Butter Cookies - extra crispy, crumbly & buttery

These gluten free butter cookies are extremely crispy, crumbly and oh so so buttery. They are so delicious and irresistible - I just couldn't stop at one, two or three. They are crispier than butter cookies made with wheat flour. If you are adding nut or raisins to the pastry (I like pecan, almond and cashew), press them into the dough before baking.

If you are adding peanut butter, freeze some into a log using glad wrap. Once frozen, cut them into small pieces. Stick a thumb into the middle of a dough ball and insert a piece of peanut butter. Then roll the dough to enclose the peanut butter and shape into a ball. Press a roasted peanut on top.These butter cookies make great gifts for friends during festive season.

Video Link: https://youtu.be/X85m6gD7-BU

INGREDIENTS (yield 48)

• 220 gm butter

• 120 gm sugar

• 1.5 teaspoon vanilla essence

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 small egg yolk

• 280 gm gluten free self raising flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• Topping:

  • pecans

  • roasted peanuts

  • chocolate chips

  • peanut butter (freeze into a log using glad wrap)

  • almond flakes

  • raisins

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line baking tray with grease-proof baking paper.

2. Whisk butter, sugar, vanilla and salt together until light and creamy (5-10 minutes).

3. Add beaten egg yolk and continue whisking.

4. Mix in the sifted four with a spatula, until well-combined & a dough is formed.

5. Place dough in the fridge to chill and firm up for 1/2 hour.

6. Take dough from fridge and roll half the dough into a log. If the dough is sticky, dust with some gluten free flour. Cut into 4 pieces and roll them into logs.

7. Work on 1 piece of dough at a time, keeping the rest in the fridge.

8. Roll into a log and cut into 6 pieces. Shape each piece into a ball. Place on baking paper. Continue the process with the other pieces of dough that were left in the fridge. This will yield a total of 48 balls.

9. Place the balls 1 inch apart to allow for spreading.  Flatten the ball a little and add topping (pecan, almond fales, chocolate chip, raisins etc). Press the nuts or fruit into the dough.

10. For peanut butter, freeze some peanut butter into a log using glad wrap. Once frozen, cut them into small pieces. Stick a thumb into the middle of the dough ball and insert peanut butter into the ball. Roll dough to enclose the peanut butter and shape into a ball. Press a roasted peanut on top.

11. Bake in the pre- heated 180°C oven until golden (10-15 minutes - light golden brown for 10 mins and dark golden brown for 15 mins).