Taking Care of an Ill Loved One

Gluten-Free Almond Cookies You Can Bake This Christmas

More people everyday are discovering they have celiac disease. The next step in dealing with a newly-discovered gluten intolerance is finding foods you can safely eat that do not contain gluten. Fortunately, with more attention on celiac disease today, more gluten-free food is available to buy in the stores and in restaurants. Just because you have a gluten intolerance, does not mean that you still can't enjoy some of your favorite foods, so here is a recipe for delicious gluten-free almond cookies that you can bake at home for Christmas.

Gluten-free Almond Christmas Cookie Cut-outs

• 3 2/3 cups of finely ground almonds
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest (from two lemons)
• 1/3 cup egg whites
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons regular butter

This cookie recipe will make approximately 4 dozen 2-inch cut-out cookies.

In a food processor, grind up slivered, chopped, or whole almonds until they are as fine as possible, measuring to 3 2/3 cups.

With a lemon zester, or a fine grater, scrape off the outer skin of two lemons. 

Add the ground almonds, cinnamon, and lemon zest to a mixing bowl and combine together.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and salt until you can form soft peaks. Sift and add in the powdered sugar, then continue to beat the mixture until it is stiff.

Measure out and set aside 1/2 cup of the egg white mixture for the cookie glaze. Fold the rest of the egg white mixture in with the almond flour, cinnamon, and lemon zest.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a couple of cookie sheets with regular butter.

Sprinkle powdered sugar onto the counter top and roll out the dough until it is 1/4 inch thick. Cut out the cookie shapes with your choice of cookie cutters. Place the cookies on the cookie sheets.

Now it is time to glaze the cookies before they bake:

1. Add the lemon juice to the egg white mixture that you have set aside.
2. Stir it until it is smooth.
3. Brush the glaze onto the tops of the cookie cut-outs.
4. Add a little more lemon juice if the glaze thickens.

Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes. You will know when the cookies are done because they will be light brown and still soft in the center.

Cool them on a cooling rack or your counter top.

Even with celiac disease, you can still enjoy homemade Christmastime cookies