'Tis the season to be merry, play in the snow, drink hot chocolatey beverages and do all those other warm fuzzy things people do during this time of year, like sharing gluten free cookies with your family and friends or something, which brings me to:
Cookies. Christmas cookies. Holiday cookies. Birthday cookies. Halloween cookies. Ayyam-i-Ha cookies. Cookies just for the sake of having cookies. Whatever the occasion or season or month of the year, you can't go wrong with baking a nice batch of cookies.
I mean seriously. Have you ever heard of a person turning down a tray of cookies? Show up at any strangers door with a plate of cookies and a smile and I assure you, you will make a friend (or enter into a really awkward conversation about why you are at their door with cookies...but lets just stick with make a friend).
I have been trying to find a good gluten free and healthy cut out sugar cookie recipe and all the ones I found sounded...well...not that promising. So I decided, forget the healthy part, let me just come up with a recipe that is gluten free. After all, you can't really have a sugar cookie without sugar and butter...
These ones, I am pleased to say, are jam packed with a glorious amount of sugar and butter and flavor! The texture is just like a thick sugar cookie (I think, though I can't really remember what a "normal" thick sugar cookie tastes like).
I think one of the keys to making a nice crispy/yet soft cookie is the part where you chill it. Leave it there for an hour or 2 and your cookies will come out way better than if you make them right away.
These are a hodge-podge of non-traditional holiday cookies. I don't have any holiday cookie cutters, so I just used what I have. They are as follows: R2D2, Darth Vader, a teddy bear, an upside down J (which I thought could kind of look like a candy cane), and a nine pointed star.
Enjoy the recipe (try making it with family or friends, baking together is so much more fun!)
I hope you have a very merry holiday season that is filled with delightful people and delightful food! :)
Preheat oven to 375 F , line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, makes about 30 cut out cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups gluten free oat flour
1 1/2 cups coconut flour
1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1 cup organic raw sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp coconut milk
1 egg
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
powdered sugar for rolling
Directions:
In a standing mixer or regular mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until fully combined. Next mix in the vanilla, egg, and milk. Mix on medium. Add in the flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix until a nice stiff dough starts to form. Scrap down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and form a ball in the middle of the bowl with the dough. Transfer the dough onto some plastic wrap or wax paper and flatten out the ball into a thick circle. Wrap up completely and chill in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.
Take out of fridge and place on a flat surface that has been dusted with powdered sugar (also dust your rolling pin with some so the dough doesn't stick). The circle of chilled dough will be pretty tough so I normally just break off sections of it and warm it up in my hands until it is workable. Then roll out the dough until it is about 1 cm thick. Use any design of cookie cutters you want ( holiday or star wars or random letters..you know the usual..) . Place cut out cookies onto the lined parchment paper and place on middle rack. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes or until the edges are just turning golden. Take out and let stand on sheet for about 2 - 3 minutes and then transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
1 cup (or 2 sticks) unsalted butter (softened)
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese (softened)
1 cup powdered sugar (to start with, add more if necessary)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp coconut milk (start off with 2 and then add up to 2 more depending on how thick you want to frosting to be)
Directions:
In a standing mixer or bowl beat together the cream cheese and butter on medium speed. Add in the vanilla, coconut milk and sugar. Mix on medium and then gradually increase speed to high. Add in extra coconut milk or powdered sugar depending on how thick you want the frosting to be. Make sure all the lumps are mixed out of the frosting before turning the mixer off. Once you have a smooth consistency to your frosting feel free to divide it up in different bowls and use food coloring to make it red or green or any color you feel like. :)
Wait until the cookies are cooled completely before frosting. Use sprinkles or cinnamon candies or chocolates to decorate, or just eat them plain. Either way, these little cookies are sure to make your tummy very happy.
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