Gluten Free Christmas Cookies

[milomama]

My 13 year old brother is coming to visit next weekend and has expressed an interest in baking!  My two year old would also enjoy this, so it's a perfect plan!  I want to make Christmas cookies, with shapes to cut out and basic decorations.  Thing is, we're gluten-free and dairy-free around here, and I don't have any good recipes.  I really want it to go well, since my brother likes to complain about gluten free food when he visits.  He eats a very "North American" processed foods diet at his home.

So, has anyone come up with a yummy Christmas cookie that is gluten and dairy free?  Something like a sugar cookie or gingerbread we can cut out and decorate?  Thank you!

[SundayCrepes]

www.elanaspantry.com She uses mainly almond flour and some coconut flour. Really yummy.

[icy02]

We are also gluten and dairy free. For a fall play date I decided I wanted to make colorful leaf sugar cookies. I used this recipe : http://www.joyofbaking.com/SugarCookies.html and substituted the ap flour for Pamela's GF baking mix. It is a softer dough (makes sense since there is no gluten) and I had to add quite a bit of flour when rolling it out. Once the cookies were baked up I could not tell a difference, they were delicious! I also used the recipe for royal icing and I was really pleased with how nicely it hardened :) I will be repeating this recipe for Christmas cookies. Here is a picture of the cookies: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2091430771794&l=711695c0af

 

[Koalamom]

I usually just find a regular recipe and just sub the flour with sorghum flour or rice flour (sorghum is the best) and tapioca flour. For a recipe that calls for 3 cups flour, I add 2 cups GF flour, and 1 cup tapioca flour. If it comes out at all crumbly, then let it cool before eating and it should be fine.

[JollyGG]

Thanks so much for this thread. We are also gluten free in our house and cookies (with the exception of a yummy peanut butter cookie I have) are the one thing that I just cannot seem to find a recipe I like for.

[khanni]

I made these last year, and they were amazing:

http://www.food.com/recipe/the-most-wonderful-gingerbread-cookies-80156

I used Gluten Free Pantry's All purpose flour. Also, use coconut oil to substitute for the butter.

In the recipe they say to set for a couple of hours, or refrigerate and bring to room temperature. My first try, I put the dough in the fridge for 4 hours, then came home, brought it to just below room temperature and tried it, and it was super sticky. I rolled it back up and stuck it back in the fridge. Because of life, I didn't get back to it for a couple of days. When I took it out, I rolled it immediately. The first batch was a bit cracked, though not sticky, but each subsequent rolling out and batch was super smooth and not at all sticky...so I think you just need to let it rest for a day or two, and then you can bring it up to room temperature to work with.

I made a couple other modifications that aren't gluten related. It called for 1 TBS ginger, but I did 2 tsp instead because I was afraid it might be too spicy for the kids. I also did 2 tsp cinnamon. Other than that, it's all the same.

The frosting was just Royal icing...1 egg yolk, 1.5 cups sifted powder sugar, and 1 tsp lemon juice.

[SundayCrepes]

Originally Posted by icy02 

I also used the recipe for royal icing and I was really pleased with how nicely it hardened :)

 

I just looked for the frosting recipe and couldn't find it. Can you share the link? 

Thanks

[icy02]

Originally Posted by SundayCrepes 

I just looked for the frosting recipe and couldn't find it. Can you share the link? 

Thanks

It's on the same link listed directly underneath the sugar cookie recipe. Look again and if you can't find it I'll post it directly here :)

[SundayCrepes]

Originally Posted by icy02 

It's on the same link listed directly underneath the sugar cookie recipe. Look again and if you can't find it I'll post it directly here :)

Thanks. I see it now. I was hoping it was cane sugar free. Sigh.

[Koalamom]

For frostings, I use tapioca starch, maple syrup, palm oil/shortenng (or you could use butter if you weren't allergic to dairy), anda dash or vanilla. It is so yummy!! Oh and it is even better when adding some cocoa powder.

[SundayCrepes]

Originally Posted by Koalamom 

For frostings, I use tapioca starch, maple syrup, palm oil/shortenng (or you could use butter if you weren't allergic to dairy), anda dash or vanilla. It is so yummy!! Oh and it is even better when adding some cocoa powder.

Sounds good. I'll have to try. I'm also looking for a recipe for a frosting I can pipe with.

[Koalamom]

Originally Posted by SundayCrepes 

Sounds good. I'll have to try. I'm also looking for a recipe for a frosting I can pipe with.

You can totally pipe with this but you may just have to play with the ratios of fat to tapioca starch.

[bright_eyes]

Originally Posted by Koalamom 

I usually just find a regular recipe and just sub the flour with sorghum flour or rice flour (sorghum is the best) and tapioca flour. For a recipe that calls for 3 cups flour, I add 2 cups GF flour, and 1 cup tapioca flour. If it comes out at all crumbly, then let it cool before eating and it should be fine.

I am out of tapioca flour- would it work with a different starch?  I have arrowroot and potato starch.  Would either of those work?

[APToddlerMama]

Subbing