Easy Gluten Free Spritz Cookies Recipe

Spritz cookies are another holiday classic that bring back a lot of memories. I never made them growing up, but I remember many tins of shortbread cookies with neat little shapes. I actually didn't care much for the taste of those cookies, but I loved how festive and cute they were! Also, when you're gluten free for some reason it can be hard to come up with a really crunchy cookie. These cookies are crunchy and taste the slightest bit buttery (with no butter). I add almond extract, my favorite flavoring. You could also just use vanilla or lemon extract if you don't care for almond.

I also love that these are little cookies. Even though this isn't the healthiest recipe, because they are so small you only need a few cookies to feel satisfied!

This dough would also be a great sugar cookie dough, or a thumbprint cookie dough... which I think I am going to make later today as well! These cookies are also adapted from a recipe in "Christmas Cookies" published by Southern Living in 1986. Stay tuned tomorrow for some more refrigerator cookies: Orange Almond Spice Cookies!

Easy Gluten Free Spritz Cookies
free of gluten, dairy/casien, soy, and corn & egg free options
adapted from "Christmas Cookies" by Southern Living, 1986
makes 4-5 dozen cookies
printer-friendly recipe. 

Wet Ingredients:
1 cup Spectrum Palm Shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg -or- 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax seeds + 3 tablespoons hot water + 1 teaspoon olive oil)
1 teaspoon almond, lemon, vanilla, or butter extract. Use your favorite flavor!
2-4 tablespoons ice-cold water, as needed

Dry Ingredients:
3/4 cup arrowroot starch
3/4 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup millet flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum -or- guar gum for corn free
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
In a medium bowl whisk together all dry ingredients and set aside. In a large bowl cream Spectrum Palm Shortening and sugar. Mix in the egg & almond extract. Slowly add the dry ingredients until you have a soft cookie dough.  You may need to add 2-4 tablespoons of ice cold water to the dough to help it become pliable and workable, especially if you're going to use it for refrigerator dough or jam thumbprint cookies. To make spritz cookies, add cookie dough to your cookie press and make them according to the cookie press directions. I've found it's easier to press the cookies onto a plate (instead of straight onto the cookie sheet) and then transfer them to a cookie sheet. You will be able to easily make 4-5 dozen cookies. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat. Place pressed cookies 1/2" apart on the cookie sheet. If desired, sprinkle with red & green sugar or candy sprinkles. Bake for 7-9 minutes until the edges of the cookies are golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes and then try not to eat them all at once! :-) A wonderful gift for friends and family or perfect for a Christmas Cookie Swap!

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Chocolate Pinwheel Refrigerator Cookies Recipe

It's the time for cookies! I remember making cookies like this during the holidays when I was growing up. You made a basic sugar cookie dough shaped it into a log and then refrigerated it for 30 minutes to an hour to help the shape set. After waiting for the dough to chill... then easy as pie you sliced the dough, baked it and voila... really pretty cookies!

This is one of my favorite recipes this year! I was inspired by this cookbook that I found at one of my favorite thrift stores:

It's an old Southern Living cookbook from 1986 that I think was was included in magazine subscriptions at the time. Whatever it was published for... it's a really great little book! It has classic & retro recipes that I remember and most are easy to re-create gluten free! You can find the book on ebay here.

I can't decide if I want to make these cookies or spritz cookies for my neighborhood cookie swap on Wednesday evening...what to you think? I'll share the spritz cookies with you tomorrow!

Gluten Free Classic Chocolate Pinwheels
free of gluten, dairy/casein, corn, soy (and egg-free option)
adapted from "Christmas Cookies" by Southern Living, 1986
Makes around 24 cookies
printer-friendly recipe

Wet Ingredients:
1/2 cup Spectrum Palm Shortening
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons almond milk
1 egg yolk (for egg free - use 1 tablespoon grapeseed or olive oil)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Dry Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup arrowroot starch
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (or 1/2 teaspoon guar gum for corn-free version)
1 1/2 teaspoons corn-free baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt

For Chocolate Swirl:
1 oz. of allergen free chocolate, melted

Directions:
In a large bowl cream the spectrum palm shortening & sugar together. Add almond milk, egg yolk (or oil), and vanilla extract. In another bowl whisk together all dry ingredients. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix until you have a slightly sticky cookie dough. Split the dough in half and roll into two large balls. TO one half of the dough stir in 1 oz. of melted chocolate. On a dry, flat surface that has been covered with plastic wrap sprinkle a few tablespoons of arrowroot starch (to keep the dough from sticking). Place the plain ball of dough on the flat surface. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the dough and then roll it out into a roughly 9x13 rectangle. Place the chocolate dough on top of the plain dough and gently roll it or flatten it with the bottom of your hand over the plain dough. It does not have to be spread out perfectly. Once the chocolate dough is mostly spread out over the plain dough, you can shape the edges so they are mostly straight or you can cut them so that they are straight. Starting with a long side of the dough roll it up into a log. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes - several hours. When you're ready to bake, remove the log of dough from the refrigerator. Unwrap it and slice into about 24 cookies. Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Place cookie slices on a cookie sheet that's lined with parchment paper or a silpat mat. Bake for 7-9 minutes until cookies are light brown on the edges. Allow the cookies to COOL on the cookie sheet for about 10-15 minutes before moving to a wire rack to finish cooling.

This post is linked to: Slightly Indulgent Tuesday 12.21.10

A Gluten Free Holiday - Amy of Simply Sugar & Gluten Free

It's our last installment of "A Gluten Free Holiday!" Amy of Simply Sugar & Gluten Free is hosting this week! The theme this week is my favorite... GLUTEN FREE HOLIDAY DESSERTS!!  Amy has an incredible recipe for a cranberry swirl cheesecake that's just a tiny bit healthier!

Some of my favorite gluten free holiday desserts are: 

Cardamom Pumpkin Custard Pie
SO easy and beautiful! A delicious dessert that makes it's own crust!! TO make it dairy free use coconut milk! 

Sweet Potato Pie
A southern family favorite! We love this pie at Christmas when we can never eat enough sweet potatoes! 

Gluten Free, Vegan Chocolate Cake
A rich, decadent dessert with no eggs or casein! This is my favorite chocolate cake! 

Now for the really awesome giveaways this week!! 

3 copies of More Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: 200 Brand-New, Budget-Friendly, Slow-Cooker Recipes by Stephanie O’Dea (Release date: December 28th!)  Buy Steph’s book now and get the special pre-sale price at Amazon.com before the 28th!!

3 autographed copies of AMY's FIRST COOKBOOK, Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free: 120 Easy and Delicious Recipes You Cam Make in 20 Minutes or Less (Release date: Mid-January!)
These books haven’t hit the stands yet so you’re going to get hot-off-the-press copies right from Amy!!

To enter to win either of these wonderful books, make sure to head to Amy's blog today for her Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake!! Happy Holidays!!

I'll be posting 3 of my favorite Christmas cookies here on Gingerlemongirl.com next week! I'll see you then! 

A Gluten Free Holiday - Breakfast with Elana's Pantry

It's the last day of my week of "A Gluten Free Holiday - Breakfast & Brunch Recipes." I'm excited to share one last holiday breakfast/brunch recipe with you! Today it's from Elana Amsterdam, the author of one of my favorite gluten free blogs, "Elana's Pantry" and one of the most well-loved cookbooks in my kitchen, "The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook."

I bought Elana's cookbook before it was even published. I couldn't wait to open this book and make easy, delicious, and low glycemic recipes with almond flour! Elana introduced me to almond flour and I've been using it for several years now. Most of the recipes I make for myself are made with almond flour. It's easier for me to digest than grains, and it's just such an easy way to bake.

I've cooked my way through Elana's cookbook during the past year. I've made her chocolate chip cookies countless times. Her chocolate cake makes frequent appearances for birthdays and anniversaries. Her vegetable quiche with an almond flour pie crust is a favorite quick dinner. My husband LOVES Elana's simple recipe for chicken fingers, it's one of his most requested main dishes! Her vanilla cupcakes are some of my favorite "sweet" treats! And her bread. Elana's bread is what I use most often if I don't have Udi's at home or don't feel like making a yeast bread. I've had many a sandwich on Elana's gluten free bread. Sandwiches are easy comfort food to me and I'm so thankful for her recipes.

Elana has graciously allowed me to share one of her recipes from "The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook" today! It's a recipe for her Chocolate Chip Scones! I hope you enjoy them!

Also today is the last day to enter to win a copy of Elana's cookbook over at my reviews/giveaways page! Please visit: A Gluten Free Holiday: Breakfast and Brunch Recipes to find out how!

Chocolate Chip Scones
Reprinted with permission of Elana Amsterdam
Published in "The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook" c. 2009 written by Elana Amsterdam

Makes 16 scones
Sweetness: Medium

"In college, I used to pretend chocolate chip scones were a breakfast food instead of a dessert, devouring one nearly every morning. Using agave nectar to lower the glycemic index of this scone makes my unique categorization less of a stretch. Rich in antioxidents and low in sugar, organic dark chocolate makes these decadent-looking scones a healthy indulgence." - Elana Amsterdam

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup grapeseed oil
1/4 cup agave nectar
2 large eggs
1 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate (73% cacao)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, salt, and baking soda. In a medium bowl, whisk together the grapeseed oil, agave nectar, and eggs. Stir the wet ingredients into the almond flour mixture until thoroughly combined, then fold in the chocolate. Drop the batter, in scant 1/4 cups 2 - inches apart, onto the prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 12-17 minutes, until golden brown or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the scones cool for 30 minutes on the baking sheets, then serve.


*If you'd like to enter to win a copy of Elana's cookbook,  "The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook" please visit: "A Gluten Free Holiday - Breakfast & Brunch recipes." 

A Gluten Free Holiday: Breakfast with Lori Bakes

Photo courtesy of Jan D'atri

I'm pleased to be able to share another breakfast recipe with you today! This recipe is from Lori Karavolis of LoriBakes.com. Lori has self-published 4 gluten free cookbooks. She's a former bakery owner and she's been baking gluten free since 1999 when her son was diagnosed as being allergic to wheat/gluten.


Lori is an active member of the GFCF Recipes Group on Yahoo and is often sought out for her gluten free baking advice and help.

Lori's cookbooks contain hundreds of original gluten free recipes for breads, breakfasts, baked goods, lunches, main dishes, soups, and salads. Three of Lori's cookbooks focus specifically on different areas of cooking such as gluten free kids favorites, gluten free breakfast & brunch recipes, and gluten free snacks & sweets!

To learn more about LoriBakes gluten free cookbooks and to enter to win a copy of her Gluten Free Breakfast & Brunch Recipes cookbook, please visit: A Gluten Free Holiday - Breakfast & Brunch Recipes!


Scrambled French Toast 
Reprinted with permission of Lori Karavolis of LoriBakes.com
(Source: Lori Bakes Gluten Free Breakfast & Brunch)

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup milk of milk substitute
6 cups gluten free day old bread of choice, cubed (1/2” cubes)
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup sugar
Fresh blueberries, optional

Directions:
In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk, vanilla and spices together. Add bread cubes and toss until well coated. Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet until melted. Add bread cubes; stir until cooked and browned over MEDIUM heat being careful not to break up bread into crumbs. Sprinkle bread with sugar and continue to cook and stir for about 5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and bread is coated. Stir in blueberries if desired; remove to serving dishes and serve with maple syrup. Yield: 2-3 servings

*If you'd like to enter to win a copy of Lori's gluten free cookbook, "Gluten Free Breakfast & Brunch Recipes" please visit: "A Gluten Free Holiday - Breakfast & Brunch recipes."