Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Heart Cookie

Valentine's Day is fast approaching and I can't begin to tell you how many cute and delicious looking recipes I've found from various sources.  This giant Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Heart Cookie got a trial run last night and got rave reviews from all who tried it.  A gooey chocolate chip cookie is topped with sweetened cream cheese, strawberries and a chocolate drizzle.  Chocolate dipped strawberries are the finishing touch to this chewy cookie.  Although I have made a giant chocolate chip cookie for years with my heart pan, I got some new and creative gluten free ideas for this giant cookie from some other gluten free blogs I like.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Heart Cookie
Goodies Gone Gluten Free

I have found the ultimate gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipe on a great gluten free site I follow, My Gluten-Free Kitchen. This recipe for cookie dough is the star of this giant heart cookieM and I hope you try making these cookies one day as individual scooped cookies too! I used a Wilton large heart pan to make this cookie, but you could certainly use little cookie molds or even just make individual scooped cookies, but I was going for a Valentine theme and used the heart pan.  The idea for the design of this cookie came from another great site I have found, Faithfully Gluten Free.

Coming tomorrow on the blog, Chocolate Drizzled Heart Shaped homemade marshmallows! Both of these Valentine inspired recipes were so fun to make and looked and tasted amazing!  Enjoy.

GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP HEART COOKIE
Recipe from:  Goodies Gone Gluten Free
Cookie Dough Recipe from: My gluten-free kitchen
click here for Printable Recipe

Cookie Dough:

• 2 1/4 cups (~282 grams) good all-purpose gluten-free flour blend (I used Pamelas)
• 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum (omit if gf flour blend has xanthan or guar gum already)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 ounces cream cheese, room temp
• 3/4 cups unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 egg yolks (room temp)
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

 Topping:

1 8 oz. block of cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 lb. strawberries (set aside desired amount to dip for the garnish and chop the rest)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted for dipping

To make the cookie:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour, xanthan (unless flour blend already has xanthan or guar gum), baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, place the cream cheese, then pour melted butter over it. Add brown sugar and sugar and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. (I use the paddle attachment on my mixer.)
3. Add vanilla extract and egg yolks (one at a time) mixing on low-medium speed until well mixed.
4. Add the flour mixture that you set aside earlier, beating on low until just combined.
5. Add the chocolate chips and mix on low or by hand, just until mixed thoroughly.
6. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate a couple of hours and up to 4 days.
7. When you are ready too bake, remove from refrigerator and let sit for about 5 minutes to soften enough for easier scooping.
8. Preheat oven to 375°.
9. Cut out parchment in the shape of the heart pan and place in the bottom of the pan.  
10. spray the sides of the pan with cooking spray to ensure the cookie won't stick as it rises.
11. Press cookie dough evenly into heart pan.
12. Bake for 10-11 minutes or until the edges are browned and the middle is lightly browned.  The middle won't be as done as the sides, but this lends to a nice chewy cookie once it sets.
13. When cookie is done, cool in pan on a wire rack until set and fully cooled.  Invert cookie onto a platter, remove parchment paper and carefully turn cookie back over.
14. With hand mixer, mix cream cheese and powdered sugar until fluffy. Spread over cooled cookie, leaving edges exposed (the edges kind of curl up, making the middle a nice space for the cream cheese to sit in.
15. Evenly top cream cheese with chopped strawberries.  Heat chocolate chips in a bowl in the  microwave at 30 second increments until melted and dip reserved whole strawberries.   Lay them on a parchment paper and let them set up in the fridge.   Drizzle remaining melted chocolate over top of chopped strawberries and adorn with chocolate dipped strawberries, once set.
16. Keep cookie in fridge until serving (I cut mine into squares to serve).

Gluten Free Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Cheesecake

Merry Christmas! I can't believe how long it has been since I have posted on my blog!  Shame on me.  So what has happened since I last blogged you ask?  Well, my daughter got married, I hosted 20 people for Thanksgiving, sold my 1967 Mustang, and am now getting ready for Christmas and preparing to once again host a crowd.  Wow, it makes me tired all over again just writing about it!

Gluten Free Chocolate Peppermint Cookie
Cheesecake
Goodies Gone Gluten Free

I have done quite a bit of baking this holiday season, but this mini Gluten Free Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Cheesecake was a highlight for me.  I found the cutest little mini springform pans and knew I had to create a cheesecake that was perfect for the holidays to give as gifts to my friends and neighbors.

 Last year I posted some easy yet beautiful Gluten Free Peppermint Chocolate Dipped "Oreos", which I stepped up a notch this season by using a gluten free peppermint sandwich cookie (I used Trader Joes Gluten Free Peppermint JoJos) which I dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with crushed candy canes to top this amazing and festive Gluten Free Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Cheesecake.  You can use this recipe to make one 9-inch cheesecake also.  The peppermint sandwich cookies are chopped and mixed in the batter along with some chocolate chips, and then topped with  a chocolate ganache, whipped cream and the chocolate dipped cookie,  It's as pretty to look at as is to eat (yes, I did mean to say it is pretty to eat.  I don't know how better to describe it).

Merry Christmas, happy New Year and blessings to you all this season!

GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT COOKIE CHEESECAKE
Recipe from:  Goodies Gone Gluten Free
click here for Printable Recipe

3  8-oz packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
5 chopped gluten free peppermint creme-filled chocolate cookies

Crust:

1 1/2 cups gluten free peppermint creme-filled chocolate cookies crushed into crumbs
4 tablespoons melted butter

Topping:

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract (optional)

Combine crust ingredients and press into bottom of 4 mini springform pans or one 9-inch springform pan (you can also line muffin pans with liners and press a tablespoon into the bottom of each liner).  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes for 9-inch, and 8 minutes for mini pans or muffin tins.

Combine cream cheese, sugar and extract, mixing at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended,  Add eggs, one at a time, just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips and chopped cookies.  Pour over crust.  Bake at 350 degrees 45 minutes for 9-inch springform, and approximately 25 minutes for mini springform pans, or until sides are set and middle is slightly jiggly.  Cool before removing rim of pan.

For topping, melt chocolate chips in saucepan or microwave on 50% power for 30 second increments stirring until chocolate is smooth.  Stir in cream and extract if using and spread over top of cheesecake.  Refrigerate and if desired, top with whipped cream and chocolate dipped cookie  when cheesecake and topping is set.

Gluten Free Snickerdoodle Cookie Cake

Is it a cookie?  Is it a cake?  Yes, it is.  This Gluten Free Snickerdoodle Cookie Cake is made of three huge Snickerdoodle cookies sandwiched in between a creamy brown sugar and cinnamon frosting and cutely adorned with miniature Snickerdoodle cookies.  You get to have your cookie and eat your cake too (like the way I redid that saying?  Clever, huh?)  The whole thing starts with a Gluten Free Betty Crocker mix!  Isn't that great?  I love short cuts.

Gluten Free Snickerdoodle Cookie Cake

Betty Crocker really has some great ideas on their site.  Some are already gluten free, but because they make some great gluten free cake and cookie mixes, it's easy to revamp the ones that are not.  This was a fun one to make and decorate.

GLUTEN FREE SNICKERDOODLE COOKIE CAKE
Recipe from: Goodies Gone Gluten Free
Adapted from:  Betty Crocker
click here for Printable Recipe

Cake:

2 boxes of Gluten Free Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix
1 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. water
2 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Cinnamon Sugar topping:

1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Frosting:

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream or milk

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Line bottoms of three 8 or 9 inch round cake pans with parchment paper and grease with butter or cooking spray (you may need to increase the cook time if you use an 8 inch pan).

Stir together cinnamon and sugar in small bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat cake ingredients with a an electric mixer on medium speed until combined.

Shape 8 rounded teaspoons of dough into balls and roll in the cinnamon sugar mix.  place on cookie sheet and bake 5 to 6 minutes or until edges are set.  Cool completely before removing from pan.

Divide remaining dough among cake pans and spread to cover bottoms of pans, patting the dough down with your hands.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture, until dough in each pan is lightly covered (you may not use all of the sugar mixture).  Bake 20 minutes or until edges are set and lightly golden (you don't want to over bake the cookies or they will be too hard and crumbly to cut through the layers nicely).  You are trying to achieve a soft cookie, but not raw dough!  Cool completely and remove to wire racks.

In a medium bowl, beat softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.  Decrease speed to low and add powdered sugar, vanilla and cream until combined.  Increase speed to high and beat about 2 minutes or until light and creamy.

Place 1 cookie layer on cake stand or large plate.  Cover with a third of frosting.  Top with another cookie layer, another one third of frosting and then the final cookie layer.  Place remaining frosting in decorating bag with tip and pipe 8 frosting swirls around top edges.  Place a mini cookie in each frosting swirl.  Store covered at room temperature.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chunk Cookies

These amazingly  gooey chocolate cookies are posted today in celebration of a very special event.  I am now a contributing author for Munchyy.com!  Munchyy is a blog site that has all sorts of tips and recipes for gluten free living.  My first post title is, " 10 Most Chocolate, More Chocolate and the Most Chocolatiest Gluten Free Desserts", so I thought these decadent chocolate cookies were a fitting way to celebrate.  I hope you go check it out.

 Gluten Free Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Goodies Gone Gluten Free

Now back to these Gluten Free Chocolate Chunk Cookies.  Did I say they were amazing?  I think I did.  They are soft and chewy with a crackly top and big chunks of melty chocolate in every bite.
Celebrate with me, and make a batch yourself!

GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES
Recipe from:  Goodies Gone Gluten Free
Adapted from:  Martha Stewart
click here for Printable Recipe

8 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
4 Tbsp. butter
2/3 cup plus 1/4 cup gluten free flour blend (I used the Flour Blend on the blog)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp xanthan gum (unless you are using a blend that contains it)
1/2 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 package (12 oz) semisweet (or dark) chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat chopped chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring in between, until almost melted.  Do not overheat.  in another bowl, whisk together 2/3 cup of flour, baking powder, xanthan and salt.

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy.  Reduce speed to low, beat in melted chocolate.  Mix in flour mixture until just combined.  Stir in chocolate chunks.  If the mixture is still too runny, add the extra 1/4 cup of flour and let it set for a few minutes until it thickens and won't run on the cookie sheet.

Drop heaping tablespoons of dough or use a cookie scoop, placing them 2 to 3 inches apart on parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes or until cookies are shiny and crackly yet soft in the center.  Cool on sheets 10 minutes, then transfer with a spatula to cooling racks.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Do you find you always end up with extra bananas that end up getting too ripe and then no one wants to eat them?  I often have that problem in my house...but I turn that problem into a gluten free treat!  I used to always make banana bread or muffins with my old bananas.  That is until I found a recipe for banana peanut butter cookies!  Of course I had to add chocolate chips or chocolate chunks to my recipe...and make it gluten free!  It is my go-to recipe now for my over ripe bananas no one wants to eat.  Let me assure you though, once those old bananas are transformed into a cookie...I have no problem getting the family to eat them!

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Banana
Chocolate Chip Cookies

GLUTEN FREE PEANUT BUTTER BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Recipe from:  Goodies Gone Gluten Free
Adapted from: Yammies Noshery
click here for Printable Recipe

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 

1/4 cup salted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar 

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/3 cup mashed ripe or overripe banana (about 1 banana)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose flour (I used the all-purpose flour blend on the blog)

3/4 cup chocolate chips or chocolate chunks

Granulated sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Mix the peanut butter, butter, and sugar until well combined. Add the vanilla and banana and mix well. 

Add the dry ingredients and chocolate chips and mix just until combined. If the dough is too wet to roll into balls, add a couple of tablespoons more (up to a 1/4 cup) of  gf flour until it is more set and place in fridge for about 20 minutes.  It should be set enough to roll then.

Roll into fairly large balls (I used about a heaping teaspoon) and roll the balls in some sugar. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and press criss cross with a fork. Cookies will spread a little, so don't place them too close together. 

Bake about 9-11 minutes. 10 Minutes was perfect for mine.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Goodies Gone Gluten Free

Gluten Free Butterscotch Toffee Bars

Dessert bars are just a wonderful creation.  They are so great to take to a potluck or put in the kid's lunches.  I love not having to do multiple batches, like you have to with a cookie, but get just as good results.  These Gluten Free Butterscotch Toffee Bars are no exception.  Easy to make and take, and they taste oh so good.  Although I don't bake with it much, I really like butterscotch.  Of course you know how much I love toffee and chocolate if you have looked at any of the posts on this blog!

Gluten Free Butterscotch Toffee Bars

You can really use any kind of crunchy gluten free cookie you like for the crust on these bars.  I used a gluten free snickerdoodle cookie as the crust.  It just needs to be a crunchy cookie and not a soft cookie.  You could also chose whatever nuts you like...you have a world of opportunity before you when you make these wonderful Gluten Free Butterscotch Toffee Bars!  I hope you do try them out.

GLUTEN FREE BUTTERSCOTCH TOFFEE BARS
Recipe from: Goodies Gone Gluten Free
click here for Printable Recipe

2 cups of crushed gluten free snickerdoodle cookies (or any gluten free cookie)
6 Tbsp. (3/4 stick) butter, melted
1 cup butterscotch chips (make sure they are gluten free)
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup chopped or slivered almonds
1/2 cup of crushed Heath Bar or chocolate toffee bits
1/2 cup mini or regular semisweet chocolate chips
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 1-inch overhang.  Spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Place cookies in food processor; process until crumbs form.  Measure 2 cups.

Combine 2 cups of crumbs and butter in medium bowl; mix well, press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom of prepared pan.  Bake 4 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned around edges.

Meanwhile, combine butterscotch chips, pecans, almonds, toffee bits and chocolate chips in a medium bowl.  Whisk condensed milk and vanilla in a small bowl; pour over warm crust.  Sprinkle with butterscotch mixture, pressing down gently.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden and bubbly.  Cool completely in pan on wire rack.  Remove from pan using foil; cut into bars.

Flourless Chocolate Chocolate Chip Wow Butter Cookies

Have you ever heard of Wow Butter? It tastes just like a creamy peanut butter, but it is made of soy nuts instead of peanuts.  It really is an amazing thing.  These Flourless Chocolate Chocolate Chip Wow Butter Cookies taste just like a chocolate peanut butter cookie but no one would believe they contain no flour and no peanut butter.   It's a perfect combination of flavors without the allergy causing ingredients!  I bought my Wow Butter at Walmart, but I have seen it at many stores, including Fresh and Easy, Whole Food and Sprouts.  They may even carry it at regular grocery stores now since there are so many nut allergies in schools these days.

Flourless Chocolate Chocolate Chip Wow Butter Cookies

These Flourless Chocolate Chocolate Chip Wow Butter Cookies are so good and so easy to make with only five ingredients!  You can use regular peanut butter in place of the Wow Butter too, but I really like the Wow Butter.  Go ahead and give them a try!

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHIP WOW BUTTER COOKIES
Recipe from:  Goodies Gone Gluten Free
Adapted from: Barefeet in the Kitchen
click here for Printable Recipe

1 cup Wow Butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Stir together the Wow Butter, sugar, cocoa powder and egg.  Add the chocolate chips and stir to combine.  Scoop with a cookie scoop or roll into 1" balls and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Slightly press cookie down with your fingers (or you can do the traditional criss cross with a fork that you see on peanut butter cookies.  I prefer a chunkier cookie, so I just press them down a bit with my fingers).

Bake for 12 minutes and let cool then transfer to cooling rack.

Flourless Chocolate Chocolate Chip Wow Butter Cookies

Gluten Free Peppermint Chocolate Dipped "Oreos"

A special treat I used to buy myself every once in a while was the Oreo Chocolate dipped cookies.  What could be better than an Oreo smothered in chocolate?  I'll tell you what is better...an Oreo dipped in mint chocolate!  Then Trader Joes came out with their Peppermint Chocolate dipped Joe Joe's and I was in heaven.  That was my absolute favorite.  When they came out with their Gluten Free Joe Joe's I was hopeful at Christmas time they would have a gluten free Peppermint Chocolate Dipped Joe Joe.  My hopes were dashed when they never materialized.  What does a gluten intolerant person do with dashed hopes over a food they love?  We bring them back to life by making our own versions!

Gluten Free Peppermint Chocolate Dipped "Oreos"

 Although Trader Joes only comes out with their version at Christmas, I certainly think this a cookie that should be available all year around!   I served these Gluten Free Peppermint Chocolate Dipped "Oreos" last night at a meeting at our house and someone immediately said, "Oh, those are from Trader Joes.  They are so good you guys, you have to try them."  When I told them I had made them they couldn't believe it, especially after she tasted it.  With great excitement she proclaimed they tasted exactly like the Trader Joes version. She couldn't believe they were gluten free either.

I had some left over candy canes from Christmas that I crushed and put on top, but they certainly don't need them.  These Gluten Free Peppermint Chocolate Dipped "Oreos" taste just as good without them!  They are the easiest thing to make too.  I used a  Great Value brand gluten free chocolate sandwich cookie from Walmart, but I know Glutino makes a really good cookie too.  There are a lot of gluten free Oreo-type cookies out there and I'm sure any of them would be good.  I have yet to see Oreo come out with a gluten free version, which is surprising since so many gluten free companies seem to come out with really good Oreo-type cookies.  Anyway, I hope you try to make these.  They couldn't be any easier to make or tastier to eat!

GLUTEN FREE PEPPERMINT CHOCOLATE DIPPED "OREOS"
Recipe from:  Goodies Gone Gluten Free
click here for Printable Version

5-7 gluten free Oreo-type cookies (Walmart brand, Glutino, etc.)
1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 tsp. of Peppermint extract
1 candy cane or peppermint candy, crushed (optional)

Melt chocolate chips in a small microwave safe bowl for 1 minute at 50% power.  Stir and microwave again for 30 seconds at 50% power and stir.  If chocolates chips are not completely melted, put them in another 30 seconds.  Once melted, stir in Peppermint Extract.  Dip cookies with a dipping fork or regular fork.  Make sure cookie is thickly covered on both sides, then let excess drain back into the bowl while holding it on the fork.  Place cookie on parchment or waxed paper lined tray.  Crush peppermint candy in a baggie with a kitchen mallet or rolling pin and sprinkle a bit onto top of each cookie.  Place cookies in the refrigerator to set for about 20-30 minutes.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Pecan Toffee Cookies (using Hodgson Mill Cookie Mix)

I am into making cookies from scratch...but I am also very into making my life easier!  I was given a box of Hodgson Mill Gluten Free Cookie Mix by my sweet sister, who for my birthday gave me a big ole' gift basket filled with all things that a gluten free baker would love and use.  I love the gluten free cookies I make, so I thought, why not throw in everything I love from each cookie I make into this one easy to use mix, and oh boy did I love the results of these Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Pecan Toffee Cookies! They came out big and rounded on the top with a little crisp on the edges, but soft inside. I found this mix at Walmart, and I'm pretty sure they carry it at most grocery stores in the gluten free section.  I have also used this mix to make peanut butter cookies and they are very good too!

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Pecan Toffee Cookies

These Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Pecan Toffee Cookies are very dangerous to have around my house.  I will make a confession... I made these yesterday and ate four of them!  I grabbed one every time I walked by...then the next day, I had one for breakfast. I know,  I'm bad.  The thing about these cookies is that besides the fact they are so easy to make, they are one of the few gluten free baked goods that actually taste even better the next day.  I find that most gluten free baking is best the day it is made...but not these babies...they just get better with time!

So if you are looking for something easy to bake that doesn't require buying all sorts of gluten free flours, this is the recipe for you...no one will know it started with a mix!

GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP PECAN TOFFEE COOKIES
(using Hodgson Mill Cookie Mix)
Recipe from: Goodies Gone Gluten Free
click here for Printable Recipe

1 box of Hodgson Mill Gluten Free Cookie Mix (requires butter, egg and vanilla)
1/4 cup of ground gluten free oats (grind whole oats in blender, then measure 1/4 cup)
1 to 1 1/2 cups of semi sweet or dark chocolate chips (depending on how much you like)
1 Heath or Skor bar, chopped or broken into pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup of chopped pecans (depending on how much you like)

Mix up cookies according to package directions, using 2 tsp. of vanilla.  Add ground oats, chocolate chips, toffee bar and nuts and mix well.  Using a cookie scoop or spoon, place large rounded spoonfuls on parchment paper lined cookie sheet about three inches apart.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 14-15 minutes or until edges are light brown.  Let sit a minute before removing to finish cooling on cooling rack.

Gluten Free Chocolate Truffle Cookies

You must be very special, because I am sharing with you one of my all-time favorite cookies to make at Christmas... literally.  You are not just getting the recipe, but actually have a chance to have these cookies.  At the end of this post, I explain how you can get them.

Gluten Free Chocolate Truffle Cookies

  I have made these Chocolate Truffle Cookies for years and always give them as gifts for my Christmas baking.  This year, for the first time, I have made a gluten free version, and I can't tell any difference.  That is probably because these Gluten Free Chocolate Truffle Cookies only have a 1/2 cup of flour to start with anyway, so replacing that with a gluten free flour blend didn't make a big difference.  Imagine biting into what seems to be a cookie with a bit of a crispy edge, but finding that the inside is very similar to a chocolate truffle, loaded with gooey chocolate chips...but it's still kind of a cookie.  Intrigued? I guess you are going to have to make them too to find out just how amazing these cookies are.  Top them with a dusting of powdered sugar and box or bag them up, and you have a nice gift...that is, if you don't eat them all before you give them away (like we did this year).  I think next time I will make two batches, one for us and one to give! Hey, speaking about giving...how would you like me to make you a batch?

 What are some of your all-time favorite Christmas treats to give or make?  The first person (who lives in the United States) who lets me know their favorite thing to bake at Christmas, will win a batch of these Gluten Free Chocolate Truffle Cookies.  Just comment below!  Anyone else who comments (once again, who lives in the United States) will be part of a random selection (by a third party) to receive a batch too! Make sure and include your e-mail address in your comment so I can contact the winners. So two batches of Gluten Free Chocolate Truffle Cookies are up for grabs, so get to commenting!  Merry Christmas from Goodies Gone Gluten Free.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE COOKIES
Recipe From: Goodies Gone Gluten Free
Slightly Adapted from: Taste of Home
click here for Printable Recipe

4 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate
2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup gluten free all purpose flour
2 Tbsp. baking cocoa
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Confectioner's sugar

In a microwave or double broiler, melt unsweetened chocolate, 1 cup of chocolate chips and butter; cool for 10 minutes.  In a mixing bowl, beat sugar and eggs for 2 minutes.  Beat in vanilla and the chocolate mixture.  Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; beat into chocolate mixture.  Stir in remaining chocolate chips.  Cover and chill for at least 3 hours.  Remove about 1 cup of dough.  With lightly floured hands (make sure to use gluten free flour), roll into 1-in. balls.  Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees F. for 10-12 minutes or until lightly puffed and set.  The tops should not look wet, but cookie will still be a bit soft.  Cool on pan 3-4 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Gluten Free Muddy Buddy Cookies

It's officially Christmas time!!!  Yea!!  I thought I would kick off the season with these easy to make, yet oh so delicious Gluten Free Muddy Buddy Cookies.  They are just like the Muddy Buddy cereal  snack, but made with peanut butter cookies, and just like Muddy Buddies, they are coated in melted chocolate and peanut butter and tossed with powdered sugar.  You won't believe the explosion in your mouth when you take your first bite of these babies!  Make sure, though, to have a glass of milk in hand when eating these Gluten Free Muddy Buddy Cookies!

Gluten Free Muddy Buddy Cookies

 To make it real easy, I started with a gluten free cookie mix, but you could make your own peanut butter cookies.  I used the Hodgson Mill Gluten Free Cookie Mix and followed the directions on the back to make them into peanut butter cookies.

 I have a real hard time when the stores start displaying Christmas things early (like October), and find myself fighting giving in to it all through November, just because I want it to be special all December long and not feel overdone by the time Christmas comes.  I feel it is official now that December 1st has rolled along to fully give in to the season...and boy have I!  The tree is up, the decorations are out and the baking shall begin!  I have so many wonderful treats to share with you this season, so buckle up we are in for a ride (I won't say it is a bumpy ride, though).

Merry Christmas, friends!  Enjoy!

GLUTEN FREE MUDDY BUDDY COOKIES
Recipe From:  Goodies Gone Gluten Free
Adapted from:  Betty Crocker
Click here for printable recipes

1 box of gluten free peanut butter cookie mix or homemade made according to directions
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz.)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar

Make cookies according to package directions for peanut butter cookies.  Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and place dough 2 inches apart.  Bake as directed, until edges are light golden brown.  Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.  Cool completely.

In small microwaveable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, butter and peanut butter uncovered on high 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds.  Stir until smooth.  Stir in vanilla.  Place 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar in a 1-gallon resealable food-storage bag; set aside.  Place 12 cooled cookies in large bowl.  Pour 1/3 of chocolate mixture over cookies in bowl.  Using rubber spatula, toss cookies gently to coat.  Place cookies in bag with powdered sugar; seal bag.  Gently turn bag to coat remaining chocolate mixture; repeat again until all cookies are coated, adding additional powdered sugar to bag as needed.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Biscotti

I don't know what it is about Biscotti that draws me to it.  I guess I just like the idea of having something to dunk in my hot drinks.  I knew in this season I had to create a pumpkin version of this crunchy cookie...and I did! The pumpkin in these Gluten Free Pumpkin Biscottis moistens it a bit so it's not quite as crunchy as the non pumpkin version.  Of course, I like to dip mine in some chocolate, but if that's not your thing, they are just as good without it.   It's really nice with a cup of Pumpkin Chai Tea or pumpkin coffee.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Biscotti

I  guess one of the things I also like about biscotti is that it's not too hard to make, but the recipe makes a lot so I can gift them.  I put a few Gluten Free Pumpkin Biscotti in a cellophane treat bag, tied a nice bow around it and gave it to my neighbor as a gift (if you put that bag in a nice mug with a bag of pumpkin coffee, that would sure make a nice Christmas gift, now wouldn't it?).

Whether you gift it or keep it all to yourself, I think you'll like these crunchy little guys.  Now get to baking!

GLUTEN FREE PUMPKIN BISCOTTI
Recipe from:  Goodies Gone Gluten Free
click here for Printable Recipe

1 cup almond meal
1 1/2 cups all purpose gluten free flour (I used the homemade gluten free flour on the blog)
2 cups tapioca flour
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter, softened or melted

Chocolate Topping:

1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. vegetable shortening

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet.  In a medium size bowl, or stand mixer, cream butter, sugars and vanilla extract.  Add pumpkin, eggs and egg white, one at a time and mix well.  Mix together dry ingredients and beat into the wet mixture.  The dough will be very thick and dry.  Stir or mix in pecans. 

Divide dough into two equal parts and on a gluten free floured surface, mold and pat dough into two logs, about 12 inches long and 3 inches wide.

Brush logs with an egg white and bake logs at 350 degrees F. for 20-25 minutes.  They should be light brown and starting to crack on top when done.  Cool for 10 minutes and cut loaves at a slant approximately 1 inch wide.  Lower oven to 225 degrees F. and place biscotti slices face down on cookie sheet back in oven.  Turn over each slice after 10 minutes of cooking and continue to cook. 

For the topping, melt chocolate chips and shortening in microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring in between each.  Once biscotti is cooled dip the tops in melted chocolate and if so desired, sprinkle with nuts.  Refrigerate biscotti to set the chocolate.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Fall finally feels like it's in full swing now.  Ready for the next pumpkin dessert?  I hope so, because it's a good one.  I could have eaten an entire plate of these Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.  They are so moist inside, but not cakey.  The combo of the spices and chocolate were a perfect match for the pumpkin.  They are seriously so good!  They keep really well too, as the pumpkin keeps them moist.  It's hard to find a recipe for a pumpkin cookie that doesn't make a cakey cookie, because the pumpkin adds so much moisture.   I adapted this recipe from Yammies Noshery .  She says omitting the egg helps keeps this cookie more cookie-like, and it seems she is right!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Photo by Jeff Williams Photography

I love to create my own recipes to share with you, but I really love to find great gluten free recipes (or those recipes I can adapt to be gluten free) and pass it along.  These Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are one of those great finds for the season.  I really hope you try them out, and I hope you share this blog with others who are looking for some good gluten free recipes. You can also share my blog through Facebook or Instagram.  Ok, you know what I'm going to say now...get to baking!

GLUTEN FREE PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Recipe from: Goodies Gone Gluten Free
Adapted from: Yammies Noshery
click here for Printable Recipe

1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
6 Tbsp. pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp salt.
1 tsp. xanthan gum (if your mix doesn't have it)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cloves
1 3/4 c. gluten free all purpose flour (I used a homemade blend )
1 cups chocolate chips

Combine the butter and sugars until mixed well (mixture will be thick).  Add the vanilla and pumpkin and mix until smooth.  Combine all the dry ingredients and add to the rest mixing just until combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Bake rounded balls of dough on a ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees F. for about 12-17 minutes or just until they start to puff up a little.  I like to see the chocolate chips, so when they come out of the oven, I push a few extra chips into the top.  Cool slightly before removing from pan.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Photo by Jeff Williams Photography

Gluten Free Almond Baklava Biscotti

I love having a quiet time, just relaxing with a cup of hot chocolate or a latte...and nothing makes that hot cup of comfort better than a biscotti to dip into it!  These Gluten Free Almond Baklava Biscotti's are really special.  The great thing about this recipe is that you can go all out and really top these babies big with melted chocolate and honey glazed nuts, or you can just coat them with chocolate and leave out the nuts.  If you really are not a risk taker, you can leave all the toppings off all together and just have them bare (um, the Biscotti could be bare, not you...unless you  like to be bare when you eat a biscotti, and if that's the case, we don't really want to know about it).

Gluten Free Almond Baklava Biscotti

My family loves these Gluten Free Almond Baklava Biscottis and that really surprised me.  You see, biscottis are usually something I get when I go out to  coffee or a rare treat I used to buy when going on vacation or something.  I had no idea my family loved them so much, and how easy they are to make, or I would have made them sooner!

Why don't you make a batch and see if your family has a hidden love you didn't know about too!  Now get to baking!

GLUTEN FREE ALMOND BAKLAVA BISCOTTI
Recipe from: Goodies Gone Gluten Free
click here for Printable Recipe

1 cup almond meal
1 1/2 cups all purpose gluten free flour (store bought or homemade)
2 cups tapioca flour
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. Anise Seed (whole or ground, I like to grind mine)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs plus one egg white
1/4 cup butter, softened or melted
1 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark)
optional: 1/2 cup dried cherries tossed in a 1/2 tsp. tapioca flour

Topping

1 Tbsp. butter, melted
3 Tbsp. honey
1 cup chopped toasted nuts (1/4 pistachios, almonds and pecans)
1/2 cups melted dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet.  In a medium size bowl, or stand mixer, cream butter, sugar and vanilla extract.  Add the Anise seed.  Add eggs and egg white, one at a time and mix well.  Mix together dry ingredients and beat into the wet mixture.  The dough will be very thick and dry.  Stir or mix in almonds, chocolate chips and cherries (if using).

Divide dough into two equal parts and on a gluten free floured surface, mold and pat dough into two logs, about 12 inches long and 3 inches wide.

Brush logs with an egg white and bake logs at 350 degrees F. for 20-25 minutes.  They should be light brown and starting to crack on top when done.  Cool for 10 minutes and cut loaves at a slant approximately 1 inch wide.  Lower oven to 225 degrees F. and place biscotti slices face down on cookie sheet back in oven.  Turn over each slice after 10 minutes of cooking and continue to cook.

For the topping, mix together melted butter, honey and chopped  nuts.  Once biscotti is cooled dip the tops in melted dark dark chocolate and top each liberally with nut mixture (it will seem like the nuts won't stick, but they will harden up).  Refrigerate biscotti to set the chocolate and nuts.

Flourless Dark Chocolate Brownie Cookies

In the mood for something extra chocolaty and gooey inside and crispy on the edges...and super easy to make with no special flours to buy?  If your answer is yes, you have come to the right blog site!  These Flourless Dark Chocolate Brownie Cookies, made with Special Dark cacao powder and semi-sweet and dark chocolate chips are such a treat.  I love making flourless desserts, and this recipe is an easy one to put together (I love easy  almost as much as I love chocolate!).

Flourless Dark Chocolate Brownie Cookies

I used Hershey's Special Dark 100% cacao for this recipe, and it really made these cookies rich and tasty (and pretty dark looking), but I have used regular cocoa powder too and they were really good.  I really love dark chocolate, but if dark chocolate is not your thing, go ahead and make these Flourless Dark Choclate Brownie Cookies to your liking (although, I guess you would have to drop the word "dark" in the title if you made them with regular cocoa powder.  That's okay, because whatever you name them, they are delicious).

It has been super hot here, and it is hard for me to turn on that oven and add to the heat in the house, but these cookies were worth it!  I put the batter in the fridge for awhile before baking them since it is so hot and I didn't want them to spread too much.  Let me know in the comments below if you give them a try, okay?  Now turn on your air conditioner and get to baking!

FLOURLESS DARK CHOCOLATE BROWNIE COOKIES
From:  Goodies Gone Gluten Free
Adapted from: Yammies Gluten Freedom
click here for Printable Recipe

1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup Special Dark baking powder (or regular baking powder)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup dark or bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together the butter and sugars.  Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined.  Mix together the soda, salt, and cocoa and add to the wet ingredients, mixing until combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.  Refrigerate for 30 - 60 minutes.  Use a cookie scoop or roll into balls and bake for about 10 minutes.

Gluten Free Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Well, I figured in my last post I made you cookie dough with my Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles, so this time I'll make you the cookie...how's that?  These cookies are crispy around the edges, but soft in the middle.  They not only have semi-sweet chocolate chips in them, but grated milk chocolate throughout!

Gluten Free Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

I took each thing I liked from all the different chocolate chip cookies I make, kicked the gluten out the door, and the Gluten Free Double Chocolate Chip Cookie was born!  I am really pleased with these tasty little guys I invented, and I hope you will be too!  I made a big batch to take with me on vacation this week, so my family should be happy campers!  Pour yourself a big glass of milk and get to baking!

GLUTEN FREE DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Recipe from:  Goodies Gone Gluten Free
click here for Printable Recipe

1 cup (1/2 lb.) butter, at room temperature
1 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup brown rice flour
1 1/2 cup gluten free oats (measured then blended)
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup potato starch
1 t. xanthan gum
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 4 oz. bar of milk chocolate, grated (refrigerate or freeze the bar for easier grating)
2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. chopped pecans

In a bowl, with an electric or stand mixer on medium speed, beat butter and brown sugar until well blended.  Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

In another bowl, mix flour, starches, oats (measure and blend to a powder), baking soda, salt and xanthan. Grate chocolate bar into flour mixture and mix together. Stir or beat into butter mixture until well incorporated.  Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop dough in 2-tablespoon portions, or use cookie scoop for nicely rounded mounds, 2 inches apart onto parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees F. for 7-10 minutes (I baked mine for 9 minutes and they were perfect).  Cool and transfer to cooling rack.

Gluten Free Chocolate Cracker Cookies

I love to make people guess what the base of this tasty little breakup cookie is.  They never guess that it is crackers!  These Gluten Free Chocolate Cracker Cookies are a mix between a candy and a thin cookie...they are really hard to categorize...but really easy to eat! They have a crunchy bottom, which almost is like flat bread crust and nutty, chocolaty top.  Most people think they are made of graham crackers.  I keep mine in the freezer and we just snack on them straight from there (I mean literally...every time we walk by the freezer we pop a couple in our mouth.  You'd think keeping them in the freezer would prevent that, but nope!)

Gluten Free Chocolate Cracker Cookies

When I first found Glutino Gluten Free Table Crackers, I was so excited to have something similar to a Saltine or soda cracker.  Then, when I realized I could make my cracker cookies again...I was super excited.  I wasn't sure at first if it would work, but it really did! When I first starting making these, my kids started calling them cracker cookies, and the name stuck.

These Gluten Free Chocolate Cracker Cookies really are so simple to make and so delicious.  If you can't find Glutino brand, any gluten free table cracker will work (use a cracker that is similar to a Saltine.  Just don't use any cracker that is flavored).  I get mine at Walmart, Vons, Pavilions, Fresh & Easy, and have seen them at most health food stores that carry gluten free items.

 I top my Gluten Free Chocolate Cracker Cookies with pecans, but you can use any nut, or a combo of nuts.  Macadamia nuts would be interesting.  No matter what you top it with...it is super duper nummy!

I have served these to many guests, and never found one who didn't like them, so I hope you try them out.  Let me know if you do!

GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CRACKER COOKIES
Recipe from: Goodies Gone Gluten Free
Yield: About 30 pieces
click here for Printable Recipe

1/2 box of Glutino Gluten Free Table Crackers (or enough of another brand to cover a cookie sheet)
1/8 tsp salt
1 stick butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 bag (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cover a 15 1/2 x 10-inch jelly roll or cookie sheet pan with crackers to form a single layer, breaking pieces as necessary to fit and fill pan.  Sprinkle with salt.

In a small saucepan, bring the butter or margarine and sugar to a boil.  Pour mixture evenly over crackers.  Bake at 350 degrees F. for 10 to 15 minutes or until crackers are lightly browned.

Remove pan from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips.  Once melted, spread over crackers with a spatula, until it is spread evenly over the crackers.  Sprinkle with nuts.

Freeze for 3 hours.  Break up into 2-inch pieces to serve.  I keep mine either in the fridge or freezer.

Gluten Free Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yes, you read that right...flourless peanut butter cookies...and only 6 ingredients!  I was so amazed the first time I made these cookies at how much these were like traditional peanut butter cookies.  It made me wonder why I ever used flour in them at all!  Who needs it?  With the addition of chocolate chips (or you could use chocolate chunks) it is another bonus to this very easy to make cookie.  If you have a jar of peanut butter and some eggs, you are pretty much good to go!  I have also made these cookies with cocoa powder to  add some more chocolaty goodness ( if you have been reading my blog, you know how much I love me some chocolaty goodness).

Gluten Free Flourless Peanut Butter
Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you are a peanut butter lover, you have to try these cookies.  If you are not a fan of chocolate, you can leave the chocolate chips out and make them straight up peanut butter (but I don't understand why you would do that, you know?).  They only have a half a cup of sugar, so they are a little less guilty feeling when you down four of them right out of the oven (although peanut butter is not known to be low cal...but it is packed with protein, right?), and they are gluten free to boot!

These are so easy and fast to put together, you should probably start pouring your glass of milk about now, or they will be out of the oven before you have a chance to!  I hope you enjoy them!

GLUTEN FREE FLOURLESS PEANUT BUTTER
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Recipe From: Goodies Gone Gluten Free
Slightly adapted from: Ambitious Kitchen
Yield: 24 cookies
click here for Printable Recipe

1 1/2 cups all-natural creamy peanut butter (or you can use chunky)
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
optional: 1/4 cup of cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In large bowl, mix peanut butter, sugar, vanilla, eggs and baking soda until smooth and well combined.  Gently fold in chocolate chips.

Roll cookies into 2-inch dough balls and place onto parchment lined cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.  Barely flatten the top of each cookie with your hand.

Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes and remove when edges barely begin to turn a golden brown.  The cookies may look a little underdone, but they will continue to cook once you remove them from the oven.  Cool on the cookie sheet for at least 5 minutes; then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Repeat with remaining cookie dough.

Nutella Filled Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies - Gluten Free

Gluten Free Nutella Filled Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Okay, can I just say...yummmm!  If you are a chocolate chip  cookie lover, this is the recipe for you.  If you are also a Nutella lover, this is doubly the recipe for you...and if you are gluten intolerant, you are so in luck!  In this gluten free version of this Nutella Filled Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie I use Domata Gluten Free flour.  So if you have purchased this flour to make my Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Tea Cakes, then here is another use for it!

This cookie has all the yumminess (is that a word?  It is now) of a chocolate chip cookie, slightly crispy around the edges, but gooey in the center, with an added gooey bonus of Nutella oozing out the middle when you take a bite.  It is also made with brown butter (the instructions on how to make brown butter are in the recipe), which gives it an extra rich, nutty flavor.  This cookie also contains three different types of chocolate chips...oh the melty chocolaty goodness of it all!  These Gluten Free Nutella Filled Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (wow that is a mouthful) take a little more loving kindness to make than a traditional chocolate chip cookie, as you have the extra step of filling the middle with Nutella...but it's oh, so worth the extra effort!

To make it easier on myself, I used the Domata flour which measures cup for cup with the regular recipe , instead of  measuring out a bunch of gluten free flours and starches, .  If you can't find this particular flour, any gluten free flour that states it measures cup for cup should work.

I really stuffed a few of them with a lot of Nutella, which made me have to add more cookie dough, so it made some "monster cookies" that were really fun, and came out just as good as the smaller ones.  Don't tell my kids, but they made a really good breakfast (I'm so bad).  Hey, they have some oatmeal in them.  That should justify them as breakfast fare!

These Gluten Free Nutella Stuffed Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are a real treat and will so please every chocolate lover you know...whether they are gluten intolerant or not!  I even picked the chocolate chips out of the dough before making one of them for my neighbor who is not a fan of chocolate (but loves Nutella) and she loved it.  I hope you try them out!

  If you don't want to miss one of my recipes, make sure and follow my blog by putting your e-mail in the space to the right.  You will then automatically receive my blog in your in box whenever I post!

NUTELLA FILLED BROWN BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES - GLUTEN FREE
Adapted from Ambitious Kitchen
Yield: 2 dozen cookies
Click Here for Printable Recipe

2 cups Domata Gluten Free Flour
1/4 cup gluten free oat flour (ground oats)
3/4 cup gluten free Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) butter
1 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sour cream or plain greek yogurt
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1 jar of Nutella, chilled in refrigerator

In a blender or food processor, measure a 1/4 cup of gluten free oats (I get mine at Trader Joes.  They have a great price on theirs) until it turns into a powder.  Whisk together the flours, baking soda, oats and salt in a bowl and set aside.  Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  The butter will begin to brown on the bottom of the saucepan; continue to whisk and remove from heat as soon as the butter begins to brown and give off a nutty aroma.  Immediately transfer the butter to a bowl to prevent burning.  Set aside to cool for a few minutes.

With an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended.  Beat in the egg, yolk, vanilla, and sour cream (or yogurt) until combined.  Add the dry ingredients slowly and beat on low-speed just until combined.  Gently fold in all of the chocolate chips.

Chill your dough for 2 hours in the refrigerator (this will help it not spread out when baking).  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Once dough is chilled, measure about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball.  Flatten the dough ball very thinly into the palm of your hand.  Place 1 teaspoon of chilled Nutella in the middle and fold dough around it; gently rolling into a ball--it doesn't have to be perfectly rolled!  Make sure that the Nutella is not seeping out of the dough.  Add more dough if necessary.  Place dough balls on cookie sheet, 2 inches apart and very gently, flatten the tops slightly with your hand.

Bake the cookies 9-11 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown.  They will look a bit underdone in the middle, but will continue to cook once out of the oven.  Cool the cookies on baking sheets for a few minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Repeat with remaining dough.

Chocolate Chip Tea Cakes - Gluten Free

I have found a way to "set free from gluten" (Hallelujah, it's been set free!) a lot of the things I love to make and eat, but there are just some things that just can't be made gluten free, so I don my black mourning clothes and then move on.  

Well, it's time for a good ole Hallelujah miracle service! There has been a raising from the dead!  An all time favorite cookie of family and friends that I have made for many, many years that I had counted out and buried in the gluten graveyard of things I had to give up, has been set free of gluten and resurrected!

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Tea Cakes

I'm talking about my Chocolate Chip Tea Cakes.  These cookies are similar to a Mexican Wedding Cookie...except of course mine have chocolate chips and a chocolate drizzle on top (I promise I will post something without chocolate)!  They are super simple to make, but up until now, I didn't think I could find the right combo of flours and starches to get the right texture to this cookie (especially since I tried once and it failed!).

Most of my gluten free baking consists of various gluten free flours (such as brown rice) and starches (potato and tapioca) as well as xanthan gum, which all help take the place of the missing gluten.  Finding the right combination of these flours and starches can sometimes be tricky.  If a recipe calls for two cups of flour, for instance,  and you want to make it gluten free, the rule is to divide that in half, with one cup being gluten free flour, and the other cup a combo of starches...some recipes turn out better than others doing that and some don't...it's a science of trial and error for sure.

I have used flours in some gluten free recipes that all ready have the starches and xanthan mixed in, and it's a relief when they work.  I have to say, though, that when I try to use them cup for cup when revamping a recipe of mine, it doesn't always work. 

While shopping at Walmart, of all places, I found a gluten free flour called Domata, which says it is an easy cup for cup exchange.  They even challenge you on the box to make chocolate chip cookies with this flour using the recipe from the chocolate chip bag...cup for cup.  I took up the challenge, but upped it one by making my Tea Cakes instead.  Here is where the miracle occurred, the jumping for joy, the sheer pleasure in making and eating a Chocolate Chip Tea Cake the same way I used too ( I said eating a cookie, three or four might be more accurate).

The family thanked me too, for bringing these cookies back from the dead, since if I can eat it, I'll make it more...I'm so selfish.

I hope they come out for you too and you enjoy them as much as we do!

CHOCOLATE CHIP TEA CAKES - GLUTEN FREE
makes about 2 dozen cookies
Printable Recipe

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups Domata Gluten Free Flour
2/3 cup finely chopped nuts (I use pecans)
2 cups (12 oz. package) semi-sweet chocolate chips divided

Beat butter and powdered sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy.  Beat in vanilla.  Gradually beat in flour and nuts.  Stir in 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips.  Roll dough into 1-inch balls, place on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 10-14 minutes or until set and lightly brown on bottoms (the gluten free version did not brown as much as the original recipe, so don't expect a golden brown to occur). Cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Microwave remaining chocolate chips in heavy-duty plastic bag on high power for 30 seconds.  Knead.  Microwave an additional 10-20 seconds intervals, kneading until smooth.  Cut a tiny corner from bag and squeeze to drizzle over cookies.  Chill cookies for about 5 minutes or until chocolate is set.  Store at room temperature or in fridge in airtight container (I keep mine in the fridge).