By Heidi Moir, baker and owner of The Bakehouse Off the Wheaten Path
My journey began in 2010 when I was diagnosed with a high level of gluten intolerance. However, the available gluten-free items were less than palatable. I wanted to continue enjoying the same baked goods as everyone else and not have to “settle” because there wasn’t a tasty gluten-free option. I began experimenting with recipes, and through much trial and error, I achieved my goal of baked goods that were delicious and indistinguishable as gluten-free. I was eager to share my success and in 2018, I began The Bakehouse Off the Wheaten Path, providing gluten-free baked goods to local coffee shops. Fast-forward to June 2023 and my dream of opening a storefront bakery came to fruition.
For this gluten-free recipe, I adapted my grandmother’s recipe for sugar cookies, which we always made at Christmastime when I was growing up.
The Bakehouse Off the Wheaten Path is a 100 percent gluten-free bakery in Albuquerque.
Gluten-Free Rolled Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 5 2/3 cups 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend (with xanthan gum)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until creamy, approximately 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and lemon extracts to butter mixture and beat on high until combined, approximately 1 minute.
- In a separate bowl, whisk to combine the nutmeg, gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt; add to the mixer. Mix on low until all ingredients are combined. The dough will be soft. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days (2 days is preferable to impart flavor).
- Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. Remove dough and let it warm up a bit so that it is workable (if too warm, it will be sticky). Cover your work area with plastic wrap or parchment to roll out the dough. Place a portion of the dough on the covered work area and a smaller piece of plastic wrap or parchment on top of the dough so it doesn’t stick to the rolling pin. Roll out to desired thickness, about 1/4 inch or less.
- Use a knife, glass, or cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes. Remove the excess dough around the outer edge of the cookie shapes and add it to the remaining dough to be rolled out again. To remove the cookie dough shapes from the work surface, lift the edge of the plastic wrap under the cookie and flip the cookie onto your hand, then place it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Leave about an inch between cookies. Repeat until all the dough is used. If dough gets too warm and becomes sticky, place it back in the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes.
- Bake at 350°F for 5–12 minutes, until golden brown. (The thickness and size of the cookies will determine the baking time.) Let cool on pan.
