GLUTEN FREE RICOTTA CHEESE COOKIES RECIPE

Posted by Bryna Bear aka Gluten Free Baking Bear

     I had some ricotta cheese left over from making gluten free lasagna so I decided to make some Ricotta Cheese Cookies.  These are soft cake-like lemon scented cookies that you can eat with or without lemon glaze.   The glaze is very tasty, but it does make for a sweeter cookie, so I glazed half of the cookies and left the rest plain. 
     I do not remember where I originally got this recipe.  I used to make them with regular flour and now that I do not eat regular flour I converted the recipe into a gluten free version.  
     These Italian cookies can be made with different flavors.  Many people use orange zest and juice in place of lemon and some will add chocolate chips. Some people use only the vanilla extract (& no lemon or orange zest), others use only anise or almond extracts. Recipes also vary with the amount of ricotta cheese that is added.  You can go wild and vary the recipe to your liking.

GLUTEN FREE RICOTTA CHEESE COOKIES

Makes 40 cookies

Ingredients
Cookies

1 cup	Sugar
1 stick	Unsalted Butter
1 tsp.	Vanilla extract
1 large	Egg
1 large	Yolk
Zest	1 Lemon (divided in half - reserve half for the glaze)
1 Tbs.	Lemon Juice - freshly squeezed.
1 cup	Sorghum Flour
1/2 cup	Chickpea Flour
1/2 cup	Tapioca Flour
1/2 tsp.	Xanthan Gum
1/2 tsp.	Sea Salt
1 tsp.	Baking Soda
8 oz.	Ricotta Cheese

Glaze
(Enough to cover half the cookies double if you want to glaze all the cookies)

1 cup	Confectioners sugar (Sift the sugar first and then measure it out.)
1 Tbs.	Lemon Juice
Zest	Lemon - use the other half of the zest reserved from making the cookies
2-3 tsp.	Milk, water or lemon juice (I used coconut milk)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare baking sheets by lining them with a silpat pad or parchment paper.
2. With a mixer or by hand cream the butter and sugar together.
3. Add the eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest and beat in well.

   

   The eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and zest combined with the creamed butter and sugar.

4. In a separate bowl add the flours, xanthan gum, baking soda and salt and mix well.  Add the flour mixture all at once to the butter and egg mixture.  Mix until well combined.

   

   Flour and butter egg mixtures combined.
   Ricotta cheese ready to be blended into the dough.

5. Add the ricotta cheese and mix well.

   

   Completed dough after the ricotta cheese was mixed in.

6. With a scoop that measures 1 1/2-inches across or with a tablespoon, scoop out dough and place onto the prepared baking sheets.  These cookies spread out a lot, so be sure to leave 3-4 inches between the mounds of dough.

   

   Dough scooped out onto the prepared baking sheet.
   The dough was a little too close and the cookies almost ran together.
   I only put 12 scoops of dough on the next pan.
7. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned.  The time will vary according to your oven, so it would be wise to check the cookies after 12 minutes to see if they are done yet or still need more time.

   

   Baked cookies.
   Note that the dough could have been a bit further apart.

8. Cool on racks.
9. To prepare glaze: mix the sugar, 1 Tbs. lemon juice and zest with a small whisk or fork.  Add additional juice, water or milk, 1 tsp. at a time until all the glaze is smooth and slightly runny.

   

   Dipping the top of a cookie into the glaze.

10. Dip the cooled cookies into the glaze, or brush the tops with it.  I set a rack in a baking pan and then placed the glazed cookies on the rack to set.  The excess glaze will drip off through the rack and be caught in the baking pan.

    

    Glazed cookies drying on a rack.
    Note that the excess glaze has dripped onto the pan below the rack.

11. The glaze will take about 2 hours to set.  Once set you can store the cookies between sheets of wax paper in a tin.  If the container is too airtight the glaze will soften and get runny so plastic tubs will not work well.  The unglazed cookies can be stored in airtight containers.

    

    Unglazed cookie on left and glazed cookie on right.
    They are both delicious.

GLUTEN FREE RICOTTA CHEESE COOKIES Makes 40 cookies Ingredients Cookies 1 cup Sugar 1 stick Unsalted Butter 1 tsp. Vanilla extract 1 large Egg 1 large Yolk Zest 1 Lemon (divided in half - reserve half for the glaze) 1 Tbs. Lemon Juice - freshly squeezed. 1 cup Sorghum Flour 1/2 cup Chickpea Flour 1/2 cup Tapioca Flour 1/2 tsp. Xanthan Gum 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt 1 tsp. Baking Soda 8 oz. Ricotta Cheese Glaze (Enough to cover half the cookies double if you want to glaze all the cookies) 1 cup Confectioners sugar (Sift the sugar first and then measure it out.) 1 Tbs. Lemon Juice Zest Lemon - use the other half of the zest reserved from making the cookies 2-3 tsp. Milk, water or lemon juice (I used coconut milk) Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare baking sheets by lining them with a silpat pad or parchment paper. With a mixer or by hand cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest and beat in well. In a separate bowl add the flours, xanthan gum, baking soda and salt and mix well. Add the flour mixture all at once to the butter and egg mixture. Mix until well combined. Add the ricotta cheese and mix well. With a scoop that measures 1 1/2-inches across or with a tablespoon, scoop out dough and place onto the prepared baking sheets. These cookies spread out a lot, so be sure to leave 3-4 inches between the mounds of dough. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned. The time will vary according to your oven, so it would be wise to check the cookies after 12 minutes to see if they are done yet or still need more time. Cool on racks. To prepare glaze mix the sugar, 1 Tbs. lemon juice and zest with a small whisk or fork. Add additional juice, water or milk, 1 tsp. at a time until all the glaze is smooth and slightly runny. Dip the cooled cookies into the glaze, or brush the tops with it. I set a rack in a baking pan and then placed the glazed cookies on the rack to set. The excess glaze will drip off through the rack and be caught in the baking pan. The glaze will take about 2 hours to set. Once set you can store the cookies between sheets of wax paper in a tin. If the container is too airtight the glaze will soften and get runny so plastic tubs will not work well. The unglazed cookies can be stored in airtight containers.

GLUTEN FREE PIZZELLE COOKIES with DAIRY FREE INSTRUCTIONS

Posted by Bryna Bear aka Gluten Free Baking Bear

     No it is not deja vu all over again.  These cookies are not the same as last weeks post they just look like their identical twin.  This week I made Pizzelles (pronounced: Pete's-sell-lays), wonderful anise flavored Italian waffle cookies.  Last week I posted a recipe for Lukken, the buttery Belgian waffle cookie.  Both cookies are made with a cookie waffle iron.  Both are soft when hot and hard and crisp when cooled.  When hot both these cookies can be shaped into cone, tubular or cup forms.  Pizzelle (Pete's-sell) are lighter than the Lukken and the batter is thick, soft and easy to scoop out.  The Lukken dough is chilled for a few hours and made into firm balls before cooking on the waffle iron. 

     We are having a hot spell here, about 90 degrees and very humid.  Not the weather when I want to turn on the oven.  Baking cookies in the special Pizzelle waffle iron is a good alternative to oven baking.  Plus the cookies can be made into delicious bowls or cones to enjoy a cool treat like ice cream or, as they do in Scandinavia, whipped cream with lingonberry jam mixed in.  

     When cooking the Pizzelles in the special waffle maker be sure to lock the lid.  There is moisture in the dough that steams out when cooking and it also made the lid on my machine push up as if someone was trying to get out.  On my machine it took 40 seconds to cook.  It will be necessary to experiment with one or two cookies to get the right timing for your machine.  I used a scoop that measures 1 1/2-inches and scooped out heaping scoopfuls of batter.  Each scoop of dough weighted 7/8 ounce.  A flat scoopful of dough did not fill the whole circle form and the rounded scoop sometimes would overfill the form.  Not sure of the secret to the perfect amount of dough to use.  I used a kitchen shears to trim the ones with excess dough.

     I have one of the new Pizzelle makers that are non-stick coated so no greasing was necessary.  If using a maker that is not coated it is a good idea to use oil, spray, or butter on the waffle iron forms before placing the dough inside.

    I found that placing the dough just to the back of the center of each circle filled the form more evenly.  When the lid is closed it pushes dough forward as it presses down and closes.  The back of the form will not fill completely if you place a scoop of dough exactly in the center. 

     I found that if I used too much dough, and did not cook the cookies longer to compensate for the thicker cookie, the Pizzelles stayed a bit soft and did not get crisp like the thinner cookies.  I prefer the thinner crisp texture so I used the rounded scoop.

     I never made them before and looked for a recipe online.  There is some controversy about using baking powder as it will make them rise too much and affect the texture.  I used a recipe with no baking powder and converted it into a gluten free one.  The recipe was posted by Brown Eyed Baker on her blog.  

     There was also some discussion about the amount of anise to use and what type of flavoring.  I used anise extract as I had it on hand from an attempt at making licorice candy.  I used the amount directed in the recipe and then, after the first cookies did not have a strong enough anise flavor, I used another tsp. of flavoring.  The anise flavor was still very subtle.  Some comments online suggested using 2 1/2 tsp. of ground anise seeds in addition to the anise extract to give a stronger anise flavor.  Another comment suggested using anise oil or Sambuco (an anise-flavored liqueur) instead of extract. I did not have any of these on hand, but would try these next time as I would have liked a stronger anise flavor.  Of course, if anise is not to your liking just use all vanilla extract or add some almond extract with the vanilla.

GLUTEN FREE PIZZELLES

Makes about 20 cookies

Ingredients

3	Large Eggs
1/2 cup-1 stick	Unsalted butter-melted OR a vegetable oil such as canola OR olive or margarine-melted.
3/4 cups	Sugar (I used evaporated cane juice crystals)
pinch	Sea Salt
1 tsp.	Anise extract (or to taste)
1 tsp.	Vanilla extract
1 cup	Sorghum Flour
1/2 cup	Tapioca Flour
1/4 cup	Chickpea Flour
1/2 tsp.	Xanthan Gum

 Directions

1. Beat eggs on medium speed until pale and thick.
2. Add the melted butter (margarine or oil) and mix until well combined.
3. Add the sugar and mix well.
4. Add the extracts and blend in well.
5. In a separate bowl add the flours, salt, and xanthan gum and mix well with a whisk or fork. 
6. Add the flour mixture, 1/3 at a time, to the egg mixture mixing after each addition until well incorporated.  

   

   Dough all finished.

7. Preheat the Pizzelle iron.

   

   Heaping scoopful of batter.

8. Add batter by the heaping tablespoon or 1 1/2-inch scoop  (about 7/8 ounce) to each circle on the iron.  Close the lid and lock securely.

   

   Note the steam coming out of the machine as the Pizzelles cook.

9. Cook until lightly golden, about 40 seconds on my machine.  You will need to try one or two on your machine to get the right timing.

   

   This is Lukken dough (the photo of the Pizzelle dough did not come out) placed to the rear of center.

   

   Pizzelles all done.

10. Remove the Pizzelle with tongs on let cool on a flat rack.  If you want to make shapes such as tubes, bowls or cones you must shape the hot cookies on the forms or in the bowls.  When cool remove the cookies form the forms or bowls and they will keep their shape.

    

    Hot and soft cookies removed with wooden tongs
     (again this is a photo of Lukken...I forgot to take a photo of removing the Pizzelles.).

11. Store cookies in airtight containers for several weeks.

GLUTEN FREE PIZZELLES Makes about 20 cookies Ingredients 3 Large Eggs 1/2 cup-1 stick Unsalted butter-melted OR a vegetable oil such as canola OR olive or margarine-melted. 3/4 cups Sugar (I used evaporated cane juice crystals) pinch Sea Salt 1 tsp. Anise extract (or to taste) 1 tsp. Vanilla extract 1 cup Sorghum Flour 1/2 cup Tapioca Flour 1/4 cup Chickpea Flour 1/2 tsp. Xanthan Gum Directions Beat eggs on medium speed until pale and thick. Add the melted butter (margarine or oil) and mix until well combined. Add the sugar and mix well. Add the extracts and blend in well. In a separate bowl add the flours, salt, and xanthan gum and mix well with a whisk or fork. Add the flour mixture, 1/3 at a time, to the egg mixture mixing after each addition until well incorporated. Preheat the Pizzelle iron. Add batter by the heaping tablespoon or 1 1/2-inch scoop (about 7/8 ounce) to each circle on the iron. Close the lid and lock securely. Cook until lightly golden, about 40 seconds on my machine. You will need to try one or two on your machine to get the right timing. Remove the Pizzelle with tongs on let cool on a flat rack. If you want to make shapes such as tubes, bowls or cones you must shape the hot cookies on the forms or in the bowls. When cool remove the cookies form the forms or bowls and they will keep their shape. Store cookies in airtight containers for several weeks.

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