Gluten Free: Christmas Sugar Cookies

I don't know about you, but I'm getting rather bored of all the supermarket adverts that suggest that not only should the woman organise all of Christmas, but they should do it all alone and then, at the end of it all they probably won't enjoy the day - but the rest of the family have and that's what counts. Erm, no. As much as I love getting stuck into preparing a massive feast, I expect a bit of help and if hubby is on his arse in front of the telly while I'm up to my ears in sprouts, no amount of Champagne will get him back in my good books. Just me? I didn't think so.

When it comes to Christmas, I think most people fall into one of two categories; cook everything from scratch and be wildly ambitious about it or, make it easily and buy it in. These cookies suit both camps, they're ridiculously quick and easy to knock up but they are homemade and a bit special. Cranberries are the most Christmassy of all the berries, in my books, there aren't many other times of the year when we eat them. That's why dried cranberries immediately make a dish festive, add the green of a pistachio and you've got something that Santa would definitely approve of getting instead of a mince pie on Christmas Eve.

You'll need:

• 1 egg
• 150g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 150g butter, cut into small cubes
• 200g gluten free plain flour mix
• 25g dried cranberries
• 25g shelled pistachios, gently bashed with a rolling pin to break up

Make it!

• Beat the egg and sugar together until the sugar had dissolved and the mixture is fluffy
• Add the vanilla and butter and continue beating until smooth.
• Fold in the flour mix and add the cranberries and pistachios until everything is evenly mixed. Turn out on to a sheet of cling film and roll into a fat sauage, wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
• Cut 1cm slices of the dough and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden. Allow to cool for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.