Allergen free Gingerbread boys and Cutout Sugar Cookies

Two iconic Christmas cookies that you would spend big bucks on in an allergen free bakery are much less expensive to make your self but, fair warning, they are time consuming. As a matter of fact if you have anything else to do don't try to make more than one kind of cookie in one day!

For both you will need the all purpose flour mix of
4 cups white rice flour (I really like the bulk bags at Natural Grocers, it results in a very good texture, not at all grainy)
1 1/3 cup potato starch
2/3 cup tapioca flour
   This mix needs to be stored in the fridge.

Gingerbread boys
 3 3/4 cup all purpose  flour mix          1/2 cup spectrum shortening (or Earth balance soy free butter)
1 tsp xanthan gum                              make sure to soften this!
3/4 tsp baking soda                               1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp salt                                                1/2 cup agave nectar or sugar            
1 tbsp cinnamon                                   1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1tbsp ground ginger                            
1/2 tsp ground cloves


1. Combine flour mix, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in mixer, add shortening and applesauce until the consistency is like fine meal. While mixing add in agave and maple syrup. If you find the mix has not come together with a good elasticity add in small amounts of canola oil until it does.

2. Divide the dough into two balls, and place each between two pieces of wax paper.

3. Roll out the dough until and place in the freezer for 20 min.

Preheat oven to 350
4. Remove from freezer and cut out with cookie cutters. Move to baking sheet lined with parchment paper with a spatula.

Bake for no more than 10 min .  Cool for a few min before moving to cooling rack to finish cooling.

Decorate with raisins, allergen free choc chips, sugar etc.

With leftover dough roll out and refreeze and repeat the process.

Cut out Sugar Cookies

2 3/4 cup all purpose flour                          1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp and 1/8tsp  xanthan gum                  1 1/2 tsp egg replacer mixed with 2tsp rice milk (or just 1 egg if
3/4 tsp baking soda                                        you can have eggs)
1/4 tsp salt                                                  4tbsp rice milk
3/4 cup spectrum shortening, or Earth Balance soy free butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons brown sugar

Whisk together flour, xanthan gum, baking soda and salt. Set aside
With a mixer cream shortening  sugar and brown sugar for about 10 min. Add your egg or egg replacer and vanilla and mix for about 20 more seconds.
Add in the flour mix and rice milk in three alternating batches. (rice flour, 1 tbsp rice milk, rice flour, 1 tbsp rice milk, rice flour, 1 tbsp rice milk) If you find the dough hasn't come together add the last tbsp rice milk and work with your hands.
Divide dough into 2 balls and chill in fridge for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350.

Sprinkle more flour onto work surface  and rolling pin. Roll out dough and use cookie cutters. Save scraps and repeat.
Bake  for just about 10 min. Cool before decorating.