3/4 cups.

Tip

• ** If desired, substitute 1/4 cup white whole wheat flour or whole wheat flour for 1/4 cup of the all-purpose flour.

Chocolate Icing

Ingredients

• 1 cup powdered sugar
  
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
  
• 5 - 6 teaspoons milk
  

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, vanilla, and enough fat-free milk (5 to 6 teaspoons) to make drizzling consistency.

Vanilla Icing

Ingredients

• 1 cup powdered sugar
  
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
  
• 3 - 4 teaspoons milk
  

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough fat-free milk (3 to 4 teaspoons) to make drizzling consistency.

From: http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/recipe/cookies/mexican-chocolate-cutouts