Sugar Cookies (Gluten Free)

Gluten free decorated sugar cookies. I realize I’m a bit late for Halloween in posting these pumpkin cookies, but the good thing about sugar cookies is, with different shapes and icing they are a year round cookie. Yum! So get your snowman and Santa cutters out, because Christmas is right around the corner.  (Only 51 days!!)

A couple notes about these cookies:

I used Xylitol, a natural sweetener, for these cookies.   It can be used 1:1 with refined white sugar, so I’m sure white sugar would work in this recipe, I’ll give it a try in the next few days.  I use xylitol occasionally as a refined white sugar substitute, (as I do with coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup and stevia all where appropriate), because I do quite a bit of baking and testing recipes and I feel better asking family to test so many recipes when I’ve used ingredients that I feel are a bit healthier. (I freeze a lot of baking too).   Xylitol has a lower effect on a person’s blood sugar and a Glycemic Index of 7. Refined white sugar is 68.  High Fructose Corn Syrup is 100.

These are just my feelings; I do not think everyone needs to agree with me. Use what you want to use.  If you do use xylitol, here is some things I observed, making this recipe twice in row: if you use the xylitol as is, the crystals are a bit larger in size, and seem to keep their size and crunch, so there will be subtle crunchy bits in the cookies. The second time I made them, I processed the xylitol in a spice/coffee grinder to a powder, and it blended seamlessly with the butter. The cookie tasted great both ways.

Also, when baking them, I used a light metal half sheet pan lined with parchment for some cookies – these ones took about 14 minutes total.  I used a darker cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat for the rest of the cookies and these ones took only 10 minutes to bake.  So when you make these, watch your cookies closely. 

If you’re still with me after this tremendously long post, thanks for reading and I hope you make and enjoy these cookies.  Share pictures with me if you do! 

Sugar Cookies

Gluten Free Sugar Cookies

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10-14 minutes

Yield:2-3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 227 grams butter (room temperature)
• 200 grams sugar (I used xylitol but white sugar in the same amount should work)
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 280 grams all-purpose gluten free flour
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum if your mix does not include it
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until it's a really light yellow (I use a stand mixer)
3. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking. Add this dry mixture to the sugar and butter, half at a time, and mix well.
5. Scoop dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. (This makes it easier to cut out shapes.)
6. Flour counter with tapioca starch and use half of the dough (put the rest back in plastic in the fridge.)
7. Roll out dough until about an eighth of an inch to a quarter of an inch thick or so.
8. Dip a cookie cutter in some of the tapioca starch on the counter and cut out cookies.
9. Place cut cookies on a pan lined with either parchment paper or a non-stick baking sheet (like Silpat)
10. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges.
11. Repeat with other half of dough.
12. Let cool completely before icing.