| Cut out Christmas Sugar Cookies because your child | | | | lift up the cut out cookies and gently slide onto your |
| has sugar and wheat allergies? No way! This article | | | | baking sheet," are words you would hear me say in a |
| aims to convince you that it is easy to make the | | | | cooking class or on my Sweet Truth Cooking TV |
| infamous Sugar Cookie healthy without using | | | | show on Veria. A hands-on interactive class is the |
| processed sugar and flour. You may know these two | | | | best way for eager learners of the gluten-free |
| white wonders as the evil twins most likely | | | | sugar-free alternative baking technique to experience |
| responsible for the symptoms I call the holiday haze. | | | | a tactile difference in this healthy dough as compared |
| They are sugar binging and crashing, irritability, and | | | | to the old-fashioned white, wheat flour dough. To |
| tummy aches just to name a few. If you are at all | | | | get a grip on gluten-free, one must see and feel how |
| curious how to make healthy cookies that feature an | | | | the new dough behaves: how it takes longer to mix |
| all natural and organic sugar-free icing, read on and | | | | up, looks more crumbly, sticks to your hands, needs |
| get ready to roll out the dough. | | | | more effort to roll out, easily breaks apart, and |
| Cut in sweets without the ill side affects. This in it | | | | ultimately bakes and browns faster than a traditional |
| self is a miracle. First, I would like to tell you about | | | | sugar/wheat dough. |
| the origins of this heaven sent cookie and why I | | | | Sounds difficult? Trust me. It's worth the little extra |
| want to share this treat with you and your family. | | | | effort and elbow grease to make this dough work |
| Christmas means make a mess in the kitchen with | | | | like magic and create a healthy cookie that everyone |
| the kids: white confection masks everyone from | | | | will love. The best part is that you'll feel good about |
| head to toe, even the dog and kitty. Nothing lights up | | | | feeding it to the masses. Practice makes perfect |
| a child's face like making Christmas cookies, not even | | | | when handling the dough. Use your senses to know |
| the Christmas tree. | | | | when to stop rolling the dough. Also, a kitchen timer |
| I love the sugar cookie because it is creatively kid | | | | is the key safety device for perfectly baked |
| friendly. The dough is durable, can be rolled out over | | | | gluten-free cookies. |
| and over, and the character cut outs make a story | | | | The above mentioned techniques are just a few of |
| for all to imagine. As a kid, all I could do was happily | | | | the fun new tricks of the trade to acquire when it |
| anticipate eating the angel, Santa, and Rudolph the | | | | comes to the art and science of creating your |
| reindeer. About five times each. This holiday joy was | | | | version of beloved Sugar Cookie, alternative style. |
| inevitably distracted by dread. I'd soon feel the sugar | | | | Like interval training, these methods go a long way: |
| rush through my little obese body. I was always 45 | | | | sugar-free/gluten-free baking allows you to have |
| pounds overweight. My joints would ache and | | | | your cookies and eat them too! There is no extra |
| messed up was my digestion all night long and into | | | | calories, bloat, weight gain, or binging because there is |
| the next day. The memory of feeling the warmth of | | | | no sugar or white processed flour. Sugar cookies are |
| my mother's kitchen, the freedom to express with | | | | not just for holidays as popular culture would have it. |
| cookie cutters, and the ultimate disappoint of ill-health | | | | Look at Starbucks, Gelson's, or your local bakery. |
| just didn't mix. This was not a recipe for success. | | | | They all sell fanciful, colorful, kid-like wannabe and |
| Sugar Cookies used to mean joy and pain. At least | | | | wanna bite sugar-cookies all year round and for |
| they did for me, and so I did something about it. I | | | | every change of season. It's not just the winter |
| wanted just joy. | | | | holidays that sugar cookies intrude our veins and |
| I took a sugar cookie recipe from my Aunt Diane, | | | | spike our glucose levels. Yet who wants to really give |
| Sicilian by decent, an expert in dough from pizza to | | | | up cookies? And icing. Um, no! |
| cannolis, and when she belts out the Ave Maria, it | | | | For the icing, again Swerve found at is the sugar of |
| brings me to tears. Any woman who sings while she | | | | choice and makes the best tasting. You can also use |
| bakes you know is going to roll out a tasty dough. | | | | natural fruits and vegetables for food coloring for |
| So taking my aunt's family recipe, I used my | | | | your icing by adding beet juice for pink or red and by |
| transcribing method of converting the white | | | | juicing kale or spinach for green. Use unsweetened |
| processed sugar and flour to alternative sugar-free | | | | coconut and Goji berries for extra charm and |
| gluten-free ingredients and created a Cut Out Sugar | | | | creativity! |
| Cookie to share with everyone. | | | | This Cut-Out Sugar Cookie recipe tastes and looks |
| I use alternative ingredients to white wheat flour | | | | like the real thing. Now when I make these cookies, |
| such as an all-purpose gluten-free flour by Bob | | | | the kid in everyone comes to the table and can get |
| Redmill's that combines garbanzo bean, fava bean, | | | | up from their chairs feeling clear, vibrant, creative, |
| tapioca and potato starch for the right cookie | | | | and healthy. They are at peace with themselves and |
| texture. I use white rice flour for a white cookie | | | | their stomachs. Have fun!cut out sugar cookiea |
| color and for flouring the dough and cookie cutters. | | | | frosted cut-out cookie made with agave - no sugar, |
| Xanthan gum is a necessary ingredient for gluten-free | | | | no wheat, and no gluten |
| baking and is added to hold the gluten-free flour | | | | DOUGH 1 cup vegetable shortening 1/2 cup Swerve |
| together. Just a small amount is needed of this plant | | | | sugar alternative 2 eggs 1 tablespoon vanilla 1 cup |
| based gum. | | | | sour cream 1/2 cup light agave 2 droppers Liquid |
| For the sugar I substitute agave, stevia, and a | | | | Stevia Vanilla Creme 3 cups gluten-free flour 1 cup |
| combination of oligofructose and erythritol in a | | | | white rice flour 1 cup potato flour 4 packets or 2 |
| product called Swerve that can be found at | | | | teaspoons Stevia Plus Powder 2 teaspoons baking |
| pcflabs.com, some Whole Foods, and health food | | | | powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon xanthan |
| stores. Organic erythritol is a fermented polyol or | | | | gum |
| sugar alcohol with no digestive ill side affects. Swerve | | | | ICING 1 cup Swerve sugar alternative, powdered 2 |
| also adds oligofructose which is inulin from chickory. | | | | teaspoons unsweetened almond milk 1 dropper Liquid |
| Both ingredients have no glycemic or very low | | | | Stevia Vanilla Crème 2 teaspoons light agave |
| glycemic index and very easy digestion. Neither | | | | 2 teaspoons beet juice (optional) |
| promotes tooth decay. | | | | For cookies: With paddle attachment in stand up |
| Swerve is the most affordable healthy baking sugar | | | | mixer, cream shortening and Swerve. Add in eggs |
| replacement that looks and acts the most like sugar | | | | and beat until fluffy. Add in vanilla, sour cream, agave, |
| in baking. Swerve replaces the volume and firmness | | | | and Liquid Stevia and blend. |
| as well as adding an extremely low calorie sweetness | | | | In separate bowl, sift together gluten-free flour, |
| in a recipe. Just using erythritol products without the | | | | white rice flour, potato flour, Stevia Powder, baking |
| added oligofructose like ZSweet and Zero brands of | | | | powder, baking soda, and xanthan gum. |
| erythritol are not as good for baking because the | | | | With paddle attachment in stand up mixer, add |
| taste isn't as sweet, but straight erythritol works | | | | pre-sifted dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix. |
| great as table sugars to sprinkle on cereals and | | | | Scrape down sides of bowl. If needed, add a bit of |
| yogurts. They can both be found at Whole Foods | | | | flour to hands first and then form dough into a ball. |
| and health food stores on on the internet. | | | | Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 2 hours or over night for |
| Also in the recipe, my aunt Diane uses sour cream | | | | best results to firm up dough. |
| which gives the dough an extra added moistness and | | | | Between two floured sheets of wax paper, roll out |
| elasticity that makes for great taste and a dough | | | | dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Peel the top layer of |
| that can be rolled out many times over. The easy roll | | | | wax paper off dough. Cut out cookies with floured |
| out factor is very important when it comes to | | | | cookie cutters and place on non-greased cookie |
| making this cookie recipe with kids. | | | | sheet. This dough is very durable and can be rolled |
| To substitute for the dairy, a soy yogurt can be | | | | out many times. |
| used but it may change the color of the dough to a | | | | Bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes. Depending on |
| darker color. The original look of the dough should be | | | | how thick or thin you roll the dough will depend on |
| a backdrop of white and the color of the icing could | | | | long you bake the cookies. Watch cookies carefully. |
| be a pink or green for a holiday theme. Another way | | | | The cookies should not brown or even be golden, |
| to switch out the sour cream is to use Total Greek | | | | but will appear white when they are done. Cookies |
| 2% yogurt. This is a healthy version while still using | | | | are done when spring back to the touch. Cool on |
| dairy. | | | | wire rack. |
| Knowing the substitutes, it time for the tricks of | | | | For frosting: To make powdered Swerve, place |
| making the recipe. | | | | Swerve in a high powdered blender and blend on high |
| "Carefully roll out the gluten-free/sugar-free dough | | | | for about five seconds then measure 1 cup. In stand |
| with a white rice floured rolling pin between two | | | | up mixer with paddle attachment, mix well Swerve, |
| sheets of wax paper. Make sure both sides of the | | | | milk or water, Liquid Stevia, agave, and fruit or |
| dough are lightly floured with the white rice flour as | | | | vegetable powder for coloring. Beat icing for 2-3 |
| well. White rice flour is my flour of choice for rolling | | | | minutes until glossy. Frost cookies with icing when |
| out gluten-free dough because it is grainy and won't | | | | cooled. |
| stick. Also, flour your cookie cutters in the white rice | | | | Yield: Five dozen cookies. |
| flour. Dip a thin metal spatula in the white rice flour to | | | | |