Brown Sugar Cookies

Better than any "traditional" sugar cookie, these brown sugar beauties are pretty even without icing!

1-1/2 cups brown rice flour, or white rice flour
1 cup millet flour, or GF oat flour
1 cup potato starch, or tapioca starch
1/2 cup GF oat flour, or millet flour
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon agar powder
6 tablespoons soy-free vegan buttery spread (Earth Balance)
6 tablespoons palm shortening
1 cup cane sugar, or light brown sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, or light brown sugar
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Royal Icing for decorating

1. Place oven baking racks in first and third positions; preheat oven to 325 degrees F; line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In airtight container, combine brown rice flour, millet flour, potato starch, GF oat flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and agar powder; place on lid; shake vigorously; set aside.
3. In mixing bowl, beat with electric mixer, buttery spread, palm shortening; beat until fluffy; add vanilla and water; beat in sugars.
4. Add dry ingredients to mixing bowl; beat to form dough.
5. Line work surface with parchment paper; scoop 1/3 of the dough out, press into large ball; place in center of parchment paper; flatten out; roll to desired thickness with rolling pin; cut out shapes with metal cookie cutters; place each cookie well-spaced on prepared baking sheets; repeat until all dough is used.
6. Place cookies sheets on first and third racks of preheated 325 degree F oven; bake 8 minutes; swap sheets between racks; bake 8 minutes; remove sheets to counter; cool cookies on sheet 5 minutes; remove cookies to wire cooling rack to cool completely prior to decorating or storage.

Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days, or refrigerate up to 2 weeks, or freeze up to 2 months.

Servings: at least 24 cookies (4")
Prep time: 15 minutes
Preheat: 325 degrees F
Cook time: 16 minutes, total

Chocolate Pecan Clusters

OMG! Do not make these if you are trying to lose weight - except for the Holidays - they are addictive!!!

2-1/4 cups cane sugar, divided
3/4 cup pure coconut milk (Native Forest), fat from inside of can and lid reincorporated
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 cup water
2-1/2 cups dry roasted, unsalted pecans (or nut, seed, or dried fruit of choice)
4 tablespoons soy-free vegan buttery spread (Earth Balance), or butter of choice
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 teaspoons dark rum (optional)
2-1/2 cups soy-free vegan chocolate chips (Enjoy Life)

1. Place oven baking rack in first position; preheat oven to 425 degrees F; line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In small saucepan, combine 1-1/2 cups cane sugar, coconut milk, and sea salt; place over medium heat; stir to dissolve; bring mixture to a boil; stir then remove from heat; set aside until needed.
3. Measure pecans onto prepared baking sheet; place sheet into preheated 425 degree F oven; bake 7 minutes; remove sheet to counter to cool.
4. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, combine remaining 3/4 cup cane sugar and water; place over medium-high heat, bring to a boil - do not stir - cook 5 minutes; swirl liquid in pan; continue to cook 2 minutes; remove pan from heat to counter.
5. With great care, slowly pour coconut sugar mixture into second hot sugar mixture; stir to combine (be careful as the mixture may bubble up considerably); stir in toasted pecans; return saucepan to medium high heat; place candy thermometer along side of pan; heat mixture to 242 degrees F (about 8 minutes); stir occasionally.
6. Remove saucepan from heat; beat in Earth Balance, rum (optional), and vanilla extract; beat by hand with large spoon until mixture is very thick and impossible to stir, about 10 minutes - (if you don't mind the pecans being broken up, use an electric mixer set on low speed - beat 5 minutes instead).
7. Using a tablespoon, scoop balls of pecan mixture onto parchment-lined baking sheet; set aside to cool or place sheet in refrigerator about 20 minutes.
8. Place medium saucepan 1/3-filled with water over medium heat; bring to a boil; place second pan over first; add chocolate chips; stir to melt completely; using large metal slotted spoon, dip each pecan cluster in melted chocolate then place on parchment paper to cool; place full sheet in refrigerator about 30 minutes, or until chocolate is set and hard; remove to airtight storage container; store at room temperature up to 7 days.

Servings: about 24 candies
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Preheat: 425 degrees F

Brittle

Not just for holidays, brittle can be used to top ice cream, added as a fun treat to trail mix, or given away as a nice homemade treat for special occasions.

1 teaspoon pure olive oil for baking sheet, or coconut oil, or palm oil

3/4 cup cane sugar, or light brown sugar, or dark brown sugar, or evaporated cane juice, or Maple sugar, or Palm crystals

2 tablespoons water

1/2 cup sliced blanched almonds, or crushed raw nut(s) of choice, or raw seed(s) of choice

1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; lightly oil parchment paper with pure olive oil; set aside.
2. In a saucepan, stir together cane sugar and water; place over low heat until sugar is dissolved.
3. Place lid on saucepan; bring to a boil; cook, with cover on, until water condenses on underside of lid and begins to run down inside of saucepan, about 10 minutes.
4. Increase heat to medium and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until mixture registers 320°F on a candy thermometer, and mixture turns amber in color.
5. Remove saucepan from heat; quickly stir in nut or seed of choice; pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet; spread mixture thin using the back of a metal spoon; set aside to cool completely; break brittle into pieces by tapping baking sheet on a hard surface.

Store in airtight container up to 1 month.

Variations

To use Brown Rice Syrup (Lundberg®): omit cane sugar and water; add 1 cup brown rice syrup to saucepan at beginning of step 1; proceed with recipe as stated.

Crush brittle and swirl into softened vanilla ice cream; serve immediately.

Vanilla Pecan Sandies

5 tablespoons soy-free vegan buttery spread (Earth Balance)
5 tablespoons palm shortening
3 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup unsalted dry roasted pecan pieces
1 cup GF oat flour, or millet flour
3/4 cup brown rice flour, or white rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1/4 cup tapioca starch
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup raw or dry-roasted pecans, chopped or pieces
Topping
1/2 cup cane sugar, or light brown sugar, or Maple sugar, or Palm crystals
6 ounce juice glass to press cookie balls flat
small bowl of water
Coating
1-1/2 cup (10 ounces) soy-free vegan chocolate chips (Enjoy Life)
or
1 cup powdered sugar (to roll hot-baked cookies in prior to serving)

1. Place baking racks in first and third position; preheat oven to 400 degrees F; line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In mixing bowl, using an electric mixer beat together buttery spread, palm shortening, and vanilla; beat at high speed until well creamed and fluffy in appearance.
3. By the tablespoon, with the electric mixer set to medium speed, beat in powdered sugar; beat until light and fluffy.
4. In an airtight container, combine GF oat flour, brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, and baking powder; place on lid; shake vigorously.
5. In four parts, beat dry mixture into wet until a dough ball forms; add 1 cup pecan pieces, beat just to combine.
6. Using a 1-1/2" ice cream scoop, place 12 evenly-spaced balls on each prepared baking sheet (24 cookies total).
7. Wet bottom of juice glass with water, dip glass bottom into cane sugar, gently but firmly press each cookie ball flat, being sure to dip glass in sugar between each cookie pressing.
8. Place baking racks in preheated 400 degree F oven; bake 5 minutes; rotate baking sheets; bake 5 minutes; remove sheet from oven to wire cooling rack; cool cookies on sheet 5 minutes.

To coat cookies with melted chocolate: place saucepan 1/3-filled with water over medium heat; place pan or metal bowl (or just use a double boiler) over top of saucepan; add chocolate chips; heat and stir until chocolate is smooth and creamy; using an offset spatula, frost each cookie with melted chocolate; place on wire rack to cool completely (or place wire rack into parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, once rack is filled with chocolate-covered cookies, place in refrigerator until chocolate is hard, about 1hour); store in airtight container.

To coat cookies in powdered sugar: remove cookies to clean shallow bowl filled with 1 cup powdered sugar; shake to coat cookies; place coated cookies on wire cooling rack; cool completely prior to storage.

Store in airtight container up to 7 days; freeze in resealable plastic bag up to 3 months.

Servings: 24 cookies (2" round)
Preheat: 400 degrees F
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Hot Cakes

Tired of heavy, gluey pancakes? Try this recipe - its yummy, not gummy!

1/3 cup GF oat flour, or millet flour, or white rice flour
1/3 cup brown rice flour, or sorghum flour, or white rice flour
1/3 cup tapioca starch, or potato starch
2 tablespoons cane sugar, or light brown sugar
1 tablespoon DariFree powder (Vance's), or powdered milk of choice
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup water
2 tablespoons pure olive oil
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. In airtight container, combine GF oat flour, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, cane sugar, DariFree powder, baking powder, xanthan gum, and sea salt; place on lid; shake vigorously to combine; pour into mixing bowl.
2. Stir water, pure olive oil, and vanilla extract into dry ingredients, leaving batter slightly lumpy; set batter aside until skillet is ready.
3. Place dry cast iron skillet over medium heat; once heated, add 1 tablespoon pure olive oil or rendered bacon fat.
4. Using a tablespoon measure, dry dollops of batter, evenly-spaced, into prepared skillet; cook until bubbles rise to surface of batter; flip; cook until nicely browned on both sides; remove to wire cooling rack; serve immediately; repeat process with remaining batter until all batter is used.
5. Serve with butter of choice (soy-free vegan Earth Balance), and pure Grade B Maple syrup.

Servings: 12 - 16 small pancakes

Preheat: skillet over medium heat; electric skillet to 325 degrees F

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: about 8 minutes per batch

Variations

Add up to 1/2 cup fresh (washed well then dried off) fruit of choice, such as blueberries; or 1/2 cup vegan soy-free chocolate chips (Enjoy Life).