Scroll to the bottom of the post to get ALL the “12 Days” recipes from 2019, 2020, and 2021!
Welcome to Day 4 of
The Twelve Days of Holiday Treats!
Once again, this year, from December 1st-12th I’ll post a new holiday treat recipe every day – inspiration for your holiday entertaining!
The recipes I’m sharing are small-er batch (as many of us will still be attending/ hosting smaller gatherings) – each recipe makes 1-dozen or a few more smaller-sized treats that are simple to prepare and that use everyday ingredients and equipment so hopefully you’ll be able to whip up any of these on a whim. Check out the treats from 2019, 2020 and 2021 at the bottom of this post too for more inspiration!
Today I’m sharing a recipe I developed for a get-together with friends where the dish needed to be both gluten and dairy-free. I wanted to multi-task and make something I could share here as well and I wondered about a really good basic cookie. One of these friends is always on the lookout for easy gluten-free basics and I had a couple of recipes I thought might translate ok to a GF version, using an all-purpose gluten-free flour (<<< affiliate link but this is what I used) and plant-based “butter” (<<< this is what I used). So, basically, this is a recipe that can easily be made gluten and dairy-free with just a couple of easy substitutes.
The only thing I struggled with was knowing when they were done. And I second-guessed myself – popping them back in the oven for a few minutes because I thought they were too soft after the bake time was done. In the end, they were a *tad* too crunchy for *some* taste testers but *perfect* for said gluten and dairy-free friends.
In the recipe, I made notes about how to make this with regular AP/ plain flour and butter but basically, it’s a straight substitute.
Funfetti Cookies (gluten and dairy-free)
Fun to look at, fun to eat! These funfetti cookies are great for the holidays or anytime!
Ingredients
for the cookies
- 113g (3/4 cups) all-purpose gluten-free flour blend (see notes for a non GF version)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 57g (4 tablespoons/ 1/2 stick) salted plant-based margarine (i.e. Becel), room temperature (see notes for a non dairy-free version)
- 50g (1/4 cup) firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 50g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, yolk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sprinkles
for decorating:
- 57g (approx 1/3 cup) icing sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons water (you can use milk if you don't need this to be dairy-free)
- 1/2 teaspoon water
- 1/2 teaspoon meringue powder
- sprinkles (optional but not really)
Instructions
Make the cookie dough:
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or using electric hand beaters, cream the margarine and sugars on medium speed until smooth and slightly pale in colour (2-3 minutes).
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue to mix on medium speed until the egg is fully mixed in.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl again and, with the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients, a little at a time and mix until just combined. Add the sprinkles and mix on low speed until they are evenly distributed through the dough. Keep your mixer on low speed as otherwise, everything will fly around and out of the bowl!
- Portion 20 cookies using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, placing scooped cookies on the two lined baking trays, well-spaced.
- Place the trays in the fridge while you preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
Bake the cookies:
- When the oven is at temperature, bak the cookies for 8 minutes, then remove the pans from the oven, one by one. With your thumbs (in oven mitts!) holding the parchment paper on the trays, bang them on the countertop 5-6 times until the cookies flatten slightly.
- Return pans to the oven and bake for 4-5 more minutes until the cookies start to turn golden-brown and the centres are just about set (they might look a little “wet”).
- Place the trays on wire cooling racks for 5 minutes then carefully transfer the cookies (still on the parchment paper) to wire cooling racks to cool to room temperature.
Make the fondant icing
- Mix the icing sugar and the water together. It might not look like it's going to be enough liquid but don't be tempted to add more.
When you think you can't mix anymore, mix the meringue powder and water in a small cup until combined. - Add the meringue powder mix to the icing sugar and continue to mix until the icing is thick and glossy.
Ice and decorate the cookies
- Use a small offset spatula to spread a thin layer of fondant icing over the centre of the cookies.
- Sprinkle with, well, sprinkles and allow to set at room temperature.
Notes
You can absolutely substitute the same amount of regular salted butter and all-purpose flour in this recipe if you are not catering to gluten-and dairy intolerances/ allergies. Method and bake time remains the same.
Recommended Products
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Aren’t they fun?
Stay tuned to see what tomorrow brings and in the meantime…
Baking up a storm this holiday season?
(this is an affiliate link, but I genuinely use Nuts.com products and love them. Highly recommended if you are in the US/ Canada where they currently ship)
Check out the rest of 2022’s 12 Days of Holiday Treats:
Day 1: Chocolate Peppermint Creme Cups
Day 2: Chocolate-Dipped Wafer Cookies
Day 3: Gingerbread madeleines
Day 4: Funfetti Cookies
Day 5: Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Day 6: Coffee Financiers
Day 7: No-Bake Strawbery Cheesecake Cups
Day 8: Holiday Joys
Day 9: Holiday Spice Marmalade
Day 10: Soft Molasses Cookies
Day 11: Coconut Roughs
Day 12: Holiday Lights Jam Sandwich Cookies
Check out 2021’s 12 Days of Holiday Treats:
Day 1: Speculoos financiers
Day 2: Chocolate Dipped Orange Sugar Cookies
Day 3: Madeleines à la Clémentine
Day 4: Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies
Day 5: Sunbutter and Jam Chocolate Cups
Day 6: Hot Chocolate and Marshmallow Cookies
Day 7: Linzer Cookies
Day 8: Chocolate-Hazelnut Sandwich Cookies
Day 9: Choc-Mint Thumbprint Cookies
Day 10: Pailles (Puff Pastry and Jam Cookies)
Day 11: Strawberry Santa Hats
Day 12: Mulled Wine Jam
Check out 2020’s 12 Days of Holiday Treats:
Day 1: Rice Krispie Wreaths
Day 2: Cranberry Cheesecake Bars
Day 3: Peppermint Bark
Day 4: Orangettes
Day 5: Rocky Road Chocolate Crackle Slice
Day 6: Candy Cane Sugar Cookies
Day 7: Orange Pim’s
Day 8: Mendiants
Day 9: Chewy Chocolate Mint Crackle Cookies
Day 10: Apricot, Coconut and Cranberry “truffles”
Day 11: Chocolate, Cherry and Almond Brownies
Day 12: Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Check out 2019’s 12 Days of Holiday Cookies:
Day 1: Easy Three Ingredient Shortbread
Day 2: Jam Drops
Day 3: Chocolate Caramel Slice
Day 4: Melting Moments
Day 5: White Christmas
Day 6: Langues de Chat
Day 7: Chocolate Coconut Slice
Day 8: Cornflake Biscuits
Day 9: Rocky Road
Day 10: Honey Joys
Day 11: Rum Ball Truffles
Day 12: Giant Florentine Cookie (to share)
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