Christmas Dessert

Grandma Kainz made the best sugar cookies. Every year she would make what looked like thousands of them. She would make so many, that she would store bags of them in the Guest Room closet. As my grandmother lost her strength to make them, my Mom took over. She made them her own by rolling out the dough thinner...which created a more tender delicate cookie that just melts in your mouth. This year was a sad year because I couldn't help out. When you become gluten free, you not only avoid eating gluten but touching it as well.

In an attempt not to get too sad, I decided to concentrate my Christmas dessert thoughts on a new gluten-free recipe. I felt I wanted to make something festive, so I thought about peppermint. Pair peppermint with chocolate and I would be in business. The great thing about modern cooking is that you can truly find any recipe under the sun on the Internet. I patched together the Gluten-free Girls cupcake recipe with a random peppermint frosting to create this year's Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes:

Cupcakes:

1 stick butter, softened (1 stick)
1 package Bob's Red Mill gluten-free chocolate cake mix
2/3 cup applesauce

1/3 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 large eggs
1/3 cup hot water
2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line tin with cupcakes liners.
2. Beat butter in mixer until creamy.

3. Add in cake mix, applesauce, milk, lemon juice, eggs and beat for about a minute until incorporated.

4. Add in hot water and vanilla and beat for another minute.
3. Using a large spoon or ice cream scooper, drop mix into 12 cupcakes tins and bake for 20 minutes (will make large cupcakes).

4. Let cool prior to icing.

Icing:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar

1/3 cup whole milk

1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

Candy Cane (smashed)

1. Beat butter in a mixer until creamy.

2. On low add in powdered sugar a little at a time alternating with the milk.

3. Add in extract.

4. Ice cooled cupcakes.

5. Sprinkle on candy cane pieces.