Soft Gluten Free Almond Cookies That Keep For Days
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups (175 g) all purpose gluten free flour (I used Better Batter)
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
1/4 cup (36 g) cornstarch (or try potato starch or arrowroot)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar*
1/3 cup (76 g) Greek-style plain yogurt (not nonfat), at room temperature
4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg (50 g, weighed out of shell) at room temperature, beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
Sliced raw almonds, for scattering on top
*You can cut back the sugar to 1/2 cup (100 g) for less sweet cookies, but the cookie dough will be a bit more difficult to handle and the baked cookies will have a less smooth appearance and a less tender texture.
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside.
In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar, and whisk to combine well. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the yogurt, butter, egg and almond extract, mixing to combine after each addition. The batter will be thick and soft. Scoop the dough by rounded tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheet, placing the portions about 2 inches apart from one another. To make the dough easier to handle, place the baking sheet in the freezer for about 10 minutes or until the dough is less sticky to the touch.* Roll each piece of dough into a ball and press into a disk about 1/2-inch thick with wet fingers. Scatter a few sliced raw almonds on top of each piece of dough, and press down gently to help the almonds adhere.
Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the cookies are puffed and pale golden all over. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
*Make ahead option: At this point, the pieces of dough can be rolled into balls and piled into a zip-top bag and then frozen until ready to bake. The dough will not freeze solid, so it can be pressed into a disk and baked right out of the freezer. You may need to add another minute or two to the baking time.
Adapted from Chobani.