Double Chocolate Cookies

                                       

Are you looking for a hearty snack that includes chocolate? 

Complements:  The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook

1/3 cup softened virgin coconut oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup walnuts (or pecans), ground (optional)
2-4 tablespoons whole cane sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1 cup organic brown rice flour
1/2 cup arrowroot powder
1/3 cup organic cocoa powder (vegan if necessary)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 cup organic chocolate chips (vegan if necessary)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place coconut oil, maple syrup, ground walnuts, sugar, sea salt, vanilla and almond extract into a medium bowl and blend on high with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes. In a separate bowl, mix together the brown rice flour, arrowroot powder, cocoa powder, baking powder and xanthan gum.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and gently mix together with a fork or wooden spoon until well combined.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Grease a cookie sheet with coconut oil.  Form dough into balls then gently flatten between the palms of your hands.  Place on the cookie sheet.  Bake for about 12 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.  Cookies will harden as they cool.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten-free)

If you are allergic to wheat gluten and have craved an old fashion baked chocolate chip cookie then this recipe is a must. It is loaded with butter and brown sugar (not nutritious by any means) which is one reason it resembles a true chocolate chip cookie. The key is using the xanthan gun to help in binding the ingredients together. Even the cookie dough is addicting like any "regular" chocolate chip cookie.

Complements: You Won't Believe It's Gluten Free

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons yogurt (or brown rice milk or cows milk)
1 1/4 cup brown rice flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar in a medium-size bowl. Add the egg. Mix until light and thick. Add all the other ingredients except chips. Beat until thick and creamy. Beat in the chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the prepared pan. Press to a 1/4 - -1/2 inch thickness with moistened fingertips. Bake for approximately 8 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer from the cookie sheet to a rack and let cool completely. Enjoy!

Almond Cookies

These make a hearty snack! They are similar to a shortbread. These cookies contain almost all whole food ingredients.

Complements: Modified from Bob's Red Mill

1 cup oat flour
1 cup almond meal (I blended 1 cup of whole almonds in my Magic Bullet)
1/2 cup butter
3 tablespoons maple syrup
3 tablespoons raw cane sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Wit a mixer, blend the butter, maple sugar and vanilla extract until creamy. Add the almond meal flour and the oat flour and mix until the dough sticks together. Form the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Slightly smash the cookies flat and place an almond in the center. Bake for 25-28 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow cookies to cool completely. Enjoy!

Gingerbread Cookies (vegan and gluten free)

This dough makes a wonderful soft gingerbread cookie. These would be perfect with raisins for the buttons and eyes, but I only thought of this after I baked them. They make a lovely holiday snack!

Complements: The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook

1/2 cup softened coconut oil
1/4 cup whole raw cane sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups brown rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons xantham gum
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ginger

In medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, sugar, maple syrup, molasses, pumpkin puree, vanilla and sea salt. In a separate bowl, combine the brown rice flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, and spices. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well with a wooden spoon. Form dough into a ball and wrap in waxed paper; place in the refrigerator to chill for about 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly flour a surface for rolling out your dough. Place the dough on the surface and roll until it is about 1/4 inch think. Cut out with your favorite cookie cutters and then place cookies onto an oiled baking sheet. You may decorate the cookies before baking by gently pressing whole nuts or raisins into the cookies. I used very old cinnamon balls that I found in my baking supplies. I will do raisins next time! Bake for about 12-15 minutes. Then remove from cookie sheet and place onto a rack to cool. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Sugar Cookies

These are delicious covered in chocolate, dipped half in chocolate or topped with my favorite vanilla cream frosting (recipe follows). If you can't have gluten and are craving a good iced sugar cookie (or chocolate covered) this recipe is a must!

2/3 cup raw cane sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup brown rice flour (or white rice flour for a little lighter cookie)
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons milk (any kind you use)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together sugar, shortening, and vanilla with electric mixer to partially combine. Add rice flour, tapioca flour, baking soda and salt. Mix on low; slowly add rice milk until dough is smooth. Roll dough out (1/2 inch thickness) and cut into desired shape. Bake 12-15 minutes or until edges are golden and tops are cracked. Remove from oven, let cool 1 minute on baking sheet, then remove from baking sheet, and cool completely on flat surface. Dip in chocolate or cover with frosting (or eat them plan). Enjoy!

Vanilla Cream Frosting:

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons milk (or half-n-half)
1 3/4 cup confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Beat all ingredients together until smooth. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Ginger Snaps

If you can't eat gluten and are looking for holiday cookies to make this recipe might make your list!

Complements: Enjoy Life's Cookies for Everyone!

Cookies
3/4 cup butter
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
1 cup brown sugar (or 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup honey)
1/4 cup flax meal
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup brown rice flour (they use white rice flour)
1/2 cup rice bran (I used oat bran because that is what I had)
1/3 cup tapioca flour
5 teaspoons water (may be able to omit most or all of the water if you are using 1/2 cup honey)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Icing (I recommend cutting it in half, you can just drizzle the icing)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter, molasses, brown sugar, flax meal, and salt. Mix in rice flour, bran, tapioca flour, 5 teaspoons water, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon; form into ball. Dough will be dense. Pinch off pieces of dough, and roll into 1-inch balls. Place about 12 balls on greased baking sheet. Flatten balls with spatula. Bake about 12 minutes, until middles are firm. Let cookies cool 1 minute on baking sheet before removing to flat surface to cool completely. To make Icing: Mix sugar and lemon juice until mixture reaches spreadable consistency. Drizzle over or frost cooled cookies. Makes 2 dozen. Enjoy!

Note: They also use flax meal instead of an egg. If you don't have flax meal try using one egg instead, although I encourage you to keep flax meal on hand if you don't already. Flax meal is a great way to get essential fatty acids without any added cholesterol or saturated fat.

Salted Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Salted Carmel seems to be the big thing right now. Salted chocolate anyone? These are truly a divine chocolate fix. They are soft and chocolate rich all the way through. The salt gives these cookies an extra bite. These are a "pure indulgence".

Complements: www.annieseats.blogspot.com

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoons sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used 1 cup of chocolate chips)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the 8 ounces of chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, and heat until the chocolate and butter are melted and smooth, stirring occasionally. In another mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs, brown sugar and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until the sugar has completely dissolved, about 4 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add the melted chocolate mixture, blending until incorporated. Add in the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in remaining chopped chocolate with a spatula. I let my batter set-up in the refrigerator for a half an hour. Otherwise, it was too soft and the cookies spread out too much. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets about 2-3 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are just slightly soft in the center and crackly on top, about 10 - 12 minutes. Sprinkle lightly with additional salt and let cool on the baking sheets a few minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie

Another great cookie recipe! If you follow my blog you know that my family does not have food allergies, but we love using all sorts of whole grains in our diet. I try to steer away from a lot of recipes that use ingredients you may not already have in your pantry or ingredients that don't always make a successful and tasty product. Although, if you are gluten intolerant and refer to my blog for ideas then I suspect you also have some items in your pantry such as; sweet sorghum flour, tapioca flour or xanthan gum. If you are a family that wants to incorporate as many different whole grains in your baking/cooking as possible then search your local health food store (or natural food section of your local grocery store) for a few of these "not so common" ingredients. Store them in air tight containers and put them to use on occasion. If you see some uncommon ingredients being used in any recipe I post then you can bake with full confidence that the recipe will be fantastic!

This recipe makes 4 dozen cookies

1 cup sweet sorghum flour
1/4 cup millet
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 organic eggs
3 cups rolled oats (gluten free rolled oats if you can not tolerate gluten)
1 cup chocolate chips

Cream the butter and brown sugar. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add all other ingredients and mix until well combined. Spoon balls of dough onto baking sheets and press down a bit to make a cookie shape. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes. Enjoy!

Teff Peanut Butter Cookies

I adore teff flour! It is one of my favorites. Unfortunately it is not easy to bake with. Teff flour lacks the protein, gluten. Teff flour has a grainy texture and a denseness to it (both reasons I love it). My children and husband do not care for these slightly crumbly cookies. Although, I have been making them for the past 15 years and they are my special treat :). Teff flour is very high in both protein and iron.

Complements: I got this recipe from a whole foods cooking class, but I have also seen it on the back of a bag of teff flour from Bob's Red Mill

1 1/2 cups teff flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set aside an ungreased cookie sheet. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients, set aside. In a mixer blend syrup, oil, vanilla and peanut butter. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients; blend well. Shape dough into walnut size balls. Place on cookie sheet and flatten gently with the tines of a fork. Bake about 13-15 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Yields about 24 cookies. Enjoy!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie (wheat-free)

Yes, I have posted yet another chocolate chip cookie. These are great snacks around our house. Especially when they include a variety of different grains and sweetened with honey or maple syrup. (Beats any store bought granola bar!) I typically add chocolate chips instead of raisins, but they are both good. :) This recipe is from one of my wholefoods cooking class.

6 tablespoons cold-pressed oil
1/2 cup maple syrup (I used 1/4 cup maple syrup and 1/4 cup honey this time around)
1 egg
1/2 cup water
1 cup whole grain kamut flour (a cousin of wheat)
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup oat bran
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups oatmeal (we always use extra thick rolled oats)
1/2 cup raisins (or chocolate chips)
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix oil, maple syrup, egg and 1/4 cup water in a medium mixing bowl. Beat well. Add dry ingredients gradually mixing well. Mix in raisins/chocolate chips and nuts. Drop on cookie sheet and bake about 10 minutes or until done to suit your taste. Enjoy!

Gluten Free and Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie

This makes a great snack for kids. They are getting good protein (garbanzo bean flour), healthy fats (safflower oil) and an alternative to wheat (brown rice flour). Also, who would pass up a "cookie" filled with chocolate. Chocolate happens to be full of healthy flavanoids, oleic acid (raises good cholesterol) and phenyl ethylamine (a mood enhancer) just to name a few benefits of chocolate. (Always choose dark chocolate for less sugar!)

Complements: Flying Apron

2 3/4 cups brown rice flour
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon garbanzo bean flour (found in most health food stores or Fred Meyers carries Bob's Red Mill brand)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup safflower oil (the recipe calls for canola oil, but I lean towards a safflower oil as the better of the two vegetable oils)
1 cup organic whole cane sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup rice milk
1 cup (8 ounce) dairy-free dark chocolate chips (of course you can use any kind you want if you aren't vegan or dairy sensitive)
3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional, but adding nuts increases the protein and good fats so highly recommended)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the brown rice flour, garbanzo bean flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the oil, cane sugar and vanilla until well mixed. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and rice milk alternately, a little at a time, until smooth, about 3 minutes (this really helps the garbanzo been flour blend in too, my opinion :)). Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Scoop the dough onto cookie sheet. Bake until golden and slightly firm to the touch, about 15 minutes. These are excellent. Enjoy!

Basic Brown Rice Flour Cookies

I can't encourage you enough to bake with various grains! These are simple and the brown rice flour is a wonderful change from whole wheat pastry flour. Because brown rice does not have gluten the tapioca flour is added to help in the binding of the dough. Tapioca flour is a starch derived from cassava root. I love the texture it adds to baked goods. You can find tapioca flour in health food stores or in most grocery stores in their "natural food" section. It is fairly inexpensive. Go out on a limb and give these cookies a try. I believe you will NOT be disappointed. Kids will gobble these up without a second thought (especially if chocolate is added). They make a healthy snack and almost guilt-free!

1 14 cup brown rice flour
1/2 tapioca flour
1/2 cup nuts, oven roasted and ground into a powder (place nuts (I used pecans and almonds) on baking sheet and place in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes. Remove nuts and place in a small blender (I use our Magic Bullet) and grind into a powder)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup oil of choice (I used 3 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons of safflower oil)
3/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla
chocolate chips to your liking (optional, but necessary in my opinion)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all the dry ingredients. Combine all the wet ingredients. Combine the wet with the dry, mix. Drop the dough by the tablespoon on to a cookie sheet. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes, or slightly longer for a crispier cookie. Enjoy!

Note: This last time I made this recipe (the batch pictured above) I realized I only had 1/2 cup of brown rice flour left. So I added 1/2 cup brown rice flour, 1/4 cup millet flour, 1/4 cup oat flour and 1/4 cup kamut flour (I love combining flours!). The cookies were delicious. You really can't go to wrong when you have a good recipe in the first place.

Soft Ginger Maple Cookies

Oh my goodness! These cookies have a crunchy rim, a soft center and are super delightful. (I know I get excited about most of the things I post, but I just can't help it. We love good food. ;))

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon cream (or half-n-half, or milk of your choice_
1/8 cup molasses
1/8 cup real maple syrup
3 tablespoons sugar (for rolling the balls of dough into)

In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Whisk together and set aside. In a larger bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat for about 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Add the cream, molasses, and maple syrup and beat on low until incorporated. Gradually add the dry ingredients and stir until all the white streaks have disappeared. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the 3 tablespoons of sugar into a bowl. Measure out about 1 level tablespoonful of dough for each cookie. Roll the dough into balls and roll the balls into the sugar. Place the balls on the cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each one. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a cooking rack. Allow the cookies to sit for 5 minutes. Yields about 26 cookies. Enjoy!

Sugar Cookie

These are a delicate, crispy and melt in your mouth sugar cookie! Pure indulgence :).

1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup oil
1/4 tablespoon vanilla
2 eggs
5 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream together powdered sugar, granulated sugar and butter. Add oil, vanilla and eggs to creamed ingredients and mix. Scrape sides of mixing bowl and add flour, soda, cream of tartar and salt. Mix at medium speed for 2 minutes (the batter will be light and fluffy). Scoop cookie dough onto cookie sheets. Press cookie with plastic cup dipped in sugar or cookie sprinkles. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes (lightly brown around the edges). Enjoy!

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

This is a wonderful alternative to an unbleached white flour peanut butter cookie. It uses sorgum flour which you can find fairly inexpensive at any health food store (or Fred Meyer). Sorgum is a grass that is harvested similar to the way you would harvest wheat. I don't use it very often, but in a cookie like this it is an excellent alternative to wheat and our bodies will thank us for the change! This recipe does use white sugar and brown sugar so maybe I should put it under my "pure indulgence" section ;).

1/3 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup sorghum flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 cup quinoa flakes (or rolled oatmeal, but quinoa flakes are a wonderful alternative and highly nutritious)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons oil
6 tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 cup cane sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vanilla rice milk (sorgum flour tends to be dry so adding an extra liquid helps)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place all dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. In a mixer add oil, peanut butter, cane sugar, brown sugar, vanilla rice milk and vanilla. Blend well. Add dry ingredients and mix until blended. To make them a nice giant size (like the picture) scoop 1/3 cup of dough and roll into a ball. Then use a fork to flatten out. You can fit about 6 on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes (or until brown on the tops). Enjoy!

Mud Puddle Chocolate Cookies

Complements of: grouprecipes.com
I let the kids pick out a cookie to make today. All they needed to hear was the name "mud puddle" and they were sold. I was skeptical, but I was very happy with the results. This cookie tastes similar to a chocolate shortbread (high fat content contributes to that). Terrific Recipe!

1 cup of butter
1 cup of sugar
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup safflower oil
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cup of flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt

For the chocolate ganache:
4 oz of semi-sweet chocolate
2 tablespoons of heavy cream

In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in the egg yolks. In a separate bowl whisk the oil, cocoa powder and vanilla together. Add to butter mixture. Blend well. Add the flour and salt to the wet mixture and mix until combined. Scoop out balls of dough into 1 inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. After removing the cookies from the oven use a rounded spoon to gently press an indention or "puddle" into the middle of each cookie. Let cookies cool. To make the ganache slowly melt the broken up chocolate in the microwave. Whisk in the cream. Place mixture into a small sandwich bag and squeeze out the air. Cut a small corner from the bottom of the bag. Pipe the chocolate ganache into the small puddle or indention of each cookie. If you have extra ganache you can even drizzle it over the cookie in a zig zag. Cool completely. They also freeze well. Enjoy!

Guilt-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

I created these for a whole foods cooking class. These cookies are vegan. No animal products are used to make them. They are super yummy!

1 1/2 cup rolled oats toasted and ground into a powder
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or for a wheat-free cookie use spelt flour)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted (optional)
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup safflower oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place toasted ground oats, flour, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Stir well. Add nuts and chips and stir again. Combine oil, syrup and vanilla in small bowl. Whisk until emulsified. Stir wet ingredients into dry. Drop onto prepared baking sheets. Bake 12 - 15 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool. Enjoy!

Good Old Chocolate Chip Cookies

Compliments of: closetcooking.blogspot.com

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/8 cup of flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chip cookies

Whip together the butter and sugars. Add the egg and continue mixing. Add the remaining ingredients and blend. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. Enjoy!

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)

In a large bowl, stir together the peanut butter, sugar, egg, baking soda and chocolate chips. Roll dough about 1 heaping tablespoon at a time, into balls. Lightly crisscross the top of the cookies with a fork. Bake @ 350 degrees for 11 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on cookie sheet; transfer to racks to cool completely. Enjoy!

Oatmeal Cookie

1 cup honey
3/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups extra thick rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 cup raisins or dates (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat honey, butter and vanilla until smooth. Add egg; mix until well blended. Add combined flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; mix well. Stir in oats, nuts and raisins; mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake 9 - 11 minutes. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack. Enjoy!