Holiday Treats

Tis the Season to eat all the things!

Eating healthy isn’t about limiting yourself, it’s about creating healthy eating habits and finding balance.

This week we are sharing a few of our favorite holiday treats. ENJOY!

Gluten Free Ginger Cookies

Ingredients:

½ cup (8 Tbsp) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature

1 cup Brown Sugar

2 Eggs

2 Tbsp. Molasses

2 ½ cups All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour

1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

½ tsp. Ground Ginger

½ tsp. Ground Cloves

½ tsp. Sea Salt

1 ½ tsp. Baking Soda

Coarse Sugar for coating

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a bowl using a mixer combine together the butter and brown sugar until they are light and fluffy. Then add the eggs and molasses. Beat until blended together.

In a separate bowl whisk together the gluten free flour, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Beat just until they are combined.

The dough will be thick. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop the dough, roll into a ball and then roll in the coating sugar. Place on the baking sheet and smash slightly with the palm of your hand.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. The cookies will be cracked on top, slightly firm to the touch and golden brown when done.

Candy Cane Biscotti

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose gluten free flour , plus more for sprinkling

3/4 tsp xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup Granulated Sugar

1/2 cup finely crushed peppermint candy canes 

2 eggs 

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp peppermint extract 

White chocolate, melted, for drizzling (optional)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside. 

In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and sugar, and whisk to combine well. 

Add the crushed candies, and whisk again to combine. 

Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract, and mix to combine well. 

The dough will be thick and very sticky. Sprinkle your hands with additional flour and knead the dough lightly with your hands until a bit smoother. 

Divide the dough into two equal portions, and, with lightly floured hands, shape each into a loaf that is about 3 1/2-inches long x 3-inches wide x 1-inch thick. 

Place the loaves about 4 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.

Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake until lightly golden brown and firm to the touch, about 25 minutes. 

Remove from the oven and allow the loaf to cool for at least 10 minutes, or until only slightly warm to the touch. 

For easier slicing, place the loaves in the freezer for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 300°F.

Using a large serrated bread knife, slice each loaf in a cross-section on the bias into 5 to 6 pieces each, about 1/4 inch thick. 

Place the pieces, one flat side down, back on the prepared baking sheet, spaced about 1 inch apart. Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

Working quickly with a light touch, flip each of the cookies over on the baking sheet. Return the baking sheet to the oven one last time and finish baking until the underside of the cookies is lightly golden brown (about another 10 minutes – less if you want less crunchy cookies). 

Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature. The cookies will crisp as they cool.

Drizzle with melted white chocolate.

Store leftover cookies in a sealed glass container at room temperature to maintain crispness.

Recipes is adapted from Gluten Free on a Shoestring