Jingle bells, jingle bells….the holidays are upon us and anyone with a gluten issue or concern may see these holidays as tricky. You already know you’re different with the way you eat…and now people are giving actual parties to point out that you are different! Yes, I am referring to the dreaded cookie party! But fear no longer you too can host your own cookie party and challenge your friends to be included and celebrate the differences that make us each special. There are many cookies and candies out there that can be made Gluten Free. Some on my favorites include:
GF Coconut Macaroons
GF Peanut Butter Kisses
GF Sugar Cookies
French Macaroons
Gluten Free Coconut Macaroons
Butter and GF flour mix for preparing baking sheet and foil
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 300°F. Prepare pan by covering with foil. Turn over edges to secure foil on pan. Lightly butter and flour foil, knocking off excess GF flour.
Stir together egg white, sugar, vanilla, almond extract, and a pinch of salt until combined, then stir in coconut. Divide coconut mixture into fourths, then drop in 4 mounds (about 2 inches apart) onto baking sheet.
Bake until tops are pale golden in spots, 15 to 20 minutes, then carefully lift foil with cookies from baking sheet and transfer to a rack to cool completely, about 15 minutes. Peel macaroons from foil.
Gluten Free Peanut Butter Kisses
1 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Egg plus 1 egg yolk
Hershey Kisses
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Mix together Peanut Butter, Sugar and Eggs. Using a spoon make cookie mounds on your cookie sheet, leaning about 2 inches between each cookie mound. Place a Hersey kiss in the middle of each cookie. Bake for 10-15 minutes until cookies start to brown on edges. Carefully remove from oven and allow to cool. The Hersey kiss will keep its shape if left undisturbed.
Gluten Free Sugar Cookies
1 Cup Butter, Softened
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
2 ½ cups Gluten Free Flour Mix
1 tablespoon GF Vanilla
1 teaspoon Cardamom
1 teaspoon baking powder
Optional Frosting:
3 Cups Powder Sugar
1/3 Cup Butter
1 teaspoon GF Vanilla
1 -2 tablespoons milk
Combine 1 cup butter, sugar and egg in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add all remaining cookie ingredients. Beat until well combined. Divide in half and wrap in plastic food wrap.
Refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours).
Heat oven to 400°F. Roll out dough on lightly gluten free floured surface, one-third at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with 2-inch cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 6 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 1 minute before removing from cookie sheets. Cool completely.
Combine powdered sugar, 1/3 cup butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla in small bowl. Beat at low speed, adding enough milk for desired spreading consistency. Tint frosting with food color, if desired. Frost and decorate cooled cookies as desired.
Gluten Free Cinnamon Spice French Macaroons
Macaroon Batter
1 cup powdered sugar
½ cup powdered almonds (place sliced raw almonds in food processor and process until a fine powder.
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
Chocolate Filling
½ cup heavy cream
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon All-Spice
Preheat oven to 350º F
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and have a pastry bag with a plain tip (about 1/2-inch) ready.
Grind together the powdered sugar with the almond powder so there are no lumps; use a blender or food processor.
In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they begin to rise and hold their shape. While whipping, beat in the granulated sugar until very stiff and firm, about 2 minutes.
Carefully fold the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the beaten egg whites with a flexible rubber spatula. When the mixture is just smooth and there are no streaks of egg white, stop folding and scrape the batter into the pastry bag (standing the bag in a tall glass helps if you’re alone).
Pipe the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheets in 1-inch circles (about 1 tablespoon each of batter), evenly spaced one-inch apart.
Rap the baking sheet a few times firmly on the counter top to flatten the macaroons, then bake them for 15-18 minutes. Let cool completely then remove from baking sheet.
Chocolate filling:
Heat the cream in a small saucepan. When the cream just begins to boil at the edges, remove from heat and add the chocolate pieces and spices. Let sit one minute, and then stir until smooth. Let cool completely before using.
Assembly:
Spread a bit of chocolate filling on the inside of the macaroons then sandwich them together.
Let them stand at least one day before serving, to meld the flavors.
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze. If you freeze them, defrost them in the unopened container, to avoid condensation which will make the macarons soggy.
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