[pinit] I briefly considered trying to buy a cookie stamp that said “Thank You” or “Gracias” or at least “Merci” or something. And by “considered,” I mean that I actually tried. Don't worry–I pretty quickly came to my senses. I mean, it's kind of nutty enough that I have this “Home Made” cookie stamp. I just have this near-obsession with bringing back everything that you once had before you were gluten free. Or at least making sure that you could have everything, if you feel like it. I mean, maybe you never thought you'd bake gluten free bread at home, but you broke down, bought GFOAS Bakes Bread (thank you!), and decided that you couldn't live without Gluten Free No Rye “Rye” Bread (page 101) even one more minute. It's like that. All I'm saying is that I wanted these Thanks A Lot Gluten Free Girl Scout Cookies to not only taste like the original, but to look like the original.
*ETA: I ordered a custom cookie stamp from the lovely people at Cupcakes At Dawn on Etsy, and they read the blog post and …. sent me a Girl Scout Cookie stamp gratis! So that's my full disclosure. They did not ask me to link to them on my blog. I just thought you might like to know (and that I'd publicly thank them!). They have great cookie stamps. :)
I do have one lingering question about the Thanks A Lot cookies: why are they called “Thanks A Lot,” but the cookies just say “Thank You.” Shouldn't they say, well, Thanks a Lot? Why downgrade your appreciation on the actual cookie, you know?
Either way, I couldn't resist using the cookie stamp on at least about half of the cookies.
The dough is really quite easy to handle (and yes, you need the egg white to help it hold together, and if you use a whole egg instead the cookies will be more tender than crunchy—live a little!) once it has firmed up a bit.
They don't spread at all when they bake, so a mere inch in between cookies on the baking sheet is plenty. Bake them until they just become a bit brown around the edges. We are striving for authenticity here!
Oh, and by the way, these chocolate-dipping shortbread cookies are really just like the Trefoil cookies, too, so you can skip the chocolate dip and call them Trefoil Gluten Free Girl Scout Cookies. Now if I could only get my hands on a Trefoil-style cookie stamp….
Thanks A Lot Gluten Free Girl Scout Cookies
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups (245 g) all-purpose gluten free flour (I used my Mock Better Batter)
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
5 tablespoons (45 g) cornstarch (try arrowroot if you can’t have corn)
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (115 g) confectioners’ sugar
8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg white (30 g), at room temperature
2 tablespoons (1 fluid ounce) warm milk or water (about 95°F)
8 ounces chocolate chips (your choice!)
1 tablespoon (12 g) vegetable shortening or virgin coconut oil
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set them aside.
In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and confectioners’ sugar, and whisk to combine well. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the butter, egg white, and milk or water, mixing to combine after each addition. The dough will come together and should be smooth but will be soft. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or allow it to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes or until it has begun to firm up.
Once the dough has firmed up, place it on a flat surface and roll into a rectangle that is a bit more than 1/8-inch thick, but less than 1/4-inch thick. If the dough seems too sticky to handle, return it to the refrigerator to chill until more firm (but not too firm to roll out). Cut out rounds with a cookie cutter that is about 2 1/2-inches in diameter. Place the round about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets (they will not spread during baking). Place in the center of the preheated oven and bake until just beginning to brown around the edges, about 9 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cookies are cooling, place the chocolate chips and shortening in a small, heat-safe, shallow bowl. Place over a small pot of simmering (not boiling) water, making sure that the bowl does not touch the water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and shortening are melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool briefly.
To decorate the cookies, you can either dip the underside of each cookie in the melted chocolate mixture (which is very difficult to do without making a mess of the rest of the cookie!), or spoon some of the melted chocolate mixture onto the underside and spread out to the edges. Allow to set at room temperature, or in the refrigerator, until firm.
Jess says
Thank you for the recipe! I have missed GS cookies, especially these.
AGray says
Is there a reason that the chilled dough has to be rolled out and cut with a cookie cutter. Just wondering if the result would be similar if they dough was rolled into a log of appropriate diameter, chilled, then sliced into 1/8″ cookies.
Erin Lowery Baerwaldt says
I think i should make these cookies, punch out a hole in the center and then cover the bottoms and stripe the tops with chocolate after they are baked. You know which cookies i am thinking of? The striped shortbread ones?
Diane Buma says
I LOVE the Home Made Cookie stamp! Nicole – do you mind sharing where you bought it – or did I miss that somewhere? Thanks a bunch!
Nicole Hunn says
Of course I don’t mind, Diane. :) I found it on Etsy. Here is the shop. They’re kinda spendy, I’m afraid.
Stephen Lovejoy says
There is a “Thank you” cookie stamp available on etsy.com. I belive the maker is Totum.
Cant wait to try the cookies.
Aleksandra says
Hi, Do you have any recommendations for replacing xanthan gum with? We can’t use any of the gums!
Thanks,
Aleksandra
Stephen Lovejoy says
“Gluten-Free Baking for Dummies” has some suggestions for Gluten free/ gum free flour blends, but I have not tried them.
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid not, Aleksandra.
Jennifer S. says
YEA! Our baker doesn’t even make this kind so the girls will be so excited when I bring these to our cookie booth on Sunday. I’m also going to do your GF do-si-do recipe too. Got some GF thin mints still in the freezer. Thanks so much!
Nicole Hunn says
Thin mints in the freezer! That’s exactly where they belong, Jennifer. :)
Mare Masterson says
Only way to eat a thin mint–right out of the freezer!
Nicole Hunn says
So true, Mare!!