Soft and chewy GLUTEN FREE Sugar Cookies

Soft and chewy GLUTEN FREE Sugar Cookies, originally uploaded by Kate Chan.

FINALLY!

I finally have a chance to share a recipe with you!

The Chicklet had a couple days of all day daycare this week as school begins again for me next week and I am moving classrooms. She did AMAZINGLY well….. Mommy on the other hand? Well, I called *my Mommy* every morning I dropped her off because *I* was a wreck! I swear, the world goes ’round because of the love from our moms, huh?

I’ve made several batches of these sugar cookies to test the texture. This recipe is for the overwhelming voted-for, soft and chewy version. (Although if you voted for crunchy and melt-in-your-mouth, I’ll satisfy your cravings with my next post… piece-o-cake!) I tried to frost the cookies a couple times – and the frosting was a HUGE hit with my nephews, but the adults preferred these. I thought the frosting would help keep the cookies soft and chewy, but it turns out – no help was needed!

And my babe – who really doesn’t like cookies (!!) or cakes, etc – likes little nibbles of these. The soft chewy texture and sweet little nibble satisfies something in her. However, her true sweet-tooth passion is fruit. Any kind of fruit – especially if Daddy is eating it. Yeap… she’s a food thief and a mighty-cute one at that!

So… without much more ado and fan-fair – ’cause let’s face it – my mommy haitus has been going on long enough – I”VE MISSED BLOGGING!!!! – here’s the recipe and few crucial tips:

SECRET TO SUCCESS: Start with room temperature butter (or Earth’s Balance)!

Gluten Free Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies
Recipe makes 2 – 2 1/2 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or Earth’s Balance
1/4 cup whipped cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/3 cups gluten free flour mix
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

Directions:

1. Cream together butter, whipped cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy – about 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add the egg and vanilla. Beat for another minute.
3. 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.
4. Preheat oven to 375F.
5. Scoop by the tablespoon and drop on to parchment paper at least 2 inches apart. (The cookies spread.)
6. 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!)
7. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool completely on the parchment paper before moving.
8. Frost, Eat and/or Store in an airtight container.

Happy Cookie Baking and Munching!
~Kate

Gluten Free Homemade “Oreos”

Gluten Free Homemade “Oreos”, originally uploaded by Kate Chan.

Okay… don’t tell anyone… but I just ate the best freakin’ “Oreo” cookie. Don’t worry. I didn’t fall off the gluten-free diet. And yes, I will have to log more elliptical hours for this treat.

But honestly, I just needed a little chocolate to relieve this spinning roller coaster ride that we are on. It’s called “adoption” for anyone who is just tuning in.

Based on our best time estimates and guesses, we are now 2-3 weeks away from either having our baby home OR at least KNOWING when she will be able to come home. It feels surreal. Everything now is completely out of our control. It’s even beyond the US Embassy’s control. We expect our paperwork to be officially registered with the Embassy in Seoul either today or Monday. From that moment on, everything lies in the hands of the South Korean Government and the Korean adoption agency. OH! PLEASE! Let them have all their ducks in a row and ready to go! We want our baby home!

Someone on the adoption forum (that I have been completely stalking lately, I swear.) asked today how those of us who were getting closer to that magic “travel date/call” were feeling. She wondered if we felt giddy or nervous or what. To be honest, it took me more than an hour to figure out how to even answer her question. LOL

When my friends at work begin to ask “So… any baby news?”, I look at them like a deer caught in the headlights. I’m swimming in emotions and dreams and joys. And then sometime about 2:30AM last night, the weight of our commitment and parenting endeavor feel completely on to my spirit and soul. For a brief moment, I found myself holding my breath with wonder. And abject terror. It was all consuming.

And then I slowly released my breath and took a few more deep breaths. I rolled over and looked at my love who was fast asleep. Our black lab was curled on the foot of the bed (or rather *on my feet!*) and the two of them were breathing in unison.

“So,” I thought. “Our little clan of three will soon become four.”

And then I discovered the tear that had escaped my eye as it cascaded down on to the pillow.

Oh, I am so incredibly humbled to have the life I lead.

When I awoke this morning, the rains had stopped (we are surrounded by flood waters but our town is *wet* (8-10 inches of rain in 48 hours), but no flooding.) I could feel the tension in my jaw from all of this waiting. And wondering and not knowing.

It was time for chocolate.
Oh yea. I needed something comforting.

I started to make some dark chocolate cookies and then I thought about good old Oreos. The only problem is that you can’t just make the TWO cookies I wanted to eat. This meant I would have to make them in time to feed my colleagues. Let me just say, tomorrow my colleagues shall feast on homemade gluten-free cookies and NONE of them will even guess that they are gluten-free.

Well, until they see me eating one too.

Tonight when we lost power, I was just about to make the frosting. So there we sat at the kitchen table, visiting about our day as I mixed together some filling by hand. Please forgive me, but the measurements listed below are absolute complete guesses. I just dumped things in to the bowl and mixed. (And by the way, I am surprised by what I wimp I am at mixing! OH! I have been *so* spoiled by our stand mixer!)

And wouldn’t you know it? Just as I filled the last “Oreo”, the lights came on.

Ah well. I guess we won’t have many candle-lit romantic cookie dinners once the kidlet is here, right? I’d better take advantage of the ones I get when I get them, huh?

What are your latest food cravings and joys?
I am still seeking some new life in the kitchen!
It always calms me down to bake. I think I will have to tackle a new recipe soon.

In the meantime, maybe this Oreo recipe will give you all a shot of joy. They absolutely fit the bill for me – crunchy cookie (but NOT crumbly) and a creamy, sweet (but not sugary) center. I’m in heaven.

Grab a glass of milk, kids.
You’re going to want to dunk ’em!

Gluten Free Homemade Oreo Cookies
Makes 2 dozen + cookie sandwiches
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup buckwheat flour (or teff)
1/2 cup millet flour (or sorghum or fine rice)
1/2 cup dark cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Beat butter until creamy and smooth.
3. Add sugar. Cream together (3-4 minutes).
4. Add vanilla and egg. Beat together again for 2-3 minutes.
5. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients (tapioca flour, buckwheat flour, millet flour, dark cocoa powder, espresso powder, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, and salt). Stir together or whisk together gently.
6. Add dry ingredients to sugar/egg/butter mixture. Mix together on low speed until the dough comes together. (It will come together, even though at first it appears like it won’t.)
7. Cover cookie pans with parchment paper.
8. Pinch the dough off in small bits (teaspoon size) and roll in to a ball. Place them on the parchment paper. Place another (small) piece of parchment paper on top of the ball and press with a flat-bottomed glass to 1/4 inch thickness. Continue placing balls and flattening them but be sure that the flattened cookies have at least 2 inches between them.
9. Bake the cookies for 8 – 9 minutes. Allow to cool a couple minutes before sliding on to a cooling rack and cooling completely.
10. Cookies can be eaten as is, stored in an airtight container for up to 10 days or so. OR you can fill them like I did.

“Oreo” Cookie Filling
*Please note these measurements are ESTIMATES!)
Ingredients:
1/3 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups – 2 cups of powdered sugar (start with 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon orange extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
2-3 Tablespoons cold water

Directions:

1. Beat together all ingredients until a thick, non-sticky dough forms.
2. Form the filling into 1-inch balls and press to the back of one cookie. Top with another cookie and press together.
3. Enjoy!

Dipped in milk or as it – these cookies are GREAT!

And guess what? No kid will ever miss the Oreos from the store. Not when you have these around!

Happy Cookie Baking, All!
-Kate