Gluten Free Sugar Cookies

I have made some really crappy cookies in my life. Though this sounds a bit like it might be a metaphor (might have to explore that angle later...) in this case I am TRULY talking about cookies. For real.

I have been on a quest to make a good loaf of GF Sourdough and a good batch of sugar cut-out cookies. While the sourdough experiments have most recently ended with me uttering obscenities and tossing out very sketchy looking starter after making a multiple batches of rolls that could double as weapons, my cookie quest is now at an end for different reasons.

Friends, loved ones, blog followers....I HAVE NAILED IT. I made cookies that not only have a dough that is easy to work with, but stay soft baked, hold their shape when made into cut-outs, and taste delish. Also, this is a respectable size batch of cookies, so you won't spend 18 hours frosting the little friggin' snow men that your children insisted on cutting out. This batch makes about 2 dozen, give or take.

HA! Suck that, stupid celiac disease!!

Because I am a sharing person (and I don't want to have to share the ACTUAL cookies...I'm not that sharing) I will bless you all with the recipe. Your welcome. Now go and make copious amount of cookies to decorate.

Gluten Free Cut-Out Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 t. vanilla flavor
1 t. almond flavor (not required, but tasty, trust me on this)
2 eggs
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking powder
1 1/3 c. rice/GF oat flour
1 1/3 c. starch (tapioca is best, but potato or corn will work)
1/3 c. coconut flour
1 1/2 t. xanthan gum

Mix all dry ingredients in bowl and set aside. Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add flavorings. With mixer on low add the dry ingredients. When all incorporated, scoop out onto a piece of waxed paper sprinkled with starch. Dough will be thick, heavy and a bit sticky. With slightly damp hands, pat flat, or roll out if it doesn't stick to badly to your rolling pin. Cool in fridge, on waxed paper (or, in my case, in the garage) until dough is very stiff. At least an hour, maybe a bit more. After dough is stiff and cold, use the rolling pin to get it to 1/4 inch thick and cut with cookie cutters. Place on cookie sheets and bake 8-10 minutes. Cookies should look dry on top, but not hardly any brown if you want them soft. Cool on sheets for 10 minutes until moving them to cooling rack. Cool all the way before decorating.