Vanilla and chocolate checkerboard cookies are so festive for the holidays! This version is gluten free and vegan, so all can enjoy them!
Today we are going to do a “fancy” cookie.
When I was little, I used to love to look at my mom’s vintage copy of Betty Crocker’s Cooky Book. There were so many cookies in there! And I especially loved to look at the fancy ones. The ones that used different colors of dough – like twisted pink and white candy canes or checkerboard cookies. I think we did try the candy cane ones once, but not the checkerboard ones, so I thought this would be a fun recipe to try to make gluten free and vegan.
These are fancy holiday cookies, and not too difficult to make! Just an investment of time, really. I think you will love these.
If you need more holiday cookie ideas, check out these gluten free Christmas cookie recipes.
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – I make these cookies each year, and I always use Namaste Perfect Flour Blend. It works incredibly well for these cookies. When I use this blend, they don’t spread or lose their shape.
- Vegan Buttery Spread – Earth Balance Soy Free Vegan Buttery Spread works well for cookies. You could also use the Earth Balance baking sticks.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – We like Hershey’s Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, but you could use any brand that works for your dietary needs.
Step by Step Instructions
- You’ll make two batches of dough – vanilla and chocolate.
- Form the dough into logs, and slice into nine long pieces.
- Stack the long pieces into checkerboard patterns. Pat together, wrap with plastic wrap or waxed paper, then refrigerate.
- Slice the chilled dough and bake.
Variations
You can use these two doughs for pin wheel cookies, too! You would just need to roll the dough somewhat flat, then stack the dough and roll up before slicing.
For a fun variation, you could even add some red or pink food coloring to the vanilla dough to make these even more fun and festive.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Recipe
Checkerboard Cookies.
Ingredients
For the vanilla dough:
- ½ cup vegan buttery spread I use earth balance soy free
- ⅝ cup granulated sugar
- ⅛ cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1 ½ cups gluten free flour blend I used Namaste Perfect Flour Blend this time
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the chocolate dough:
- ½ cup vegan buttery spread I use earth balance soy free
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅛ cup brown sugar
- ⅛ cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1 cup gluten free flour blend I used Namaste Perfect Flour Blend this time
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅛ teaspoon of salt
Instructions
For the vanilla dough:
- Cream the buttery spread and the sugar. Add the applesauce and vanilla and continue to mix.
- Add the gluten free flour blend and salt and mix until combined. If the dough seems too wet, add a bit more gluten free flour. (I find that with GF flour blends, some of them soak up the wet ingredients more than others. If your dough seems too wet for sugar cookies, add some more flour. The dough should be pretty stiff).
- Place the dough on plastic wrap and shape into a log, about two inches square. Wrap and put in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
For the chocolate dough:
- Cream the buttery spread and the sugars. Add the applesauce and continue to mix.
- Add the gluten free flour blend, cocoa, and salt and mix until combined. Same as above, if the dough seems too wet, add a bit more gluten free flour.
- Place the dough on plastic wrap and shape into a log, about two inches square. Wrap and put in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
To assemble the checkerboard cookies:
- Once the dough is thoroughly chilled, remove the dough logs from the refrigerator. While they are still wrapped, press them down on a hard surface on each side so that you get the edges nice and square.
- Unwrap and with a very sharp knife, cut each log into three even slices. Then cut each slice into three pieces. Try to get the pieces pretty even, so that you can have a nice neat checkerboard. I was not as careful as I should have been, so my checkerboard was not perfect.
- Take the dough pieces and arrange them into the checkerboard pattern. Your cookie will be three rows tall and three rows across. So bottom row, choc/van/choc, middle row, van/choc/van, top row, choc/van/choc. You will be making two logs, so the other log will have the opposite pattern.
- Use your hands to kind of press the log, making sure the pieces stay together, then wrap each log in wax paper and twist the ends closed. You want to make sure the log is square, so press each side against the table to make a nice sharp edge.
- Refrigerate for at least two hours, or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove dough from refrigerator, and unwrap. With a very sharp knife, slice the cookies, about ¼ inch thick. In between each slice, wipe off the knife, and turn the dough over, so a different side is against the cutting board for each slice. This will keep the log nice and square.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack. (Keep the remainder of the dough refrigerated in between batches. Keeping the dough very cold makes it easier to slice and keeps it from spreading).
Notes
Nutrition
Cindy
I tried this recipe last year and everyone loved it. The texture is great! This year, I made a second batch. I substituted the cocoa powder with freeze dried raspberry powder (available on Amazon), rolled out the two logs, and made swirl cookies. They were a huge hit! It was the perfect blend of sweet and tart, had great raspberry flavor, and no food coloring needed. Thank you for this recipe!
Kelly Roenicke
I’m so glad you like these! I love the variation you came up with!
Sarah
Thanks! One question – how much vanilla? The amount is not included in the recipe –
Kelly Roenicke
Oh, oops! I will fix that. It should be a 1/2 teaspoon.
Ophelia Pozenel
hi i found this recipe and it looks great but one question con i use cassava flour instead of the mix
Kelly Roenicke
I haven’t tried that, I think the texture might be strange if you use all cassava flour.
Alex
What sugar did you use? Since some sugar are bleached with animal bone ash, which makes them not vegan.
Kelly Roenicke
I only use Wholesome Brand organic cane sugar, which is vegan.
Patricia Ambrico
I also am a mom who loves to make and cook. We also have a large amount of allergies and I am so grateful for your recipes! I am so excited to try the checkerboard cookies as I too have wonderful memories of making Christmas cookies from the same Betty Crocker cookbook! Thank you!
Kelly Roenicke
I hope you love them!
Jacquie
So clever …..I love these!
Kelly Roenicke
Thank you!
Dee
Super cute!
vegetarianmamma
I LOVE these cookies! I made them last year! Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! :)
Hope your week is great!
Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely
These cookies are so cute!
Kelly
Thank you, Natalie!