Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup vegetable shortening (preferably trans-fat-free) plus additional for greasing baking sheets
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons brown-rice flour mix
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease 2 large baking sheets.
2. Whisk together flour mix, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum in a small bowl.
3. Beat together shortening (1 cup) and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and mix in flour mixture until just incorporated, then stir in chips and walnuts if using.
4. Drop heaping teaspoons of dough 2 inches apart onto baking sheets.
5. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until golden, 9 to 15 minutes. Let stand 1 minute, then transfer cookies to a rack to cool and continue making cookies using cooled baking sheets.