Cranberry Cookies - Gluten-free!

For Flashback Friday I decided to bring back my Cranberry cookies.  I make them for Christmas but with the lovely red filling they are pretty at any time of the year and we have Valentine's Day coming up in less than a month.

I have adapted this recipe  to use my
  'Julie's Flour Blend' and I think it makes them even better !

• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup butter 
• 3/4 cup sugar 
• 1 egg 
• 1 tsp almond flavouring 
• 1/2 lemon - grated zest and juice
• 2 rounded tbsp of sour cream
• 1 1/4 cup Julie's Flour blend
• 1/4 cup white rice flour
• 1/2 cup potato starch 
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tsp baking powder 
• 1/4 tsp baking soda 
• 1 tsp xanthan gum 
• sweet rice flour - for handling/rolling dough

1. Cream together shortening and butter, add sugar and beat until fluffy and add one egg and beat well for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add sour cream, lemon juice and finely grated rind.
3. In zip-lock bag combine remaining dry ingredients and shake until well blended.
4. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture.
5. Mix well and turn out onto sweet rice floured surface.
6. Knead in sweet rice flour until cookie dough is no longer sticky.
7. Roll out to less than 1/4" but more than 1/8" thick. (I divided the dough into three pieces to make rolling easier)
8. Using cookie cutter or tumbler cut into circles.
9. On one circle place cranberry filling and then cover with second circle of dough, pinching edges and turning under.
10. Place on parchment lined cookie sheets
11. Bake at 375' for about 18 minutes or until edges turn golden . 
12. When cookies are cool, frost with almond icing and dip tops into angel shredded coconut or as I did, into untoasted crushed almond flakes.

Cranberry Filling

• 1 1/2 cups frozen cranberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/8" water

Boil water with sugar , add cranberries and stir over medium heat until cranberries pop and mixture thickens. Cool .

Almond Icing

• 1 tablespoon butter,
• 1/4 cup of water (or milk)
• 1/2 teaspoon of almond flavoring

Add icing sugar until desired consistency is achieved

(original recipe first posted on 11/10/08) inspired by Betty's Christmas Cranberry Cookies.

• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp. almond flavoring
• 1 1/4 cup rice flour
• 1/2 cup tapioca starch or flour (the same thing)
• 1/2 cup potato starch (NOT flour)
• 1/4 cup sweet rice flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• 1/2 lemon, juice and grated rind