Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies!

 I did some math today. I figured out that in the two-and-a-half years that I've worked at the bakery, I've mixed, rolled, and cut-out an estimated 10,000 pounds of sugar cookie dough. And I've frosted even more than that. 10,000 POUNDS!! It is because of this absurdity that I spent those two-and-a-half years baking just about every pastry possible after work except sugar cookies.

So when a friend asked me to make them, I had to think about it. The people-pleaser inside of me couldn't say no: I reluctantly made some gluten-free sugar cookies. It wasn't so bad and I was rather pleased with how soft and tasty they were.

In the end, I'm glad I made them. They were well-enjoyed by those with whom I shared them. And now you guys have the recipe (just in time for St. Patrick's Day!!) so that I don't have to roll out sugar cookies (after work, of course) for another two-and-half years :)

Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons sour cream or greek yogurt

zest from 1/2 lemon

1 cup any combination of cornstarch and potato starch

1 1/2 cups white rice flour (plus more for rolling out)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

1 recipe frosting of your choosing*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream together butter and sugar until well-combined. Scrape down bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, incorprating after each one. Scrape down bowl again. Add vanilla, sour cream, and zest and mix just until combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Add to the butter-sugar mixture and mix until incorporated.

To roll out the cookies, dump out the dough onto a clean and well-floured (white rice flour) surface. Knead the dough, sprinkling with flour, just until it is no longer sticky and the mass can be formed into a smooth ball. Roll out to about 1/4 inch thickness and cut out with a well-floured cookie cutter. Place shapes onto lightly-colored, unlined/ungreased baking sheet, about 1 inch apart.

Bake cookies 8-12 minutes (it will depend on the size of the cookie), until cookies can be picked up without bending in half but are still soft.** Remove from the cookie sheet when still warm but cool completely before frosting.

**Note: cookies will be darker than gluten-filled ones, but don't worry, they will still be soft.

*Decorate cookies with the frosting of your choice:
-perfect buttercream frosting
-basic buttercream
-royal icing