Vegan Mochiko Butter Cookies

I adapted this from a recipe Betty Shimabukuro put in her popular  "By Request" column in the Honolulu Advertiser.  I think  these were also called Carly's Cornflake Dreams and were submitted by reader Carlynn Yoshina.  The first time I made them, the taste of baking soda was overwhelming.  I checked the measurements and this was definitely over-leavened, as many recipes are.  By reducing the baking soda by half, we now have a great little cookie.  It's buttery and has that shortbread essence that's so popular with Locals in Hawaii.  The fine Corn Flakes coating becomes slightly toasted in the oven, and adds a pleasing flavor and crunch.  I replaced the butter with Earth Balance Buttery Sticks and the Kellogg's Corn Flakes with Erewhon Corn Flakes.  Not only are Erewhon Corn Flakes organic, but they're also sugar free.  On the long list of Kellogg's Corn Flakes ingredients are sugar and high fructose corn syrup, and they're made with animal products.  They're not even vegetarian, nor are they organic.  Erewhon Corn Flakes, on the other hand, have just two ingredients; organic milled corn, and sea salt, AND they are non-GMO!  Since Erewhon Corn Flakes taste just like the bad Corn Flakes, why would we want to use anything else?  You won't really taste the macadamia nuts, but they add a golden richness to this little cookie.
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Mochiko Butter Cookies

Makes 48-60 regular cookies.  Jam thumbprints take up about twice the dough as a regular cookie.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 pound Earth Balance vegan butter (2 Earth Balance Buttery Sticks)
3/4 Cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 Cups flour
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 Cup mochiko flour
1-2 Cups Erewhon Corn Flakes cereal, crushed fine (use a food processor or blender, not a rolling pin)
1 Cup chopped macadamia nuts (optional) (or you could use less).  I think chopped pecans would also be good, for a butter-pecan flavor.

DIRECTIONS
Set vegan butter in large mixing bowl to soften.
(I lined my baking sheets with parchment paper, but it is possibly not necessary)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Add sugar to butter, and mix with electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Add vanilla and nuts, and beat again.
In a separate  bowl, put flour, baking soda, salt and mochiko.
Dry whisk the dry ingredients to thoroughly blend.
Add dry ingredients to butter/sugar mixture, and mix until well incorporated.
Chill dough for at least one hour.
Using a level teaspoon or a slightly-rounded teaspoon, measure out cookies, roll into balls, and then roll balls into crushed Corn Flakes.
Place cookie balls onto cookie sheet and bake approximately 15 minutes depending upon your oven.  I have an electric oven and found that 15 minutes worked for me.

Variation:  If you wish to make jam thumbprints, use 2 teaspoons of dough per cookies, roll in balls, roll in corn flakes and then make your thumbprint and fill scantily with jam of your flavor.  I'll make a note here to try my favorites, either raspberry or guava jam.

Notes:  Keep in mind that these cookies will harden as they continue to cool, and becomes pleasingly crisp.  Do not over bake.  PLEASE NOTE THAT KELLOG'S CORN FLAKES ARE NOT VEGAN.