Giant Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm going to try and be a little better about posting, still can't make any promises, because my life is that hectic and busy right now.  But, I do have a recipe for you today, and it's a fun one, so enjoy.

There is a bakery here in town, Old Grist Mill, that makes these gigantic oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that I used to eat all the time.  My boys have never experienced gigantic cookies from there, so I decided to recreate them...and they are amazing, so much better than the bakery (mainly because we had 18 to enjoy instead of 1 each). :)

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup dairy-free margarine (2 sticks), softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2-2 1/2 cups gluten-free flour blend (depending on your altitude, the higher you are the more flour you may want to add)
1 cup gluten free quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups dairy-free chocolate chips (I used a combination of Enjoy Like mega chunk and mini chips)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325F and line large baking sheets with parchment paper.  Combine the margarine and sugars and mix until fluffy.  Add in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and mix well.

In a separate bowl combine the flour blend, oats, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add into the butter mixture and mix well.  Stir in the chocolate chips until just mixed.

Using a 1/4 cup ice-cream scoop (this scoop is also perfect for muffins and cupcakes), drop dough by scoopful onto the prepared sheets (I did 6 per sheet) and bake for about 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are just set.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on sheets for 5-10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling.  Makes 18 very large cookies.

This post was shared on Allergy Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, and Gluten Free Fridays.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hey everyone, I am still here.  I have recipes to post, just not time enough to do it as often as I'd like.  But, I thought I would at least post what we made my husband for Father's Day, classic chocolate chip cookies.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup dairy-free margarine, softened (or palm oil shortening, butter, etc.)
2 cups brown sugar or coconut sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 3/4 cup GF flour blend
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mega Chunks
1 1/2 cups Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 375F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.  In a mixing bowl, cream together margarine and brown sugar.  Add in vanilla and eggs.  In a separate bowl combine the flour blend, salt, and baking powder.  Mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture, then add in the chocolate chips.

Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto prepared sheets and bake for approximately 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the cookies are set.  Allow the cookies to sit a few minutes on the warm cookie sheet before removing and cooling completely on cooling racks.

This post was shared on Gluten-Free & DIY Tuesday, Gluten-Free Wednesday, Allergy Free Wednesday, Waste Not Want Not Wednesday, and Gluten Free Fridays.

Cashew Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

So, I have an obsession with nut butters that aren't peanut butter.  Peanut Butter is okay, but it's way overused, and it's not something that I'll crave.  But a good almond butter, cashew butter or hazelnut butter?  I dream about those ones.  I was craving some cashew butter the other day, so I whipped up a batch.  We then used some for cookies. Seriously, using cashew butter in place of peanut butter works wonders for cookies.  It gives them a richer taste.  These cookies definitely fly off the plate when I make them.  For those of you looking for a healthier, non-refined sugar version I have one here...both versions are equally delicious.

Cashew Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) dairy-free margarine or ghee, softened
1/2 cup pal oil shortening
1 cup roasted cashew butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups gluten free flour blend
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups dairy-free chocolate chips (I used a combination of Enjoy Life mini chips and their mega chunks)

Directions

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream margarine, shortening, and sugars.  Add eggs and mix well.

Stir together flour blend, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture and mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Drop by rounded teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly brown on edges and just set in middle.  Cool slightly on cookie sheet before removing and placing on wire rack.

Makes about 5 dozen.

This post was shared on Gluten Free Wednesday, Allergy Free Wednesday, Waste Not Want Not Wednesday, and Gluten Free Fridays.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I actually have a recipe going up today, yay!!  This little gem requires no flour and is quick and easy to throw together.  The cookies come out nice and chewy, and taste amazing!

For those of you that just read my recipe posts, please know that I won't be posting recipes every week like I have in the past.  My focus has changed a bit in my life.  I still love developing recipes and will do so in my spare time, but I will be very busy this year teaching classes on essential oils (which have changed my life and my family's life, physically, mentally and emotionally) and heading up the local GF group.  Please continue to read my posts and enjoy my blog, even if they are few and far between.  I love my readers and I do appreciate you reading my blog.

Okay, now on to the recipe....

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup palm oil shortening
1 3/4 cups coconut sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 cups Gluten Free rolled oats
1 1/2 cups Enjoy Life dark chocolate morsels or other dairy-free chocolate chips
2/3 cup chopped nuts (peanuts or walnuts)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. With a stand mixing, cream together the peanut butter, shortening, coconut sugar and honey. Add in the baking powder and baking soda and mix until combined.

Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined.  Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, and nuts.

Drop by spoonfuls until an ungreased cookie sheet and bake about 10 minutes.  Allow the cookies to cool for about 5 minutes on the tray, then transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely.

This post was shared on Gluten Free Tuesdays, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Fridays, and Whole Food Fridays.

Cashew Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you read my weekly menus at all, you know that one of my favorite snacks if a handful a cashews with dried cranberries.  While I was eating this snack one day, the though occurred to me that it would make a great combination in a cookie...so I took my hazelnut butter cookie recipe and modified it a bit and voila my favorite snack is now my favorite cookie, no joke!  My boys loved it, minus the dried cranberries (they don't like dried fruit, yet), so either way these are amazing cookies!

Cashew Chocolate Chip Cookies
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup roasted cashew butter (recipe below)
1 cup coconut sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup GF flour blend
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (I used a combination of Enjoy Life mega chunks)
1/2 cup roasted cashew halves
1/2 cup dried cranberries, optional

Directions
Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening, cashew butter, and coconut sugar.  Add egg and vanilla, mix well.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour blend, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture and mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips, cashews, and nuts.  Roll into 1-1 1/2 inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly brown on edges and just set in middle.  Cool slightly on cookie sheet before removing and placing on wire rack.

Roasted Cashew Butter

8 oz (about 2 cups) roasted, salted cashew halves

1 tablespoon coconut oil

Directions

Combine the oil and nuts in a blender and blend until smooth.

This post was shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Fridays, Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love, and Whole Food Fridays.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yes, I'm definitely on a pumpkin kick.  I love fall, I love the weather change, I love the holidays, I LOVE the food.  So, this week's recipe is another pumpkin one, cookies this time, though.  I realized I didn't have an pumpkin cookie recipes on here, so I needed to remedy that.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (adapted from here)

1 1/2 cups palm oil shortening
3 cups coconut sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
3 cups gluten free flour blend
3 cups gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (10oz) package Enjoy Life dairy-free mini chocolate chips (~1 3/4 cups)

Directions
In a large mixing bowl, cream the shortening and coconut sugar together.  Add in the egg, vanilla, and pumpkin and mix until smooth.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour blend, oats, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add in the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture until combined.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

Chill the cookie dough for aobut 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375F. and line baking sheets with parchment paper (if desired).

Drop dough by heaping tablespoons onto the baking sheets and bake at 375F for about 12 minutes or until lightly golden brown on top.

Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the pans, then remove and finish cooling on wire racks.

Yield: ~4 dozen cookies.

This post was shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Gluten Free Tuesdays, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Waste Not Want Not Wednesdays, Gluten Free Fridays, Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love, and Whole Food Fridays.

Allergy Friendly Ice Cream Sandwiches

One thing my boys have missed since our diet change, has been ice cream sandwiches.  So, I finally made some and they LOVED them.  My older son usually turns his nose up to dairy-free ice cream, but he absolutely loves this ice cream...it's the base for my Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream and my Caramel Cashew Ice Cream.  The cookies are a modification of my graham crackers, so they aren't overly sweet, but they pair perfectly with the very sweet ice cream.

Allergy Friendly Ice cream Sandwiches
3/4 cup GF flour blend
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla

ice cream of choice (we used the base of this one)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F.

In a medium bowl combine the dry ingredients.  In a saucepan melt together the coconut oil, coconut sugar and honey.  Once the sugar is dissolved into the oil, add in the water and vanilla and pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix together with a spoon, then knead with your hands until the dough is nice and smooth.

Roll the dough out on a piece of parchment paper (makes for easier clean up) to 1/8" thickness and cut out your cookies with a pizza cutter or a cookie cutter.  Place the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet and poke them with a fork.

Bake at 375F for 10 minutes.  Allow them to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet, then finish cooling on a wire cooling rack.

Once the cookies have cooled, top half of them with a scoop of ice cream, then cover with another cookie.  Wrap them in paper or aluminum foil and freeze until ice cream is set.  (The cookies soften to just the right consistency when they've had time to sit in the freezer with the ice cream).

This post was shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Gluten Free Tuesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Waste Not Want Not Wednesday, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love, Gluten Free Friday, and Whole Food Fridays.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

These bars require a glass of milk (or almond milk), they are rich and delicious.  My little one said, mom this are just like brownies, but like cookies.  I think that's the perfect description...they have the texture of a brownie, but taste like a rich chocolate chip cookie.  They really are divine!  I made 2 batches in less than 24 hours, because we went through them so fast!  I'm positive you'll love these.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
2 cups coconut sugar
2/3 cup palm oil shortening
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups GF flour blend
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups dairy-free chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life mini chips)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Cream the sugar and shortening together in a mixing bowl.  Add in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla and mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour blend, baking powder, and salt.  Add the flour mixture into the sugar mixture.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

Grease a 9x13 pan.  Spread/press dough into the pan with greased hands (the dough is more like a very thick brownie batter, it's sticky!).  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow the bars to cool before cutting and enjoying.

This post was shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Gluten Free Tuesdays, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Fridays and Whole Food Fridays.

No-Bake Cookies

We had our air conditioning go out on my Birthday, and it didn't get fixed until the 10th of July.  This happened to coincide exactly with a lovely heat wave.  We were really close to 100F everyday.  There was no way I was turning on my oven during that time, it was already hot enough. So, I made these little guys to keep us happy (by the way, if your house is on the very warm side, it will take a while for these to set up, so you might want to help it along by sticking them in the fridge or freezer). :)

No-Bake Cookies
2 cups coconut sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup non-dairy milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cup quick cooking gf oats (if you just have rolled oats, pulse them a few times in a blender)

Directions
Combine the coconut sugar, cocoa, milk and coconut oil in a saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.  Boil for 30 second, then take off heat and add the peanut butter and vanilla and mix well. Stir in the oats and drop by large spoonfuls onto parchment or waxed paper.

This post is featured on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Fridays, Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love, and Whole Food Fridays.

Soft Ginger Cookies

I love about any type of ginger cookies.  At Christmas time when we are making gingerbread houses, i always make extra for cookies...and they never last long in our house.  Well I had some extra fresh ginger, and thought maybe it was time that I tried making ginger cookies with fresh, instead of ground ginger.  I'm so glad I did, these cookies are so good, and so easy, too!

Soft Ginger Cookies
3/4 cup palm oil shortening
1 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 eggs
2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
3 cups GF flour blend
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
turbinado sugar (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F and line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the shortening and the coconut sugar.  Add in the molasses, eggs, and grated ginger and mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour blend, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the shortening mixture.  This mixture should be slightly more sticky/wet than regular cookie dough, but you should still be able to work with it.

Take spoonfuls of the dough and roll them into ~1" balls and roll them in the turbinado sugar.  Place them 2" apart on the prepared cookie sheets and bake for about 12 minutes.


This post was shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love, Whole Foods Friday, and Gluten Free Friday.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

My older son is having tummy troubles, I'm working a crazy busy schedule at work, and my heart is aching for those affected by the tragedy in Boston.  So, I just didn't have the energy to test recipes like I usually do. I do need to update my peanut butter chocolate chip cookie recipe, though, so here's my latest revision of my family's favorite cookie.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
1/2 cup palm oil shortening
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup coconut sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup GF flour blend
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (I used a combination of Enjoy Life mini chips and mega chunks)

Directions
Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening, peanut butter, and coconut sugar.  Add egg and vanilla, mix well.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour blend, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture and mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Roll into 1-1 1/2 inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly brown on edges and just set in middle.  Cool slightly on cookie sheet before removing and placing on wire rack.

This post was shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Allergy Friendly Lunchbox, Gluten Free Fridays, and Whole Food Fridays.

Hazelnut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Do you love the combination of chocolate and hazelnuts?  I think most people do, with the Nutella (and dairy-free versions of Nutella) craze going on.  I love the combination.  I was trying to think of how to have that combination yesterday while I was at work, and realized all to often the chocolate is the main flavor with the hazelnut as the accent and it really should be the other way around.  Don't get me wrong, I love chocolate with hazelnut...but hazelnuts have such a rich, aromatic flavor, chocolate should enhance that, not cover it up.

So, I decided instead of a chocolate cookie, or even a chocolate-hazelnut butter (i.e. Nutella, or dairy-free Nutella) cookie, this needed to be simply a hazelnut cookie, and what better way to bring out the hazel nut flavor than with roasted hazelnut butter, and extra hazelnuts to boot.

This cookie has that rich hazelnut flavor that is enhanced with the chunks of chocolate...really this is the right combination of hazelnuts and chocolate, at least in my book. The extra hazelnuts are totally optional, but I love the texture that it brings to the cookie.

This post was shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Gluten-Free Wednesdays, Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Fridays, Whole Food Fridays, Allergy Friendly Fridays, and Allergy Friendly Lunchbox.

Hazelnut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup roasted hazelnut butter (recipe below)
1 cup coconut sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup GF flour blend
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (I used a combination of Enjoy Life mini chips and mega chunks)
1/2 cup chopped roasted hazelnuts, optional

Directions
Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening, hazelnut butter, and coconut sugar.  Add egg and vanilla, mix well.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour blend, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture and mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips and hazelnuts.  Roll into 1-1 1/2 inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly brown on edges and just set in middle.  Cool slightly on cookie sheet before removing and placing on wire rack.

Hazelnut Butter
6 oz raw hazelnuts
salt, to taste

Directions
Heat oven to 350F. Place hazelnuts on cookie sheet and roast for ~15 minutes.  Remove from oven and wrap in a clean towel and allow to 'steam' for 5 minutes, then rub off skins.  Place hazelnuts in a food processor or blender and blend until hazelnuts turn into a butter. With my blendtec, it only took a minute, but with a food processor, plan on at least a few minutes, if not longer.  You can leave it plain or add a little salt.

Refined Sugar-Free Do-si-dos

I love my Do-si-do recipe, but I'm having issues with refined sugar.  I've had these issues for a long time, and I'm still battling them.  I get horribly sick when I eat refined sugar.  I almost instantly get a headache, then my throat becomes raw and swells.  It's never dramatically swelled, but just enough to let me know something is wrong.  So, with all of these symptoms you would think I would never eat refined sugar again, I wish I was that way.  It is my demon, it's so easy to eat something with white sugar in it, there is always something available, and I've always cooked with it, so it seems easier to cook that way.  So in my constant battle against against this demon that is wrecking my health and made myself my favorite girl scout cookies, minus the refined sugars and they are still as fantastic as ever. 

  I actually make mine so they are soft cookies, because I'm a soft cookie person, but they can easily be the classic crunchy cookie by cooking them a bit longer.

Refined Sugar-Free Do-si-dos
1 cup palm oil shortening
1 cup creamy natural peanut butter
2 cups coconut sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups GF flour blend
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups quick cooking gluten free oats
1-2 tablespoons of dairy-free milk, if needed

filling:
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F. With a stand mixer, combine shortening, peanut butter, and coconut sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix well.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour blend, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture.  Stir in the oats.  If the mixture is too crumbly, add in a tablespoon or two of dairy-free milk, as needed.

Roll into small balls and flatten with the bottom of a clean glass. Bake at 375F for 8-10 minutes (longer if you want crispy cookies).  Let cool on tray for 5 minutes, then remove and finish cooling on a cooling rack.

While cookies cool, make the filling by mixing together the peanut butter, honey and vanilla with a handmixer until smooth and fluffy.  Spread on the bottom of one half and sandwich together with another cookie.

Makes about 4 dozen sandwich cookies.

This post was shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Fridays, and Whole Food Fridays.

Sugar Cookies (new version)

So, I really wasn't planning on making any sweets for Valentine's day this year.  I know, I'm lame, well, more accurately, I'm tired and really busy.  Well, my sitter asked if I happened to be making sugar cookies for Valentine's, which meant, they were decorating sugar cookies for Valentine's day and my little one would need some.  So, no matter how tired or busy I am, sugar cookies for my boy comes first. :)  I didn't have yogurt in the fridge (my yogurt maker is broker, and I haven't forked over the dough for a new one), which is a main ingredient in my original sugar cookies. So, I decided to peruse the web and find the common theme in sugar cookies...which really are quite basic.  So, here's a very basic sugar cookie, that's super easy to make and yields incredibly soft, scrumptious cookies.

Sugar Cookies 

(converted and adapted from here)

1 cup dairy-free margarine

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups gluten-free flour blend

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Directions:

Cream together margarine and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add in egg and vanilla and mix well.

In a separate bowl combine the flour blend and the baking powder, add the flour mixture slowly into the sugar mixture.  Mix well, I get in and mix it with my hands to fully incorporate the flour.

Place the dough in a large ziploc bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350F.  Working with half the dough at a time (keeping the other half chilled), place dough on a lightly floured surface (I put mine on parchment paper) and cover with another piece of parchment paper.  Roll to desired thickness.  Cut out with cookie cutters and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with the other half of dough.

Cook at 350F for 8-10 minutes, or until just set...I pull them out before they start browning, so watch them close.

Allow cookies to cool before frosting with your favorite frosting.  We used buttercream.

This post is shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Allergy Friendly Friday, and Gluten Free Fridays.

Merry Christmas! and some Snowball Cookies

Merry Christmas!  I hope you enjoy your holiday! I'm definitely going to be enjoying mine.  One of my very favorite holiday cookies, well more like one of my all time favorite cookies is snowball cookies, or Mexican Wedding Cakes, or Russian Tea Cookies...yeah, that one.  In my family we called them snowballs, and they are incredibly easy and quite tasty.  Really, I'd take these any day over a frosted sugar cookie.

So, to celebrate Christmas, here's my favorite Christmas cookie, enjoy!

Snowball Cookies
1 cup pecan pieces
1 cup palm oil shortening or dairy-free margarine
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 cups gluten free flour blend
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
powdered sugar (placed in a 9X13 pan or a gallon ziploc bag)

Directions:
Ground the pecans in a food processor or blender until finely ground.  Set aside.

Cream together the shortening and sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Add in half the flour blend, vanilla, and salt and mix well. Mix the other half of the flour blend and the pecans by hand.  Form the mixture into a ball and cover and chill for 30-60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F. Roll the dough into 1" balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for about 12 minutes.  Let the cookies cool for a couple of minutes then roll the cookies in the powdered sugar.

This post was shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays and Allergy Free Wednesdays.

Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Cookies

I'm always on the look out for new cookies.  And I saw these cookies on Pinterest, and remembered having similar ones back in my gluten-filled days.  I decided to make my own version using the chocolate cookie base from my Death by Chocolate Cookies (modifying them to be refined sugar-free) and then using the basic flourless peanut butter cookie recipe as the filling.  Yeah, it worked, these cookies are amazing.

And they work really well as separate cookies, too.  So, you have three recipes in one. ;) This post was shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Allergy Friendly Fridays, and Whole Foods Friday.

Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Cookies
Chocolate Cookie Base:
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup palm oil shortening
1 cup turbinado sugar or other unrefined sugar (or white sugar)
1 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups gluten-free flour blend 
3/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips

Peanut Butter Filling:
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F. For the chocolate cookie base, in a large mixing bowl cream together the coconut oil, shortening, and sugars.  Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix well.  In a separate bowl combine the flour blend, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir in chocolate chips.

For the peanut butter filling, cream together the peanut butter and coconut sugar, then mix in the egg and vanilla.

Take and form a ball (about 1") of the chocolate cookie base, and flatten it.  Make a small ball (about 1/2") of the peanut butter filling and wrap the flattened chocolate cookie around it and place the filled cookie on an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Cook for 10-12 minutes at 375F.

You can also just make chocolate cookies and peanut butter cookies...if you do this it will take about 8-10 minutes to cook.

Peanut Butter Teff Cookies

It's getting close to Christmas which means it's definitely cookie time.  This is an easy and fairly healthy cookie.  And my little one LOVES these, and so do I.  :) The peanut butter I used was slightly chunky (self ground, so I didn't make it perfectly smooth), but you could use either smooth or chunky. Teff is an excellent source of minerals (it has the most calcium per cup of any grain, and is also high in iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, and manganese) and your B vitamins.  It is a dark grain, so it gives these cookies a darker color than what you would typically see in a peanut butter cookie, but that hasn't stopped my kids from eating them.

This post was shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Allergy Free Wednesdays and Whole Food Fridays.

Peanut Butter Teff Cookies
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup honey
1 cup natural peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
 1 1/2 cups teff flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Mix wet ingredients together in a food processor or stand mixer.

Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to the wet ingredients and mix until it comes together, make sure the honey is fully mixed in (it likes to sit at the bottom).

Roll into 1 inch balls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Press down with a fork in a cross pattern and cook for ~10 minutes.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream

Okay, I don't know how the weather is where you live, but here it is HOT, and by hot, I mean we are roasting here.  So, I have absolutely no motivation to cook more than I have to.  All I want to do is eat melons and frozen treats.  Really, that sums up all my desires right now. So, this has given me plenty of opportunities to play around with ice cream making and this is the latest creation.  I usually have more fruit based ice creams and sorbets, but decided to splurge.  I've made this coconut sugar, but you could use brown sugar in place of it and it should work fine.  The base is cookie dough...well, almost caramel flavored, along with chunks of super easy to make cookie dough.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream

Cookie Dough:
5 tablespoons dairy-free margarine
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup brown rice flour (or flour of choice, I think gf oat flour would taste really good)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup dairy-free mini chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life)

Ice Cream Base:
1 can coconut milk (full fat)
3/4 cup non-dairy milk (So Delicious Coconut Milk)
2/3 cup coconut sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
Directions:
In a small bowl cream together the margarine and coconut sugar.  Add in the rice flour and vanilla and mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips and roll into bite size pieces.  Place pieces on a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze for at least 20-30 minutes.

For the ice cream base, combine the milks, sugar, salt, and vanilla and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. (I've discovered that having it prechilled yields a smoother ice cream). The freeze according to your ice cream maker's directions.  The last 5 minutes add in the chocolate chips and the cookie dough.

This post is featured on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Allergy-Free Wednesdays and Allergy Friendly Friday.

Do-Si-Dos

It's Girl Scout cookie time.  My niece is a girl scout, so I support her and get a few boxes of cookies for my hubby.  My boys are good sports about it, probably because I make huge batches of cookies for them. :) I made Tagalongs this past weekend...yeah, they didn't even make it a week before they were devoured.

 My boys then noticed their dad eating some do-si-dos and asked what type of cookies they were and if I could make some.  To which I replied, of course I can...and I did.  They turned out amazingly well and are really easy to make.  This does make a lot, so keep that in mind.  I froze half of mine, so we can enjoy them later.

Do-si-dos
1 cup dairy-free margarine
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups GF flour blend
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups quick cooking gluten free oats

filling:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup dairy-free margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F. With a stand mixer, combine margarine, peanut butter, and sugars until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix well.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour blend, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture.  Stir in the oats.

Drop by small teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375F for 8-10 minutes (8 for smaller cookies, 10 minutes for larger cookies).  Let cool on tray for 5 minutes, then remove and finish cooling on a cooling rack.

While cookies cool, make the filling by combine the powdered sugar, peanut butter, margarine and vanilla together until smooth.  Spread on the bottom of one half and sandwich together with another cookie.

Makes about 4 dozen sandwich cookies.

This post is featured on Slightly Indulgent Tuesday and Allergy Friendly Monday.

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Is that long enough of a name for ya?  These are really good cookies.  They have the chewiness of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with the taste of banana bread, and of course, you can't leave out the chocolate chips in my house. :)  This would make a perfect Sunday afternoon snack, so enjoy!

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 tablespoons dairy-free margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/4 cup mashed banana (about 1 medium banana)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup GF flour blend
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups GF quick oats (if you just have rolled oats, pulse them a few times in a food processor)
3/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the margarine and the sugars.  Add the egg, followed by the banana and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture.  Add in the oats and chocolate chips, mixing by hand.

Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes.

Let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.