Gluten Free Halloween Cut Out Cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Chilling Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Ingredients:
Cookies
2 cups gluten free flour blend
1 teaspoon baking powder aluminum-free!
½ cup cane sugar
⅔ cup unsalted butter softened a lot
1 large egg
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Royal Icing
3 cups powdered sugar
2 egg whites
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
pinch salt
Food coloring
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350º F.
Add 2 cups gluten free flour blend, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 cup cane sugar, and a pinch salt; and whisk to blend.
Put 2/3 cup unsalted butter (partially melted),1 large egg, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract into a smaller bowl and whisk to blend.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate the cookie dough for 45 minutes.
Remove from the refrigerator and place the dough on wax paper. Place another piece of wax paper on top.
Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough until it is 1/2 inch thick.
Take your favorite cookie cutters and cut out cookies.
Place the cut out cookies on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool on a cooling rack.
Royal Icing Directions:
Using a standing mixer, add 3 cups powdered sugar, 2 egg whites, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, and a pinch of salt.
Turn the mixer on SLOW. (If you turn it on too fast, it will explode sugar everywhere!)
Slowly mix the icing for 9 minutes until it becomes somewhat fluffy and thick.
Decorate your cookies, don’t forget to let each color icing dry before adding another color, otherwise, the colors can run together.
* See the recipe post for photos and instructions on how to decorate with royal icing. Post is here.
Notes:
I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF, Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend, and Authentic Foods Multi Blend in this recipe. That doesn’t mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 3/4 teaspoon.
To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
These cookies will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
SPECIAL NOTE:
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Cut Out Cookies Baking Tips:
There are many reasons why gingerbread cookies spread. There are a few things you can do to remedy this issue. Take a look at these tips to prevent this from happening:
Use room-temperature butter and eggs. It sounds crazy to use butter and eggs at room temperature, but it dramatically helps how your cookies will turn out. You’ll thank yourself later if you try it.
Take special care to measure correctly. If you add in too much gluten free flour or other ingredients, it can mess with the cookies as they bake. If they don’t have the proper ratios of ingredients, you may end up with a disaster.
Chill the dough when possible. I know you are probably ready to eat your cookies, but taking a few minutes to chill the batter makes them less likely to spread.
Your oven temperature may be off. Periodically, check your oven temperature to make sure it’s right. Otherwise, the cookies will, for sure, spread if it’s not accurate.
Use a cooled cookie sheet when baking. Please don’t take a hot cookie sheet and put the batter on it, or I promise the cookies won’t turn out. They start baking immediately, and it messes with their shape of them. Use a couple of sheets and rotate them out when making large batches of cookies.
Don’t let the cookies sit on the pan too long. After baking, only let them sit on the baking sheet for up to 5 minutes. The pan will still be hot and continue baking them otherwise.
Nutritional Facts:
Serving: 1cookieCalories: 158kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 8mgPotassium: 36mgFiber: 1gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 167IUCalcium: 17mgIron: 0.4mg
Recipe courtesy of Fearless Dining.com