Shame on the Girl Scouts of America

It's Girl Scout cookie time everyone, that once a year where people can buy the once a year treat from those little girls in cute uniforms.  Oh wait? You have a food allergy, well the hell with you!

That is basically the message from the girl Scout organization who doesn't include one variety of gluten free cookies.   They claim that due to their only producing cookies once a year it isn't financially sound to cater to food allergy or special diet.  That said, they have the exchange information on the box for diabetic consumers and, every variety is kosher!!! 

So let's look at some facts:

"Mission:Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place."
Well I can't argue with that.

"Today, there are 3.2 million Girl Scouts—2.3 million girl members and 890,000 adult members working primarily as volunteers."

In America, one in every hundred people has celiacs, more are intolerant, and many people are but haven't been diagnosed so really, it would be profitable actually. 

But here's the real kicker

"Empowering Girls: In Girl Scouts, girls discover the fun, friendship, and power of girls together. Through a myriad of enriching experiences, such as extraordinary field trips, sports skill-building clinics, community service projects, cultural exchanges, and environmental stewardships, girls grow courageous and strong. Girl Scouting helps girls develop their full individual potential; relate to others with increasing understanding, skill, and respect; develop values to guide their actions and provide the foundation for sound decision-making; and contribute to the improvement of society through their abilities, leadership skills, and cooperation with others."

So the basic message of the organization is to make girls feel good about themselves and form community and camaraderie and what better way to do that then excluded all the little girls who can't eat gluten.    The truth is the put money above all of their supposed values and g-free baking supplies are more expensive. 

So, since G-free people and their loved ones are such a small market, let's all stop supporting them and let them see if they don't miss our money!

meanwhile this website ( http://blog.julesglutenfree.com/2012/02/round-em-up-girl-scout-cookies-gf-on-parade/  )  Has converted the recipes so you can bake gluten free versions.

Here is a run-down of some of recipes to wet your whistle (share yours here or on the Gluten-Free Cookie Swap!):

Jules’ Tag-A-Longs (also Egg and Dairy-Free & may be made Nut-Free & Soy-Free!)

Betsy’s Samoas

Betsy’s Thin Mints 

Betsy’s Tag-a-Longs

Glutenista’s Thin Mints

Angela’s Kitchen: Do-Si-Dos

Glugle GF’s Thin Mints

Glutenista's Thrilling Thin Mints!

Roben Ryberg’s Thin Mints (reprinted in the Gluten-Free Recipe Box)

Broward-Palm Beach Times’ Do-Si-Dos

Broward-Palm Beach Times’ Thin Mints

Totally Together Journal’s Thin Mints

Art of Gluten-Free Baking’s Thin Mints

Whole Living’s Egg-Free, Dairy-Free, GF Thin Mints

Alisa Cooks’ Dairy-Free Thin Mints (NOT GF, but you could sub in my Jules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour in this recipe)

Scoochmaroo’s Shortbread Cookies (NOT GF, although you could just sub in my Jules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour here)

Scoochmaroo’s Samoas (again, NOT GF, but just sub in my Jules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour)

And for another great round-up of GF mock Girl Scout Cookie recipes, check out my friends over at The Gluten Free Lab!

Happy baking!

Caramel Sandwhich Cookies

For the most part, I think I am doing really well going gluten free but every now and then there is something that reminds me how much Gluten Intolerance stinks and I get sad.   I've come to grips with never having another Magnolia Cupcake, mourned the loss of IHop, and have made my peace with the rare but always unfulfilled Krispy Kreame craving, However, the hardest loss was the Caramel Sandwhich Cookie from The Treat Truck I had been dealing with the loss by simple avoidance but, alas, the other day I saw The Treat Truck and my heart sank. Unable to suffer a life without ever tasting the Delicious cookie and never experiencing the sense memory associated with it, I sprang into action, got the recipe book and converted it to gluten free.

Ingredients

serves about 30-35 sandwich cookies

• For the cookies:
• 1 ½ cups firmly packed brown sugar  
• 2 cups (4 sticks) butter 
• 2 egg yolks 
• 4 cups Almond flour 
•  
•  
• For the frosting:
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 5 cups confectioners’ sugar 
• 6 tablespoons milk

Procedures

1. To make the cookies, in a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg yolks and flour and mix well.
2. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.
3. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.
4. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to ¼-inch thick. Cut out the cookies using a round cookie cutter. If the dough seems too soft, refrigerate the rolled out dough for a bit to firm it up before cutting the cookies.
5. Place the cookies 1 inch apart on the baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until slightly golden. Cool completely (at least an hour)
6. To make the frosting, in a medium pan over medium heat, brown the butter. Take off the heat.
7. Add the vanilla and confectioners’ sugar and whisk to combine. Whisk in the milk, until the mixture is creamy and smooth. If the frosting seems too thick, add a little more milk.
8. Using an offset spatula or a butter knife, frost the underside of 1 cookie and top with a second cookie to make a sandwich. If you prefer, use a piping bag or a plastic storage bag with the tip cut off to place a dollop of frosting on the upturned cookie and then top with the second cookie. 
   
   
   

**The cookies will keep in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days frosted, longer if unfrosted
**You can keep the frosting in a covered container in the fridge if you make it ahead of time or aren’t quite ready to use it. When you’re ready to fill the cookies, give the frosting time to soften a bit, or stick in the microwave for 10 seconds or a bit more.