GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
I am not gluten free, or vegan, or a vegetarian. I believe in moderation and finding out what foods work best for your body. I personally don’t believe in extreme dieting or saying goodbye to carbs or meat or dairy forever. At least that doesn’t work for me. But I do notice a difference in how I feel when I eat less gluten so I have adopted the practice of eating gluten free during the week. This really has made a huge difference in how I feel physically and emotionally, increasing my energy exponentially. Even though I am making gluten free food, I still want to have some sweet treats around the house to satisfy those sugar cravings. I came across this Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe from the Gluten Free Goddess and, gluten free or not, these cookies are delicious. You really would never know they are gluten free.
GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
(from the Gluten Free Goddess)
3/4 cup Ancient Harvest Quinoa Flakes (you can find them at Whole Foods)
1/2 cup quinoa flour
1 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cup light olive oil
3 tablespoons real maple syrup
1 tablespoon alcohol free vanilla extract
2 large organic free-range eggs or Ener-G Egg Replacer
Warm water, as needed
1 cup of vegan dark chocolate chips and (1/2 cup toasted walnuts is optional)
Instructions:
In a mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.
Add in the oil, maple syrup, vanilla and eggs/egg replacer. Combine the wet and dry ingredients with a sturdy wooden spoon until you get a thick, sticky batter. Make sure you break up any lumps of brown sugar or flour in the mixture.
If you need to, add 1 tablespoon of warm water at a time, as needed, to achieve a (cookie style) dough that sticks together when you pinch it.
Add the chocolate chips and stir to combine.
Cover and chill the dough for 30 to 60 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with an Exopat or parchment.
Roll spoonfuls of the dough between your palms and form the dough into 24 balls (slightly smaller than a golf ball). Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet and press down a bit to flatten slightly- not too much. Place the pan into the center of a pre-heated oven and bake until golden and set – about 20 to 25 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the center is almost firm. Careful not to overcook. I usually take them out after 20-21 minutes. The cookies will still have a little give to them while hot; as they cool they will crisp up.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes; then carefully remove the cookies with a thin spatula and place them on a wire rack to continue cooling.
Store in a covered container for up to a day or wrap cooled cookies in recycled foil, bag and freeze for longer storage.
Makes 24-30 cookies.