Tender Cut - Out Cookies and Gluten Free Cut - Out Sugar Cookies

I love baking for my hair salon's crew, especially at holiday time. Since at least one stylist there keeps gluten free, and I know a good amount of them are vegan, it gives me a little bit of opportunity to play with "traditional" recipes. I love seeing their eyes light up when one of the two batches I bring in is labelled "gluten free" (I also list all the ingredients so everyone knows what's in them), and while I'm not usually present when they're dug into, I always hear great feedback the next time I come in for a trim!

GF Cut - Out Sugar Cookies

This year I brought in a few treats for the girls (and gentlemen!) - including these two variations on the classic sugar cookie. I picked sugar cookies (vegan, of course) because they're the perfect tool to showcase to non-GFers how simple and non-threatening gluten free items can be to eat, as well as to give a relatively "safe" option free of nuts, eggs, dairy and (for one batch) gluten. Sugar cookies are also great for the sheer fact that they're a blank canvas for icing, and I definitely had fun with the decorations! To keep the cookies straight, I made all the gluten free biscuits heart or cat shaped, and the "normal" ones became stars and elephants. A basic powdered sugar icing got jazzed up with spiced rum for a punch of flavour and a quick set, and following this guide from SugarBelle they never looked better (even though I was in a rush, hence no finished pics).

When they were all packed up in their respective boxes (and clearly labelled), you'd never be able to guess which was which, and that was the point. I know many people who tried both and loved them equally, and in terms of making them I think I even slightly preferred the gluten free vegan version (they held their shape a touch better)!

Tender Cut - Out Cookies

Makes about 24

Tender Cut - Out Cookies

1/3 cup butter-flavoured shortening

1/3 cup vanilla sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

2 tsp soy milk powder

¼ tsp baking powder

Pinch sea salt

Pinch nutmeg

1. Cream shortening and sugar until fluffy.
2. Add vanilla and beat at medium speed until well blended.
3. Beat in flour, milk powder, baking powder, salt and nutmeg at low speed until well blended. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
4. Preheat the oven to 375ºF and line three baking sheets with parchment.
5. Roll out half the dough at a time to 1/8” between sheets of waxed paper and cut out with cookie cutters.
6. Place 2” apart on the sheets.
7. Bake 8-9 minutes, until set. Cool on the sheets for 10 minutes, then remove to a rack.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 56.2
Total Fat: 2.8 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 1.5 mg
Total Carbs: 6.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.1 g
Protein: 0.7 g

These gluten free goodies are being shared with Gluten Free Friday and Foodie Friends Friday

Gluten Free Cut - Out Sugar Cookies

Makes about 24

1/3 cup non-hydrogenated shortening

1/3 cup vanilla sugar

1 tsp GF vanilla

1/3 cup brown rice flour

½ cup sorghum flour

3 tbsp arrowroot starch

½ tsp guar gum

2 tsp soy milk powder

¼ tsp cream of tartar

¼ tsp baking soda

Pinch sea salt

Pinch nutmeg

1/3 cup water or unsweetened soy/rice milk, as needed

1. Cream shortening and sugar until fluffy.
2. Add vanilla and beat at medium speed until well blended.
3. Beat in flours, starch, guar gum, milk powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.
4. Beat in water or soy/ rice milk at low speed until well blended. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
5. Preheat the oven to 375ºF and line three baking sheets with parchment.
6. Roll out half the dough at a time to 1/8” between sheets of waxed paper and cut out with cookie cutters.
7. Place 2” apart on the sheets.
8. Bake 8-9 minutes, until set. Cool on the sheets for 10 minutes, then remove to a rack.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 56.4
Total Fat: 2.8 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 1.6 mg
Total Carbs: 7.2 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.4 g
Protein: 0.5 g