
Tis’ the Season – Gluten Free Holiday Baking
On November 19, 2022 by PamI usually bake something (and freeze it) every week until the Holidays. I try to focus on low sugar recipes (or adapt them) and I give away far more than I eat or serve in my own house. We have some family favourites and I always start with Christmas cake in October and soak it in brandy through November and December. I give away a bunch of loaves and this year – I will make my own marzipan to go on it. Christmas treats are sweet and so, in moderation, this is the time of year to indulge – as long as you keep walking and exercising…moving keeps you healthy and allows you to enjoy the season to its fullest.
It is not to late to make a little Christmas cake:
https://noroom4phonies.com/?s=christmas+cake
Biscotti:
https://noroom4phonies.com/?s=biscotti
Snickerdoodles:
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter softened
- 1 cup of monk fruit sugar, 1/2 cup of coconut sugar
- 2 Large Eggs ( usually use extra large – more egg really helps gluten free baking)
- 2 3/4 cups Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
- 2 tsp Cream of Tartar
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 3 tablespoons of cinnamon and 3 tablespoons of sugar mixed (for rolling cookie balls in)
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt to get out any lumps. Add this to the butter mixture and beat until just combined. Refrigerate dough for about 10 minutes.
- While waiting, stir together 3 tablespoons of sugar and cinnamon. Roll about a tablespoon of dough into a ball, roll into the cinnamon sugar mixture, and place on the baking. Press cookies down with a fork. Repeat, leaving about 2 inches between cookies. If dough is very soft, chill dough balls before baking.
- Bake for 11- 13 minutes or until lightly golden, rotating the pans halfway through. Remove to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.
Snowball Cookies
https://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/gluten-free-snowball-cookies/
Gingerbread Men (or Reindeer)


- 3 cups gluten free flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter, room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 egg
- ½ cup molasses
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon gluten free vanilla extract
- Mix the flour, spices, baking soda and salt in a medium mixing bowl; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar together.
- Add in the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract. Cream until smooth.
- Add in half the flour mixture and mix until combined.
- Add in the remaining flour mixture and continue to mix until combine.
- Shape dough into a ball and divide in half.
- On a piece of parchment paper, pat the dough down into a 1-inch disk. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
- Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or until cold and firm.
- Once the dough has chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and place a piece of wax paper on top. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out until its ¼ inch thick.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Remove the wax paper from the top of the dough. Using cookie cutter, cut shapes into the dough. Use a spoon or butter knife to remove the extra dough from around the shapes. Roll extra dough back into a ball, and place the wax paper back on top, and roll into ¼ inch thickness. Repeat until all dough is used.
- Transfer the parchment paper with the gluten free gingerbread cookies cut-out onto a baking sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are firm and the centers are set. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.
- For the icing: mix all ingredients in a small mixing bowl until smooth. Spoon icing into a piping bag with a small tip. Let the icing set for a couple of hours before storing.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or freeze for the season.
Haystack Cookies (a family favourite)
2 cups of butterscotch chips
1 cup of peanut butter
1 cup of peanuts
4 cups of gluten free pretzels
Melt butterscotch chips and peanut butter on a double boiler on the stove or slowly (minute by minute) in the microwave. Stir in peanuts and pretzels and drop on to parchment paper. Cool until set and freeze for the season.
Sugar Cookies
I cup of monk fruit sugar (or regular)
1/2 cup of shortening
1/2 cup of butter
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 extra large egg (or two large)
2 1/2 cups of flour
(1 1/2 cups sweet rice flour, 2/3 cup potato starch, 1/3 cup of tapioca flour,
1 teaspoon of xanthum gum)
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
Cream shortening, butter, sugar and vanilla…add egg. Sift dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. Form into a ball and chill for an hour. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Bake at 350 F for 12-15 minutes. You can decorate with sprinkles before baking or use icing after they cool.
Pecan Pie Bars
Ingredients
- For the crust
- 2 cups almond flour
- pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 1 egg
- For the topping
- ½ cup butter
- ¼ cup honey
- 2/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp coconut milk
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 2 cups pecans, roughly chopped
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- To make the crust, place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine.
- Press down the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- To make the topping, combine the ghee, honey, coconut sugar, and orange zest in a saucepan.
- Cook over low heat until the ghee is melted, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon.
- Raise the heat and boil for 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut milk.
- Add the chopped pecans and stir to combine.
- Pour over the crust.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is set.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely.
- Cut into bars and serve or freeze for the season.
Shortbread
1 1/2 cups white rice flour
1/2 cup sweet rice flour
1 cup cornstarch – plus…as much as you need to make crumbly dough that you can roll
1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of xanthum gum
14 tablespoons of butter
3/4 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Combine ingredients using a paddle – keep adding cornstarch until the mixture is crumbly and you can roll it. I roll mine out, cut it into stars and bake at 300 F on parchment paper of 12-15 minutes until slightly browned on the bottom.
Apple Pie Bars
https://noroom4phonies.com/?s=apple
Pumpkin Pie Bars
Crust:
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup pecans, raw
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted, plus more for greasing
Filling:
15oz can pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 pinch ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease an 8×8 baking dish with coconut oil and line it with parchment paper.
- Begin by preparing the crust. In a food processor, combine rolled oats and pecans and blend on high until both oatmeal and pecans are ground into a flour-like meal.
- Once blended, transfer the oatmeal and pecan mixture to a large mixing bowl, add ginger, cinnamon, and sea salt, and stir to combine.
- Pour in vanilla extract, maple syrup, and coconut oil, and stir to combine with oats until a thick mixture forms.
- Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and, using your hands, press into the bottom of the baking dish packing it down firmly and pressing it evenly to cover all corners of the baking dish. Once complete, prick the bottom of the crust in several places with a fork and transfer the baking dish to the oven to bake for 10-12 minutes until the crust is just golden around the edges of the pan.
- Once the crust has baked, remove it from the oven and allow to cool slightly for about 5 minutes.
- While the crust is cooling, prepare the filling. Combine all the filling ingredients into a large mixing bowl, whisk until well combine and set aside.
- Once the crust has cooled, pour the filling mixture on top of the crust, spreading it out evenly with a spatula, and then return the baking dish to the oven to bake for 45-50 minutes until the center is set.
- Once complete, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before slicing into 9 squares.
- Pumpkin pie bars can be stored in the fridge for up to 3-4 days or freeze for the season.
Leave a Reply