Gluten Free Maple Sugar Cookies

One thing that people usually do not know about me is that despite the fact that I do not eat gluten, dairy (eggs not included), and hardly any sugar (especially cane sugar), I love baking, especially cookies. I find the process of baking to be extremely calming and it is something I am actually quite good at, which makes it all the more enjoyable. I also like figuring out how I can modify recipes to fit my dietary restrictions (it makes me feel like a scientist or something...I am lame, I know). That being said, I have never done a recipe post before or even photographed food so I am a little nervous!

I do know that these Gluten Free Maple Sugar Cookies are extremely delicious (I had multiple people test them just to be sure) and that they are also extremely easy to make!

Here is the recipe :

Gluten Free Maple Sugar Cookies

Makes 24 cookies

• 1/4 cup Butter/dairy free alternative (these were made using Earth Balance's Vegan Buttery Sticks)
• 2 Tbsp Honey
• 1/2 cup Maple Sugar (plus extra for dusting/icing)
• 1/2 cup MapleSyrup (plus extra if adding icing)
• 1-1/2 tsp Vanilla
• 1-3/4 cups GF All Purpose Baking Flour
• 3/4 tsp Xanthan Gum
• 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 large Egg White

Directions :

1. In a Vitamix or a food processor blend butter (at room temperature, not melted), honey, maple sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth.
2. Add flour, xanthan gum, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and egg white, blending until mixture is well combined. 
   *If using electric mixer, blend ingredients, then add water if needed, 1 tablespoon at a time.
3. Shape dough into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 325°F.
5. Using a cookie scoop, shape the dough into 24 one-inch balls and roll in sifted maple sugar.

6. Place 2” apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (or a greased cookie sheet).

7. Bake 10 minutes or until edges are set. Rotate the position of the pan halfway through baking for even heat distribution.
8. Remove from oven; wait two minutes before transferring to a rack to cool.

Four of the cookies I flattened with the back of a spoon

Icing (optional) :

• After the cookies have cooled completely, sift a few table spoons of maple sugar into a small bowl and add a small amount of maple syrup. Combine with a spoon. Quantities of both maple sugar and maple syrup depend on how thick you want the icing to be and how much you want to make (if you want the icing to be thicker, add less maple syrup/if you want the icing to be more of a glaze, add more maple syrup).

After the icing has hardened, store cookies in an airtight container.

Done!

This is a modified version of Bob's Red Mill's recipe for Gluten Free Sugar Cookies, which you can find here!