Gluten-Free Shamrock Cookies

Making decorated cookies is fun--if you have the time. For holidays like St. Patrick's Day I don't often have the time to spend making cute cookies. Enter: Lazy Lizzie's Gluten-Free Shamrock Cookies. You tint the dough green before baking. This means they come out of the oven already adorable and ready to munch!



Note: This recipe makes a small batch of cookies. If you need a large batch, this recipe doubles nicely. 

Dry Ingredients
1 1/4 cups white rice flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup sweet rice flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

Wet Ingredients
2/3 cup shortening

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

4 teaspoons milk

Green gel/paste food coloring (You don't want to use liquid food coloring as it will make the dough soft.)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Special Equipment: Shamrock Cookie Cutter. 

Directions
1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar until a thick paste forms. Use medium-high speed on a stand or handheld mixer.

3. Add the egg and blend to combine.

4. Turn off the mixer and add the dry ingredients.

5. Turn the mixer on to medium and blend. Mixture will look dry.

6. Stir the food color into the milk. Be sure to stir well to dissolve the color.  (You'll want the milk a dark green. After you add the dry ingredients, the green will get lighter.) Add the milk to the mixture. Mix until a dough forms. This will take about a minute. The dough will look dry but it does come together.

7. Divide dough in half. Pat into rounds, wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

9. Roll out one of the dough rounds on a lightly white rice-floured counter top. Dough should be about 1/4-inch thick.

10. Cut dough into shapes. Place on prepared baking sheet.

11. Bake cookies until edges are just golden brown. (Baking time will vary depending on the size of your cookies. My 3-inch shamrocks took about 12 minutes. Keep your eye on the first batch of cookies to help you with the timing.)

12. Repeat until all dough is used.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Happy Baking!
Elizabeth