[pinit] I know we're down to the wire for gluten free Christmas cookies, but these gluten free chocolate cutout sugar cookies are super easy to make. If you're still looking to round out your cookie plate, these are for you!
I even had two more cookie recipes planned for you for Christmas this year, still, but I'm exercising some restraint and only showing you one. I know it'll be a while before you're willing to kiss a cookie after the holidays, so you'll have to let me know when you're ready for the second recipe. Let me just say that if you love the soft batch gluten free chocolate chip cookies, you're gonna flip over soft batch red velvet CCCs. But let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet.
I love love love it when you post photos on the blog and on Facebook of your creations using my recipes from the books and the blog. It's truly such an honor to have you bake these same recipes in your home that I developed in mine. With your own hands, for your own family and friends. Other than gluten free bread (!), the most common photo you have shared lately … is these soft frosted gluten free sugar cookies in all sorts of fabulous shapes. They look amazing, all around. Well done indeed!
It seems only fitting that you have a chocolate version. They're not too terribly different, but between the deep chocolate cocoa powder and the melted bittersweet chocolate right in the batter (don't have bittersweet? use semi-sweet – it'll be just fine!), these chocolate cutout cookies are just the thing to round out that cookie plate of yours. You can frost them (or not), sandwich them (or not). It's entirely up to you.
I know you're busy getting ready, and it means so much to me that you're still taking a few moments for this-minute holiday cookie addition. Whether you throw these together just in time, or save them for another day, thanks for playing along. I'd be so lonely without you. xo
Soft Gluten Free Chocolate Cutout Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
FOR THE COOKIES
6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, chopped
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 3/4 cups (245 g) high-quality all-purpose gluten-free flour (I like mock Better Batter or Better Than Cup4Cup with this recipe)
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
7 tablespoons (35 g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder (I use Rodelle brand and buy it on amazon for a reasonable price)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons (22 g) confectioners’ sugar
1 egg  (60 g, out of shell) + 1 egg yolk (30 g) at room temperature, beaten
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons (1 fluid ounce) milk (any kind), at room temperature
FOR THE FROSTING
10 tablespoons (140 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 tablespoons milk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons meringue powder
3 1/2 cups (400 g) confectioners’ sugar
3/4 cup (60 g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder (I use Rodelle brand and buy it on amazon for a reasonable price)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set them aside.
First, make the cookies. In a medium-size, heat-safe bowl, place the chopped butter and chopped chocolate. Heat, stirring occasionally, over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Continue to heat just until the chocolate and butter are melted and smooth. Remove from the heat, and set aside to cool briefly.
In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar and confectioners’ sugar and whisk to combine well. Add the melted butter and chocolate, and mix to combine. Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and milk, and mix to combine. The dough will be thick and relatively stiff. Knead with your hands if necessary to bring the dough together.Roll the dough between two sheets of unbleached parchment paper into a round a bit less than 1/3-inch thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out rounds of dough and place them about 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake until just set (6 to 8 minutes). Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cookies are cooling, make the frosting. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the butter, milk and vanilla, and mix on medium speed until combined. Turn the speed up to high and mix until creamy. Add the salt, meringue powder, about 3 Â cups of confectioners’ sugar and the cocoa powder. Mix slowly until the sugar is incorporated. Turn the mixer up to high and beat until it becomes uniformly thick. Add the rest of the confectioners’ sugar if necessary to thicken the frosting.
Once the cookies are completely cool, pipe or spoon a generous amount of frosting onto the top of half of the cookies, and spread into an even layer with a wide knife or offset spatula. Top with the remaining cookies, and allow to set at room temperature until the frosting hardens a bit. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.
Jennifer S. says
These look wonderful! We made two batches of the vanilla kind AND I.can’t.stop.eating.them. they’re just like I remember. I’m sure these will be a new fav. FYI: I made the bb devils food cake from the flour challenge with nutella cloud filling, vanilla buttercream on the outside with chocolate ganache drizzled over the top and down the sides. Everyone loved it today!
Let’s see the red velvet ccc’s say……tomorrow? ;-)
Ernie Aguilar says
I meant to say that the gingerbread is staying home because they’re too good to share (next year we will have to make more.
Ernie Aguilar says
Will certainly try these. My daughter and I made several from your Christmas cookie collection. They are to be gifts as we go out visiting today. Except the gingerbread. Those were the BEST ever (with or without gluten).
Thank you,
Ernie
Carole says
Oh, A mocha filling calls out to me.
Courtney says
I’m totally going to do that with vanilla filling to make mock-Oreos, and will Nutella filling, because, you know…NUTELLA!
Your recipes are awesome. Thank you for all the work you do!!!
Anneke says
We (as in, my daughters) made several cookies off the 2013 cookie collage yesterday, including the absolutely perfect Gingerbread Men. Except they were Gingerbread Other Shapes, because they couldn’t find the man cookie cutter. No worries, they are still delicious! Merry Christmas to you!
Nicole Hunn says
I love that you have your daughters making the cookies, Anneke. Why should you stress about it, right? Gingerbread Other Shapes sound even better than the men. Merry Christmas to you, friend!
Elisabeth says
Oh wow! My daughter just loves chocolate sandwich cookies. And to be able to make them at home….this will be exciting. It won’t happen today and she wants to make your gingerbread men first, but it will be next on our list!
Nicole Hunn says
The men should definitely come first, Elisabeth! This really is their holiday. Just be sure to follow the instructions regarding temperature at each stage of the dough, and they’ll be great!
Mare Masterson says
I am always ready for another cookie recipe! Made Nutella stuffed Brownie cookies yesterday. 1 doz for future DIL as part of her present. Then I made 7 huge ones for tonight’s dessert. We’re doing our Christmas dinner tonight because future DIL will be at the house with us. I am making your Popovers recipe, but adding beef drippings, for it to be GF Yorkshire Pudding.
Nicole Hunn says
Sounds awesome, Mare! The red velvet chocolate chip cookies are so amazing, Mare. Perhaps my favorite CCC of all time! I love love love those nutella-stuffed brownie cookies – and oldie but a goodie. So glad they are in rotation in your family. And those popovers with beef drippings sound perfect! Merry Christmas, Mare!
Donia Robinson says
“Round out your cookie plate…” Love the pun! ;)
Nicole Hunn says
Unintended, I’m afraid! I do love puns, though.