The Ultimate Gluten-Free Cookie Book (16 page)

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

In a medium-size bowl, combine the butter, 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 ingredients and beat well. Continue beating until the dough comes together. At this stage the dough will be too soft to roll. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Roll out the dough to between ⅛- and ¼-inch thickness. Cut it using cookie cutters of your choice and place the cut cookies on the prepared pan. Decorate with sprinkles or colored sugar as desired (or leave bare, if you are planning to ice them later).

Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Let cool on wire racks.

Ice and decorate, if desired.

brown rice flour
MAKES ABOUT 30 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 flour and beat well. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl at least once during mixing. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. The cookie dough will form large clumps, but will not quite come together to form a ball. Press it together with your hands.

Roll out 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). Place the cookies on the prepared pan. Top with sprinkles or colored sugar, if desired.

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

brown rice flour
MAKES ABOUT 25 COOKIES

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 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 beat well. Continue beating until the dough almost comes together. Press it together with your hands to form a ball. The dough will feel oily.

Roll out the dough flat, to less than ¼-inch thick. Cut the dough with a 2½-inch cookie cutter and then cut the center of each cookie with another cutter of the same shape, but smaller, to form the window, and remove the center scrap of dough. Place the large cutouts well apart on the prepared pan. The cookies will spread during baking. Fill the windows with a small amount of crushed candy. Reroll the scraps into additional cookies.

Bake for 9 to10 minutes, until the cookies begin to take on color. Let cool on the baking sheet to allow the window candy to harden.

Sprinkle the tops with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

 

 

6

When I first started working on recipes
for this book, I wanted to be sure to meet our everyday cravings. Although everyone loves a homemade classic, sometimes a supermarket cookie or Girl Scout cookie is really what is desired! I re-created several of my favorite Girl Scout cookies during “cookie season,” but time and time again, I was asked to add just one more.

The Girl Scouts of Central Maryland, Inc., came to my rescue! They provided me with sample packages of cookies so that I could compare my work side-by-side with their delicious varieties. I cannot help but smile that the Girl Scouts gave cookies to help those who will never be able to eat theirs. And, while of course the recipes included in this chapter are not identical to Girl Scout cookies, they are some awesome great fakes!

My local grocery store’s cookie aisle (and Trader Joe’s) held the rest of the inspiration for this chapter: Oreos, Chips Ahoy!, Nutter Butters, Fig Newtons, and Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies, to name a few. Diverse and delicious in their own way, I have also re-created these beloved favorites.

In making each cookie, I deconstructed the original. Many cookies are not what you think. Sometimes it is just the filling that has the flavor. Other times, you think you are eating a sweet-base cookie only to find it is rather plain and not sweet at all. And oh, the nuances of cream filling! These substitutes are perhaps the greatest proof that almost anything is possible in a gluten-free cookie.

brown rice flour
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 mix well. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the chocolate chips, and mix well. The cookie dough will form large clumps, but will not quite come together to form a ball; this is okay. Add the chocolate chips and mix well.

On a sheet of waxed paper or plastic wrap, shape the dough into a log about 2¼ inches thick and 7 inches long. Refrigerate for 2 hours or more. Freeze for later use, if desired.

Slice the dough to a scant ¼-inch thick. (These are thin cookies, if we’re being true to the original!) Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cookies are lightly browned; the tops will be dry. Let cool on wire racks before serving.

brown rice flour
MAKES ABOUT 15 SANDWICH 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 until the dough comes together. The dough will be soft, but manageable.

Roll out the dough to ⅛-inch thickness and cut it with a 2-inch circle cookie cutter. Place the slices on the prepared pan.

Bake the cookies for 9 to 10 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Let cool on wire racks.

For the filling, use your rolling pin to roll out each marshmallow into a circle about 2 inches in diameter.

For the glaze, combine the chocolate chips and shortening in microwave-safe cup or bowl. Microwave it on HIGH for about 2 minutes to melt, stopping to stir it periodically.

To assemble the cookies, place the marshmallow disk between two cookies and cover completely with chocolate and place on waxed paper to firm.