Part three of my gluten and dairy free Girl Scout Cookie makeover!  To see part one (Do-Si-Dos) and to read my take on why I think the Girl Scouts need to develop a gluten free/allergen free cookie, head over to this post.  Part two featured Thin Mints.  In our house, we would also love the Girl Scouts with allergies to actually be selling a product that is safe for them.  Contact the Girl Scouts here to encourage them to make a gluten free allergen free cookie. Thanks!

I was able to get a cute official Girl Scout cookie cutter from the 1970’s.  I know, I know – a lucky score on my part!  I got mine from a vintage seller on Etsy, but check Ebay or second hand shops if you just have to have one too.  You can also get a trefoil shaped cutter at several sellers on the web in a variety of sizes if you just have to make your cookies be the right shape like I do.

It looks like trefoils don’t have coarse sanding sugar on them any more, but that is what I remember from when I was little.  It is also in the instructions of the first official cookie Girls Scouts baked at home to sell.  You can leave it off if you would like, but the cookies are not very sweet.  I do like the bit of crunch and sweetness it adds.

Gluten & Dairy Free Trefoils (or just a nice plain shortbread)

1 cup finely ground white rice flour

1/3 cup corn starch

1/3 cup potato starch

1/3 cup tapioca starch

1 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 cup) gluten and dairy free margarine, room temperature (I used Earth Balance)

3/4 cup gluten free powdered sugar

1 teaspoon gluten free vanilla extract

Optional:  clear sanding sugar

In a bowl whisk together the rice flour, corn starch, potato starch, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, and salt together.  Set aside.

In the bowl of your mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the margarine until fluffy.  Sift the powdered sugar into to creamed margarine.  Blend together until smooth.  Add vanilla and bend well.

Mix flour blend into the margarine mixture.  Mix until very well combined.  You can kneed the dough with your hands, if needed, to get a cohesive dough.  Pat dough into a disk and wrap well in plastic wrap.  Chill dough overnight.

When dough is chilled, heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lay a piece of plastic wrap down on a clean counter.  Break off some of the chilled dough.  Lay another piece of plastic wrap over the dough.  Roll the dough out bout 1/4″ thick.  Cut with a trefoil cutter.  Transfer dough to baking sheet.  After you have all cookies cut for a pan, chill cutouts for 10 minutes.

When ready to bake, sprinkle with sanding sugar.  Bake for 7-8 minutes at 350 degrees F until edges are golden.  Allow cookies to set on pan for a minute or so after taking out of the oven, then put on a cooling rack.

You can use this dough to make shortbread in a shortbread mold. Lightly oil your clean mold, dust with powdered sugar.  Tap out excess.  Firmly press  dough into mold.  Level off any extra dough with a sharp knife.  Chill dough in mold for 15 minutes.  Carefully tap dough out onto a pan.  Bake in preheated 350 degree F heater for 25 to 30 minutes (this will depend on the size of your mold and how thick your dough is).  After baking, use a very thin sharp knife and cut cookies to the size you desire.  Cool on a rack.