Christmas Crispy Gluten Free Gingerbread Men Cookies

Crispy and snappy gluten free gingerbread men cookies, spiced with cinnamon and ginger, and flavored with just a touch of molasses. Make them any shape you like!

THE RECIPE

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (210 g) all-purpose gluten free flour (I like Better Batter here)
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
4 tablespoons (36 g) cornstarch (or try arrowroot)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (73 g) packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons (63 g) unsulphured molasses
2 tablespoons (42 g) honey
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg (60 g, out of shell) at room temperature, beaten
Royal icing, for decorating (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set them aside.
In a large bowl, place the flour blend, xanthan gum, cornstarch, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt and granulated sugar, and whisk to combine well. Add the brown sugar, and whisk once more to combine, working out any lumps in the brown sugar. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the molasses, honey, vanilla, butter and egg, mixing to combine after each addition. The dough will be thick and smooth, and somewhat sticky to the touch.
Transfer the dough to a large sheet of unbleached parchment paper, cover with another sheet of parchment and roll into a rectangle about 3/8-inch thick (more than 1/4-inch, less than 1/2-inch). If you are concerned that the dough will be difficult to handle, place it in the refrigerator or freezer after you roll it out to allow it to firm up. Dip a gingerbread man cutter in all purpose gluten free flour or cornstarch, and use it to cut out shapes from the cookie dough. With each cut, jiggle the cutter back and forth to create a neat shape. Peel back the rest of the dough from around the cut-outs, and carefully peel off the men and place them, about 1 1/2-inches apart, on the prepared baking sheets. Gather and reroll scraps, and repeat the process until you have used all the dough.
Place the cut-outs on the baking sheets in the refrigerator or freezer until firm (about 20 minutes in the refrigerator, or just 5 minutes in the freezer). Place in the center of the preheated oven and bake until dry to the touch (about 15 minutes). Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheets. They will crisp as they cool.

Source: glutenfreeonashoestring.com