Photo: Courtesy of Nicole Hunn.
Nicole Hunn, the author behind the blog Gluten-Free on a Shoestring and the book series by the same name, has no shortage of kitchen shortcuts. Created with her busy family in mind, Hunn's blog houses her secrets to getting a complete meal — including bread — on the table in no time flat, sans budget-stretching.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Yield: 1 dozen (12) cookies
Cook time: 10 minutes
Yield: 1 dozen (12) cookies
Ingredients
1 cup high-quality all-purpose gluten-free flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
7 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder (Rodelle brand is gluten-free)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra-large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract (optional)
12 Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses (or your personal favorite Hershey Kiss), unwrapped
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Directions
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet and set it aside.
Make the dough. In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, salt and sugar, and whisk to combine well. Add the butter, egg, vanilla, and optional peppermint extract, mixing to combine after each addition. The dough should come together, but it will be soft.
Divide the dough into 12 pieces and drop each about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the dough is firm, five to 10 minutes. Once the dough is firm, remove the baking sheet from the freezer and roll each piece of dough into a ball between your palms, then press down into a disk about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Return to the baking sheet, about one inch apart.
Bake the cookies. Place the baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven and bake for five minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Wet the underside of the bowl of a one teaspoon measuring spoon, and press the wet underside down, gently but firmly, into the center of each cookie to create a well as deep as the measuring spoon itself. If the measuring spoon begins to stick to the cookies, rewet it and continue. Return the baking sheet to the center of the preheated oven and bake until set, about another 5 minutes.
Assemble. As soon as you remove the baking sheet from the oven, press one unwrapped Hershey Kiss in the concave well of each cookie, and press down gently to start the chocolate’s melting. Allow to cool on the baking sheet until the cookies are firm, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store at room temperature for a few days, then freeze for longer storage. After freezing, bring to room temperature before serving or the chocolate centers will be too hard to bite though.