Rhubarb is the first produce to be harvested from my garden and is one of the springtime treats I most look forward to each year. I have developed a lot of recipes using rhubarb and, today, present my recipe for Rhubarb and Pistachio Cookies with White Chocolate Chips. These are tasty drop cookies that are loaded with complementary flavors. Continue reading Rhubarb and Pistachio Cookies with White Chocolate Chips
It’s hard to beat a good Chocolate Chip Cookie, especially one that has a lovely soft texture with a tender crumb and is slightly chewy. Today, I am sharing my recipe for classic Chocolate Chip Cookies. Continue reading Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
These delightful confections are known by many names including Snowball Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Swedish Tea Cakes, Italian Wedding Cookies, Butterballs, Polvorones, and many more. Their origin is unclear but, as the many names suggest, they are enjoyed around the world, no matter what they are called. I call them Snowball Cookie Balls because the dusting of icing sugar gives them the appearance of snowballs, making them particularly popular at Christmas. Continue reading Snowball Cookie Balls Recipe
These old-fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Drop Cookies are a cookie jar favorite. Filled with plump raisins and pecans, the cookies have a delicious flavor profile owing to the combination of warm spices. The cookies have a lovely soft texture with a short, tender crumb and the key to keeping them soft is not to overbake them. Continue reading Oatmeal Raisin Drop Cookies
Hermit Cookies are hearty old-fashioned lightly spiced drop cookies with additions of dried fruits and nuts. There are various recipes for Hermits that call for different add-ins. I add dates, raisins, dried cranberries, and nuts in my recipe. Continue reading Hearty Hermit Cookies Recipe
These Rum Balls are adult-only treats. They are not intended for consumption by children. So, yay, the adults get to have their very own secret treats they don’t have to share with the kids! These rum-infused balls are a classic adult treat around the holidays. Continue reading Right Some Good Rum Balls
These Christmas Fruitcake Drop Cookies are what I like to describe as a deconstructed light fruitcake turned into mighty tasty little cookies. The cookies, themselves, are not difficult or complicated to make though there are a couple of time delays required for them. One is the period required to soak the fruit in brandy and the second is the cookie dough resting period in the refrigerator. Continue reading Christmas Fruitcake Drop Cookies
As the old saying goes, there’s more than one way to eat your vegetables and these cookies prove it! This cookie recipe combines ordinary zucchini with chocolate chips that results in yummy Zucchini Chocolate Chip Drop Cookies. Continue reading Zucchini Chocolate Chip Drop Cookies
These Custard Sandwich Cookies bear some resemblance to those that many know as Melting Moments, my recipe for which can be found here. The primary difference between these Custard Sandwich Cookies and Melting Moments is that the latter contains cornstarch giving the cookies what is commonly known as a “short”, ever-so-slightly crisp, texture while the Custard Sandwich Cookies contain vanilla custard powder that gives them a wonderful soft, creamy, and slightly crumbly texture as well as additional flavor and a more yellowish color. Continue reading Custard Sandwich Cookies Recipe
These hearty Cranberry and Eggnog Cookies are good any time but they are especially good at Christmas. This is because they combine traditional flavors of the season – eggnog, dried cranberries, orange rind, pecans, and the warm spices we associate with Christmas – cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Continue reading Cranberry and Eggnog Drop Cookies
Scotch Cookies (sometimes called “Scotch Cakes”), close cousins of Shortbread, are a must-have Christmas tradition in many PEI households. They are a very common addition to holiday sweet plates. I am often asked if I have a recipe for Scotch Cookies and this is it.
The proportions of the main ingredients in these Scotch Cookies follow the holy grail ratio for traditional Scottish Shortbread – 1 part sugar, 2 parts butter, and 3 parts flour. What differentiates Scotch Cookies from traditional Scottish Shortbread are the liberties taken with ingredients for Scotch Cookies and their decorations. In that way, I suppose one could refer to Scotch Cookies as a modernized version of traditional Shortbread.
If you have ever heard someone refer to a cookie as “short”, they mean it has a crumbly texture that melts in the mouth. This texture is achieved by producing a somewhat dry dough which comes from the high flour content in relation to the proportion of fat in the recipe. The use of icing sugar and addition of cornstarch, and only moisture that comes from the butter are also contributing factors. There will be a shortness and crispness to a well-made Scotch Cookie.
Butter is considered an essential ingredient for which I do not recommend any substitutes in Scotch Cookies. Yes, use the good stuff in Scotch Cookies because you can taste the difference and pure butter is a main contributor to both flavor and the crumbly texture in these cookies. The cookies may be made with either salted or unsalted butter. If using unsalted butter, add ¼ teaspoon or a little more of salt to the dry ingredients.
While traditional Shortbread will typically be made using granulated sugar, I use icing sugar in my Scotch Cookies. Some of you may know icing sugar as powdered or confectioner’s sugar. I find this sugar gives a much more light and tender crumb in the cookies than does traditional granulated or even brown sugar (called for in some recipes). Make sure the icing sugar is sifted before measuring out the ½ cup called for in the recipe.
Traditional Shortbread would not typically have any additional flavorings added – it’s basically just the sugar, butter, and flour in Shortbread. However, I sometimes like to add just a small amount each of pure vanilla and almond flavoring in my Scotch Cookies. These flavorings are entirely optional in this recipe. If added, they should be in very small amounts – i.e., ¼ tsp and 1/8 tsp, respectively. These cookies are meant to taste like butter and adding too much flavoring will interfere with that pure flavor so do exercise caution in how much is added.
My recipe calls for 1/3 cup cornstarch to which I attribute the melt-in-your-mouth tender texture in the cookies. Mix it in with the flour before incorporating it into the butter/sugar mixture. Cornstarch works magic in combination with the other ingredients to create the “shortness” texture in the cookies.
Basic, all-purpose flour is fine to use in Scotch Cookies. No special flour is required.
There is no leavening in Scotch Cookies which makes the dough great from which to cut shapes since the stiff, dry dough retains its shape during baking.
When measuring the icing sugar and cornstarch, as well as the flour, make sure you use an accurate measure. To measure, simply spoon the dry ingredients into the measuring cups without stirring, and then, with the flat side of a table knife, level off the excess. Do not pack the dry ingredients into the cup, tap the measuring cup with the spoon to settle the dry ingredients into the cup, or tamp the cup on the counter to make room for more. This will result in an inaccurate measure of the ingredients and may cause the dough to be overly dry if too much of these ingredients is used.
Shortbread/Scotch Cookie dough is considered a dry dough as no liquid is added, save for the moisture that comes from the butter. The dough texture will be soft when mixed. Placing it in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes or so to chill will help it to firm up enough to roll out and cut out shapes. The dough for Scotch Cookies should not be over-kneaded or worked as it will get the gluten in the flour all excited and stirred up resulting in tough cookies. Just work it enough that the dough comes together and can be rolled out to about ¼“ thickness. The scraps of dough should be handled in the same manner until all the dough has been cut out in shapes. Minimal handling of the dough is one of the keys to tender Scotch Cookies.
I recommend dividing the dough in half and forming discs with each half. It is a smaller amount of dough to work with at a time, especially for gathering up and re-working the dough for the remainder of the cookie cutting.
Scotch Cookies are intended to be small, dainty cookies, about two-bite size.
Because the dough is a dry dough, it does not spread during baking. It, therefore, lends itself well to being cut with any shape of cutter desired. I recommend a cookie cutter of about 1¾ – 2” in diameter as a suitable size.
I use insulated cookie sheets lined with parchment paper for baking my Scotch Cookies. I find the insulated sheets give a bit more protection for the cookies from the heat. That is not to say that other cookie sheets do not work well.
The oven rack should be positioned in the center of the oven to allow good air circulation for the cookies to bake evenly. The cookies (of the size indicated in this recipe) are baked in a slow oven (300°F) for about 22-24 minutes. They will be almost the same color when baked as was the dough. They should not be brown on the edges or the underside side as they are meant to be very pale and delicate. Once removed from the oven, let the cookies rest 3-4 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
A significant difference between Scotch Cookies and Shortbread is that Shortbread is left plain, unfrosted. With Scotch Cookies, however, liberties can be taken to decorate them with a small dob of icing piped in the center of each cookie which may, if desired, be decorated with a small bit of very well drained maraschino cherry, a dragée, or quinns of choice as I have done in the photos here with the holly leaves and berries. The cookies can, of course, be left unfrosted, if desired.
Undecorated, the cookies can be stored in layers separated by wax paper in an airtight container in a cool location for about 4-5 days. Alternatively, they can be frozen for longer storage. If applying icing and decorations to the cookies, I recommend doing so just before serving. This will ensure no damage occurs to the icing or decorations during storage plus the cookies are easier stored in layers, undecorated.
[Printable recipe follows at end of post]
Ingredients:
1 cup salted butter, room temperature
½ cup sifted icing sugar (aka confectioner’s sugar or powdered sugar)
¼ tsp vanilla (optional)
1/8 tsp almond flavoring (optional)
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
Method:
In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter at medium speed until it is light in color and very soft and smooth, about 3-4 minutes. Reduce the speed and gradually add the icing sugar, continuing to beat the mixture until blended and smooth, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if required. Beat in the vanilla and almond flavoring, if using.
Sift the flour and cornstarch together. With mixer set on low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until all are incorporated, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as required. Mixture will be soft. Divide dough in half and form each half into a disc shape. Wrap discs separately in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes, or just until dough becomes firm enough to roll out.
Position oven rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 300°F. Line cookie sheet(s) with parchment paper.
Remove dough from refrigerator and, on very lightly floured surface, roll each disc of dough evenly to approximately ¼“ thick. With lightly floured cookie cutter of choice about 1¾“ – 2” in diameter, cut out shapes and transfer cookies to prepared baking sheet. Gather and re-roll scraps of dough until all dough has been used up and cut out into shapes, being careful not to overwork dough. Place cookies about 1½” apart on the prepared baking sheet(s). Bake 22-24 minutes, or until cookies are just set. Cookies will be very light colored. Note that baking times will need to be adjusted if other sized cookie cutters are used.
Remove cookies from oven and leave on baking sheet for about 3-4 minutes before, using a flat cookie lifter, transferring them to wire rack to cool completely.
Cookies may be left plain or a small dab of icing may be piped on to center of each cookie and then, if desired, topped with a small bit of well-drained maraschino cherry, dragée or quinns of choice.
Yield: Apx. 3 – 3½ dozen cookies. [Note that exact yield will depend on thickness to which dough is rolled and the size of cutter used.]
Joining the Facebook page for My Island Bistro Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/MyIslandBistroKitchen/
Following “the Bistro” on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PEIBistro/
Seeing the drool-worthy gallery of mouth-watering food photos from My Island Bistro Kitchen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peibistro/
Following “the Bistro” on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.ca/peibistro/
(and you can pin the Pinterest-ready photo(s) below to your favorite Pinterest boards)
Yield: Apx. 3 – 3½ dozen cookies. [Note that exact yield will depend on thickness to which dough is rolled and the size of cutter used.]
(Copyright My Island Bistro Kitchen)
These gluten-free Gumdrop Cookies are very easy to make and are super tasty. They are soft and chewy, studded with colorful fruit-flavored gumdrops. Continue reading Gluten-free Gumdrop Cookies
Today, I am featuring Classic Raspberry Linzer Cookies. These cookies, so-named for the Austrian Linzer Torte they replicate, are simply two shortbread-type cookies sandwiched together with jam. The cookies are commonly filled with raspberry jam which produces a very showy cookie. These cookies are traditionally found on sweet trays at Christmas but they are wonderful any time of the year. So, there is no need to wait for Christmas to enjoy them! You can legitimately actually have two cookies without feeling guilty when you eat one of these sandwich cookies – bonus!
The Linzer Torte, said to be the oldest cake recipe in the world and dating back to the late 1600s, is believed to have originated in the City of Linz in Austria. Made with a rich buttery crust of primarily butter, flour, and ground nuts, the torte was traditionally filled with black currant preserves and topped with a lattice crust that allowed the preserves to shine through.
Linzer cookies are a take on the Linzer Torte put into a cookie format. Two cookies are sandwiched together with jam and the top cookie is generously dusted with powdered sugar making it very showy. To keep the jam filling visible, a simple cut-out is made in the top cookie.
The ingredients for the cookies are fairly basic and the texture closely resembles shortbread. That is to say, the cookies have a short, crisp, yet tender texture.
While Linzer Cookies are obviously different than a torte, several of the ingredients are the same – butter, flour, and ground almonds. I add small amounts of cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves but in such small amounts that the flavours are very subtle. Some grated orange rind, vanilla, and almond flavoring are the only other injections of flavour into the rich buttery dough.
To make these cookies gluten free, replace the 2¼ cups all-purpose flour with an equal amount of gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour.
Tips for Making Linzer Cookies
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Ingredients:
2¼ cups all-purpose flour (to make them gluten free, substitute an equal amount of gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour
¾ cup finely ground almonds
1 tbsp cornstarch
¾ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp cardamom
Pinch cloves
1 cup butter, room temperature (no substitutes)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp powdered sugar (aka icing sugar or confectioner’s sugar)
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp almond flavoring
1 tsp finely grated orange rind
Seedless raspberry jam (1/2 – ¾ cup)
Additional powdered sugar for dusting cookies
Method:
Sift dry ingredients together. Set aside.
In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter at medium speed until fluffy and pale yellow. Slowly add the sugars and cream well for 2-3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Reduce speed to low and add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond flavoring as well as the grated orange rind. Mix to combine well.
With mixer set on low speed, gradually blend in the dry ingredients, mixing just until dry ingredients are fully incorporated. Do not overmix. Turn dough on to a lightly floured surface and gather the dough, working it just enough that it clings together. Divide the dough into two equal portions and form each half into a round disc. Wrap discs separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 35-45 minutes, or until firm enough to roll.
On lightly floured surface, roll a dough disc into 1/8” thickness. Using a 2” Linzer cookie cutter (either straight edged or fluted), cut cookies from one half the dough. Gather dough scrapes and continue cutting out the cookies until the dough is used up. These will be the cookie bottoms. Roll out remaining dough disc in the same manner for the cookie tops. To cut out the cookie tops, use the same Linzer cutter but fitted with one of the insert shapes to cut out a small 1” shape in the center of each cookie. Repeat until an equal number of cookies with cut out centers have been cut as there are whole cookies. If you do not have a Linzer cookie cutter, use any 2” cookie cutter and a 1” cutter of any shape for the center cut-out of half the cookies.
Place cookies about 1” apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate cookies for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Bake cookies on the middle oven rack for 11-13 minutes, or just until cookies are set and a light golden color. Do not overbake. Remove cookies from oven and cool on baking sheet for about 3-4 minutes then, using a flat lifter/spatula, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
To assemble sandwich cookies, place the cookie halves that have the cut-out centers on a cutting board (these will be the top cookies). Dust the cookies generously with sifted powdered sugar, covering the cookies with an even coating of the sugar. On the flat side (i.e., the underneath side) of the whole cookies, spread about 1 – 1½ teaspoons jam in the center of each cookie, being careful not to spread the jam all the way to the cookie edges (stay within ¼” of the cookie edge). Place the cut-out sugar-dusted cookie tops over the jam-spread bottom cookies to create the sandwich. If desired, use a tiny spoon to carefully add a bit more jam into the center cut-out of each cookie.
Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To freeze cookies, package unassembled cookies between layers of parchment paper in an airtight container. Bring cookies to room temperature before filling with jam and assembling as above described.
Yield: Approximately 26 sandwiched cookies.
Sugar-dusted jam-filled Linzer Cookies have a tender and crisp texture and buttery flavour complemented by ground almonds and subtle spice seasonings.
Yield: Approximately 26 sandwiched cookies.
[Copyright My Island Bistro Kitchen]
Join the Facebook page for My Island Bistro Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/MyIslandBistroKitchen/
Follow “the Bistro” on “X” (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/PEIBistro/
See the drool-worthy gallery of mouth-watering food photos from My Island Bistro Kitchen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peibistro/
Follow “the Bistro” on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.ca/peibistro/
The folklore of rum running during prohibition in Prince Edward Island (PEI) is the stuff of which legends and ballads are made. In PEI, so the stories go, locals would set sail in fishing boats, under the cover of darkness, and head out to sea to meet ships from St. Pierre and Miquelon carrying rum. The locals, known as rumrunners, would buy the rum and head back to Island shores with the smuggled contraband liquor. Continue reading The Rumrunners – Rum and Raisin Cookies
If you like cookies that are super tasty but not overly sweet then you will like these Gluten Free Snickerdoodle Cookies. They sport a lovely soft crumb texture and have superb flavor with the cardamon and nutmeg in the cookies and then the cinnamon-sugar mixture in which they are rolled. Continue reading Gluten Free Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe
There are different versions of thumbprint cookies. Some are rolled in crushed nuts, others in granulated sugar, and still others in coconut. Some are filled with jam and others with lemon curd. I use lemon curd as the filling and roll my thumbprint cookies in coconut to complement the coconut flour used in these gluten-free cookies. The coconut toasts lovely as the cookies bake.
I find that using only a gluten-free all-purpose flour in baking results in a somewhat underwhelming flavor for my taste. That’s why I often add some almond and/or coconut flour to my baked products. Either or both contribute flavor and I think produce better textured products.
As I tested this newly-developed recipe, I found that a hint of cardamon gives a subtle and pleasing flavor to the cookies. Somewhere between a one-quarter teaspoon and a half teaspoon is about the right amount so….either a heaping 1/4 teaspoon or a scant 1/2 teaspoon of cardamon will work. The cardamon pairs well with the lemon curd used as a filling/topping on the thumbprints.
Because some gluten-free flours, like coconut flour for example, absorb a lot of liquid, I use one whole extra-large egg as well as the yolk from one large egg to ensure there is enough moisture in the cookie dough. I generally have three different sizes of eggs in my refrigerator (extra large, large, and medium), especially when I am doing gluten-free baking. This is because sometimes two extra-large eggs would be too much but more than one is needed. That’s when I use either large or medium-sized eggs to supplement the egg content in gluten-free baking or, sometimes as in the case with these cookies, I just use a certain size of egg yolk because that is all that is needed. Save the white from the large egg in this recipe as it will be needed to make the egg wash in which to dip each ball before rolling in coconut. This egg wash adheres the coconut to the cookies.
The cookie dough benefits from being chilled for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator before being formed into balls that are about 1″ in diameter. This allows the dough to firm up and makes the shaping of the cookie balls easier. For these cookies, I use 3/4 oz of dough. I recommend the use of a digital kitchen scale to weigh out portions of the dough to ensure uniformity of size in cookies. You can, of course, “eyeball” the amount of dough for each ball but, if you want perfectly uniform cookies, I recommend weighing the dough, at least for the first 2-3 cookie balls to get a sense of how much dough is needed for each cookie.
These cookies have a soft tender crumb and are not too sweet. The lemon curd adds tremendous flavor and texture to the cookies. Click here for my recipe for the lemon curd. To make the indent in each cookie for the curd, use either the tip of your thumb, the round end of a wooden spoon, or the round bowl of a ¼ tsp measuring spoon. Gently press an indent into the center of each cookie, pressing about half-way down through the cookie. Bake the cookies and, as soon as they come out of the oven, immediately fill each cookie with about 1 teaspoonful of lemon curd. If lemon curd is not to your taste, simply use your favorite jam as the filling.
Ingredients:
½ cup butter
½ cup granulated sugar
1 extra large egg
1 large egg yolk (save the egg white for the egg wash)
1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp almond flavoring
1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
½ cup almond flour
¼ cup coconut flour
1¾ tsp xanthan gum
1/8 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
Scant ½ tsp cardamom
3 oz flaked coconut
1 large egg white beaten with 1 tbsp water
Apx. ½ cup lemon curd
Method:
Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using the paddle attachment in the bowl of stand mixer, cream the butter. Gradually add the sugar. Beat well. Add the egg and extra egg yolk. Beat. Mix in the vanilla and almond flavoring.
In separate bowl, combine the flours, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cardamom. Whisk together very well. Blend into the butter-sugar-egg mixture. Mix well. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill dough for 30 minutes in refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place coconut in one small bowl and the beaten egg white and water mixture into a second bowl. Pinch off pieces of the dough and roll into balls, approximately 1” in diameter (if you weigh the dough, each piece should weigh ¾ oz.) Dip each cookie ball in the egg white wash then roll in the coconut. Place cookies on prepared baking sheet, arranging them about 2” apart. Using thumb tip, end of wooden spoon, or the round bowl of a ¼ tsp measuring spoon, gently press an indent into the center of each cookie. Bake for 20-22 minutes. Immediately fill each cookie with about 1 teaspoonful of lemon curd as soon as the cookies come out of the oven. If indents are not clearly defined in each cookie, gently reform them using one of the afore-mentioned methods. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container. If desired, add a light dusting of confectioner’s sugar to the cookies just at the time of serving.
Yield: Apx. 22 cookies
Note: Jam of choice may be substituted for the lemon curd, if desired.
A delightful gluten-free cookie with a soft tender crumb and a decadent topping of lemon curd.
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Note: Jam of choice may be substituted for the lemon curd, if desired.
Recipe for Lemon Curd here: https://myislandbistrokitchen.com/2017/04/14/luscious-lemon-curd/
Check out these other gluten-free cookie recipes from My Island Bistro Kitchen:
Gluten-free Snickerdoodles
Gluten-free Melting Moments Cookies
Gluten-free Earl Grey Cranberry-Orange Shortbread
If you like brown sugar fudge, you’ll love this Gluten-free Brown Sugar Fudge Square! With a cake-type base, it’s the fudge icing that makes this square and takes it from plain to yummy. It’s like having cake and candy at the same time! Continue reading Gluten-free Brown Sugar Fudge Square
These gluten-free melting moments cookies prove that being on a gluten-free diet does not mean one has to compromise on favorite sweet treats!
I use a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour, such as Bob’s Red Mills brand, for these cookies. I also add a small amount of very finely ground almonds to the batter as this lends a tenderness to the cookie crumb which justifies the name of the cookies because they do melt in the mouth!
These cookies are very easy to make. Mix up the dough. Pinch off small amounts of the dough and form into small balls. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets and flatten with the tines of a fork. Bake. It’s really no more complicated than that!
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Gluten-Free Melting Moments
Ingredients:
½ cup butter, softened at room temperature
¼ cup icing sugar (aka confectioner’s sugar or powdered sugar)
¼ tsp pure vanilla
½ cup 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour
¼ cup finely ground almonds
¼ cup cornstarch
Method:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cream butter. Add the icing sugar and cream well with the butter. Mix in vanilla.
In separate bowl, whisk the flour, ground almonds, and cornstarch together. Add to the creamed mixture and blend until well incorporated.
Form dough into small round balls (apx. 5/8 oz dough per ball). Place balls on prepared baking sheets, about 2“ apart, and flatten each ball with the tines of a fork. Decorate with small bits of maraschino cherries, if desired.
Bake for approximately 15-18 minutes, just until edges of cookies start to tint a golden tan color. Don’t over-bake. Let cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes then transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely.
Yield: Apx. 1½ dozen cookies
These melt-in-your-mouth gluten-free melting moments cookies have a tender crumb and delicate butter and almond flavor.
Ingredients
Instructions
Pin Me To Pinterest:
For other tasty gluten-free cookie recipes, click on the links below:
Gluten Free Lemon-Filled Thumbprint Cookies
Gluten Free Snickerdoodles
Gluten-free Earl Grey Cranberry-Orange Shortbread
These easy-to-make gluten-free Earl Grey Cranberry-Orange Shortbread cookies are brimming with flavor. The ground Earl Grey tea leaves lend a subtle hint of tea flavor as well as add wonderful specks of interest in the cookies. The addition of the dried cranberries and grated orange rind make these very flavorful and tasty cookies.
I have been having very good success using 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill, for my gluten-free baking. The addition of finely ground almonds adds both flavor and a layer of tenderness to the shortbread crumb.
I use my old coffee grinder to grind the loose tea leaves very finely. This releases their essence which, in turn, infuses the dough with the tea aromatic. Use dried, not fresh or frozen, cranberries for these cookies and make sure they are chopped quite finely.
The dough will be quite soft so form it into a round log shape, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or waxed paper, and refrigerate it for 2-3 hours before slicing and baking. Refrigerating the dough helps to firm it up enough so that, when sliced with a sharp knife, the slices cut cleanly. Empty cardboard paper towel rolls make great cylinder “sleeves” in which to chill the cookie dough because they help to keep the round shape. Simply slit open the paper towel roll, place the wrapped cookie log inside the “sleeve”, draw the edges of the cylinder together, and secure with tape. Rotate the cookie dough log a couple of times during the chilling process to distribute its weight and help to keep the round shape.
These cookies are a great addition to the menu of anyone on a gluten-free diet. In fact, anyone can enjoy these cookies, regardless whether they have a sensitivity or intolerance to gluten or not – I’ll bet you’d never guess they’re made with gluten-free flour!
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Ingredients:
½ cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
½ cup sifted icing sugar (aka confectioner’s or powdered sugar)
¾ tsp finely grated orange rind
1/2 tsp pure vanilla
1/8 tsp almond flavoring
¾ cup 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour
¼ cup finely-ground almonds
1½ tbsp cornstarch
¼ tsp salt
¾ tsp finely ground Earl Grey tea leaves
¼ cup finely chopped dried cranberries
Method:
Cream butter and sugar together until smooth. Beat in orange rind, vanilla, and almond flavoring.
Whisk flour, ground almonds, cornstarch, salt and ground tea leaves together. Blend dry ingredients into creamed mixture until just combined. Stir in cranberries.
Form dough into log approximately 1½” in diameter. Wrap tightly in wax paper or plastic wrap. Slit open an empty paper towel cardboard cylinder and place cookie log in cylinder. Draw cylinder sides together and secure with masking tape. Refrigerate cookie log for 2-3 hours, turning roll every hour or so to distribute the weight of the log and to keep the shape round. (Unbaked cookie logs may be stored for 2-3 days in the refrigerator before baking, provided they are stored in sealed plastic bags or airtight containers.)
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. With a sharp knife, slice cookie log into ¼” thick slices. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies about 1½” apart. Bake for 20-21 minutes, or until edges of cookies start to tint golden brown, rotating baking sheet half way through the baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 3-4 minutes and then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or freeze for longer storage.
Yield: Approximately 24 cookies
A flavorful gluten-free shortbread cookie infused with a hint of Earl Grey tea and flavored with grated orange rind and dried cranberries.
Ingredients
Instructions
Join the Facebook page for My Island Bistro Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/MyIslandBistroKitchen/
Follow “the Bistro” on “X” (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/PEIBistro/
See the drool-worthy gallery of mouth-watering food photos from My Island Bistro Kitchen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peibistro/
Follow “the Bistro” on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.ca/peibistro/ and pin the Pinterest-ready photo at the end
Melting Moments
Snickerdoodles
Lemon-Filled Thumbprint Cookies
Christmas Icebox Cookies are a tradition in my household. There are many varieties of cookies that beg to be made, shared, and eaten over the holiday period and these are always a perennial favorite.
The richness of the butter and sugar combined with the slight chewiness of the mixed glazed fruit and currants results in a tasty and flavorful cookie. Use finely chopped fruit and the small currants for these delicate cookies.
Icebox cookies are very easy to make and don’t take any unusual or difficult-to-find ingredients. The dough gets divided into thirds and then each third is formed into a round log shape, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or waxed paper and refrigerated for at least 3-4 hours before slicing and baking. This is because the dough needs time to firm up enough to be able to cut clean-edge slices.
Plan ahead and save three empty paper towel cardboard cylinders. Slit up the length of the cylinders, these make great “sleeves” for the cookie logs and help to keep the shape of the logs round, or reasonably so. Secure the cylinders closed with tape.
Make sure to rotate the cylinders every hour or so during the 3-4 hours of dough chilling as this will help to distribute the weight of the dough and aid in keeping the cookie log round. When ready to bake the cookies, simply unwrap the chilled logs and, with a sharp flat-bladed knife, cut the logs into 1/4″ slices, place on parchment-lined baking sheets, and bake for 8-10 minutes. These cookie logs can be made two to three days in advance of baking and kept in the refrigerator so they are a great make-ahead cookie dough.
One of the great things about icebox cookies is that they can be made ahead and frozen, either before or after baking. Store the unbaked cookie logs in sealed bags in the freezer until they are needed. Simply let the dough sit at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes or so before slicing and baking. They’re also great to have on hand if unexpected guests drop by – you can pop a pan of the cookies in the oven and have your house smell tantalizing while your guests await fresh-from-the-oven cookies!
These make great host/hostess gifts, too, either baked or unbaked. A festive tin filled with these delectable cookies will be a sure hit with anyone.
They’re also fun to package in cute little bags. Who doesn’t love to get a bag with homemade cookies inside!
If you wish to let the host/hostess bake the cookies when they so desire, simply wrap a chilled or frozen cookie log decoratively and include the baking instructions.
Sometimes, I’ll enclose a small log of unbaked cookies in a little decorative bag and add a few of the baked cookies just to whet the recipient’s appetite!
These are easy-to-make, flavorful cookies that are very versatile – they look great on sweet trays, are easy to package in boxes, tins, or bags for gifts, and they are also wonderful treats in lunch bags, too!
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting.]
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened at room temperature
1 2/3 cups brown sugar, lightly packed
2 extra large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 cup mixed glazed fruit
½ cup currants
Method:
Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Beat into creamed mixture until dry ingredients are combined. Stir in cherries and currants until blended into dough.
Divide dough into thirds and shape each portion of dough into three separate logs, each approximately 2” in diameter. Wrap tightly in wax paper or plastic wrap. Slit open 3 empty paper towel cardboard cylinders and place one cookie log in each cylinder. Draw cylinder sides together and secure the cylinders with masking tape. Refrigerate cookie logs for 3-4 hours, turning rolls every hour or so to distribute the weight of the logs and to keep the shape round. (Unbaked cookie logs may be stored for 2-3 days in the refrigerator before baking, provided they are stored in sealed plastic bags or airtight containers.)
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. With a sharp knife, slice cookie logs into ¼” thick slices. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies about 1½” apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cookies cool on sheets for 3-4 minutes and then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or freeze for longer storage.
Unbaked cookie logs may be frozen in tightly sealed bags or containers for up to 2 months. Remove logs from freezer and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes or so before slicing and baking as above.
Yield: Approximately 5½ dozen cookies
Traditional buttery-rich Christmas icebox cookies filled with mixed glazed fruit and currants.
Ingredients
Instructions
Join the Facebook page for My Island Bistro Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/MyIslandBistroKitchen/
Follow “the Bistro” on “X” (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/PEIBistro/
See the drool-worthy gallery of mouth-watering food photos from My Island Bistro Kitchen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peibistro/
Follow “the Bistro” on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.ca/peibistro/ and pin the Pinterest-ready photo at the end
Classic Raspberry Linzer Cookies
Frypan Cookie Balls
The Rumrunners – Rum and Raisin Cookies
Marvelous Melting Moments
Molasses Spice Cookies
Hearty Hermits
Christmas Fruitcake Drop Cookies
Custard Sandwich Cookies
Cranberry and Eggnog Drop Cookies
The Bistro’s Scotch Cookies
Gluten-free Gumdrop Cookies
Gluten-free Melting Moments
Plum Puff Cookies
Brown Sugar Jam-Filled Cookies
