Gluten Free Valentine Sugar Cookies

 

 Cold and snowy outside? 

What a great excuse to stay inside and bake some cookies for Valentine’s Day!  

To keep decorative sugar attached to cookies, use a pastry brush to moisten the unbaked cookie cut-outs lightly with water.  Then sprinkle with sugar.  It’s the same principle as using an egg wash, only with water.  

I also love to decorate cookies with royal icing.  After applying icing, the cookies need to dry completely before you write something fun or interesting . . .

Gluten Free Sugar Cookies 

Combine the following ingredients in a large bowl:
1 and 1/2 cups gluten-free flour*
1 and ½ teaspoons xanthan gum
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt 

Then add in and mix until crumbly:
½ cup Spectrum organic shortening 

In large cup combine the following, then add to large bowl:
1 egg
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

Let dough rest in fridge for about an hour.  Then roll out using powdered sugar to keep dough from sticking to work surface. Cut into shapes as needed. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees. 

*From rice blend: 6 cups rice flour, 2 cups potato starch, 1 cup tapioca starch 

Royal Icing for Decorating 

4 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons pasteurized dried egg whites
6 tablespoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

Beat all ingredients in large mixer bowl for about 5 minutes at low speed.  If icing is too thick for your needs, add a few drops of warm water and mix well. 

-Linda

Wow…Food & Wine edits inaccurate intro

So I ranted a bit last week here and on twitter about Food & Wine’s spelt bread recipe which was inaccurately called ”good news for people with celiac disease.”   Spelt is a form of wheat and not gluten free, so it is not safe for people with celiac disease.  

I’m happy to see that the misinformation has now been deleted from the Food & Wine site. 

Now that’s what I call good news.

-Linda

iScone

Introducing the iScone - serves the same purpose as a scone, but it's bigger and more expensive

FunRaising Friday 5%

Free Range Cookies continues FunRaising Friday 5%, which benefits non-profit organizations and other charitable causes.  Five percent of all Friday sales during the month of January will be donated to support relief efforts in Haiti. 

Can’t make it out to the store but still want to contribute?  Donate $10 to Red Cross relief efforts by texting “HAITI” to 90999. This donation will be added to your phone bill. 

Find Free Range Cookies at 425 S. Florissant Road in Ferguson, just north of St. Louis, MO.   If you need directions to the store, here’s a nice map on Google.  The bakery is open Wednesday through Friday from noon until 6 pm and Saturday from noon until 3 pm.  Gluten free cookies, cupcakes, breads, biscuits, gf instant oatmeal, snacks, and more are available.  

-Linda

Shape of things to come . . .

-Linda

Dear Food & Wine, spelt is not gluten free.

(edited to add: Food & Wine has since deleted the misinformation from their site)

Dear Food & Wine,

The honey spelt bread recipe on your site is not gluten free.  Spelt is a form of wheat so it’s definitely not safe for people with celiac disease.  

Oh, I see you’ve already heard about that in a couple of dozen comments on your site.  Silly readers.  They have nothing better to do than to leave comments stating facts.  Facts can be so . . . uninspired, non?

But finding that recipe in my delightful twitter stream?  It was as if you knocked on my door, left dog poop in a fancy F&W gift bag, and ran away (to a new culinary experience).  Do me a favor, will you?  Be responsible with your doggie doo.  At the very least, grab your pooper scooper and clean up the introduction since spelt is not good news for people with celiac disease. 

I am amazed that such inaccurate information appears on the Food & Wine website.  I thought your magazine was about food and wine.  Seriously, I did.  

The teenager said tonight, “Aren’t they worried that someone with celiac would make that recipe, then get sick and sue them?”  “I don’t know, teenager,” I replied. “I think they’re more interested in creating a contemporary, elegant twist on regifting dog poop.” 

Missing Gourmet more than ever,

Linda

Fun Facts For Cookievores

Did you know . . . ?

The term well rounded comes from the cookie, which is usually round in shape and always very good.

-Linda

FunRaising Friday 5% benefits relief efforts

Gluten free cinnamon rolls make any breakfast well-rounded.

Free Range Cookies continues FunRaising Friday 5%, which benefits non-profit organizations and other charitable causes.  Five percent of all Friday sales during the month of January will be donated to support relief efforts in Haiti. 

Can’t make it out to the store but still want to contribute?  Donate $10 to Red Cross relief efforts by texting “HAITI” to 90999. This donation will be added to your phone bill. 

Want to give more?  Hold a fundraising party or have a bake sale! 

Here are some ideas for a Haitian inspired bake sale – ginger and lime shortbread, banana spice muffins, rum and coke cake, coconut mango blondies, chocolate covered orange muffins, pina colada cupcakes, coconut key lime scones, cocoa nib & coffee cookies . . . lots of possibilities. 

Find Free Range Cookies at 425 S. Florissant Road in Ferguson, just north of St. Louis, MO.   If you need directions to the store, here’s a nice map on Google.  The bakery is open Wednesday through Friday from 12 noon until 6 pm and Saturday from noon until 3 pm.  Gluten free cookies, cupcakes, breads, biscuits, gf instant oatmeal, snacks, and more are available for purchase.  

-Linda
 

Where exactly are you located?

Genuine Free Range Chocolate Chunk Cookie. That ain't no stock photo!

Find Free Range Cookies at 425 S. Florissant Road in Ferguson, a northern suburb of St. Louis, Missouri.   If you need directions to the store, I’d suggest using this map on Google. 

The bakery retail store is open Wednesday through Friday from 12 noon until 6 pm and Saturday from noon until 3 pm.  Gluten free cookies, cupcakes, breads, biscuits, rolls, gf instant oatmeal, snacks and more are available for purchase.  

See you! 

-Linda

How to make a star tipped pastry bag

Make a star tipped pastry bag by snipping zigzag cuts in one corner of a ziploc bag

To make a star tipped pastry bag in a pinch, snip tiny Vs in one corner of a ziploc bag.  Fill with icing, squeeze out extra air, and start decorating your favorite gluten free goodies. 

That’s the Free Range Cookies’ tip of the day!

-Linda