Help: I'm Going Nuts My Subs Are Not Working In My Roll Out Cookie Recipe

[janelyb]

ok I am going nuts over here....I need some expreience bakers to help me . So I am trying to avoid using butter, margerine and vegan butter like earth balance...all because of the soybean oil.

Well let me tell you the roll out doughs for cookies are just not working unless I use the vegan butter. I've tried coconut oil, other oils & now the spectrum veg shortening. And it all turns out very simular...crumbley and I can not even form a dough ball.

What am I doing wrong??? I thought for sure the spectrum veg shortening would work but it was just as bad as the coconut oil.

Help me!!!

[Ursa Major]

As I said in your other thread: Lard will work fantastic, guaranteed. I've used it in cookies, and they come out fabulous.

[janelyb]

As I said in your other thread: Lard will work fantastic, guaranteed. I've used it in cookies, and they come out fabulous.

Is it something easily found in my local supermarket?

[Ursa Major]

Yes, absolutely. Lard is what traditionally people used for pie crusts. They roll out without breaking. The same goes for cookies.

Really, lard is bacon fat, same thing.

I always buy a large bucket of Tenderflake non-hydrogenated lard. It is heat stable, too. I use it for all my cooking and baking, since I can't tolerate anything else.

Every grocery store has it.

[jerseyangel]

Janel--

I can't understand why the Spectrum didn't work. It behaves exactly like Crisco in baking recipes.

Did your recipe call for enough shortening and liquid? I know some doughs need to be chilled for a while to roll out properly.

If you try the lard and still have the same problem, maybe post one of the recipes that is giving you trouble.

Sorry the Spectrum didn't work for you--I was so sure it would, as I use it all the time.

[Ridgewalker]

Also, have you tried using your bare hands to mix the dough, as opposed to a mixer or spoon? I have had to do this with pie crust to get it to form a ball.

[jerseyangel]

Also, have you tried using your bare hands to mix the dough, as opposed to a mixer or spoon? I have had to do this with pie crust to get it to form a ball.

Yes--me too. The heat from your hands helps bring it all together after you've combined everything.

[lonewolf]

I'd like to see your recipe too. I use Spectrum Shortening all the time for cookies and pie crust and it works great.

[janelyb]

I eventally got the spectrum to work but in a different recipe which called for the shortening to be mixed with egg and sugar instead of being cut in flour...

Here is the recipe that DID NOT work:

Gluten-free Casein-free Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 cups white rice flour

1/2 cup margarine (I used Earth Balance stick)

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 large egg (cold)

1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 tsp Gluten-free Casein-free vanilla or almond extract

1/8 tsp salt

Whisk together rice flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, xanthan gum and

salt. Cut in margarine until mixture is in crumbs the size of peas.

Beat sugar, egg and vanilla together in small bowl. Add mixture to dry

ingredients and mix until the dough pulls away from the sides. Form dough

into a flat ball shape and refrigerate for one hour.

Dust parchment paper with gluten-free flour or confectioner's sugar. Put the dough on

the parchment and sprinkle with flour or confectioner's sugar. Roll dough to

1/4 inch thick and cut out shapes as desired. To make round cookies roll

small amount of dough and place on cookie sheet. Spray the bottom of a glass

with pan spray or cover with parchment paper and use it to squish the

cookie out.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

[jerseyangel]

M-m-m--I don't know why it didn't work with the Spectrum....it's very similar to the sugar cookie recipe I make, and mine always rolls out fine. In fact, this dough is also very good as a "crust" for a fruit pizza. It's very forgiving, and doubles easily.

Here's the recipe:

SUGAR COOKIES

1 cup Spectrum Shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups rice flour blend

1 and 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Combine dry ingredients and add to mixture. Chill dough for 1 hour. Roll out and cut as desired (or use part of dough as crust)

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes for cookies.

[janelyb]

M-m-m--I don't know why it didn't work with the Spectrum....it's very similar to the sugar cookie recipe I make, and mine always rolls out fine.

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Combine dry ingredients and add to mixture. Chill dough for 1 hour. Roll out and cut as desired (or use part of dough as crust)

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes for cookies.

I think the creaming is why it works with the other one I had it doesn't crema it so to speak.

[lonewolf]

I've never had luck with plain rice flour in a recipe (well, maybe there are one or two). Have you tried a blend of flours? I have the best results if I sift my flours together with the xanthan gum 3 times before mixing up the recipe. I use 3 C brown rice flour, 1 C Potato starch, 1/2 C tapioca starch, 2 to 2-1/2 tsp. xanthan gum and sift 3 times, then measure for recipes from that. A lot of people use white rice flour instead and have good results too.