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For 30+ years, making cutout Christmas cookies has been a tradition around
here. (I have two drawers full of cookie cutters!) Anyway, the motivation
was definitely high for me to modify my favorite recipe, and IT WORKED! So,
here it is:
 
(Adapted from a C&H recipe torn out of a magazine long, long ago!)
 
DEFINITELY NON-DIABETIC GLUTEN-FREE CHRISTMAS COOKIES!
 
1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
1 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs (or 1 1/2 if they're extra-large)
1 T. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla or lemon extract
1 1/2 c. Hagman's g-f mix (2 parts white rice flour, 2/3 part potato starch
         flour, 1/3 part tapioca flour
1/2 c. sweet rice flour
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
 
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg, lemon juice and
flavoring. Combine dry ingredients; gradually beat into butter mixture
until well blended. Chill until firm (2 hours or longer).
 
Heat oven to 375 degrees; use g-f spray to grease cookie sheets. Use
powdered sugar to dust board and rolling pin (an old before-celiac trick
that makes cookies extra-crispy!). Roll dough 1/8 in. thick. (Another hint:
I use one of the cheap-o marble boards to roll it out on. When cutting out
a cookie, wiggle it around till it's loose; keeping it in the cutter, scoot
it off the edge of the board, catching it in your hand. That way the
cookies don't warm up and stick to the board.) Because these cookies use
baking soda instead of baking powder, you can put them pretty close
together on the cookie sheet--and, more importantly, they don't lose their
shape or details from the cookie cutters.
 
Bake 8-10-12 minutes, or until brown (depends on size of cookies and
position on pan). I set the timer for 8 min., remove the ones that are
brownish, and cook for subsequent 2-minute intervals. Remove from pan
immediately and cool on rack. BE SURE to grease the pan each time, as the
powdered sugar makes things sticky!
 
Now for the frosting:
 
1/2 lb. butter or margarine (softened or melted)
2 lb. powdered sugar
2-3 T (yep, tablespoons) vanilla
milk as needed to make spreading consistency
food coloring
 
Mix it, color it, and spread it on the cookies or use with decorating tips!
You may need to add a couple of drops of hot water to make for smooth
spreading. Use lots of sprinkles too!
 
 
A fun tip--use a heart-shaped cutter to make Santa faces. Turn the heart
upside down--the point will be his hat; the swooshes on the bottom, his
beard; and you fill in the middle! We always use some of the flat dot-type
decorations (anchored with a bit of frosting) to make the eyes (I haven't a
clue whether they're g-f or now, however!).
 
Have fun!
 
Thanks to all who've shared so much useful, vital information on this list,
and to those who keep the list going for us. Feliz navidad!
 
Sue de LC
 
 
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Susan Pieper/Las Cruces, [log in to unmask]
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THE LAW OF REQUISITE VARIETY: The person who has one more alternative than
the number of obstacles s/he faces eventually will triumph. (Anon.)