parchment met its match

parchment paper is my secret weapon. i love that unless it is a bad recipe that flattens out completely or i forget about them and the whole darn things are hockey pucks, the bottoms of my cookies very rarely burn; by very rarely, i mean that i can’t even remember the last time.

i decided to do something nice for a girl at work who was super supportive through my whole surgery process, and since she is gluten-free, sugar-free, but no artificial sweeteners, it was a bit difficult to find a recipe that looked promising. i found one that sounded good, the blogger seemed to enjoy them, and included almond butter (which i love). this was my first time baking with agave nectar, which i think i am blaming for the burnt bottoms. overall, these cookies came out great, and some of them didn’t burn that much… but unfortunately i was only able to bring in about half the batch, which turned the other half into the cookie of the month for november, as they ended up with my mom and stepdad.

recipe from simply sugar and gluten free :

Gluten Free, Sugar Free Almond Butter Cookies
makes 16 – 24 cookies, depending on the size
adapted from Pamela’s Products website

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup almond butter, warmed slightly in the microwave
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 large, free range omega-3 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups Pamela’sBaking & Pancake Mix

Fit your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Put butter in the bowl of your stand mixer and mix on medium for about 30 seconds.  Scrape down the sides and add the slightly warmed almond butter.  (You want it just slightly warmed as this helps it mix smoothly.  If it’s too warm it will melt the butter – you don’t want that.)  Cream together for 3 – 5 minutes until the mix is lighter.  Scrape bowl down as needed.  Add the agave and mix for another minute or so until it’s fully incorporated. Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until combined.

Add flour all at once and, with mixer on stir, mix until combined.  You may need to scrape down the bowl.  Batter will be sticky.  Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.

Using a spring-release cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop out heaping balls of dough.  Use floured or oiled hands (I lightly oiled mine – this worked well) roll the dough into balls.  Place on cookie sheet two inches apart.  With the tines of an oiled fork, make a tic-tac-toe pattern in the dough.

Bake for 10 minutes, until firm to the touch and light golden brown.  Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.