Gluten Free Christmas Baking Palooza

It's that time of year when baking urges go full throttle.  And this year is going to be a little different from years past.  Gluten free is my challenge!!!!! My goal is to find recipes that are gluten free that i would traditional bake this time of year that taste good. I figured it's perfect i will blog about my new favorites so others will be able to make them and for me to keep track of new tried and true recipes. So be prepared to get many recipes post this month. All my recipes are from other bakers so i will link where i found them. You can click on there link to see how they made them too. I am not a off the cuff, lets make up a recipe kind of gal. I will tweak them but not is about it!

First up is my favorite Christmas cookie of all times.  I will occasional make them through the year. Meringues...... Queue the choir of angels singing.... Is that a bit much???? Nah it's Christmas and these are the bomb. There so good that before they are done baking, the first row of cookies are missing. In my defense it's a long bake time and they need to be tested to make sure they are baked to perfection.

Preheat oven to 225 degrees

4 egg whites

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/3 cups of sugar

1/4 tsp mint extract. ( or a drop of Young Living peppermint essential oil)

Green food coloring till you reach the color you like

Make sure your eggs are at room temp. before starting.  Mix the first 3 ingredients with a electric mixer till soft peaks form.  Then slowly add one tablespoon of sugar at a time till it's all added. Add your food coloring and mint extract.

I like to put silicone baking mats on a cookie sheet to prevent it stinking but you could also use parchment paper. I would recommend a frosting bag and a tip to pipe out your meringues. I like to do a circle swirling to make them look like christmas trees. And if your feeling super creative add a few sprinkles to them.  Put them in the oven and bake them for a hour then turn them off and let them sit there for another hour. The goal is to have them dried out in the middle and not sticky. That is why many cookies are eaten through the process. *Wink Wink* I don't believe you can over bake them.

If you want you can add a chocolate bottom on the cookie. Ive done this once but usually everyone is begging to eat them before i can add it.

2 oz semi sweet chocolate

1/2 tsp oil

melt this slowly in the microwave and then dip the cookie bottom in it and i just popped it in the freezer to speed up the process of hardening the chocolate. 

Warning...... Super addicting