Holiday baking comin’ atcha

It’s about time to start thinking about which cookies you want to bake this holiday season. You do not want to leave these gluten-free Lemon Iced Gingersnap Cookies off your holiday cookie list. For real.

I like to think of lemon iced gingersnap cookies as down-to-earth — nothing too fancy. They’re especially easy to make, so not much heavy lifting required. No need to worry about special cookie cutters, fancy frosting or fabulous fillings. Just mix, roll, bake and ice. Guaranteed they’ll remind you of your childhood.

Out of sight, but not out of mind

Lemon Iced Gingersnap cookies are the kind cookies you’ll reach for far too many times (I put mine high up on the fridge so I’m not tempted to grab one whenever I walk by). Who doesn’t like a little snap in their cookies? The ginger adds great spice and the lemon icing adds just the right amount of sweet zing.

Whether or not you follow a gluten-free lifestyle, you’ll enjoy these cookies. They keep well in airtight containers, too!

Recipe for Lemon Iced Gingersnap Cookies (Gluten Free):
Makes about 4 dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS

For the cookies

• 2-1/3 cup gluten-free, all-purpose flour
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1/8 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

For the icing

• 1 cup of gluten-free confectioners’ sugar (plus a bit extra)
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice (plus a bit extra)

INSTRUCTIONS

For the cookies

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Either lightly grease baking sheets, or line them with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the brown sugar and shortening. Add the water and molasses. Don’t worry if the water and molasses don’t thoroughly combine.
3. In a separate bowl, add the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger, and whisk together.
4. Slowly add the flour mixture to the brown sugar mixture, and blend until a dough forms.
5. Form 1-inch balls with the dough and place them on the baking sheets. About 1 dozen should fit on a standard cookie sheet. Flatten the balls with a spatula.
6. Bake for 8-12 minutes. If your oven runs hot, bake for about 8 minutes. Otherwise, go up in baking time.
7. Remove from the oven and let them sit for about a minute, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the icing

1. Mix the confectioners’ sugar with the lemon juice and stir with a spoon until a thick icing forms.
2. Apply to completely cooled cookies with your finger and spread it around the top of the cookie.
3. You may need to add either a bit more confectioners’ sugar and/or lemon juice to the mixture, depending on how thick you ice your cookies.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies