This recipe adapted from Alton Brown. Adjusted for high altitude and my own gluten free based on the ingredients I had on hand the first time I made them.

Alton’s Recipe here

Ingredients:

• 440 grams Gluten-Free Flour Mix (270 grams Cup4Cup plus 170 grams Bobs Red Mill 1 to 1) (no adjustment for high altitude, seems to work)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 170 grams granulated sugar (high altitude)
• 227 grams (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to 67°F
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 Tbsp Water
• Confectioners' sugar, for rolling

Instructions

Whisk together the gluten-free flour mixture, baking, powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Cream the sugar and butter together in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and extracts and continue mixing on medium-low until just combined, about 15 seconds more. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture, and continue mixing until it is completely incorporated (add 1Tbsp water here just before mixing complete), about 30 seconds.

Divide the dough in half, shape into 4-by-6-inch rectangles, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to overnight.

When you’re ready to bake, remove half of the dough from the fridge and let sit on the counter for 10 minutes to soften. (If refrigerated overnight, it may take longer than 10 minutes to soften enough to roll.) Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Lightly dust a third piece of parchment paper with powdered sugar, place the dough in the middle, then top with a fourth sheet of parchment. Roll the dough into a rough rectangle that’s 1/4-inch thick. I use rubber bands for this, Alton, now uses thickness guides. I tried the Atlas Pasta maker but with gluten free, the dough does not work on that machine. Punch the dough into shapes using cookie cutters.

One at a time, use a small offset spatula to transfer the cookies to the prepared sheet pans. (I use a small metal offset spatula for this). If the dough becomes too soft to handle during any point of the process, chill in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm. Repeat with the second rectangle of dough and second baking sheet. Re-roll the dough as needed to make as many cookies as you’d like. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.

Meanwhile, place one oven rack in the top third of the oven and another in the bottom third and crank the oven to 325°F.

Bake the cookies straight from the fridge for 15 minutes until the edges of the cookies just begin to brown. Move the sheet pans to wire cooling racks and let cool 10 minutes. Slide the parchment off the pan onto the rack and let the cookies cool completely before icing. Repeat the rolling, cutting, chilling, and baking steps with the remaining dough.

This page last updated:

03/26/21
DJ Samuels