1. Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies
A classic favorite, these are soft and chewy. Please note that if you choose a shortening other than butter, it will affect texture and taste. Vegans can try coconut oil, but you may have to experiment with texture and vary the amount slightly. Commercial margarine, on the other hand, is not a healthy alternative, as it contains hydrogenated oil and trans fat.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick or 112 g) vegan or dairy butter at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (50 g) raw granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- A large egg
- 1 cup + 2 Tbsp (180 g) gluten-free baking mix (recipe below – you can make extra and keep on hand)
- 1 cup (180 g) semisweet chocolate chips
Gluten-free Baking Mix
- 1 cup brown rice flour
- 3/4 cup white rice flour
- 1 cup Gluten-free oat flour
- 1 cup raw buckwheat flour
- 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
- 3/4 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 Tbsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup granulated raw sugar
Directions:
- Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl.
- Add egg and vanilla and mix again until well combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add half the baking mix, combine well, and add the remainder. It should start to appear “doughy”.
- Stir in chocolate chips, cover and refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours or overnight.
- When you’re ready, preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
- Once chilled, scoop out about a tablespoon of dough, roll each into a ball and place them 2 inches apart on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are just slightly golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let the cookies rest on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to several days or freeze them to enjoy up to a month later.
2. Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
These crunchy gluten free cookies completely devoid of flour—kind of a nice change in a cookie. They’re also quite delicate when warm, so take care when handling until cool so they don’t break.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup organic peanut butter
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350° F and place the racks in the upper and lower third of the oven.
- In a medium bowl, mix the peanut butter, sugar, vanilla and egg until well combined.
- Make tablespoon-sizes cookies, spreading them an inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Use a fork to flatten the cookies and make a crosshatch pattern. Sprinkle a bit of salt to top them off.
- Bake until golden around the edges, about 10 minutes, switching the position of the sheets halfway through baking.
- Transfer to racks to cool.
- Repeat with the remaining dough.
3. Gluten-free Oatmeal Cookies
These are not your ordinary oatmeal cookies. They’re soft and chewy on the inside and slightly crunchy on the outside with dark cherries and chocolate chips throughout. Oh, man.
You can buy oat flour or make your own by grinding whole oats into a fine powder in a food processor. If you are celiac or have a wheat allergy, make sure the oats you buy are processed in a gluten-free facility to avoid contaminants.
Ingredients:
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) softened butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup rolled oats (gluten-free)
- 1 1/2 cup oat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup dried cherries
- 1/2 cup organic chocolate chips
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Combine the butter and sugars and stir until well combined.
- Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.
- Combine the oats, flour, salt, soda, and cinnamon, add to the mix and combine well.
- Stir in the cherries and chocolate chips.
- Place balls of dough on a cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes.
- Cool and enjoy!