Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Ever since I was a kid, one of my favorite cookies has been chocolate thumbprint cookies, which are sugar cookies with the Hershey kiss pressed in the center. Finding out I had food allergies was hard, knowing I had to eliminate chocolate... until I discovered Enjoy Life's rice milk chocolate. So these are a classic twist on the original Hershey kiss ones. Still a sugar cookie but with and indentation for melted chocolate in the center.

This recipe is from The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook by Cybele Pascal, which is actually my handbook. I love love love it.

I also wanted to know what you guys thought of my "What I Used" section in each recipe, the one where I list the brands I used. Is it useful or pointless? I include the pictures of the ingredients I use, so is that enough? It just takes forever to type it all out. Just let me know what you guys think.

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies: Dairy, eggs, soy, nut, fish, and wheat/gluten free.

Makes 24 2-inch cookies.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon Basic Gluten-Free Flour Mix (6 cups = 4 cups brown rice flour, 1 1/3 cups potato starch, 2/3 cup tapioca flour/starch)
• 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dairy-free, soy-free vegetable shortening
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 1 tablespoon rice milk
• 2 tablespoons plus 3/4 teaspoon rice milk
• 1/2 cup dairy-free, soy-free chocolate chips (Try Enjoy Life)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (or cooking spray).
2. Whisk together the flour mix, xanthan gum, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the shortening, granulated sugar, and brown sugar, mixing on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes, and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the vanilla and egg replacer. Mix for 20 seconds.
4. Add the flour mixture to the creamed batter in three batches, alternating with the rice milk, mixing on low speed and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
5. Scoop out the dough by 2 teaspoonfuls and place on the baking sheets, 12 per sheet. Wet your hands with a little water and roll the doll into balls.

6. Bake in the center of the oven for 5 minutes. Put the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and melt. This will take about 1 minute; check the chips halfway through and stir. Once the chips are melted, set them aside.
7. Remove the cookies from the oven. Wet your thumb with cool water and, working quickly, make thumbprint marks in the center of each cookie. Fill the thumbprints with 1/2 teaspoon of melted chocolate.
8. Return the cookies to the oven and bake an additional 5 to 6 minutes, or until set.
9. Let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring to a cooling rack.