Gluten free cocoa crinkle cookies
December 18, 2009
I used to think this was a seasonal, Christmas type cookie. So when we stopped making them in January (because I thought crinkles were so last month) I quickly learned from customers that this is a cookie for all seasons.
Rolling the dough balls first in granulated sugar then in powdered sugar may help to keep more of the snowy white stuff on your cookies. This tip from the delightful author and food sleuth Shirley Corriher. If you want to improve your baking, you must read BakeWise and CookWise. Don’t let the fact that these are not gluten free cookbooks put you off. The explainers (with all the recipes) in these books are golden. When you learn why an ingredient is used in a particular recipe, you’ll have much more confidence in tackling your own baking challenges. Many of her techniques transfer to gluten free baking, and if you’re interested in baking great gluten free bread, really, you need to read and digest CookWise. But wait, I was supposed to be writing an intro to a cookie recipe . . .
Gluten Free Cocoa Crinkle Cookies
Blend in large bowl:
¾ cup canola oil
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Combine the following dry ingredients, then add to bowl above:
2 cups gluten-free flour*
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
½ teaspoon salt
Chill dough for several hours (or overnight). When you’re ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop a rounded teaspoon of dough into a bowl of granulated sugar. Roll into a ball and coat completely with granulated sugar before dropping dough into powdered sugar. Give dough a generous fluffy white coating of powdered sugar. Place cookie balls onto parchment lined or greased cookie sheet, flattening cookie ball very slightly. Bake for 9-10 minutes. Cookies will harden as they cool. Yield: about 3 dozen cookies depending on size
*From rice blend: 6 cups rice flour, 2 cups potato starch, 1 cup tapioca starch
Want more cookie recipes?
Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies
-Linda
Do you ever make new gluten free baked goods?
December 18, 2009
This is a question I get surprisingly often. Which surprises me.
I’m always making new stuff. Tweaking recipes and experimenting with ingredients and techniques. And do you know how that’s spelled?
F-U-N.
Seriously, it’s fun to bake. I’ve been posting my favorite recipes here. Recipes that yearn for tweaking and experimentation.
Baking new things is a way you can have your fun and eat it, too.
-Linda
Happy National Chocolate Covered Anything Day!
December 16, 2009
Chocolate never needs an excuse, but . . . today is National Chocolate Covered Anything Day.
That’s right. Anything.
Have a very sweet day.
-Linda
Gluten Free Cookie Recipes for Holiday Baking
December 12, 2009
Baking for the holidays? Here are some of my favorite gluten free cookie recipes for sweetening any occasion.
Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies
-Linda
Christmas week hours
December 10, 2009
For the week of Christmas, retail hours will be slightly different at Free Range Cookies in St. Louis, MO. Here’s a map. And here’s a schedule:
Monday, December 21st: open 12 – 6pm
Tuesday, December 22nd: open 12 – 6pm
Wednesday, December 23rd: open 12 – 6pm
Thursday, December 24th: open 12 – 6pm
Friday, December 25th: Closed for Christmas Day
Saturday, December 26th: Closed for Boxing Day
Sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies, cupcakes and more will be available, along with the usual assortment of gluten free bakery delights – breads, biscuits, rolls, snacks, and other fun stuff. Say “I’m a cookievore, too” to get a free cookie.
-Linda
Where can I find more information about celiac disease?
December 9, 2009
As you may know, celiac disease (CD) is a genetic intolerance to the gluten in wheat, rye, and barley. Once thought to be a rare disorder, CD is now known to affect at least 1 in 100 Americans. If you’ve never heard of CD, you’re not alone. Many medical professionals are still unaware of the disease or not current in their knowledge, so it’s significantly under diagnosed.
For current information on CD, please visit the University of Chicago’s Celiac Disease Center. Another resource – Celiac Nurse is a blog I found recently with loads of information, including a 12 part series on diseases associated with undiagnosed celiac disease. Take a look at all the annotations and links. Here’s hoping many in the medical field will stumble upon these resources.
-Linda
Gluten free gingerbread cookies recipe
December 8, 2009
This is one of my favorite cookie recipes and just happens to be the best recipe for making gingerbread house cookies. You’ll see that it really doesn’t have much ginger at all and more importantly, goes really easy on the molasses. If you like lots of molasses in your gingerbread, this is not the recipe for you. But if you like your gingerbread to be more like a lightly spiced graham cracker, here is our recipe.
Gluten free gingerbread cookies recipe
Blend the following dry ingredients together in large mixing bowl:
3 ½ cups gluten-free flour*
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon xanthan gum
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Add in a bit at a time while your mixer is running:
1 cup Tropical Traditions organic palm shortening
In large cup, combine the following, then add to large mixing bowl:
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
(edited to add: if your dough is too dry, add a tablespoon or two of water)
After stirring well, let the dough rest in fridge for about an hour. Then roll out thinly onto waxed paper or freezer paper sprinkled with powdered sugar and cut into shapes. A reusable fondant matte also works well for rolling out dough. Get one at Michael’s craft store or any baking supply store.
If your dough has gotten too chilly in the fridge, it will be hard to roll out. It will start tearing along the edges and you’ll be annoyed. Just gather it back up gently and push any torn bits together. Then let your dough rest at room temperature. For a little bit, say 20 minutes. Then start rerolling it, taking your time. This dough does not like to be rushed! When you’re ready, bake cookies at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Yield: about 30 medium cookies.
*From rice blend: 6 cups rice flour, 2 cups potato starch, 1 cup tapioca starch
If you’re making a gingerbread house - roll dough out a bit thicker and cut shapes from a template. Larger and thicker cookies will need to bake longer, approximately 12-14 minutes. After cookies have cooled completely, attach pieces with royal icing. For stained glass effect, use crushed candy (applied during last 5 minutes of bake time) to fill in window cutouts on cookie.
To make an ornament out of any cookie, use a straw to punch a hole near the top. Then after baking and decorating, thread some pretty ribbon through the hole to finish your ornament.
For Rudolph cookies, cut out triangles of dough with a pizza cutter. Press glutino pretzels into two corners of your triangle for the antlers. Bake for 9-10 minutes. Finish with a candy nose and eyes attached with icing.
Royal icing for decorating
4 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons pasteurized dried egg whites
6 tablespoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon 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. I used the Deb El brand of Just Whites – a handy product to have for baking.
-Linda
National Cookie Day
December 4, 2009
Did you know that December 4th is officially National Cookie Day?
Just one day? Wait a minute.
A single day would never be long enough to celebrate cookies in all their glory. When you’re a cookievore, every day is an occasion to observe the awesomeness of cookies.
-Linda
What is focaccia? And what’s up with the Bread Baker’s Apprentice?
December 3, 2009
Focaccia
Focaccia is a flat bread that can be used for all types of sandwiches - panini, grilled cheese, etc. - or used as a base for pizza. There are numerous variations of focaccia bread found around the world. Traditional focaccia comes in many flavors and shapes, and can be savory or sweet.
The most widely known variation of the focaccia theme is a bread that’s topped with olive oil, herbs, and sea salt. But focaccia dolce (sweet bread) with raisins is common in northern Italy.
Gluten free focaccia bread at Free Range Cookies is made using traditional techniques that allow the bread to develop its full flavor while enhancing the texture. How does this relate to a book about artisan bread baking? Time, temperature, and technique are three important elements of bread baking that Peter Reinhart addresses in The Bread Baker’s Apprentice.
Bread Baker’s Apprentice
I was asked recently why I’d bother looking at books about making bread with wheat flour. The answer is simple. I’ve learned a lot by studying books like Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice and applying these methods to gluten free bread making. The ingredients may be different, but many techniques transfer to gluten free bread making.
To improve your gluten free bread, I’d suggest heading to the library. Check out and study artisan bread books by Peter Reinhart and others. It could totally change the way you approach your own baking challenges.
-Linda
Cookie crumbs of wisdom
November 29, 2009
Quinoa Cookies
Surround yourself with cookies that challenge and inspire.
-Linda
