Easy Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Want to be someone's reason to smile today?  OF COURSE YOU DO!  If I have a few "kids" setting around the kitchen this time of year I whip up some of these cookies.  They are gluten free, super yummy, easy to make and bring smiles.  "How easy?"

 This easy...

• In a bowl combine 1 cup of peanut butter, 1 cup of sugar and 1 egg. 

• Preheat oven to 350, roll about a teaspoon into a ball & press down with a fork.  

• Bake for 10 minutes.  Do not let them get brown unless you want crunchy cookies.  

After baking for 10 minutes your cookies won't be brown, but take out to cool. 

You will get about 18 soft, yummy peanut butter cookies.  Get the milk!

I hate it when that happens....(sarcasm)

Gluten Free Sweet Potato Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing

These cookies turn out to be more like little cakes because of their moist and flavorful  taste.   I love making them in the fall because of their flavor and how they make my kitchen smell.  (If preferred you can substitute pumpkin in place of the sweet potato in the same measurement)  I have done both and there is not a lot of difference in the consistency.  However, you can argue the difference nutritionally:  but both have good and bad aspects as shown in the chart below taken from prevention.com: 

Truth be told...the sweet potato is just easier to work with and I need all the help I can get!

Here is what you will need:

1 cup of butter softened

2 cups of sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons of vanilla

3 cups of boiled and mashed sweet potatoes

2 teaspoons each of baking powder and baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

1 1/2 teaspoons each of cinnamon and nutmeg and pumpkin spice

4 cups of all purpose gluten free flour 

You are welcome to make your own cream cheese frosting whipping 3 ounces butter, 3 ounces cream cheese (both softened), combined with 2 cups powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.  OR you can buy Betty Crocker pre made.  (The cookies don't care)

                                                                     

                                                      Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

                                             Combine all your dry ingredients and mix well. 

 

                                 Use whatever gluten-free, all purpose flour you like.  I prefer Sans.

Beat your remaining ingredients with a mixer, on low until well combined. 

Start with your eggs, one at a time, then butter and vanilla.

Place about 1 Tablespoon of dough, rolled and pressed downward.  

                     You can place them relatively close together as they do not spread much.

Bake for 7 minutes,  pat down with two or three fingers and bake 7 more minutes.

               Because these cookies have a cake like texture, they will stay "balled" so pressing in the middle of the bake is important for icing them later.

Remove from oven, let cool and ice.  This recipe will make about 80 cookies! 

 

 

 

                          At least one day a year, my neighbors LOVE THIS CHICK!



Gluten Free Nutella No Bake Cookies

These are pretty great cookies.  Not only do they have Nutella, which is the spread of happiness, but they also have peanut butter!  (plus sugar and butter-so you can eat all you want)  I am not certain if it is the peanut butter or not, but these cookies are almost ready to eat as soon as you drop them on the wax paper.  Let's get going on this!

Here is what you will need:

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup Nutella

3 cup quick oats

Sea salt for topping if you like the sweet/salty taste ( I do this on about 1/2 of the cookies)

 

Over a medium heat melt butter, add milk, then sugar and cocoa. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and salt.  Pour hot mixture over peanut butter, Nutella and oats. Stir until combined. Drop by teaspoon on wax paper and cool. When the cookies are hardened eat and repeat! 

Melting the butter on a medium heat...adding milk

Adding sugar and coco and bringing to a boil...

Added vanilla and poured hot mixture over the Nutella and peanut butter, then added oats
to make this:

Dropped by the spoonful on to wax paper to cool. 
If you want you can
add sea salt for a twist on the flavor.

These are heavenly...

 

Gluten Free Lemon Drop Cookies

These are really good, but I am learning that sometimes the GF baking can be a little crumbly---BUT TASTY and yes, GLUTEN FREE!  **these have to be chilled 2 hours and do not brown much in cooking

So here's what you need!  1 cup white rice flour, and 3/4 cup SWEET rice flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon xanthum gum, 1 Tablespoon lemon extract, zest of 1/2 lemon, 2 sticks of softened butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and some for dusting,  & the juice of 1 lemon

Add all of your dry ingredients except for your powdered sugar.  In a separate bowl, cream your powdered sugar and butter, then add it along with remaining ingredients to your dry and mix to form your dough.  It will look like the photo below...

             Just thought I'd reassure you that Argo is in fact Gluten free.  
             If you look below the Nutritional Facts is says "a gluten free
             product".  When you go to your health food stores some of 
             baking products can be purchased at a higher price, but if the 
             ones at the store state 'gluten free'...you can count on it and 
             save a little money.  (And all extracts are GF)

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours....wait, wait, wait...

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, roll into tablespoon size balls, & bake for 13-15 minutes

let cool and coat in powdered sugar. YUM :)

 My 16 year old dips them in lemon juice,then powdered sugar again; and pops them in his mouth.  He hates anything lemon!  (sarcasm)

Cookie Cups - How To

You can make your own dough or you can go buy pre-made dough  

step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray the outside of each bowl cavity with vegetable spray.

step 2

Roll out dough on generously-floured surface to 1/8 in. thickness. Cut 4-1/2 in. circles from dough.. Drape one circle over each bowl cavity of pan, pressing to form smooth surface.

step 3

Bake 11-13 minutes or until cookie cups are firm and golden brown. Cool for approx 10 minutes. Loosen bottom edges of cookies from pan and carefully remove cups from pan and when cooled completely, fill with yummy goodness of your choice!

Sarcasm Note:  I was just setting here thinking, "why don't I just get a bowl of cookie dough ice cream?" I know, it's not as cute but if it's an emergency, you have my permission to go straight for it!