Does anyone have Gluten Free recipes for Christmas goodies?

[Jan]

Cinnamon Stars
flourless - gluten-free
(yield 80 pieces)
3 egg whites
8 oz. powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 drops almond extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
14 oz. ground almonds




Whip egg whites to a peak. Sift powdered sugar and slowly add to egg whites. Set aside 3 tablespoons of egg whites to decorate cookies. Add vanilla, almond extract, cinnamon and ground almonds. Put dough into a plastic bag and roll out to about 1/4 inch. Refrigerate bag for about 15 minutes. Cut bag open. Cut out cookies with a 2 inch star shaped cookie cutter and transfer onto baking pan lined with parchment paper. Brush cookies with egg whites
Bake at 250 F for approximately 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 210 F and bake for another 30 minutes.

The brushed egg whites should remain white. (approximately 40 calories per cookie).
Tip:
You can use ground hazelnuts instead of ground almonds.

 

[Les]

Gluten Free Gingersnap Cookies
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups butter
2 cups white sugar, plus some for rolling
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1 cup potato starch (NOT potato flour)
2 1/2 cups rice flour
1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum, plus
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
4 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon clove

Directions
In medium bowl, cream butter, sugar, molasses, and eggs.
In large bowl combine dry ingredients;stir into butter mixture.
Refrigerate for several hours.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Scoop out dough, and shape into 1/2 inch balls.
Roll into granulated sugar.
Arrange at least 3 inches apart on a baking sheet. (They spread while baking).
Bake for 5 to 8 minutes. (Baking less time will give you a chewy cookie; baking more will make them crisp).
Cool on wire racks.
If desired sprinkle with more granulated sugar.

Chocolate-Covered Dream Bites Recipe

These rich and delicious brownie bites are flourless and gluten-free. The texture is in between brownies and fudge and well worth the time investment.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon softened butter
Cocoa powder for dusting pan
.
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
8 ounces special dark or semisweet chocolate, chopped
.
5 (large) egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
.
5 (large) egg whites
1/2 teaspoon salt
.
For the Coating:
8 ounces special dark or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1 ounce food-grade wax or paraffin (such as Gulf Wax - see Notes), shaved thin
1 Tbsp shortening (not butter or margarine)
White chocolate chips or other flavored chocolate chips for decoration (or sprinkles)

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with non-stick foil. Coat with 1 tablespoon of the butter and dust with cocoa powder, tapping out any excess.

In a double-boiler, melt the 8 ounces of chopped chocolate with the 8 tablespoons butter and stir occasionally until smooth and creamy. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly (NOT in the refrigerator) while preparing the egg mixtures.

In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the egg yolks together with the sugar and vanilla until thick, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl once or twice, for about 3 minutes. Set aside.

In a large aluminum bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff. Set aside.

Slowly and gently fold the chocolate into the yolk mixture, adding just a little chocolate at a time to keep the eggs from scrambling. When all the chocolate mixture has been incorporated, fold in the stiff egg whites.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, and bake in the center of the oven until spongy, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the cake on a rack to cool completely.

When cake is cool, prepare chocolate coating by melting the wax and shortening in a double-boiler with gently simmering water in the bottom. Add 8 ounces chopped chocolate, stirring until completely smooth. Remove from heat.

Cut the cooled cake into 36 equal bite-size pieces by cutting cake first into quarters, then each quarter into 9 pieces.

Place a generous sheet of wax paper or plastic-coated butcher paper with shiny-side up on a work surface. Working a row at a time, paint a dollop of chocolate coating wide enough to cover the bottom of each piece. Immediately place cake pieces on warm chocolate before it cools, placing them about 1/4-inch apart. Continue until all pieces have a chocolate bottom.

Pipe or spoon remainder of warm chocolate coating (re-warm if necessary) over the tops of the cake pieces so they are completely covered. Quickly place one white chocolate chip atop each piece before the chocolate cools. Chill for two hours or overnight. Trim excess chocolate from bites before serving. (Save any excess chocolate. It can be melted and used again.)

Notes: For a more festive look for parties or gifts, sprinkle the tops of the coated pieces with sprinkles, small candy pieces, or nuts before putting in the refrigerator to set the chocolate coating.

Paraffin (Gulf Wax) is usually sold near canning supplies in your local market.

http://homecooking.about.com/od/brownierecipes/r/blbrownie4.htm

Try these links for some more ideas:

http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/howtocook/primers/glutenfreerecipes_intro

http://specialchildren.about.com/od/foodallergies/qt/glutencookies.htm

http://dessert-recipes.suite101.com/article.cfm/gluten_free_shortbread_cookies

http://thebakingbeauties.blogspot.com/2008/12/gluten-free-christmas-baking-begins.html

 

[GoldenGirl23]

Yay so sadly this time of year sucks for me considering I'm allergic to wheat/gluten. I miss apple pie, pumpkin pie, cookies of any kind and those holiday treats you never know the real name of you just know they taste amazing. Any good and easy(you don't have to be a pastry chef to pull off) treats or baking ideas?

 

[GuineaPigLover]

My friend has celiac disease, so she is incredibly allergic to wheat too.

Here's some good recipes...

http://www.celiac.com/categories/Gluten%252dFree-Recipes/

Here are some for Christmas that might be good:

"Easy Pie Crust:

Ingredients:
2 cups gluten-free flour (1 cup tapioca flour- 1 cup white rice flour)
6 table spoons gluten-free butter
6 table spoons gluten-free shortening
1 table spoon powdered milk
1 teaspoon xanthan gum or guar gum
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/3 cup cold water

Directions:
Sift both flours, xanthan gum, powdered milk, salt) into mixing bowl, add butter and shortening and use your pastry cutter to blend together until well cut, then add cold water and knead until it is the constancy that is a bit soft but not too stiff looking mashed potatoes, make two same-sized balls and place each between waxed paper and roll to fit a 9 inch glass pie dish. Fill desired pie filling and bake according to which pie you are making—for pumpkin Bake at 350F for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean--I covered my crust with foil after the 15 minutes and they turned out beautiful."

That was from the site link I posted. You could still fill that pie with fruit or chocolate. Whatever you want that doesn't have wheat! Good luck and happy holidays!