Are you one of those people who enjoys white chocolate?  I personally am not, but I know many people that are.   In case this sounds like you, here is a gluten free recipe for white chocolate chip cookies that you’ll probably enjoy.

Gluten Free White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cookie Ingredients:

• 6 T butter, soft
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 t. vanilla
• 1/2 cup, rounded, brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup millet flour
• 2T. sweet rice flour
• 1/4 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/2 t. xanthan gum
• 1/2 c. white chocolate chips, or 1/4 c. each chips and nuts

Cookie Directions:

1. Cream the butter and sugars.
2. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix that up.
3. Combine the dry ingredients, and add that to the wet mixture in 3 parts.
4. Mix in the nuts/ chocolate chips.
5. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.

[Recipe Courtesy of Learning How to Cook...Gluten Free!]

Come holiday time at the end of the year you will often find there is very few gluten free foods you can enjoy, so you’ll probably be forced to bake your own.  Don’t fret though, as this can sometimes be a good thing!   If you have young children in your home, I definitely recommend making sugar cookies.  You can get them involved with cutting and icing the cookies, and they will of course enjoy the end product as well. 

Here is the recipe for sugar cookies:

Gluten Free Holiday Sugar Cookies Recipe

Sugar Cookie Ingredients:

• 3 cups gluten-free flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon soda
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon almond (or flavoring of your choice)
• 1 cup gluten-free margarine

Sugar Cookie Directions:

1. Sift flour, soda & cream of tartar - cut in margarine or butter (I find that margarine is easier when rolling out the cookies). Beat eggs, add sugar & almond - mix well. Pour egg mixture into flour mixture and mix well by hand.
2. Chill at least 15 min (several days is also ok). Roll out to desired thickness on floured surface and cut into shapes. Decorate with colored sugar, or if you prefer, after baked & cooled frost and then sprinkle with colored sugar, etc.
3. 2 cups powdered sugar mixed with some melted butter & lemon juice frosts one batch. Bake at 350F for 9 minutes.

[Recipe Courtesy of Celiac.com]

We’ve covered a couple gluten free cookie recipes here at Celiac Disease, but I’ve always felt when it comes to cooking gluten free, it can be best to try a number of different variations and figure out which one is best.

Here is a recipe provided to us courtesy of Cocktail Moms:

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Cookie Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups gluten free flour
• 1 teaspoon gluten free baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup firmly packing brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons gluten free vanilla
• 1 (10 ounce) ounce package (2 cups) gluten free chocolate chips

Cookie Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, salt and xanthan gum in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Combine butter, brown sugar and sugar in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy.
4. Add eggs and vanilla. Continue mixing until well blended.
5. Reduce speed to low and slowly add in flour mixture. Once both are well mixed together add chips.
6. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 9-12 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Let stand 1-2 minutes before removing them from the baking sheet.

[Recipe Courtesy of Cocktail Moms]

There are a number of great gluten free cookies available, including both those purchased in a store and ones that can be made at home.  Unfortunately many are about as healthy as their gluten-filled counterparts, making many of us hesitant to eat them. 

If you’d like a healthier alternative, here is a nice recipe for gluten free applesauce cookies. 

Gluten Free Applesauce Cookies Recipe

Cookie Ingredients:

• ½ cup softened butter or margarine
• ¾ cup applesauce
• 2 ¾ cup gluten free flour
• 1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Cinnamon Frosting Ingredients:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 TBSP milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Cookie Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix butter and applesauce.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients.
4. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake until almost no indentation remains when touched – 8 to 10 minutes.
6. Immediately remove from cookie sheet.
7. Mix frosting ingredients and frost the cookies (once cool).

[Recipe Courtesy of Gluten Free is Life]

If you are someone on a gluten free diet and are okay with eating oats, where is a great gluten free dessert recipe I just ran across for oatmeal raisin cookies.   Give it a try and let us know how they turned out in the comments below!

Gluten Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe

Cookie Ingredients:

• 1 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups Gluten free flour blend
• 1 tsp. xanthum gum
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 cups gluten free quick cooking oats
• 1 cup raisins

Cookie Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Beat shortening and sugars until creamy.
3. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
4. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; add to butter mixture, mixing well. Stir in oats and raisins; mix well. Dough will be nice and thick. 
5. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheets.
6. Bake 10-12 minutes.

[Recipe Courtesy of Gluten Free Betty]

Finding gluten free cookies is easy, but have you noticed they are usually very hard and break easily?  Here is a chewy chocolate chip cookies recipe that I think people will enjoy.

Gluten Free Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups Gluten-Free Flour Blend
• 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons gluten-free vanilla
• 1 (12-ounce) package (2 cups) gluten-free semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F.
2. Combine flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, salt and xanthan gum in medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Combine butter, brown sugar and sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy.
4. Add eggs and vanilla. Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.
5. Reduce speed to low. Beat, gradually adding flour mixture, until well mixed.
6. Stir in chocolate chips.
7. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets.
8. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. (DO NOT OVERBAKE.)
9. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets.

[Recipe Provided Courtesy of Land o' Lakes]