Preparation time: 10 minutes
Chilling time: 1 hour or overnight
Baking time: 12 to 15 minutes
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This recipe makes a not-too-sweet cookie for cut-outs that just beg for your favorite icing—or holiday decorating. For best results, use a metal (rather than plastic) cookie cutter for a sharp edge, and be sure to roll the dough to an even thickness so the cookies brown at the same rate.
Makes 12 (2-inch) cookies
1. In a medium mixing bowl, with an electric mixer on low speed, beat the flour blend, all the sugar, butter, cornstarch, xanthan gum, salt, and baking powder until the mixture resembles dry peas. Beat in the egg and vanilla for 2 minutes, until a stiff dough forms. If the mixture is dry and clumpy, beat in water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the dough holds together without crumbling when you squeeze it in your fingers. (Alternatively, blend the dry ingredients and butter in a small food processor, and then blend in the egg and vanilla and process until a stiff dough forms, adding water, 1 teaspoon at a time, only if needed to make a dough that holds together without crumbling.) Shape the dough into a 1-inch disk, wrap it tightly in foil or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
2. Place a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking sheet (not nonstick) with parchment paper.
3. Keep the dough chilled until you are ready to roll it out. Place the chilled dough on a 12-inch square of parchment paper. Cut a piece of plastic wrap the same size, lay it on top of the dough, and roll the dough ¼ inch thick. Remove the plastic wrap and cut out cookies with a 2-inch cookie cutter, reserving the scraps. With a thin metal spatula, arrange the cookies at least 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. If the cookies are too soft to handle, place the parchment paper (with cookies on it) in the freezer for 10 minutes, then try again. Reroll the scraps, cut more cookies, and arrange on the baking sheet. If your sheet won’t hold all of the cookies, bake them in two batches, keeping the unbaked cookies chilled until ready to bake.
4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned, rotating the sheet halfway through baking. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet on a wire rack for 2 minutes, then use a thin metal spatula to transfer the cookies to the rack to cool completely.
DECORATING THE COOKIES To make the cookies extra special, frost and then decorate as desired with sprinkles, coconut, raisins, chocolate chips, or whatever you like. See the frosting recipes starting on page 226.
Per cookie: 130 calories; 1g protein; 4g total fat; 1g fiber; 21g carbohydrates; 26mg cholesterol; 64mg sodium