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!

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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.

Eating Out While Gluten Intolerant (gluten free dining)

Although I love to bake and like to cook...I really like going out to eat.  It is one of my favorite things to do.  When I found out I was gluten intolerant, eating out was so daunting to me that I didn't think I could jump the hurdle of gluten free dining!  I thought I would never enjoy eating out again.

 It still is a pain sometimes, but I have found some places I can get some good things at.  The hardest part for me is having to tell the server I am gluten intolerant and need a gluten free entree.  I found that when asking what might be gluten free or what ingredients are in a dish, they have no idea.  A lot of servers have no idea what gluten even is, let alone what is safe to eat when gluten intolerant.  It is, to me, both frustrating and embarrassing to ask, and get their "deer in the headlights" look.  I drive my family crazy trying to decide where to go that will suit me, and then continue to drive them crazy once there, asking questions of what is in this dish and in that dish and then after they tell me what an item contains...I ask the ultimate question, "Are you sure that's what's in there?"  That question usually makes the server have to go ask the cook (which tells me they weren't really sure in the first place).  So now, I've driven my family, the server, the cook...and come to think of it, myself...crazy.

So I found, for my peace of mind, researching ahead of time (when possible) is the best solution for me.  A good source on line I have found is Adam Bryant's Gluten Free Guide HQ.  He lists a lot of popular restaurants and what gluten free offerings they have.  So I thought I would share with you some of my favorite places and what I get there.  I am only listing what I like to eat at these places, although there are many other choices at most of these places.  There are also many more restaurants that offer gluten free fare for the gluten intolerant, but this is a short list of my finds.   Hopefully some of these places are close to you too and a fit for your needs.

FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS

1.  Pick Up Stix - I really like the Pad Thai.  It is so good I had to go back and ask again after starting to eat it if it was really gluten free!  They have other gluten free options too and were very good at looking things up for me that are gluten free on their menu.

2.  Chipotle - I love getting the burrito bowl at Chipotle.  I am not much of a spicy food eater, so I always get the carnitas, as it is the only non spicy meat they have.  Their chips and guacamole and rice and beans are also safe and so yummy!

3.  Panera Bread - I get their Asian salad (minus the wontons).  I miss having their delicious bread on the side, but the bag of chips helps.

4.  Chick- Fil-A - I love that I can eat the waffle fries here, as they are cooked in a dedicated fryer (at least they are at mine.  Check with your local Chick-Fil-A to make sure).  I can't eat fries at all restaurants, as they usually share a fryer with other breaded and fried items, and that is a bummer to me.  I love their dipping sauce and salads.  They also offer grilled chicken and grilled chicken nuggets that are safe and tasty.

5.  IN-N-Out Burger - Once again, the fries are safe here, a big plus.  You can order the burgers "protein style" and they will wrap it in lettuce (I have to admit, though, I do miss the bun, but at least eating the burger this way is an option).  The shakes are safe too!  Woo hoo!

SIT DOWN DINING

1.  Red Robin - They make gluten free buns for their burgers and their french fires are safe.  The bun is really good.  They also have sweet potato fries which are gluten free and my personal favorite.

2.  Islands - I love that they have a separate gluten free menu and they are so accommodating to food allergies.  The first time I asked for the gluten free menu the manager came to my table to reassure me she would personally make sure all my food was made properly with no cross contamination.  I love their veggie tacos.  So good.  Of course, my all time joy...their amazing fries are also gluten free and fried in a dedicated fryer...I would go there just for the fries (are you getting the idea that I like french fries)!

3.  P.F. Changs - P.F. Changs really goes out of their way to assure their gluten free dishes are protected.  They even serve gluten free entrees on a special plate.  Just tell your waiter you are gluten intolerant.  I love their lemon fish or chicken.  They even have a gluten free chocolate dessert.

4.  B.J.s - Pretty good gluten free pizza.  They have a separate menu too, which I love.  They even have a gluten free pazookie (cookie pizza) which is good.

5.  California Pizza Kitchen - Another good gluten free pizza here and their menu is marked with what is gluten free.  I had their Roasted Veggie Salad this weekend and it was sooo good.

Well, this is just a few of the places and dishes I have tried.  I may list some more, if I find this was helpful to you all.  Please comment on any good places you have been and what you found that was good!

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Gluten Free Chocolate Quinoa Cake

Chocolate Quinoa Cake is one of those goodies you just want to bake because not only does it taste amazing, but it is a great conversation piece, as no one will believe you made it with quinoa and not one ounce of any kind of flour!  You can also tell them they are eating a healthy dessert that is packed with protein and amino acids (I mean, really, you know people are always looking to see how healthy their dessert can be)! This, also, is one of my husband's favorites, and he requests it often (and no, my husband is not the size of a house from eating all my gluten free baking).  It has also gotten rave reviews from others who I have served it to (even my neighbor, who I make try all my goodies, even though she is not so fond of chocolate.  I'm 
trying to convert her!).

Gluten Free Chocolate Quinoa Cake

Quinoa is a gluten free grain that tastes great sauteed with onions, garlic and olive oil...or pureed and mixed with chocolate.  There are not many ingredients you can say both of those things about, right?  Just make sure when making the Chocolate Quinoa Cake you nix the onions and garlic before pureeing the quinoa...because although I am a big fan of chocolate in almost every form, I'm not digging the thought of chocolate, onions and garlic.  I wouldn't have much of a following on this blog if I did, you know?

It is incredible to find that this cake, although containing no flour of any kind, gluten free or not, has a nice crumb to it and is rich and moist.  The few times I have made this cake, it didn't rise much (you might have better luck), but once sandwiched between thick chocolate frosting, it doesn't really matter!  Quinoa is also so easy to find in most all grocery stores, unlike a lot of the gluten free flours. Make sure to rinse your quinoa before cooking it, so it is not bitter.   I hope you try this amazing Chocolate Quinoa Cake out soon.  Let me know if you do!  I love to read your comments!

GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE QUINOA CAKE
recipe from Barefeet in the Kitchen, originally from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Click Here for Printable Recipe

Cake Ingredients:
2 cups cooked quinoa, loosely packed
1/3 cup milk
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Frosting Ingredients:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease two round cake pans (or a 9x13 pan) and then line the bottoms of the pans with parchment (do not skip the parchment or you won't be able to flip the cake out of the pans).

Combine the milk, eggs and vanilla in the blender or food processor and pulse a few times to combine.  Add the cooked quinoa and the butter and puree until completely smooth (this takes a while for me).  Stop the machine as needed to scrape the sides and make sure everything is well mixed.  This will be a thick and creamy consistency once the quinoa is pureed.  Whisk together the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and add the contents from the blender.  Stir until well combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans and bake on a center oven rack for 28-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Remove the cakes from the oven and let cool 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire cooling rack.  Peel off the parchment and let the cakes cool completely before frosting.

Place the chocolate chips in a medium size glass bowl.  Heat the cream in a medium saucepan until it gently simmers.  Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate.  Let this sit a few minutes.  Stir or whisk to combine, until the chocolate mixture is smooth and glossy.  Add the sugar and cocoa powder and stir until completely smooth. 

I poured the frosting over the bottom layer, then laid the top layer on and poured the rest over that and then put the cake in the fridge until the frosting set.  It was quite rustic looking, but great tasting, thick and fudgy.  If you want a more polished looking cake, you can put the frosting in the fridge first for a couple of hours, or until set, and then whip it up with a mixer into soft peaks and then frost the cake.

Gluten Free Spiced Apple Butterscotch Cake

I didn't think I would be too into an apple cake, being the ultimate chocolate lover that I am, until I tried a Butterscotch Apple Cake before going gluten free.  I happily added it to my large collection of recipes, knowing I would certainly make it again...then I had to go gluten free.  What to do...what to do?  Make a gluten free version and spice it up...that's what to do!

Spiced Apple Butterscotch Cake 

After finding a recipe for a gluten free apple cake, I combined the best of the old and new and came up with a Spiced Apple Butterscotch Cake.  It didn't stop there, though.  It's topped with a Homemade Caramel Sauce and Homemade Whipped Cream.  Now we're talkin'!  This cake is a moist, not too sweet cake, with a tangy bite of green apple and pecans.  Butterscotch chips are sprinkled over the top before baking, and add a delicious touch of buttery sweetness, as does the drizzled Homemade Caramel Sauce on top.  This is a great summer dessert.  Enjoy!

SPICED APPLE BUTTERSCOTCH CAKE
Adapted from Barefeet in the Kitchen
Yield: 12-16 servings
Printable Recipe

2 cups brown rice flour
3/4 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup potato starch
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup milk
6 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooked
3 1/2 cups granny smith apples (peeled and chopped)
1 cup chopped pecans
1 package (11 oz.) butterscotch chips
Topping: Homemade Caramel Sauce  Homemade Whipped Cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease a 9x13 pan with butter or cooking spray.  Stir together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, spices and brown sugar.  Whisk the eggs lightly and then whisk in the sour cream and vanilla extract.  Add the milk and butter and whisk until smooth.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir just until combined.  Gently fold in the apples and pecans.

Scrape the batter into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the butterscotch chips.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean.  Serve warm with caramel sauce drizzled on top and a dollop of whipped cream.

Gluten Free Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pao de Queijo)

It is always nice to find a recipe that was not revised to make it gluten free, but was a gluten free recipe to begin with.  While I was trekking through the hot, steamy jungles of Brazil I found such a recipe.   The natives of Brazil had been making this for centuries, and it suited my gluten free life, so I knew I had to add it to my blog (okay, maybe I'm stretching the truth a bit to make my blog more exciting, and hearing about this recipe at a coffee shop in Long Beach, and then finding it on the internet isn't the most exciting story to share.  So, is embellishing the story a little a crime?). 

Gluten Free Brazilian Cheese Bread (buns)

Brazilian Cheese Bread has become a staple at meals for my family.  My husband calls these the "Nectar of the Gods."  He really loves them, and I'm really glad because they are so easy to make and have few ingredients.  They are made with tapioca starch (a.k.a tapioca flour), garlic and cheese.  I have bought my tapioca starch at Walmart, Sprouts and health food stores.  These yummy, naturally gluten free Brazilian Cheese breads (or buns) are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.  I seriously could just sit and eat a whole batch of them right out of the oven, slathered with melting butter.  So good.  Okay, so now that I have your mouth watering, without further ado, here is the recipe!  Enjoy!

Gluten Free Brazilian Cheese Bread (buns)

GLUTEN FREE BRAZILIAN CHEESE BREAD (Pao de Queijo)
adapted from King Arthur Flour
Yield: 20 to 24 buns
Printable Recipe

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups tapioca flour (a.k.a tapioca starch)
2 teaspoons minced garlic (I press mine in a garlic press)
2/3 cup (heaping) grated Parmesan, Romano, or aged Asiago cheese (I use Parmesan)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Lightly grease a mini muffin tin.  Put the butter, water, milk, and salt in a saucepan, and heat until the butter has melted and the mixture has come to a full boil.  While the mixture is heating, put 2 cups of tapioca flour into a mixing bowl.

Pour the boiling butter mixture over the tapioca flour, beating to combine.  Beat at high speed until the mixture becomes smooth and elastic-looking; this will happen very quickly.

Beat the garlic and cheese into the dough until well combined.

Stick your finger into the dough.  If it's uncomfortably hot, let is sit fora couple of minutes to cool a bit; you don't want to cook the eggs when you beat them in.  If it seems hot but not burning hot, continue with the next step.

With the mixer going, gradually dribble in the beaten eggs, beating until well combined and smooth.

Fill muffin tins 3/4 full (I use a cookie scoop.  The mixture will be quite runny).

Bake the buns for about 20 minutes, until they have a freckled appearance (from the browning cheese), and they begin to color a bit.  Remove them from the oven, and serve hot.

Note:  You can warm the left overs up in the oven and they will crisp back up again.  Or if you like them softer, you can warm them briefly in the microwave.