This past holiday season was a prime season for people to do cookie exchanges, where several people get together and trade cookies so that each person receives a bag of everyone else's cookies.  This does mean that a baker needs to make at least 6 cookies for each person expected to go.  In my case, it was expected that we would have 15 people visiting, so we needed 90 cookies, a little over 8 dozen.

The crux of the problem though, was not only did these cookies need to be gluten free, since it's a gluten free group, but I knew that some people had dairy allergies, egg allergies and soy allergies, so I altered a gluten free recipe to fit this scenario.  Unfortunately, while I avoided soy based shortening, I did hit a spot since the shortening was palm oil, and palm oil is considered a tree nut.   At least though, no one in the group had a tree nut allergy.

My first batch didn't turn out so well.  Instead of rolling dough into balls, I sliced them off a log to try making a sort of biscuit cookie.  The shape didn't turn out too well, and the cooking didn't work quite right.  The second batch, created after some consulting, was much better.  The dough was chilled in log form, 2" in diameter, and 1/4" slices were cut and rolled into balls which were then rolled in a spiced sugar and then flattened into a cookie form.

This wasn't a complete loss at least, since my consultant took the first batch back to a second baker, who doesn't always do gluten free, and used it to create a crust that did quite well for cheesecake.

The recipe was modified from a gluten free recipe from serious eats for the use in a cookie exchange where there are other allergies, including gluten.

Equipment: mixer, measuring equipment, oven, parchment paper or plastic wrap, baking sheet, heavy flat bottomed glass.
Cookie Recipe

• 8.5 ounces (2 cups) brown rice flour
• 2 3/4 ounces (1/2 cup) sweet rice flour
• 2 ounces (1/2 cup) tapioca starch
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
• 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 5 ounces (10 tablespoons) Spectrum brand Palm Oil Shortening
• 6.3 ounces (3/4 cup packed) dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup Libby's Pumpkin (plain canned pumpkin)
• 3 tablespoons molasses 
• 1/2 Tablespoon water if needed

It appears that despite all the mishaps, the pumpkin ale turned out pretty well.  After the taste tests it was decided that I'd bring the keg home for Thanksgiving.  It wasn't touched until most people went home, especially because most of the family doesn't drink.  For the members of the family that did, it was a decent drinking beer, and when the family poker game turned into a drinking game, it depleted very quickly.  All 5 gallons were done in by under 7 people in a span of 5-7 hours.

Because of this, I've decided to try to make another batch, or rather, a double batch which is sitting in carboys.  I do not know if it will be anywhere near done by the time Christmas rolls around though.  I started this on Sunday, 4 days ago.  I expect that it will take until at least Sunday the 11th to ferment, then I will add the settling ingredients and it will settle, outside in a shed where it's 40 or so degrees.  I don't know if it will be clear by the 18th or not, but between then and the 22nd I'll taste test to see where it is. If there's a chance, then I will keg it and bring one home.  I expect that I will have about 14 gallons, or 3 soda kegs worth.  I just hope I have enough kegs.

I also started a cranberry mead using 18 pounds of honey and 6 pounds of cranberries.  We'll see how that ferments and comes out.  I'll eventually be moving that into one of the carboys from the bucket it's in.   I used a bucket because I'd need the wide mouth due to the cranberries.  I hope that one of the carboys will be ready by the time I need to rack the mead, otherwise I'll have to stick it outside to keep it cold, or worse, spend even more money on a 3rd carboy.