GF: Crispy, Melt-In-Your Mouth Sugar Cookies, originally uploaded by Kate Chan.
Cookie breaks are definitely needed around my house lately.
The Chicklet has started day care (in a private home with a LOVELY LOVELY woman who adores her!) and she is mastering her abilities to toy with my (and her daddy’s) heart. First just let me say, I so have the easy role here. You see, it’s Daddy who brings her to daycare everyday (because of how early my teaching day starts) but it is ME – all ME!! – who gets to “rescue” her at the end of the day and bring her home. Ah yes, my life is fabulous.
But the babe has plans on making us know *exactly* how she feels about not being in our arms all day. Oh yes, and she’s good at it! Here’s her “teaching” agenda for us (her students):
On Wednesday last week, she cried when my Love left her at daycare.
On Thursday, she announced “Oh, NO!” from the backseat and began crying as they pulled in to the driveway of the provider’s home.
On Friday, she began to cry as he pulled out of the garage and I was there waving to them both.
And today? Well, today she took one look at her sweatshirt and the bag we had packed for her, and she started running. The little booger.
Of course, by the time she gets to day care and the other two kids are there, she’s in HOG HEAVEN with toys, goodies and playmates. She drags around my favorite soft long-sleeved t-shirt as though it was a Nobel Prize and holds her little pink bunny when she is feeling bummed. But those momentarily feelings are replaced with giggles and screeches of delight within seconds. I know this to be true as she has learned some very serious pterodactyl-like screeches that she shares with us at unanticipated moments… like in a quiet restaurant or a crowded grocery aisle…. oh yea…. delightful! 🙂
The truth of the matter is that I miss her. And I miss being a mommy. And I love my job. And I love being a teacher. It’s a very hard thing to reconcile. I’m sure over time, I will figure it out. But right now? Right now I rush out of school and coast down the roads (much more quickly than I should) and wonder about her day. I can’t wait to hold the little Diva in my arms and smell her sweet little neck… and … well… you get it.
So when she and I are together again…. we have adventures. Like making cookies. And she likes these too! (And she really doesn’t like sweets other than fruit and she definitely is NOT a bread eater. Ironic, huh?)
So for all of you Melt-In-Your-Mouth Sugar Cookie eaters (like me!), this one’s for you!
Forgive my irregular postings… I’ve been at a loss for what to write or post. But then my Love reminded me that we should have posted the fabulous (seriously… better than P.F. Chang’s!) lemon chicken or chicken lettuce wrap recipes or even our beef-and-broccoli or cinnamon sweet potatoes. So I guess he will be my reminder to take time for myself and write.
But for now… enjoy these cookies as I’m on my way to pick up the Chicklet! (And Ginger, we are working on a recipe for you!!)
Gluten Free Crispy, Melt-In-Your-Mouth Sugar Cookies
Recipe makes 2 – 2 1/2 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or Earth’s Balance
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/3 cupw gluten free flour mix
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
Directions:
- Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy – about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla. Beat for another minute.
- Stop the mixer. Scrap down the sides of the bowl. Dump all of the dry ingredients (starting with the flour) on top of the creamy mixture. Mix well.
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Scoop by the tablespoon and drop on to parchment paper at least 2 inches apart. (The cookies spread.)
- Bake for 8 – 10 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden brown. (Time may vary depending on your oven – so watch the color of the edges!)
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool completely on the parchment paper before moving.
- Frost, Eat and/or Store in an airtight container.
Happy Cookie Baking and Munching!
~Kate
Munching on a teeny corner of sugar cookie.
Gluten Free Gobsmacked 
Yum!! These sound divine =D. I love crispy cookies, especially when they melt in your mouth! The chicklet is so adorable =D.
Oh my! I need to try these … I very much miss cookies 🙂 Thanks so much for posting the recipe!
Kate, I’m making the transition from staying at home all summer with my baby back to the teaching world, as well. I miss him more than I can say during the day, yet I love teaching and can’t imagine not doing it, as well. It’s a tough thing to figure out- I completely sympathize! And like you, I’m rushing out as soon as possible each day to get home to my little guy.
Best of luck with it- I guess, at the very least, those days apart makes the evenings and weekends that much sweeter!
I love how you always give so much of yourselves in your posts, Kate–thank you for that! It will all work out … somehow, you’ll figure it all out. Thanks for sharing this cookie recipe. The cookies in the photo made me think of Valentine’s Day, which is a favorite, happy time for us, and, of course, I love the photo of Zoe!
Shirley
Hi Kate! My kids are grown now, but I soooo know how you feel! Those early years are so precious, and before we know it, our children are grown! How many times have people said this, but it is sooo true! Sometimes, I wish I had homeschooled, but one can’t look back, only forward. Those cookies look wonderful, do you have the recipe for the icing? And do you have any other recipes for other crispy cookies? Thanks for the post! Ina from the Westcoast
These cookies look amazing!! Can’t wait to try them! Can I BEG you to post the recipes for the lemon chicken and lettuce wraps as well? I didn’t feel so well after eating at PF Chang’s last time…..
I made these tonight using Bob’s Red Mill GF Mix. I upped the Xanthan Gum to 1tsp and added rainbow sprinkles (for the 3yo). They were yummy!
Thank you so much for posting them.
What perfect timing! I’ve been testing recipes for sugar cookies, too, and all I can say is that yours look divine. I think it’s something in the air — another fave blog, inchmark, just posted about sugar cookies (but these ones are your run-of-the-mill glutenous sugar cookies).
Hi,may i know what is xanthan gum?can i substitude with other material?thanks…
xanthan gum is what you need to build elasticity with gluten free baking.
You can use guar gum in place of it.
-Kate
Oh these cookies look so wonderful but the one in red and white polka dots look the most delicious of all! I am going to make these pink cuties tonight though!
Love & Light,
Tee
hi kate,
i can really use some input…I am guessing that photo above are your GF Sugar Cookies???
OK I have made this recipe 2 times now since my last post. They were really wonderful in taste and texture (although not completely crispy) crispy on the outer edge and chewier on the inside (that could be my uneven electric oven) plus even though you said they spread…the picture of yours looks so nice and thick. Yours are also pale in color like regular sugar cookies…my cookies were darker not burned but much browner overall even though I only cooked each batch 8 minutes. Also with each batch I made they grew darker , I feel that was the irregularity of my electric oven. Even so…SO yummy.
My gluten eating husband who really does not normally enjoy GF said “this is our cookie recipe from now on.” He begged me to make more.
Here is my question…I must say though both times I baked these, I was wondering if the margarine amount could be tweaked to less. I measured everything accurately and both times the cookies came out SO greasy there was grease all over our hands. Any input? Thank ahead of time!
Tee
I made these cookies and oh what a treat!!! I have been craving frosted cookies for a long time. I ate a few and gave the rest to a friend! Thank you. Gluten free eating is becoming much more tolerable!!!!!