More Christmas Cookies

Big Batch Gluten Free Christmas Sugar Cookies
adapted from Special Diets for Special Kids 2
by Only Sometimes Clever

Here is a family favorite. My kids love all the different variations we can make with this recipe for gluten free sugar cookies. I found this posting at Karen’s blog, Only Sometimes Clever. I have added some of my own preferences to the original recipe from her blog. Karen has a page with over 40 gluten free recipies. Many of those are health conscious and multiple alergen conscious but oh so good!

Flour Mix: I like to mix this ahead of time in a galon ziploc bag

• 4 Cup brown rice flour
• 2 Cup sweet rice flour
• 2 Cup tapioca or potato starch
• 1 Cup amaranth flour
• 2 Tablespoons xanthan gum
• 3 Tablespoons baking powder

Wet Ingredients:

• 3 Cups powdered sugar
• 2 Cups granulated sugar
• 2 Cups shortening
• 6 eggs
• 1/4 Cup vanilla
• 1 Tablespoon salt

Preheat Oven to 325 degrees F. These cookies do not spread

MIX flours, starches, xanthan gum and baking powder with a whisk OR combine well in a galon ziploc bag.  Set aside.

Using your largest bowl, CREAM sugars, shortening, eggs, vanilla and salt.

ADD flour mixture a little at a time stirring with a wooden spoon. Once the flour mixture is mostly incoporated, KNEAD the dough in the bowl or between sheets of wax paper. The mixture will have the consistency of play-doh, but not too soft. If it is too dry, add a tablespoon of water at a time until it will gather into a ball. Resist adding water if at all possible. The dough works best if it is not very moist. Unless a crispy cookie is desired, BAKE at 325 degrees F until the edges are just golden on insulated pans. I bake mine on stones and get a lighter fluffier cookie. It’s all a matter of preference.

I split the dough in four and work from there. This recipe makes FOUR complete batches of cookies. That’s a LOAD of cookies folks. The recipe halves fine too, although I prefer to make the whole thing, wrap in plastic, put in ziploc bags and refrigerate up to 2wks. Karen says it also freezes well though we can never keep it that long.

Variations:

The cookies at the top are made by mixing cocoa powder into some of the dough and rolling that out into a thin rectangle. Then using a plain dough, roll that into another rectangle, placing it on top of the first chocolate rectangle then making the whole thing into a long log. Refrigerate or freeze until firm and slice for cookies.

Below is another favorite. Roll and use various cookie cutters to create holiday shapes. Frost and add delightful toppings. Check out Karen’s post for more ideas both from her and her readers!

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