Christmas Cookies Gluten Free and Dairy Free

I am doing some recycling this year...recycling recipes! Here are my cookies from last years gift giving tins. I haven't shared the last recipe yet (need to tweak it slightly) but it is on my list of things to do in December. In the mean time, if you are like me then you are ready to start baking and freezing for holiday gift giving!
Here are some of our favorite cookies to share.

Merry Christmas Cookie Tins - Gluten free and dairy free

I have been baking up a storm the past few weeks, getting ready for the holiday gift giving. The results are in, and it's a sweet success!

My freezer is loaded with plenty of sweets to share with friends and loved ones in the days to come. What better way to share in the season then to pass the recipes along to all of you!

1) Peanut Butter (Nut Butter) Chocolate Chip Cookies - gluten and dairy free. Can be peanut free
This is the easiest recipe! Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
1 cup nut butter/seed butter (natural - no added sugars)
1 cup lakanto, sugar, or sugar substitute of choice
1 egg (can be omitted for egg allergies)
1 teaspoon baking powder
Mix in Enjoy Life Food mini chocolate chips to taste.
Mix with fork, spoon onto stoneware baking pan, and flatten slightly with fork.
Bake for 10-15 minutes, check for doneness. Cookies should just begin to brown, lightly, around the edges. Let cool before removing from pan.

2) Mexican Wedding Cookies - gluten free and dairy free - adapted from Living Without Magazine
1/2 cup confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
1 cup earth balance butter sticks, melted (they make soy free, now, in the tubs!) or coconut oil or palm shortening
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 tsp flax seed
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup walnut flour or coarsely ground walnut meal
1/2 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut flakes
Method:
First mix 1/2 cup powdered sugar with melted 1 cup butter and vanilla. Then add all ingredients and mix well. Let it chill for 30 minutes - 1 hour.
Scoop into 1 inch balls and leave them rounded up, not flat.
Cook for 20 minutes at 325. They should not really turn brown, but they should be set. I let mine just start to get a tad golden on the edges.
Then, scoop them into a bowl of powdered sugar and coat them, once, while warm. Layer them for freezing and enjoy!

3) Mini Chocolate Cupcakes: head on over to my mix review page if you're not sure which cake mix you want to buy. The ones in this photograph are the new mix by Betty Crocker for chocolate cake, gluten free. Follow package directions.
To frost these cupcakes, I melted Enjoy Life Food chocolate chips in a double boiler with just enough coconut milk to soften and smooth. I drizzled the chocolate ganache onto the muffins, and put them in the freezer to set. Easy and delicious. No one will know it's a gluten free dairy free mini cupcake treat!


4) Choclate Coconut Candies rolled in Cocoa Almond Crumbles - gluten free dairy free candy
In a double boiler, heat water over low-medium heat, and let Enjoy Life Foods chocolate chips begin to melt. Stir constantly. For aproximately 1 cup of chocolate chips, add 1 tablespoon of coconut milk (or more as needed to make chocolate smooth). Remove from heat, and continue to stir. Drop into balls onto a sheet lined with crushed cocoa almonds (I used the Blue Diamond brand and crushed them in a mini food processor). Place in freezer to set.
Alternate candy treat - roll pitted dates in melted chocolate mixture, and cool.


5) Ginger and Spice - Here are two recipes we've used for the holidays and both are gluten free, dairy free, and soy free.

a) Lebkuchen

These rolled out well and made great looking dark brown crisp cookies with a strong spice flavor! Good for turning into ornaments, decorating, or possibly using as gingerbread house material (though I haven't tried it).
Recipe:
1 egg
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup earth balance butter (soy free) or palm shortening or coconut oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup vanilla pancake mix - gluten free (I used the Maple Grove variety for the batch in the photo, though I think the kinnikinnick would be yum! Try an all purpose flour mix here, if you prefer.
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
pinch of clove powder
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix ingredients together in bowl. Chill dough. Roll out 1/4" thick (use extra flour for your counter top if needed (or pancake mix gluten free). Cut out shapes and transfer to baking pan.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 7-8 minutes, or until golden. I strongly prefer using a stoneware pan for cookies. They can cook evenly without burning on the bottom! Highly recommend getting a stoneware pan and seasoning it, then enjoying it for years to come.

Icing:
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Mix and top when cookies have cooled completely.

The review: Now, this is a strange flavor combination, but I liked it! If you like bold flavors, lemon, and spice then I recommend this cookie for your roll our efforts. The batch is small enough that it makes a good first run effort, too.


b) Gingerbread Cookie that is really a Spiced Sugar Cookie
This recipe was an adaptation of the Disney posted gingerbread recipe, and it is not a gingerbread cookie at all! It's a sugar cookie with spices. But it does roll out and it will work for making a gingerbread house. It will just be lighter colored that what you're used to. Works well for a spicier version of a sugar cookie (which I prefer!)

Recipe

1 cup softened earth balance butter (soy free) or palm shortening or coconut oil
2 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
3 regular eggs
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 2/3 cups all purpose gluten free flour (I used the Stashu's mixture, which is not vegan as it contains gelatin, but you could use any all purpose gluten free flour mix)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground clove
Blend the butter sub and sugar. Add ingredients bit by bit until well blended. Let dough cool in fridge for 1-2 hours before rolling out aprox 1/8 inch thick. Cut out shapes and bake at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes. I had to cook mine longer than that, as I was using the Stoneware pan and it took closer to 22 minutes! If you are using a glass or tin pan, check for doneness early on.

The Review: Remember those cookie stores that sell giant sugar cookies arranged on sticks in a basket? Well, this tasted like one of those...the spice version. But gluten free. So that is a good thing, but it wasn't the gingerbread flavor.


6) Truffles - Let's not forget these delightful dessert gifts!


Ingredients:

• 1 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut
• 2/3 cup of coconut milk
• additional 2 tablespoons coconut milk
• 6 ounces of gluten free dairy free chocolate chips
• 12 additional ounces gluten free dairy free chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Procedure:
Mix the coconut, 2/3 C coconut milk and let sit, covered, for an hour at room temperature for the mixture to blend.
Melt the 6 ounces of chocolate in a double boiler, uncovered. Stir constantly and remove from heat when chocolate begins to melt. Add 2 tablespoons of coconut milk and mix in well. Add the coconut mixture and stir thoroughly. Chill for an hour, or until firm enough to scoop and retain shape. Scoop the truffles with a small cookie dough scooper and place on a glass pan in fridge.

In a double boiler, melt remaining chocolate, holding back 1 ounce of chocolate chips, and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. As the chocolate begins to melt and soften, remove from heat and add remaining chocolate. Remove from heat element, yet leave over the double boiler or warm towel. Mix in with the heat of the melted chocolate, and stir constantly until smooth.

Scoop out the truffles, drop into melted chocolate, roll quickly and remove with fork. Place back on glass pan and move onto next truffle, quickly. Continue until all truffles are coated. Let chocolate cool to room temperature and harden, and enjoy!

Easier method: make the truffle inner, but instead of doing the chocolate dipped outer, roll the truffle in crushed pecans, cocoa powder, or finely shredded coconut flakes.