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These snappy gluten free crispy gingerbread men cookies are spiced with cinnamon and ginger, and flavored with just a touch of molasses. Make them any shape you like!
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What's a plate of gluten free Christmas cookies without … gluten free gingerbread men? This time of year, I am bursting at the seams with new gluten free recipes for you—especially gluten free cookies.
I feel like there aren't even enough baking days before the holidays for me to squeeze in everything I want to tell you and show you. It's a nice problem to have, all around.
These cookies are snappy without being fragile, and I appreciate that in a man. Even if he is naked, except for those few buttons. They're lovely with a cup of tea, but I am partial to a nice, hot cup of homemade hot chocolate.
A few cookie recommendations:
1. Roll them thick (about 3/8-inch, as explained in the recipe). They'll be very stable cookies, and they'll still bake up snappy.
2. Bake them until they're dry to the touch, at a relatively low temperature (325°F should do it).
3. Make them wave to each other before you bake them. No one else will know, but it'll be fun for you. And anyway I'll know.
They spread a wee bit during baking, so don't bake them too, too close to each other. Ice them with a little face, or leave 'em au naturale. Either way, 'tis the season … for cookies!!
Gluten Free Crispy Gingerbread Men Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (210 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend, (I used Better Batter; please click thru for full info on appropriate blends)
- ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum, (omit if your blend already contains it)
- ¼ cup (36 g) cornstarch, (replace with more Cup4Cup if that is your all purpose gluten free flour blend)
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (73 g) packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons (63 g) unsulphured molasses
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg, at room temperature, beaten
- Royal icing, for decorating (optional)
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 blend, xanthan gum, cornstarch, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt and granulated sugar, and whisk to combine well. Add the brown sugar, and whisk once more to combine, working out any lumps in the brown sugar.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the molasses, honey, vanilla, butter and egg, mixing to combine after each addition. The dough will be thick and smooth, and somewhat sticky to the touch.
- Transfer the dough to a large sheet of unbleached parchment paper, cover with another sheet of parchment and roll into a rectangle about 3/8-inch thick (more than 1/4-inch, less than 1/2-inch). If you are concerned that the dough will be difficult to handle, place it in the refrigerator or freezer after you roll it out to allow it to firm up.
- Dip a gingerbread man cutter in all purpose gluten free flour or cornstarch, and use it to cut out shapes from the cookie dough. With each cut, jiggle the cutter back and forth to create a neat shape.
- Peel back the rest of the dough from around the cut-outs, and carefully peel off the men and place them, about 1 1/2-inches apart, on the prepared baking sheets.
- Gather and reroll scraps, and repeat the process until you have used all the dough.
- Place the cut-outs on the baking sheets in the refrigerator or freezer until firm (about 20 minutes in the refrigerator, or just 5 minutes in the freezer).
- Place in the center of the preheated oven and bake until dry to the touch (about 15 minutes).
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheets. They will crisp as they cool.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
