These yummy gingerbread cookies are a fun alternative to gingerbread houses.  Personally, I love them plain, but they're delicious and pretty with piped with royal icing frosting.  They also work perfectly to have the kids use royal icing and decorate with candy!  These cookies are made with the same batter as my gingerbread houses, so if you'd like to make a double batch of dough, I find you can make 4 mini houses from one batch of gingerbread and your second batch of dough will make a pile of cookies for decorating! 

Fresh Gingerbread Cookies!  Yum! 

Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies!

Makes ~25 cookies, depending on size

In a mixer, combine with a paddle attachment (not a whisk attachment!): 
2 3/4 c Kristin's Gluten-Free Flour Mix
1/3 cup brown sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/8 tsp cloves

Add and mix in until nicely combined: 

1/2 cup oil

2/3 cup molasses

1 egg

Divide into two and roll each half of batter out between two large pieces of plastic wrap to 1/4" thick (Don't roll these too thin or they'll be hard to cut and lift off the plastic wrap).  Place each oval on a cookie sheet and put in the refrigerator to chill 30 minutes.  

Two of these sort of dough ovals were chilled. 

While dough is chilling, line cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Preheat oven to 325 F.   

Cut out a gingerbread shape.  I like to press down and wiggle the cutter around a bit to get nice, clean edges. Use the plastic wrap to help you lift the shape off the plastic wrap.  Carefully transfer to the parchment-lined pan.  

Cut the shapes and use the plastic wrap to help you lift them up and off. 

Gingerbread Men and a Candy Cane - ready to bake!

Repeat with your other gingerbread shapes.  It's best to try to have evenly sized cookies on each pan.  Once you've cut out all your gingerbread shapes from your flattened oval, you can use the plastic wrap to lump the dough back together.  Flatten again between the plastic wrap.  You can repeat this until the piece of gingerbread is too small.   Make sure you don't forget about your second piece of chilling gingerbread dough! 

Ready for the oven.  I had enough for about 4 pans worth of medium-sized cookies.

Bake each pan of gingerbread cookies at 325 F for ~15 minutes.  Small cookies may need only 10 minutes, and larger may need up to 18 or so.  I like the cookies to have puffed nicely, and look like they're just getting a touch of crispiness around the edge.  This keeps them slightly soft, but sturdy enough to handle and decorate once cooled.  

Fresh from the oven!  

Let the cookies cool 3-5 minutes on pans before removing them to cooling racks with a spatula.  

Once fully cool, decorate as desired!  Royal icing recipe is below.  Enjoy! 

Believe it or not, there are gingerbread cookies under those candies and icing.

Royal Icing:

Beat the following in a grease-free bowl until stiff: (If needed, add a bit more confectioner’s sugar (very slowly) until desired thickness)

3 egg whites (make sure NO yolk is in whites)

1 lb. confectioner’s sugar

½ tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp vanilla

You can keep the icing in a bowl with a tightly fitting lid if you want to make it in advance.  If you will be taking awhile to decorate, you'll want to keep bowl covered at all times with damp cloth because this icing dries fast and becomes hard.  You can pipe this frosting on, or you can just use a knife or back of a spoon to apply (which we tend to do while working with kids). Enjoy!

My youngest making her gingerbread house before she moved on to decorating gingerbread cookies. 

Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies by Successfully Gluten Free!

A delicious, quick meal to throw together.  Great with a side of potatoes, veggies or salad.  We've made it many times.  I find the really thin fillets of fish are perfect for this recipe.  They cook up quickly and more evenly than thicker cuts.  Enjoy! 

Fresh cooked haddock with a side of peas and potatoes. A comforting winter meal. 

Easy Herb & Garlic Haddock Fillets

Preheat oven to 400 F.

About 20 minutes before I'm going to start baking the haddock, I like to put into the oven some small, speared potatoes to bake, OR roast some baby potatoes or wedged potato slices that I've tossed in olive oil, salt, pepper, and whatever herbs I am in the mood for: oregano, chives, chili powder, dill, etc.  I find those blends go nicely with the fish.

On a baking sheet or glass dish lined with foil (to help with clean-up, you don't have to do this) place: 

3 - 4 thin haddock fillets

In a small bowl, mix together: 

2 heaping Tbsp. mayonnaise

2 tsp minced/crushed garlic (I love the jars of garlic you can buy and keep in the refrigerator)

1 tsp freeze-dried basil (or 1 tsp dried basil or 2-3 tsp fresh basil, minced)

1 tsp freeze-dried dill (or 1 tsp dried dill or 2-3 tsp fresh dill, minced)

1 tsp freeze-dried chives (or 1 tsp dried chives or 2-3 tsp fresh chives, finely sliced)

salt & pepper

Spread the herb mixture over the top of the haddock fillets.  Bake at 400 F for 15 minutes, or until fish is cooked and flaky.    

Fish topped with the herb mixture, ready to bake.

Flaky fish, fresh from the oven. 

Delicious served with roasted potatoes, baked potatoes, peas, green beans, or salad.  Enjoy! 

Easy Herb & Garlic Haddock Fillets by Successfully Gluten Free!

 Sometimes it's fun to give or receive a present of just one oversized cookie.  This recipe is perfect for that!  These cookies are so large, you can only bake 6 on a cookie sheet.  So, here you have it - a chocolate-packed delicious cookie - perfect for sharing, giving, and/or freezing for later.  I like to make these packed with a variety of chocolate chips, mint chips, caramel chips, really whatever types of chips you like best together will work in these cookies!  They'd probably be fun with some m&m's or mini rolos, too.  The texture incorporates some coconut flour and egg white, which give a lighter texture than the traditional oversized cookie.  We've really liked them.  Enjoy! 

Fresh, gigantic cookies, ready for taste-testing! 

A fresh cookie packed with dark, semi and mint chips. Yum! 

Huge Cake-style Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 12 large chocolate filled cookies!

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicon liner.

In a large bowl, combine: (It's important to mix flours first in gluten-free baking to avoid clumping)

1 cups white rice flour (or 1 cup white rice flour + 1 cup brown rice flour)

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

In a mixer, cream together: 

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar 

Add and mix in: 

3/4 cup egg white (approx 6 egg whites, but they do sell egg whites in cartons above/near the eggs at most grocery stores, which is really convenient for recipes like this)

1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients.  

Add and mix in: 

3 1/2 - 4 cups variety of high quality chocolate chips (milk, semi, bittersweet, dark, mint, etc.)

Shape cookies into large scoops on a parchment-lined pan.  I find I can fit 6 large cookies on one tray.  I use the largest size cookie/ice cream scoop.  Wet your hands a little if you don't want them to stick and flatten the cookies a bit before baking.

These were just haphazardly pressed a bit flatter.

These were flattened using damp hands, which makes the cookies smoother after baking.

Bake at 350 F for 15 - 16 minutes.  Remove from oven and let rest on pan 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to cool.  Leftovers freeze well in a freezer ziploc.  Enjoy!!

These are the messy pressed down cookies.  They end up looking a bit more rustic.

These are the cookies that were smooth a bit more with wet hands, giving a smoother final look.  These were filled with mint chips and a blend of semi and dark chocolate chips.

Huge Cookie Cake-style Chocolate Chip Cookies by Successfully Gluten Free!