Gluten Free Christmas Cookies

 

Crinkle Cookies

*Nate says they are just like extra delicious personal brownies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 2 cups white sugar

• ½ cup vegetable oil

• 4 eggs

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ½ cup confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together cocoa, white sugar, and vegetable oil. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the cocoa mixture. Cover dough, and chill for at least 4 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or don't (it won't make that big of a difference). Roll dough into one-inch balls. I like to use a number 50 size scoop. Coat each ball in confectioners' sugar before placing it onto prepared cookie sheets.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Let stand on the cookie sheet for a minute before transferring to wire racks to cool.

Loft Cookies

Ingredients

For Cookies:

• 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened

• 1 cup sour cream

• 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar

• 2 eggs

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

• 6 cups gluten-free flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)

For the Frosting:

• 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened

• 1 teaspoon vanilla, coconut, almond, or peppermint extract

• 4 cups powdered sugar

• 5 tablespoons milk

• Food coloring and sprinkles, optional

Directions

To make the cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 400°
2. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sour cream until smooth and light in color.
3. Add in the sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix until just combined.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (if using). Add the dry ingredients to the wet in three additions—mixing well after each.
5. To form drop cookies: using damp hands, roll dough into 2" balls and place 2" apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Smaller is better. Using a flat-bottomed glass dipped in water, press the cookie balls flat.
6. To form rolled cookies: cover the dough and chill for 20-30 minutes or even until the next day. Roll out on a lightly floured surface until 1/4" thick. Using a biscuit cutter, cut cookies and place 2" apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
7. Bake cookies in preheated oven for 5-7 minutes, until the cookies just begin to set up and the bottoms are lightly brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet and let cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting.

To make the frosting:

1. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment in a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer, cream together the butter and extract of choice until smooth.
2. Add in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing until smooth after each addition. Add in the milk and food color, and beat until fluffy and smooth.
3. Spread onto cooled cookies and immediately sprinkle on sprinkles.

Notes:

Like all sugar cookies, watch these like a hawk in the oven! Sugar cookies go from perfectly tender and done to overbaked in only a few blinks of an eye. You're looking for the cookies to be just barely brown on the bottom, and the top to look "set up". Err on the side of underdone! After all, have you ever heard someone complain that their cookie was too soft and tender? Nope.