Allergy-Friendly Holiday Cookie Recipes

I love cookies and the're everywhere during the holidays. Many people with food allergies have to avoid cookies, but you and/or your kids don't have to miss out completely. Below are links to my recipes for holiday cookies.

Wishing you all safe and happy holidays!

Enjoy!

These recipes are free of the top 8 allergens (egg-free, dairy-free, wheat-free, peanut-free, tree nut-free, soy-free, fish-free and shellfish-free) and vegan.

Ginger Cookies



Chocolate Cookies with Peppermint Icing



Biscochitos

Wreath Cookies



Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Allergy-Friendly Wreath Cookies

These are simple and really good. No baking required! My mother-in-law makes these. They are like rice crispy treats, but you can either use rice cereal or corn flakes. I made some of each.

These were supposed to be green, but I put the yellow food coloring in before realizing I was out of blue. Oops! These thing happen sometimes.

AllerEnergy makes good marshmallows that are free of the top eight allergens. If you are allergic to fish like I am, be aware that some marshmallows use a fish gelatin in them. I was really surprised to find that out and it's another example of why we always have to read ingredient labels. Allergens can show up in unexpected places.

I use Color Garden and India Tree natural food colors and Surf Sweets jellybeans to decorate.

Enjoy!

This recipe is free of the top 8 allergens (egg-free, dairy-free, wheat-free, peanut-free, tree nut-free, soy-free, fish-free and shellfish-free) and vegan.

Wreath Cookies

6 cups crispy rice cereal, or corn flakes (I use Erewhon brand)
1 package marshmallows that are safe for your allergies
1/4 cup vegetable shortening or Earth Balance soy-free spread
1/4 teaspoon salt (omit if using the spread since that has salt)

Melt the shortening and salt or spread in a large saucepan over low heat.
Slowly stir in the marshmallows until completely melted.
Remove from heat, add the rice cereal and stir until cereal is completely coated with marshmallow.
Press into a greased baking pan, let cool completely and cut.
To make rice crispy "cupcakes" spoon into decorated baking cups immediately after combining the cereal and marshmallow. Let cool completely.

Allergy-Friendly Biscochitos

Biscochitos are the official cookie of my home state of New Mexico. And they deserve that title. They're simple, but delicious. I remember my Grandmother's house often smelling of baking biscochitos as she always had them around. Biscochitos are especially popular as a Christmas cookie.

I decided this year to try my Grandmother's recipe with modifications to substitute the wheat flour and egg. I have started to use a combination of pureed sweet potato and apple sauce to substitute for egg. I think the sweet potato makes for better texture and it adds a nice color.

People say to use lard and ONLY lard for these cookies, but I didn't have any, so I used vegetable shortening. And I really didn't notice the difference.

I am really happy with the result. I can't even tell the difference and Cody loved them too. The best part was that familiar smell of biscochitos baking in the oven!

Enjoy!

This recipe is free of the top 8 allergens (egg-free, dairy-free, wheat-free, peanut-free, tree nut-free, soy-free, fish-free and shellfish-free) and vegan.

Biscochitos

¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon

2 cups lard or vegetable shortening
1 ½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons anise
¼ cup applesauce
¼ cup sweet potato puree (I use baby food)
6 cups oat flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup apple cider

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the ¼ cup sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.
Combine the lard or shortening, 1 ½ cups sugar and anise until creamy.
Stir in the applesauce and sweet potato.
In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
Sir the flour mixture into the lard/shortening mixture.
Add the cider or brandy and mix until well blended and stiff dough is formed.
Press or roll the dough into ¼ or ½ inch thickness.
Cut with a pasty knife into small squares or use cookie cutters.
Dip tops of the cookies into the cinnamon sugar and place sugar-side up on a cookie sheet.
Bake about 12 - 15 minutes until lightly browned.

#GivingTuesday

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving weekend! We sure did. I made a chocolate pumpkin cake that was a hit. I'll post the recipe soon.



Today is #GivingTuesday. It is a day dedicated to giving back. Below are links to donation pages of organizations that have been very helpful to us. They provide support and resources for people like us who have food allergies and asthma. Please consider making a donation to one of these, or one of the many other great charitable organizations out there today.

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

Food Allergy Research and Education - FARE

Kids With Food Allergies Foundation

Allergy-Friendly Orange Cranberry Sauce

Here's a last-minute addition to my Thanksgiving recipes. There might be one more later. 

Fresh cranberry sauce is so good and so easy to make. You'll never buy it in a can again once you make your own. Plus there are so many different things you can do with it. A lot of times I make it with red wine and I was contemplating trying one with caramelized onions. 

I didn't add a lot of sugar to this recipe. Feel free to add more if you like it sweeter.

Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!

This recipe is free of the top 8 allergens (egg-free, dairy-free, wheat-free, peanut-free, tree nut-free, soy-free, fish-free and shellfish-free) and vegan.

Orange Cranberry Sauce

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup apple cider 

1/2 cup orange marmalade

1 cinnamon stick

1 12 ounce package fresh cranberries

2 tablespoons sugar

In a medium saucepan, combine the juices, marmalade, sugar and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add the cranberries, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Be sure to remove the cinnamon stick before serving.

Allergy-Friendly Cornbread

I have been wanting to try cornbread and figured Thanksgiving would be a good time to try it as another bread option. I'm really happy with how they turned out. I made cornbread muffins by spooning the batter into parchment paper cups in a muffin pan.

Enjoy!

This recipe is free of the top 8 allergens (egg-free, dairy-free, wheat-free, peanut-free, tree nut-free, soy-free, fish-free and shellfish-free) and vegan.

Cornbread 

1 cup oat or rice milk

1/4 cup applesauce

1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/4 cup dairy-free, soy-free margarine. I use soy-free Earth Balance Spread

1 1/4 cup corn meal

1 cup oat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the first four ingredients. 

In another bowl combine the cornmeal, oat flour, baking powder and salt.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients and the margarine.

Pour into a 8 inch square pan, or spoon into muffin pan cups.

Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

An Allergy-Friendly Thanksgiving

Last year I made it my mission to make a complete Thanksgiving meal free of the top eight allergens. Here are the recipes. I am going to try a few new ones this year, but I liked last year's Thanksgiving so much, I will probably keep it mostly the same. Plus I wore myself out last year!

Enjoy and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

These recipes are free of the top 8 allergens (egg-free, dairy-free, wheat-free, peanut-free, tree nut-free, soy-free, fish-free and shellfish-free) and vegan (with the exception of the turkey).

I use vegetable broth in several of these recipes. I prefer to make my own because I think it tastes better and I can control the sodium and ingredients.

Thanksgiving Maple and Cider Turkey

Sides:

Stuffing

Basil and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Green Bean Casserole

Orange Cranberry Sauce

Breads:

Pumpkin Dinner Rolls

Easy Drop Biscuits

Cornbread

Desserts:

Pumpkin Pie

And why have one dessert when you can have two?

Caramel Apple Pie