The Ultimate Gluten-Free Cookie Book (14 page)

Tender, very chocolaty cookies. Imagine a chocolate version of a rolled sugar
cookie
...
yep, that good. Drizzle with a little melted chocolate if desired.
If you are avoiding rice flour, these make an ideal substitute for the base cookie
used in Oreos-Style Cookies (page 116).

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.

In a medium-size bowl, combine the oil and sugar. Beat well. Add the sorghum flour and cocoa and beat well. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl at least once during mixing. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Continue beating until the dough comes together. The dough will be oily, yet seem almost too dry.

Roll out the dough to no more than ¼-inch thickness. Cut it with a 2¼-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter or other favorite cookie cutter.

Bake for 8 minutes, until the cookies lose their sheen. Let cool on wire racks before serving.

brown rice flour
MAKES ABOUT 24 COOKIES

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.

In a medium-size bowl, combine the shortening and sugar. Beat well. Add the brown rice flour and beat well. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl at least once during mixing. Add the remaining batter ingredients. The cookie dough will form large clumps, but will not quite come together to form a ball; this is okay.

On a sheet of waxed paper, roll out the dough to a ¼-inch-thick, 8 by 11-inch rectangle. Spread the butter, then the cinnamon and sugar over the rolled dough. Roll up the dough into a snug, long tube, rolling from the longer side, and slice it into ¼-inch rounds. Place them on the prepared pan.

Bake the cookies for 11 to 13 minutes, until the tops are lightly browned. Let cool on wire racks.

Combine the glaze ingredients in a small cup and stir well. Drizzle the glaze over the tops of the cookies.

brown rice flour and almond meal
MAKES ABOUT 25 COOKIES

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.

In a medium-size bowl, combine the shortening and sugar. Beat well. Add the brown rice flour and beat well. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl at least once during mixing. Add the remaining batter ingredients and mix well. The dough will be quite thick.

Roll the dough to ⅛- to ¼-inch thickness and cut it with a 2-inch round cookie cutter (or other cookie cutter of your choice).

Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, until they have the slightest hint of color; the tops will be dry. Let cool on wire racks.

In a microwave-safe dish, melt 2 ounces of chocolate at a time. Dip or brush half of each cookie with chocolate and place on waxed paper to firm up. Sprinkle with a few sliced almonds, if desired.

brown rice flour and sorghum flour
MAKES ABOUT 16 SMALL GINGERBREAD MEN OR 32 GINGERSNAPS

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.

In a medium-size bowl, combine the shortening, sugar, and molasses. Beat well. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl at least once during mixing. Add the remaining batter ingredients and beat well. The batter will form a soft dough; continue to beat it for about 30 seconds after it forms, to stabilize the dough.

For gingerbread men, roll out the dough on a lightly greased surface to ⅛-inch thickness. Cut with a cookie cutter and place the cookies on the prepared pan.

For gingersnaps, drop rounded teaspoonfuls of the dough on the prepared pan and press to just under ¼-inch thickness. Sprinkle lightly with sugar.

Bake the cookies for 7 to 8 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned.

The cookies will crisp during cooling. Let cool on wire racks. Decorate with icing and candies as desired.

brown rice flour
MAKES 10 TO 12 LARGE GRAHAM CRACKERS

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.

In a medium-size bowl, combine the shortening and brown rice flour. Beat well. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl at least once during mixing. Add the remaining ingredients and beat well. Continue beating until the dough is thick and heavy. It should not fall apart easily.

Roll out the dough to ⅛-inch thickness. Using a pizza cutter, cut it into large 5 by 2¼-inch rectangles and place them on the prepared pan. Lightly score each cracker with a lengthwise and a crosswise indentation (to quarter each cracker), not cutting all the way through. Prick the tops of the crackers with a fork.

Bake the graham crackers for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned and the tops just begin to brown. The crackers will crisp during cooling. Underbaking leaves the cooled cracker slightly soft and overbaking makes it just a little too crisp. My test crackers were perfect at 9 minutes. Let cool on wire racks before serving.

 

 

brown rice flour
MAKES ABOUT 11 SANDWICH COOKIES