Christmas Cookie Help Please

[angelschick]

I can give up most of my traditional Christmas cookies, except two. Well, if I can't make them gluten-free I won't make them but I will be VERY unhappy :-( I found a gluten-free recipe for what we call exploding nut balls (mexican wedding cakes) but I can't seem to find a substitute for my cream cheese cookies. They are sooo yummy!! They are made in a cookie press and have the following ingredients -

1 cup butter

3 ox cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

NO clue where to start substituting flours as I have yet to experiment with gluten-free baking. Any thoughts on which direction to try first?

THANKS!

[celiac-mommy]

I use the Pamela's pancake and baking mix for all of my cookies and cakes. I would change the recipe to this:

1/3c butter softened or melted

3oz cream cheese

1/2 c sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2c Pamela's

If using an all purpose gluten-free flour with no leaveners or xanthan gum, I would use 2c gluten-free flour blend of your choice plus 2 tsp xanthan gum and leave the other ingredients the same. If using the Pamela's, you need to decrease the butter to prevent excessive spreading.

[angelschick]

THANKS I will have to try that. Almost sounds too easy but then again i thought the Pam's mix for pancakes was too easy till I made them tonight :-) YUMMM!!!

[JNBunnie1]

THANKS I will have to try that. Almost sounds too easy but then again i thought the Pam's mix for pancakes was too easy till I made them tonight :-) YUMMM!!!

I would think any pancake mix would work, Pamela's does seem to be the most versatile. I personally tried it three years ago and didn't like it, I have persnickety tastebuds though.

[purple]

I would think any pancake mix would work, Pamela's does seem to be the most versatile. I personally tried it three years ago and didn't like it, I have persnickety tastebuds though.

ditto...I think its the rice flour...I am not crazy about rice unless it has spicy stuff in it.

[hez]

I use Authentic Foods all purpose gluten-free multi blend flour. I love this stuff! I use my old recipies and just substitute cup for cup with this flour. I even can use it for sugar cookie cut out. I swear by this stuff.

Hez

PS-I do not work for Authentic Foods

[angelschick]

So I tried this recipe and it was a good cookie but soo not like my Mom's. I tried it when the board was down and tried to do it by memory and was off on the butter amount. I used too much and saw what you said about the flattening. The problem is - the original recipe was light, buttery and you really taste the cream cheese despite the small amount. So any suggestions as to how to alter? I used the Pamela's mix.

Thanks!

[Japsnoet]

Have you considered using the orgran gluten free all purpose flour www.orgran.com I replace it cup for cup with my old non gluten free recipes and it works wonderfully. In some instances I decrease the fluid just a little.