When I started this blog, I said I would tell you about my successes and my failures. Today’s post is definitely a fail… x 2. I’ll try and make this as short and painless as possible. Please don’t let my fiasco scare you away from trying the recipes I have below. I’m posting these two recipes, which I first featured last year, because I thought some of you may not know where to find them in my past posts.
So….. It’s the Christmas season and I have had the urge to bake; cookies for us at home and some to give away. This is how it went:
Round 1: Last week I mixed up a batch of my gluten free, dairy free, egg free buttermilk cookies. (I initially posted this recipe in my post titled “Better Late Than Never?” I’ve also posted it below). I took out the first scoop of dough to roll out: While rolling the dough, I used too much flour; they turned out dry. Next, I rolled the a dough a little too thin, they came out somewhat crunchy. Finally, I got my mojo back and the cookies turned out just right. Ultimately, the cookies got mixed in with each other. I won’t be giving any of these cookies away, I can’t be sure which are good enough to give to others. Ugh, so frustrating.
Round 2: Not to be daunted, Sunday, I decided to bake my Thumbprint cookies. (I initially posted this recipe in my post titled: “Xathan Gum – My Excaliber”. I’ve posted this recipe below also.) I wanted to triple my recipe. Right from the start, I didn’t have enough shortening, so I ran to town to pick more up. I got back home and picked up where I left off with my recipe. (I was using the recipe in my Betty Crocker cookbook, not from my blog. Big mistake. The book’s page kept closing and I kept flipping it open. Well…… at some point,instead of looking at the Thumbprint cookie recipe at the top of the page, I started reading the recipe on the bottom of the page; which was for Chocolate Nut Slices. I don’t even know what a Chocolate Nut Slice is. So what am I telling you? Instead of putting ¾ cup of brown sugar in my butter, shortening, egg replacer mixture (Remember, I was tripling the recipe.) – I put 3 cups of brown sugar AND 3 cups of granulated sugar. Whatever they are, those Chocolate Nut Slices are loaded with sugar! Now I had a mess. I wanted to attempt to salvage the cookie dough. I did some quick math and decided if I divided the dough into three separate, two cup batches I’d be okay. I mean, theoretically, each of the two cup batches would have one cup of brown sugar and one cup of granulated sugar – which isn’t supposed to be in there. Maybe that pesky extra one cup of granulated sugar would be non-issue. Nothing a little extra flour couldn’t take care of, right?
I put two of the batches in separate freezer containers and into the freezer. I used the last two cup batch to finish the recipe – the correct recipe. I rolled the dough into balls, pressed my thumb into a dozen of them and baked them. They needed more flour.(See picture below.) I added more flour and baked another dozen. (See picture below.) They looked good, but, holy cow! They were SWEET, too sweet! Kevin suggested I add the jam. I did. I ate half of a cookie, it was miserable and gritty. Another cookie fail. Feeling a bit defeated, I threw out the remaining dough. I gotta stop improvising when I bake. Maybe I should try making those Chocolate Nut Slices? I’m half way there already.
So, I don’t have anything new to post, just giving you my two favorite Christmas cookie recipes. Feel free to try your hand at the recipes I’ve posted below.
Brenda’s Non-Dairy, Non-Egg,Non-Wheat Buttermilk Sugar Cookies Because I was doing this recipe so late before Christmas I only made a ½ batch and still got about 3 ½ dozen cookies.
Ingredients:
Since this is a buttermilk cookie, first thing you have to do is make your buttermilk so it can set for a bit to “turn the milk”. (see below)
You need one Tablespoon apple cider vinegar. Pour ½ of the vinegar into bottom of a 1 cup measuring cup. Add milk of your choice (I use cashew milk because I like it’s creamy consistency) just about to the top of the measuring cup and then add remaining vinegar. Let it set as you gather and mix other ingredients.
- 2 Cups white sugar
- 1 Cup shortening
- 4 ½ teaspoons EnerG Egg Replacer plus 6 Tablespoons warm water
Mix these first 3 ingredients until smooth.
Then stir in:
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 5 cups of Carol’s Gluten-Free Sorghum Flour Blend (recipe in my 2nd post)
- 1 cup buttermilk (which you prepared at the start of this recipe)
Cover dough and let it cool in refrigerator for at least an hour, but it can set for several days. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lay out parchment paper on your work surface (I know I’ve said it before, but I love that stuff!). Lightly dust paper with either the flour mixture (or it looks like in my picture, this last time I dusted with brown rice flour & tapioca flour) –it doesn’t matter which, your just doing it so the dough won’t be sticky. Roll out dough on floured surface to ¼” or ½”thick, cut out cookies. Place cookies on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Don’t have cookies touching each other on pan. Bake 12 minutes. Let them cool a few minutes before moving to a cutting board or rack. Once completely cooled you can frost them.
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free Thumbprint Cookies
– ¼ cup packed brown sugar – ¼ cup shortening
– ¼ cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread – ½ teaspoon vanilla
– Ener-G Egg Replacer equivalent to one egg (instructions for use on back of box)
– 1 cup Carol’s Gluten-Free Sorghum Flour Blend (recipe in 2nd post)
– ¾ cup crushed walnuts
– Jelly
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix brown sugar, shortening, buttery spread,vanilla and egg replacer. Stir in flour until dough holds together, shape into 1” balls. Roll each ball in walnuts. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet (I use parchment paper on cookie sheets.). Press thumb deeply in center of each. Bake until light brown, about 10 minutes. Immediately remove from cookie sheet, cool. Fill thumbprints with jelly. About 2 dozen (I make my cookies bigger than Betty does.)
Thanks for stopping.
Brenda
Disclaimer:
These recipes and tips are not guaranteed to work or be safe for everyone. Allergies are extremely complicated and vary for each individual. It is still your responsibility to read labels to ensure your safety. I cannot be held liable for any ill effects from using my tips to avoid your allergies. (Sorry guys, I don’t foresee any problems, but Momma’s gotta cover her backside, ya know?) Just read your labels! Do your research!