I was trying to think of something to take to thanksgiving at my Aunt and Uncle's this year. I decided to do a GF dessert of some kind. My Aunt and Mama are really good about making sure I have enough real food to eat at all major holidays. My Grandma usually brings the dessert, but bless her heart, she is 90 years old and she tends to get pretty flustered (and a tad bit forgetful) in her old age. She spent an entire day one year making me this fabulous, but very difficult GF pumpkin pie dessert that had like ten different layers. But nowadays, understandably, she is a bit overwhelmed with cooking in general, and especially GF cooking. She always feels bad when she doesn't bring something (or she brings something I can't eat), like she isn't participating. So I thought that Grandma and I would make something together!
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| Here is my beautiful Grandma with one of her favorite great-granchildren! |
I adore my Grandma and I love to spend time with her. Some of my very favorite memories of her were made right in her kitchen. We were always mixing something up on her yellow countertop, often times it was cookies. I loved going to grandmas to make and decorate cutout cookies! That is when my ridiculous cookie cutter collection was started! Those cookie cutters were put into storage when I was diagnosed with Celiac because I was overwhlemed with the whole idea of GF baking. Afterall, I was young and impatient, and frankly just bitter about the whole GF thing. But happily those cookie cutters are back in business and will be reunited with Grandma's yellow countertop!
Finding a pumpkin cutout recipe that actually tasted like pumpkins and was easily adapted to be GF and was still easy to roll out was no easy task. I admit I had to improvise a little. After a couple test runs this is the recipe I settled on and the one we will be using.
Pumpkin Spice Cut Out Cookies
3/4 C Unsalted Butter
1/2 C Packed Brown Sugar
1/2 C Pumpkin Puree
1 t Vanilla (make sure it's GF!)
1 Egg Yolk
2 1/4 GF All-Purpose Flour*
1 1/2 t Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 pinch of salt
*I used Stashu's GF All-Purpose Flour Substitute... because it's easy and already has the xanthum gum in it ...If your mix doesn't have xanthum gum make sure you add a bit to the recipe or it will not work.. I promise!
In a medium bowl cream the butter and sugar. Stir in the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla. In a separate bowl sift together the flour mix, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Slowly add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture, stiring as you go. Mix well. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. Roll the dough out to 1/8 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface (I use powdered sugar so the dough doesn't get dense as I go, but you can just use whatever GF flour mix you put in the recipe). Cut into desired shapes (We are using pumpkins, turkeys, leaves, pilgrims, indians, cornucopias... I told you I have a ridiculous cookie cutter collection.. I have 8 different pumpkin shapes for goodness sakes!) Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while you whip up some frosting. Frost, Decorate, & Enjoy!
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| Of course the recipe is written on a pumpkin recipe card! You can find these adorable cards here to print for free! |
Pumpkin Buttercream Frosting
1 C Unsalted
Butter (at room temperature)
3 C Powdered Sugar, sifted
2 T Milk
1 t Vanilla
2 T Pumpkin Puree
3 C Powdered Sugar, sifted
2 T Milk
1 t Vanilla
2 T Pumpkin Puree
1 t Pumpkin Pie Spice
Beat the butter with a mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add the sugar in, one cup at a time. Add the milk, vanilla, pumpkin, and spice. Beat until smooth and creamy. Try to get more on the cookies and less in your mouth :)!
Beat the butter with a mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add the sugar in, one cup at a time. Add the milk, vanilla, pumpkin, and spice. Beat until smooth and creamy. Try to get more on the cookies and less in your mouth :)!
We just had our "Thanksgiving Feast" at school today (I brought the pumpkin fluff.. the kids love it!) and that always officially kicks off Thanksgiving week for me! I won't see my kids for a whole week. I will miss them all, but I am so excited to be spending my first day of my 5 day Thanksgiving break in my Grandma's kitchen making these cookies with her. I hope you all get some time off to spend with your families too, and you enjoy your GF Thanksgiving!
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| I am very thankful for this special little lady! This is what PS does at Grandma's when she isn't helping us clean up the floor.. Sometimes when I'm at school I bring Penny to spend the day with Grandma and she sits with her blanket gaurding Grandma's house from "her blue chair" by the window. It always makes Grandma smile! |
