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.

Cauliflower Soup

Fall has firmly embraced the Canadian prairies.  Leaves are falling, I’m lugging around a heavy hockey equipment bag again every few days as my son attends practices, and we hosted another fully gluten free Thanksgiving dinner a few nights ago.  My favorite season.  Pumpkin recipes and fall treats are coming up on the blog, but first, this soup.

For me, my favorite season is also about snuggling up in sweaters, blankets and slippers, drinking tea in the evening, cozying up by the fireplace with a book, and warm, hearty soups for dinner.  I hope you make this soup and love it too.

Don’t be scared by the cauliflower – the trendy vegetables it seems at the moment. This soup is tasty, full of vegetables, seasoned as you like, creamy if you choose (I do!).  You completely control the final product and texture simply in how much you blend. I use an immersion blender and usually fully blend mine.  Blend less if you like it that way. It’s also lovely with a swirl of olive oil and chopped walnuts.  And pepper.  Extra pepper.  Enjoy!

Step 5 looks rather long an unnecessarily confusing. It's just me being a bit wordy trying to explain the different processes of blending this soup. It's an easy step though whether you're using an immersion blender (my preference) or a stand blender.

Cauliflower Soup

Creamy Cauliflower soup packed with healthy vegetables.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30-45 minutes

Yield:4 bowls

Ingredients:

• 3 slices of bacon
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 head of cauliflower (mine weighed 927g)
• 1 white sweet potato, peeled and chopped (mine weighed 260 grams)
• 2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped (I used 100 g julienned)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• Salt and pepper to taste (I used ½ tsp of each)
• ¼ cup coconut milk, if you want a creamier version

Instructions:

1. Trim cauliflower into big florets. Slice bacon and prepare other vegetables
2. In a large pot (I use a cast iron dutch oven), over medium heat, render the bacon (cook until fat cover the bottom of the pot and the bacon is cooked). Scoop out bacon and reserve for later.
3. Add onion to the pot and cook until softened but not browned. Add garlic, and the rest of the vegetables. Cook for a few minutes until slightly browned.
4. Add chicken broth. Put the lid on the pot turn heat down slightly. Simmer 30-45 minutes until vegetables are just softened.
5. Take the pot of the heat. At this point you have a few options depending on the texture you’re going for in the finished soup. For creamier soup: blend entire contents of pot, using either an immersion blender or a stand blender (in batches for the stand blender, and be careful, it’s hot!!) You can also choose whether to add the bacon now, or after blending. For chunkier soup: If you are using an immersion blender, remove as much vegetables as you want to a separate bowl, blend what’s left in the pot, then add vegetables back in, along with the bacon. For a stand blender, remove some vegetables to a separate bowl, then blend the rest of the contents of the pot in the blender in a few batches, depending on how much will fit at a time (careful, it’s hot!!) I have burned myself making this soup so please be very careful during the blending process! After last bath or soup is pureed in the blender and added back to the pot, add in the reserved vegetables and the bacon.
6. Return pot to heat and add salt and pepper to taste.
7. If you want an even creamier soup, add in ¼ to ½ cup of coconut milk (or cow’s milk or cream)
8. Serve immediately. Garnish with olive oil and chopped nuts if desired. Eat with your favorite gluten free bread or crackers for a filling lunch or supper.