Hello and welcome to the next stop of the Houseful of Cookies Cookie Hop. Gluten-free cooking can involve a lot of trial and error ESPECIALLY when you’re taking an existing recipe and substituting. I started off using All You Magazine’s recipe as-is with just a substitution of 1-to-1 gluten-free flour.

That was a total DISASTER that left me with melted, flat and crispy cookies. Then came “Gluten-Free Recipes” magazine to the rescue. I used the base chocolate chip cookie recipe and added cranberries and almonds. VOILA! I should have just done that to begin with but you live and you learn. The mixture of shortening and butter was just right for fluffy cookies that held their shape. I may play around with the shortening to butter ratio in future baking but this will be my go to recipe from now on.

Now, I have a ton of cookies in my house that really need to go before I eat them all! Enjoy.

Gluten-free Bourbon, Cranberry and Almond Cookies
Inspired by All You Magazine’s “Bourbon, Cranberry and Almond Cookies” recipe and Gluten-Free Recipes Magazine’s “Chocolate Chip Cookies” recipe.

3/4 c. shortening
1/4 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 tsp. gluten-free vanilla
2 1/4 c. gluten-free baking flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour)
3/4 c. dried cranberries
1/4 c. bourbon
1/2 c. almond slivers (toasted, optional)
Preheat oven to 350F^o
Combine cranberries and bourbon in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat, cover and let sit for 15 minutes.
(Optional, toast almonds in a pan over medium heat. Stirring frequently to prevent burning.)

Beat shortening and butter together in a large mixing bowl on medium to high speed for about 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Beat in eggs and vanilla.
Beat in flour.
With a large spoon mix in cranberries and almonds.
Drop dough in rounded tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes until evenly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes and then transfer to wire rack. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Don’t forget to check out the other cookies linked on Houseful of Nicholes.