Gluten-free Sugar Cookies

After a day covered in gluten-free flour and vegan powdered sugar (and I mean covered), there are now two Welcoming Kitchen sugar cookies ready for your holiday cookie cutters!

How lucky for me, that I saw Alton Brown on Good Eats last night. He gave some great tips that made making these cookies even easier. First, put a cookie sheet in the freezer to chill. My freezer isn't big enough for this, but lucky for me, I live in the Midwest and just put my cookie sheet outside to chill. Then, when you're ready to roll out your cookie dough, sprinkle your work surface and rolling pin with powdered sugar to prevent sticking. Finally, after you roll out your dough to 1/4-inch thick, put your chilled cookie sheet on the dough to re-chill it. (I put a piece of parchment paper between my pan and dough, since mine had been outside.)

These cookies are a basic cookie; you can add a whole range of flavorings or icings to suit your preferences. Some ideas are citrus zest, cinnamon or cocoa.

I made 1/2 batch of these cookies with oat flour and 1/2 batch with gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum. Both turned out well. I decorated mine with colored sugar.

Sugar Cookies

Makes 36 cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup soy-free Earth Balance
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, divided
1 teaspoon GF vanilla
4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
(or use 4 cups cups gluten-free oat flour in place of the GF all-purpose flour and xanthan gum)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plain-flavored coconut milk-based yogurt
Powdered sugar for dusting work surface

Preparation:

Cream Earth Balance and sugar together.
In a separate bowl, combine applesauce with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder.
Add applesauce mixture and vanilla to Earth Balance.
Blend together.
In a medium bowl, combine flour and xanthan gum, (or oat flour), 2 teaspoons baking powder and salt. Whisk together.
Slowly mix flour mixture into wet ingredients.
Mix yogurt into batter.
Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap or seal in a zip-top bag.
Refrigerate for at least an hour.
Preheat oven to 350.
Dust work surface and rolling pin with powdered sugar.
Roll dough out to 1/4-inch thick.
Re-chill dough with a cold cookie sheet.
Cut with cookie cutters.
Bake on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or on ungreased cookie sheet .
Bake 13-15 minutes or until golden.

These cookies go great with our new hot cocoa!

Happy Cooking!
Kim 


My new book, Super Seeds, is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen- & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes.