cookie month 2014

So confession time: these were meant to be little gingerbread dudes and gals but I gave up the search for cookie cutters after trying 3 different places. I decided to break with tradition and not encourage the cannibalistic eating of tiny little cookie people. Instead I went a little more modern with small round cutters and fluted round cutters. Problem solved. Though, I suppose there never really was a problem since I didn’t necessarily care about sticking completely to tradition (or eating people shaped cookies…).

I used to think roll-out gluten free and vegan cookie dough that did not disintegrate beneath your fingers was nigh impossible. But then I was able to formulate and come up with a dough for my hand pies I sold at the farmers market. It did not disintegrate and was rather easy to throw together. I remember the day I successfully tested it.  I’m pretty sure I danced a little jig in my kitchen! I decided to tweak that dough into a gingerbread-y one and share it with you here for the sake of cookie month.

This recipe won’t be the same as a typical gingerbread dough as the resulting cookies will be more crisp and delicate, but the taste is definitely there. If I had more time I might have tried to tweak the dough even more, but that would be the perfectionist in me rearing its ugly head. And this time of year, I ain’t got time for that.

I was able to make this dough without the use of binders or gums because of the wonderful mucilaginous qualities of teff flour. Mucilaginous simply refers to the fact that teff flour will create a sort of mucous or “gel” when it comes in contact with water or liquid just like chia and flax seeds. This is the reason why the dough has to rest at room temperature for an hour. It lets the flours absorb the liquids and start to “gel” together. Without giving you a science lesson, I’ll just say that this dough is possible largely in part to teff flour. The end.

As for the flavor of these cookies, they are nice and spicy since I used freshly grated ginger in addition to ground ginger. They are also lightly sweetened since they get a bit of glaze added to them. If you are a sugar fiend, by all means increase the amount of coconut sugar but I highly recommend you go with the amount listed. If you are not familiar with teff flour, it can be found in well-stocked grocery stores and health food stores or online. Or, you can make your own by grinding whole teff grain in a high speed blender until it becomes flour. And, because I’m nice, I’ve provided some detailed instructions and suggestions below in the recipe in order to help you make the best cookies possible,  Now go forth and make gingerbread cookies!

Gingerbread Cut-Outs with Cardamom Vanilla Glaze
notes: these cookies work best in smaller sizes so I made a small batch and it yielded around 25 cookies. If you want more, simply double or triple the recipe.

for the cookies:
60g millet flour
50g teff flour, plus a bit more for rolling out the cookies
50g arrowroot flour
pinch of fine grain sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves

40g melted coconut oil
25g coconut sugar (or more if you want it sweeter)
20g molasses (I use unsulphured blackstrap molasses)
1 tsp freshly grated ginger root (optional)

room temperature water as needed (do not use ice water!)

for the glaze:
1 cup of powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cardamom (optional)
tiny pinch of fine sea salt
coconut milk or water as needed

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flours, salt, baking soda, and spices. Whisk them together well. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the oil, coconut sugar, molasses, and fresh ginger root until combined well and the sugar has dissolved into the mixture. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, then turn the mixer on. Let the mixer run until the dough starts to look dry and crumbly. At this point, you will start to add the room temp water a little at a time. You want to add it until a soft and moist dough forms and starts to gather in a ball around the paddle of the mixer. The dough should not be sticky to the touch but instead be soft, moist, and pliable. When the dough gets to this stage, dump it out onto some plastic wrap. Form the dough into a small disc then wrap it completely and leave it on the counter to rest for at least one hour.

When you are ready to make the cookies, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. I would recommend lining your work service with parchment paper as well, then dusting it with a bit of teff flour. Make sure to lightly dust your rolling pin with teff flour, also. Take about a third of the dough and roll it out on your prepared work surface. You want it relatively thin, about 1/8 or 1/16 of an inch. Since this dough is a little delicate, I would recommend using smaller cookie cutters no larger than 2 or so inches in size. Cut out the dough in your desired shapes, then transfer it with a spatula to your prepared baking sheet. The cookies will not spread so you can place them about an inch apart on the sheet. Continue this process with the remaining dough, adding more fresh dough each time you roll it out. When finished, bake the cookies in your preheated oven for about 10 minutes until firm to the touch. Be careful not to over bake them or they will dry out. Cool the cookies on a rack before adding the glaze. Store leftovers in an airtight container.

To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, cardamom (if using), sea salt, vanilla, and a splash of coconut milk. You want the consistency to be rather thick but you should still be able to drizzle it from a spoon. Add more coconut milk or water as need to get the right consistency. When the glaze is ready, decorate your cookies to your liking. If you’re feeling fancy, throw some festive sprinkles on there.

Makes about 2 dozen small/medium gingerbread cut-outs.