For those who have not had much experience in gluten-free baking, making cookies is the ideal place to start. Of all baked goods, cookies are the easiest to make and are the most likely to turn out well. Furthermore, recipes are readily available. Traditional cookbooks typically have recipes for meringue cookies, sometimes called “Forgotten Cookies” or “Magic Cookies.” These cookies are made from stiffly beaten egg whites to which sugar and other ingredients are added. Because they contain no flour, they are naturally gluten free. The Alamo Celiac Cookbook that is included in every New Member Packet contains over 40 cookie recipes. Searching the Internet with the phrase “gluten-free cookie recipe” will result in many Web sites with tempting recipes. With so many choices, the problem will not be a lack of recipes but in knowing which recipe to try first.

Though it is a good idea to use gluten-free recipes for the first few attempts at baking cookies, the adventuresome cook who has gained some experience may want to branch out and try adapting favorite traditional recipes. Most of my cookie recipes come from an old Betty Crocker Cookbook that predates my celiac days. I alter the ingredients by substituting a gluten-free flour blend for the wheat flour and adding a small amount of liquid if the dough is too dry. Regardless of what the gluten-free cookbooks recommend, I do not include xanthan or guar gum in cookies. There is usually enough fat in the form of butter or shortening in cookies to make the cookies moist and keep them from being crumbly. Besides, there is nothing to lose in cookie experiments; if the cookies crumble, I can save the crumbs and use them as a substitute for graham cracker crumbs in making pie crust, as crumb topping on coffee cake or baked fruit dishes, or as sprinkles on ice cream or yogurt. More likely, I will eat the cookies, crumbs and all. Who can resist homemade cookies?

With the holidays coming, it is the perfect time to experiment with baking gluten-free cookies. There are sure to be willing testers around who will help devour the “failures” as well as the successes and who will eagerly anticipate the next batch.