Gluten Free Black & White Cookies

Ingredients

White Cookie Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2-4 tablespoons very hot water
½ teaspoon light corn syrup, optional*
½ teaspoon Gluten Free vanilla extract

Chocolate Cookie Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 heaping tablespoons unsweetened dark cocoa
2-4 tablespoons very hot water
½ teaspoon light corn syrup, optional*
½ teaspoon Gluten Free vanilla extract

*NOTE Corn syrup adds shine to glaze but does not impact taste.

Vanilla Soft Cookies

These elegant vanilla cookies are the basis for a variety of other sweet treats. The recipe calls for rather large cookies (4 inches across) but they can be made smaller for little hands and fewer calories per cookie. Adjust baking time accordingly.

1 (15-ounce) box gluten-free yellow/vanilla cake mix (heaping 2 cups)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, or non- hydrogenated vegetable shortening
1 extra-large egg, room temperature**
⅓ cup almond milk or milk of choice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pure lemon flavoring (not lemon juice)

Directions

Cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Remove cake mix from box. If mix weighs more than 15 ounces, pour it into a small bowl, stirring to break up any lumps. Measure out 2 heaping cups (be generous) and place into a large mixing bowl. (Set remaining mix aside for another use.)

3. Cut butter or shortening into pieces. Add to cake mix, along with egg, milk, vanilla and lemon flavoring. Mix together on low speed just to incorporate ingredients. Mix on medium speed for about 1 minute or until mixture looks smooth and all ingredients are well combined. Using a silicone spatula, fold mixture from the bottom to incorporate any remaining dry ingredients. Let batter sit for about 5 minutes to fully hydrate the dry material. Give it one more fold. Batter will be very thick.

4. Using a ¼-cup ice cream or cookie scoop, carefully place 6 mounds of batter on each baking sheet, making each one circular in shape (about 2½ to 3 inches in diameter). Using a clean, wet finger, smooth batter and flatten just slightly. Cookies will spread while baking.

5. Place 1 baking pan at a time on the center rack in preheated oven. Bake about 6 minutes and rotate pan. Bake about 5 to 7 minutes more or just until the edges start to look slightly golden. Cookies should barely have any color but a toothpick should come out clean. Repeat with the other baking sheet. Let cookies cool for a minute on the sheet pan. Then carefully remove to a rack to cool completely before adding icing or filling, if desired.

**For Egg-Free Vanilla Soft Cookies, omit 1 egg. Mix 1 tablespoon flax meal with 3 tablespoons hot water. Let sit 5 minutes until thickened. Then add to wet ingredients. Increase baking time by 2 to 3 minutes, as necessary.

White Glaze:

1. Sift powdered sugar into a medium-size bowl. Gently (avoiding air bubbles) stir in very hot water by the tablespoon just until the glaze runs slowly off the spoon but still seems very thick. Add corn syrup, if desired, and vanilla. Stir gently with a small spoon to combine. Let mixture sit for a minute while you set up the cookies. Stir before applying the glaze. If it is too thick, add a little bit more hot water.

2. Place a cooling rack on a baking sheet to catch drips. Turn cookies to their flat side. Using a spoon and an offset spatula, apply white icing to one half the cookie. Make sure you apply enough icing so that it is completely white and you cannot see the cookie through the icing. Let these set while you prepare the chocolate glaze.

Chocolate Glaze:

1. Sift powdered sugar into a small bowl. Sift cocoa powder into the bowl. Stir to combine. Add very hot water 1 tablespoon at a time and stir until mixture is smooth, lump-free and drips slowly off the spoon but is still rather thick. Add more water as necessary. Add corn syrup, if desired, and vanilla. Stir gently to combine.

2. Using a spoon and a clean offset spatula, apply the chocolate glaze to the other half of the cookie all the way to the white glaze and even slightly overlapping for the best look. Avoid dripping chocolate glaze on the white icing.

3. Place iced cookies about 1 inch apart on the baking rack and let them harden completely. This will take at least an hour, depending on humidity and temperature; don’t refrigerate cookies or the shine will be lost. Don’t stack cookies until the next day when the glaze is thoroughly dry.

Recipe Credit: Living Without