Nondairy Cookies?
Every nursing mother I know has put some kind of restriction on her diet hoping to make things gastronomically easier for her babe (we're all martyrs these days). But one baby girl in my "playgroup" (the moms just sit around and talk, nurse, change diapers, etc) has severe distress and may have a lactose intolerance, so the mom's off dairy for a while to see if things clear up.
Which makes baked treats kind of difficult, since she's being really strict and can't have things made with butter or milk. But I found some spice cookies made with shortening. Not so excited about baking with shortening (except for biscuits and pie dough, where it can make a great texture), but it fits the mom's diet, I think. And they tasted pretty good, not very sweet but chewy and spicy.
Start by creaming 3/4 cup room-temperature shortening with 1 cup packed brown sugar. Add 1/4 cup molasses and 1 egg. Combine 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon each cinnamon and ginger, 1/2 teaspoon cloves and 1/4 teasoon salt. I also added a few grinds of black pepper. Mix into the wet stuff and chill it in fridge for 1 hour.
Roll into tablespoon-size balls, dip one side in granulated white sugar and bake in 375 degree oven 10 minutes. The recipe is from Epicurious.
Hi Kim!
If you ever need help with non-dairy cooking again, let me know. Unfortunately, I'm fairly experienced. Xander has been off of all Dairy and Gluten (wheat, oats, most grains) since the summer. A few weeks ago, we found out that he is also allergic most of my substitutes (Rice Flour, almonds, soy, corn, potatoes!) as well as Eggs and most nuts! This is going to get very interesting. I found a cookbook, and now need to learn about how to use amaranth flour :) He isn't allergic to walnuts so there will probably be a lot of walnut flour involved.
Lots of margarines are dairy free- of course, they don't do as well in cookies as the shortening probably did!