Gluten-Free M&M's Soft Sugar Cookies

These soft sugar cookies are lightly flavored with lemon. If you don't like lemon with chocolate, omit the lemon extract.
At the time of this writing, some bags of M&M's carry a "may contain wheat" warning, especially flavored varieties. If you aren't comfortable using M&M's, other chocolate candies work well.

Ingredients

serves Makes about 3 dozen cookies, active time 40 minutes, total time 2 hours

• 2 cups (8 ounces) white rice flour
• 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) sweet rice flour
• 1/3 cup (1.3 ounces) cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup solid shortening
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup milk (or dairy-free milk replacement)
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• About two cups of plain chocolate M&M's

Procedures

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 325 deg;F. Food Processor Directions: In bowl of an 11 cup or larger food processor, combine white rice flour, granulated sugar, sweet rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum. Run food processor for 30 seconds to combine.
   Stop food processor and add shortening. Run mixer until shortening is incorporated; dough will begin to hold together, about 30 seconds. Add eggs, milk, corn syrup, vanilla extract, and lemon extract. Run mixer until a thick dough forms, about 30 seconds.
   
2. By Hand Directions: In large bowl, whisk together white rice flour, granulated sugar, sweet rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum. Add shortening. Cut into flour mixer with a pastry cutter or your hands (use a “snapping motion” with your fingers) until no large pieces of shortening remain. If you squeeze the mixture, it should hold together.
   Add eggs, milk, corn syrup, vanilla extract, and lemon extract. Stir with a wooden spoon until a stiff dough forms.
   
3. Drop dough, about two tablespoons each, onto parchment lined baking sheet, two inches apart. Press about six M&M's to each cookie. Bake until set, edges should be lightly brown, about 12 minutes.  Allow cookies to cool on the pan for three minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chewy Brown Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

serves makes 14 to 16 cookies, active time 10 minutes, total time 25 minutes

• 14 tablespoons (7 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 3/4 cup (12 1/4 ounces) packed light brown sugar, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Procedures

1. Adjust two oven racks to upper and lower middle positions and preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
   
2. Stir butter, 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, and salt in a large bowl until combined. Stir in egg and vanilla until combined. Add flour, baking powder, and baking soda to bowl and stir until combined.
   
3. Scoop 1/4 cup sized balls of dough onto baking sheets (7 to 8 per pan). Add remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar to now empty (unwashed) bowl. Roll each dough ball into sugar, return to pan, and press to about 1 inch thick.
   
4. Bake until tops have puffed and cracked, and edges are golden, 9 to 11 minutes, rotating pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking. Let cool on pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool.

Sugar & Spice Doughnut Holes

Special equipment

stand mixer, fitted with dough hook

Ingredients

serves makes about 2 dozen doughnut holes, active time 1 hour 30 minutes, total time 5 hours, including resting/proofing

• Doughnut Holes
• 1 cup bread flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon packed fresh yeast, or 1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed and cold
• 1 teaspoon salt
• vegetable oil, for frying
•  
• Cardamom Sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Procedures

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the flour and sugar on low speed. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the yeast, mixing for about 1 minute, until the ingredients are evenly combined. Gradually add the butter a few cubes at a time, and then add the salt. Increase the mixer speed to medium and continue to mix until the butter is completely incorporated and the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl, about 10 minutes. The dough will typically make a slapping sound when it’s ready to come out, and it should be glossy and smooth.
   
2. Transfer the dough to a medium metal bowl and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Let it sit in a draft-free environment until it has doubled in size, 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours.
   
3. Put the proofed dough in the refrigerator until it’s cool and firm.
   
4. Take the chilled dough out of the refrigerator and turn it out onto a sheet of parchment paper. Put a second sheet of parchment paper on top of the dough and roll it out until it is 1/2 inch thick. Put the dough back in the refrigerator and chill it for about 20 minutes more. (At this stage, the dough may be chilled for up to 24 hours before continuing.)
   
5. Prepare two baking sheets: one lined with paper towels, and the other with greased parchment paper.
   
6. Peel off the top sheet of parchment paper and flip the dough onto a floured surface. Remove the second sheet of parchment paper and dust the dough with flour. Using a floured biscuit or doughnut cutter about the size of a half dollar, cut the dough into rounds and put them on the greased baking sheet.
   
7. Cover with plastic wrap and let the doughnut holes proof at room temperature until they double in size, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
   
8. Refrigerate them once more until chilled, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat at least 2 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot fitted with a deep-fry thermometer until the oil reaches 350°F.
   
9. Fry the doughnut holes in batches, taking care not to crowd the pot, until golden brown all over, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on the paper towel-lined baking sheet. Toss the doughnut holes in the cardamom sugar (simply combine the sugar, salt, and cardamom in a bowl) and serve them immediately.