{Gluten-Free} Boiled Cider Cookies with Candied Ginger #FBLCookieExchange

For several years, I've taken part in The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap. I created, baked, and shipped off Boozy Salted Fennel Pollen Shortbread (2012), Matcha-Black Sesame Shortbread (2013), Candied Buddha's Hand-Olive Oil Shortbread (2014), and Kaffir Lime Macaroons (2015). 

This year, the organizers decided not to host the event and another group of blogging friends decided yo create one. So, here we are the inaugural year of the Food Blogger Love Cookie Exchange coordinated by the gals at The PinterTest Kitchen and Sarah of Fantastical Sharing of Recipes. To participate in the event, bloggers were asked to donate to one (or both) of the following charities. Join us, if you're so inclined.

• CLIMATES-Rescue and The Bunny Hutch Boutique is an animal rescue in Virginia that takes in and feeds animals traditional shelters can’t take in, like snakes, turtles, bunnies, ferrets, and lizards. They are home to the biggest bunny in the United States! All those animals need a lot of food. CLICK HERE to sponsor a meal for an animal in need!
• No Kid Hungry is an organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger. They believe no child should go to bed hungry. CLICK HERE to sponsor a meal for a child in need!

Now on to the cookie creation and swap part of this post. I baked these cookies and shipped them off to the bloggers at Body Rebooted, The Gluten-Free Foodsmith, and Garlic & Zest. 

And a quick shoutout of gratitude for the bloggers who shipped cookies to me. Thanks to The PinterTest Kitchen who sent me her Gluten-Free Frosted Chai Spiced Sugar Cookies, The Gluten-Free Foodsmith baked up a batch of her Sesame Butter Caramel Kiss Cookies, and Body Rebooted shared her Sweet Potato and Chocolate Cookies with me.

Whenever I've created cookie recipes for a swap, I take into consideration: (1) using an interesting ingredient and (2) how well the cookie will ship. This year, I asked to be put in the gluten-free pool so that Jake could indulge in the cookies we were sent. He was a happy man!

{Gluten-Free} Spiced Brown Butter-Boiled Cider Cookies

This recipe has two interesting ingredients that I think add a little intrigue and a lot of flavor to them: boiled cider and browned butter. Both are almost magical. Seriously. Magical. The boiled cider takes a little while, but it's worth it. I promise.

Note: this recipe is slightly different from the recipe I printed and included in my packages because, as I was baking and testing, my three live-in food critics  - lovingly known as The Sugar Pig (husband), The Precise Kitchen Elf (boy #1), and The Enthusiastic Kitchen Elf (boy #2) - all said that something was missing. So, I ran to the store and added candied ginger to the batch I mailed.

That's the recipe I'm sharing today. When I made them again, they wanted candied ginger and chopped macadamia nuts! Demanding food critics...

Ingredients

• 12 T butter, browned and cooled
• 2 1/2 C gluten-free all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t ground cinnamon
• 1/4 t  ground nutmeg
• 1/4 t  ground ginger
• 1/8 t ground allspice
• 1 C organic dark brown sugar
• 1/4 C organic granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 6 T boiled cider (my recipe here)
• 2 t vanilla extract
• 1/4 C candied ginger, chopped

Procedure

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, white sugar, boiled cider, vanilla extract, and browned butter until well-combined. Gently fold in the flour mixture until everything is moistened and comes together in a sticky batter. Fold in the candied ginger until incorporated into the batter.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Store in an airtight container, if you're keeping them for yourself or pack carefully so they don't get crushed if you're sending them off.

I think the gals to whom I shipped enjoyed them. I saw these on social media...and was relieved that they made them to my recipients intact. I was concerned since they weren't as hardy as a shortbread-style cookie.

"These spiced brown butter-boiled cider cookies are so perfect for this time of year!! 

Thanks for an amazing holiday treat." - Body Rebooted

"Thank you, Camilla - they are delicious!! Sorry for getting back to you late, but I was away for the holiday with no internet. I will be making these and sending them out as gift this year." 

- The Gluten-Free Foodsmith

And here's the full line-up of all the swapped cookies. What a great group of treats!

An InLinkz Link-up