As a major baker – I blame the hours I spent watching the Food Network in University – developing an egg allergy, then my husband’s lactose intolerance, and then my issues with gluten, hit a devastating blow to that hobby.
But, with experimentation and tweaking I have found and created some delicious baked treats. What I will note for anyone beginning a vegan or gluten free baking journey is to 1) Find a gluten free, all purpose flour you like the taste of. Not all taste the same! My favourite is President’s Choice GF All Purpose, but there are many others. Bob’s Red Mill is my least favourite … 2) Do your research on butter. I use vegetable oil based margarine, but there are many vegan butters if you choose … and 3) Flax eggs make excellent, healthy egg replacements, that work excellently for cookies. Simply combine 1 tbsp ground flax and 3 tbsp water and let gel for 15 minutes in the fridge. This equals one egg. A bit more flour is sometimes required.
For those who aren’t Gluten-free or Vegan these recipes are completely reversible to the “original” state. Use whatever butter you fancy, all purpose flour instead of gluten-free, and regular eggs instead of flax egg. Bada-bing bada-boom. *Chef’s kiss*
Citrus Sugar Cookies
3 cups All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup Vegetable Based Margarine or Vegan Butter
1 cup White Sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 flax eggs (5 tbsp water + 2 tbsp flax. Allow to stand in fridge for 15 minutes).
1-2 Tbsp orange zest
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Mix together dry ingredients.
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Cream butter until smooth, add sugar and cream 5 minutes. Scraping edges of bowl as needed. (More air added here, the lighter the texture of the end result). Add in flax egg and mix about 1 minute. Add zest and vanilla.
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Add in dry ingredients. Once dough starts to come together, empty onto counter and need together until you have a solid ball of dough.
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Refrigerate for at least two hours before rolling, cutting and baking at 350F for about 13 minutes.
(You can decorate these any way you want with coloured sugar sprinkles, buttercream icing, and my favourite is the citrus glaze below … it really finishes the citrus taste perfectly)!
Citrus Glaze: *adapted from Del’s Cooking Twist
3/4 cup icing sugar
Sprinkle of Cinnamon
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp almond milk
1/2 tsp orange zest
1-2 tbsp orange juice
Gingerbread Cookies
3 cups Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
*2 tsp ground ginger
*2 tsp cinnamon
*1/4 tsp allspice
*scant 1/4 tsp nutmeg *(adjust all these spices as you desire, I like really spicy gingerbread so these ratios will yield that. If you don’t cut down the cinnamon to 1.5 tsp and omit the allspice)
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Combine all these dry ingredients and set aside.
Cream together:
1/2 cup baking margarine
1/2 cup white sugar
1 flax egg (see method above)
2/3 cup fancy molasses
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Add dry ingredients and mix until dough forms a ball. Gently knead dough on countertop to fully form a dough ball. Refrigerate for a minimum of two hours or overnight before rolling, cutting, and baking at 350F for 12 minutes. Top with your favourite buttercream frosting.
Buttercream Frosting
2 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup butter (baking margarine or vegan butter)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp almond milk
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Beat butter and vanilla until smooth. Add icing sugar. Add enough milk to reach desired consistency. Beat on high for 5 minutes until fluffy and white.
Jam Thumbprint Cookies (with Cranberry Sauce Jam)
These have to be the easiest, yummiest (is that a word?) cookies that yield delicious results every time. Adapted from Vegan Huggs.
I made a homemade cranberry sauce to top the cookies but any jam you desire will work wonderfully … the tarter the better!
2 cups GF Flour
1/2 cup tsp salt
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup baking margarine, vegan butter, or regular butter
2 tbsp almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
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Preheat oven to 350F.
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Combine flour and salt, set aside.
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Cream butter and sugar, about five minutes. Add almond milk and vanilla extract. Beat to combine and scrape edges of the bowl. Add flour and beat until dough just starts to form a ball (over mixing here will yield tougher cookies).
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Scoop 1 tbsp of dough on cookie sheets. Make thumb indent on each cookie. Bake about 10 minutes and remove from oven. Gently press the thumb indents to make larger nook, place about 1 tsp of desired jam in each nook and finish baking for about 4 minutes.
