Kelly’s Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

This recipe started out with the intention of testing a recipe I had found on celiac.com and ended up a little different. My four-year-old was helping me with the measuring and before I knew it we had doubled the applesauce and oil measurements. I subsequently ended up doubling the flour to compensate and decided to just go with the flow. I'm glad that I did. We ended up with a cookie that was lower in sugar yet still packed a gingery punch because of the fresh grated ginger. This was one cookie mess up that I think I'll keep. It made for cute ginger bread men too. However, if you prefer the darker and more traditional looking ginger bread men, I'd suggest using molasses instead of the brown rice syrup. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

(Metric measurements are by volume)

2 ½ cups/600ml brown rice flour
1/8 tsp/1ml whole cloves - milled in coffee grinder with rice
1 cup/235ml potato starch
1/2 tsp/2.5ml baking soda
1 tsp/5ml cream of tartar
1 1/2 tsp/7.5ml guar gum
1 tsp/5ml cinnamon
1/8 tsp/1ml sea salt

2 tsps/10ml grated fresh ginger
½ cup/120ml unsweetened applesauce
½ cup/120ml oil
½ cup /120ml brown sugar
½ cup/120ml brown rice syrup

1 tbsp/15ml flax seed-milled
3 tbsp /45ml hot water


Combine the flax seed meal and hot water and set aside for 10 minutes.

Combine the brown rice flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, guar gum, dry spices, and salt; mix well using a hand mixer or whisk.

In a food processor, mix the oil, applesauce, sugar, ginger, flax mix, and syrup together. Add to the flour mixture and mix until combined. Cover with wax paper and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Roll dough out on lightly 'floured' surface using more potato starch. Roll dough until it is 1/4 inch in thickness and cut into desired shapes. Transfer to a cookie sheet (or a baking stone preheated with the oven) and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before decorating.

Store in an airtight container. These freeze well and are soft enough that they can be eaten right out of the freezer. Makes 5 dozen gingerbread men.