Gluten-Free Lemon Sugar Cookie Recipe

By Teri Gruss, MS

glutenfreecooking.about.com

Gluten-Free Lemon Sugar Cookies

Photo 2009 © Teri Lee Gruss

Use a food processor to make gluten-free sugar cut-out cookies for an easy, buttery crisp gluten free holiday cookie with bright lemon-zest flavor. 

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 42 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups amaranth flour
• 1/2 cup arrowroot starch OR cornstarch
• 1 cup gluten free powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon guar gum
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup cold butter, cut in small pieces (2 sticks)
• 1 egg
• 1+ tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon peel

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F
Line baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly butter

1. Put all dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse about 3 times to thoroughly blend.
2. Add pieces of butter and pulse about 10 times.
3. Add egg, 1 tablespoon of milk, lemon extract and peel and pulse about 5 times. The mixture should form a sticky, stiff dough. If the dough is too dry, gradually drizzle in more milk - slowly. You don't want the dough too sticky or it will be harder to roll out.
4. Wrap the dough in waxed paper and refrigerate for about 1 hour or longer before rolling and cutting out cookies.
5. Lightly flour a large sheet of waxed paper with sweet rice flour and roll the dough to the thickness of pie crust, about a 1/16 to 1/8- inch thickness. Try to roll the dough evenly so cookies will bake evenly.
6. Use your favorite cookie cutters and dip in flour for easier cutting.
7. If the dough softens too much while cutting the cookies, place the dough on the waxed paper on a baking sheet and freeze it for several minutes and then continue.
8. Bake in a preheated oven for about 12 minutes or just until the edges of the cookies turn golden brown.
9. Cool and store in an air-tight container or wrap tightly and freeze for a make-ahead holiday convenience.

Yield: About 4 dozen 2-inch cookies / more or less depending on the size of the cookie cutters you use

Reminder: Always make sure your work surfaces, utensils, pans and tools are free of gluten. Always read product labels. Manufacturers can change product formulations without notice. When in doubt, do not buy or use a product before contacting the manufacturer for verification that the product is free of gluten.