‘Tis the season for baking. I have a couple great recipes for you to try out this Christmas week. A gluten-free sugar cookie recipe, and a soft gluten-free gingerbread recipe. Both recipes work perfectly for rolling and cutting into shapes. I think the gingerbread is too soft to make a traditional gingerbread house, but you could cut some of the dough into a flat house shape for decorating (see example below).

If you can’t eat dairy, I would recommend palm shortening to replace the butter, it is the closest substitute I’ve found for cookies. My gingerbread recipe calls for nutmeg, you could use ground cloves instead for a similar flavor.

Also included on today’s blog, I have two versions of frosting. The first is a traditional vanilla, for easy decorating. The second is a chocolate cinnamon frosting, which tastes fantastic on gingerbread. These recipes call for coconut oil, I think it makes a brighter white frosting, but feel free to use butter as a substitute if needed, the white frosting will be a bit of an ivory color instead, but will still taste fantastic.

Gluten-Free soft gingerbread

Ingredients Needed

This recipe easily made a dozen small gingerbread men, two large flat gingerbread houses for decorating, and several drop cookies for frosting. Simply cut the recipe in half if you do not need that much dough.

• 2 sticks of softened butter (1 cup if you are using a dairy-free alternative)
• 1 cup sugar (I used turbinado cane sugar, but white, or coconut sugar should work also)
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup of molasses (make sure you double check it is gluten-free)
• 2 tsp gluten-free vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg (or ground cloves)
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 4 cups of gluten-free oat flour
• 2 cups of gluten-free measure for measure flour (plus 1 Tbs if rolling and cutting shapes)
• Parchment paper for rolling, and baking

Directions

1. Combine the softened butter and sugar.
2. Add the molasses, eggs, and vanilla.
3. Stir the ingredients until well incorporated.
4. Add the ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and baking soda.
5. Stir until well incorporated again.
6. Add 4 cups of gluten-free oat flour.
7. Stir on a low to medium speed until all ingredients appear to be smooth and well blended.
8. Add 2 cups of gluten-free measure for measure flour, and once again stir on a medium speed until well incorporated.
9. If you are rolling and cutting shapes, sprinkle approximately 1 Tbs gluten-free flour to a pre-cut piece of parchment paper.
10. I recommend rolling the dough to approximately 1 cm thick.
11. Cut desired shapes, and place well spaced on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
12. Bake at 350°F for 10 min.
13. Let the cookies cool completely before decorating.

Gluten-free sugar cookies

Ingredients needed

• 1 stick of softened butter (1/2 cup if using dairy-free alternative)
• 1 cup of white sugar
• 1 tsp gluten-free vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• Juice from 1/2 of a lemon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 3 1/4 cups of gluten-free measure for measure flour (plus 1 Tbs to sprinkle on the parchment paper for rolling)
• Parchment paper to place on counter for rolling, and parchment paper for lining the cookie sheet.

Directions

1. Combine the softened butter and sugar.
2. Add the lemon juice, eggs, and vanilla extract.
3. Stir the ingredients until well incorporated.
4. Add the cinnamon, baking soda, and cream of tartar.
5. Stir until well incorporated again.
6. Add the 3 1/4 cups of gluten-free flour.
7. Stir on a low to medium speed until all ingredients appear to be smooth and well blended.
8. If you are rolling and cutting shapes, sprinkle approximately 1 Tbs gluten-free flour to a pre-cut piece of parchment paper.
9. I recommend rolling the dough to approximately 1 cm thick.
10. Cut desired shapes, and place well spaced on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
11. Bake at 350°F for 10 min.
12. Let the cookies cool completely before decorating.

Frosting recipes

This recipe calls for coconut oil, you can use butter as a substitute if needed. If you use butter I recommend using softened butter, and not heating it in the microwave. This frosting is easily spread, if you need a thicker frosting, I would add 1/4 cup of powdered sugar until you reach the desired thickness.

Recipe For vanilla frosting (makes 2 cups)

Ingredients needed

• 1 cup of coconut oil
• 2 tsp gluten-free vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Directions

1. In a medium microwave safe bowl, heat coconut oil in microwave for 30 seconds for easier blending. (If using butter, do not heat)
2. Stir the coconut oil until smooth.
3. Add the vanilla extract.
4. Add the powdered sugar and stir until it is a smooth consistency.
5. Enjoy!

Recipe for 1 cup chocolate cinnamon frosting

Ingredients needed

• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/8 cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tbs gluten-free chocolate powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

1. In a medium microwave safe bowl, heat coconut oil in microwave for 30 seconds for easier blending. (If using butter, do not heat)
2. Stir the coconut oil until smooth.
3. Add the vanilla extract.
4. Add the powdered sugar and stir until it is a smooth consistency.
5. Add the cinnamon and chocolate powder.
6. Stir once more until smooth.
7. Enjoy!