Sugar Cookies

For those people who want to make cut out cookies but can't have Gluten or Dairy this is the recipe for you! These are great! You don't have to refrigerate the dough before rolling out. In fact if the dough is cold it has a tendency to not stay together while rolling out. I like to roll it out between two pieces of wax paper (it tends to stick to plastic wrap). Bake them on parchment paper and they will slide right off the cookie sheet with out being broken. Anyway here is the recipe... Which can be found in the "Gluten Free Gourmet revised edition" cook book by Bette Hagman.

1 cup rice flour
3/4 cup tapioca flour
3/4 cup cornstarch
2 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable shortening
1 egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (Be sure it is gluten free vanilla extract)
1/4 cup (or more) potato starch flour for kneading
colored sugars, sprinkles or frosting for decorating (optional)

preheat oven to 350 In a small bowl, whisk together the flours, cornstarch, xanthan gum, and salt. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and shortening. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients, mixing enough to combine. The dough should form a soft ball.

With your hands, knead in enough of the potato starch flour to make the dough easy to handle and roll out. Working with half at a time, place a piece of plastic wrap over the ball and roll out to about 1/8 inch thickness. (if you roll them out too thick they don't keep the shape as well). Cut into desired shapes and place on uncreased cookie sheet (use parchment paper you will thank me).

Decorate with colored sugars before baking or use frosting after baking to decorate. Ball up the scraps of dough and roll out again (till you have used all of the dough, it will not get tough.)

Bake for about 13 minutes (or less depending on how large your cookie is, mini cookie cutters will need a little less time). Cool very slightly before removing from cookie sheet. (if the cool on the cookie sheet you will have a hard time getting them off in one piece.)

The cool thing about parchment paper is that you can just slide the parchment paper off the cookie sheet (cookies and all) and slide on another piece that you have been busy filling with more cutouts. By the time the 2nd batch has finished baking you will have been able to remove the cookies from the 1st parchment paper and filled it up with more cookies. Another hint is to use a metal spatula or turner or pie or cake knife to pick up the cut outs to transfer them to the cookie sheet/parchment paper as they can tear easily depending on the shape.

This recipe makes 3 dozen 2 1/2 inch cookies.

I made these one time for my son's 1st Birthday. I cut them out in fish shapes. After they were baked and cooled I covered the tops with royal icing and let that dry. When it was time for the party I brought them out along with food coloring markers. Many of the kids there were cousins and much old. All of them got to decorate their fish and then eat them. They were quite good and I am sure none of the kids noticed that they were a little different than usual. We have made these cookies many times.

I also have a gingersnaps recipe. If you want it leave me a comment and I will post it.