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This is a basic cookie recipe that is very versatile. It is gluten-free, casein-free, soy-free and egg-free. I can only find Ogran Gluten-Free Flour and Red Bob’s Mills Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Baking Flour in KL, either one of these are fine. However, personally I prefer to use Red Bob’s GF flour when baking as it doesn’t contain rice or corn flour. I have tried using Ogran GFCF flour and Red Bob’s Mill GF flour, both taste great but with slight difference and when I didn’t have enough flour, i’ve even used 1/2 each and it still turns out great.

For casein-free margarine, my favorite in Nutelex. I have also tried using other brands, it still works fine though Nutelex tastes closest to real butter. I have yet to experiment with Xylitol as a substitute for sugar, but feel free to try.

I make this often with both my girls, they love being part of the process. There’s lots of messes and squabbles, but there’s also lots of fun and laughter too. They help to spoon the sugar and Nutelex into measuring cups. They learn to sieve the flour, they spoon the cookie mixture into their own plastic bags and place it in the fridge themselves. They each have their own tiny rolling pins. I give them a bowl of flour each to sprinkle liberally on the work surface, on the dough and rolling pin and they are very good at it too. They choose their own cookie cutters and make sure they dip it into flour before cutting it. And decorating with the rainbow sprinkles are strictly their job. It’s a lot of fun and the girls really appreciate the home-baked goodies, especially when it’s their own creation.

As you can see below, I have listed down several variations of decorating the cookies.  The options are endless. just use your imagination. Give your kids free reign, don’t worry about the mess. Don’t stress out about the kids ruining the cookies, somehow it always works out. A lot of our baking comes out wonky and lopsided and looks like the Sprinkles Fairy threw up on it, but they are always, always appreciated.  I always give lots of encouragement and praises, I take photos during the baking as well as the completed cookies. They also take great pride when we go to a neighbours’ or friends’ houses to share their goodies. The girls and I will go through recipe books or websites and choose what to make.

I call these Butter Cookies even though technically there is no butter. It was originally based on my experiments with the typical Butter and Sugar Cookie recipes. However, I have reduced the amount of sugar to the point where it still retains the yummy cookie flavor without being too sweet. I have tried reducing the amount of sugar to only 1/2 cup but I found that didn’t work so well. These cookies are yummy eaten plain or decorated, especially when freshly baked. It can be stored in an airtight container for 1 week.

Butter Cookies- gluten-free, casein-free, soy-free, egg-free

Makes 24 large cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (226 grams) Nuttelex or dairy-free margarine

2/3 cup (135 grams) granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups (295 grams) GFCF Flour

1 large egg or 1 heaped teaspoon Ogran Egg Replacer

3/4 teaspoon Xantham Gum (optional)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Extra gfcf flour for rolling

Extra sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

Heat oven to 180 degrees celsius/ 350 degrees farenheit

1. Sieve flour, xantham gum and egg replacer in bowl. Add salt.
2. In separate mixing bowl or cake mixer, cream the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy
3. Add vanilla, mix briefly
4. Add the flour mix and mix until fully incorporated
5. Spoon the mixture into plastic bag, and chill in freezer for 20 minutes.
6. Once chilled, roll out the dough with rolling pin to 0.5cm thickness. Dough is quite soft and sticky so sprinkle liberal amounts of gfcf flour on work surface, dough and rolling pin.
7. Dip cookie cutter into flour then cut out shapes. Place on baking tray lined with baking paper.
8. Sprinkle the cookies with sugar (optional)
9. Chill the cut out cookie tray in freezer for 10 minutes (optional)
10. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes until golden.

Remove from tray immediately and cool on rack. Keep in airtight container once cooled.

To Decorate:

Option 1- Chocolate Dip
Melt dairy-free chocolate in a pot on low heat on the stove. Add 1-2 tablespoons rice, almond or hazelnut milk until thinned to desired consistency (optional). Add 1 teaspoon margerine so that it dries to a shiny finish (optional), mix well. While chocolate is still hot, dip the cookies halfway into the melted chocolate. If the chocolate thickens, reheat it and add a bit more milk until it reaches the desired consistency. Top with colourful sprinkles or crushed peanuts. Leave to cool on rack. Once dry, keep in airtight container in the refrigerator, store layered over baking paper.

Option 2- Sugar Glaze
Add 2 cups icing sugar and 1/4 cup hot water in a pot on the stove. On low heat, stir the sugar until melted. Add 2 tablespoons rice, almond or hazelnut milk, this makes the icing opaque. Mix well. Take off the heat. Add desired food coloring. Dip the top of the cookies into the glaze, sprinkle with decorations if desired. Leave to cool on rack. If the icing hardens, reheat it and add a bit more milk until reaching the desired consistency.

Option 3- Snow White
Sieve icing sugar on cooled cookies. Omit Step 8. Alternative, finely grind 1 stick of cinnamon with 4 tablespoons of icing sugar. Sieve the cinnamon sugar over the cookies.

Option 4- Thumbprint Jammies
Replace Step 6, 7 and 8. Roll dough into little balls. Make a little indentation in the centre with your thumb. Roll the balls into crushed nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans or pistachios) Spoon a little jam into the centre. Bake as usual.

Option 5-  Cherry Tops
Replace Step 6, 7 and 8. Roll dough into balls, roll into crushed nuts or tinned dessicated coconut. Top it with a halved glazed cherry instead of jam. Bake as usual.

Option 6- Rainbow Cookies
After Step 4, add 1/4 cup of colorful sprinkles into mixture and mix. Follow the rest of the recipe. Alternatively, at Step 8, sprinkle the cut out cookies with colorful sprinkles.

Option 7- Vanilla Gingerbread Men
Cut with a Gingerbread Man cookie cutter, place M&Ms, dairy-free chocolate bits or GFCF appropriate candy as the buttons and eyes. Follow the rest of the recipe. Alternatively, after baking use piping gel to decorate buttons and eyes.

Happy baking!