Tag Archives: cookies

Desserts

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies GF/DF/EF

1 Comment

I have to say that I am somewhat of a chocoholic, and these definitely satisfy that.  

 As is the case with thumbprint cookies, there is a little labor involved as you have to fill the cookies.  These cookies, however, are definitely worth it.  And nobody will guess that these are  gluten-free and vegan .

After baking, use the bowl of a teaspoon to create a bowl for the filling
After baking, use the bowl of a teaspoon and gently press about halfway down to create a shallow bowl for the filling
Use a small spoon to place the ganache in each of the cookies (I use a baby spoon)
Use a small spoon to place the ganache in each of the cookies (I use a baby spoon)

 

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Cookies
  1. 1-1/4 xanthum gum
  2. 6 tablespoons tapioca starch
  3. 6 tablespoons potato starch
  4. 3/4 cup sorghum flour
  5. 1/2 cup teff flour
  6. 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  7. 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  8. 3/4 teaspoon table salt
  9. 2 sticks non-dairy margarine (Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks)
  10. 1-1/3 cups sugar, plus more for rolling
  11. 3 tablespoons water mixed with 1 tablespoon ground flax seed
  12. 2 tablespoons canned coconut milk
  13. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache
  1. 1/3 cup honey
  2. 1/3 cup canned coconut milk
  3. 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  4. 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  5. 4 ounces dairy-free chocolate chips (such as Enjoy Life brand)
  6. 2 tablespoons non-dairy margarine (Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks), softened
Cookie
  1. Preheat oven to 350˚. In a small bowl, whisk together xanthum gum, starches, flours, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl cream together margarine and sugar, and beat until fluffy. Add flax seed mixture, coconut milk, and vanilla; mix until combined. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined (it may take about a minute).
  3. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and then roll in sugar. Place one inch apart on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are set. Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Using a teaspoon or a thumb, push down the center of the cookie to create a slight bowl.
Ganache
  1. Combine honey, 1/3 cup coconut milk, vanilla extract and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to simmer and cook until honey dissolves. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes.
  2. Place chocolate chips in a small bowl. Pour honey/coconut milk mixture over chocolate and let stand for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Add margarine, and stir until incorporated.
  3. Spoon ganache into the cookies (I use a baby spoon as it gives me the perfect amount of ganache to fill the cookie, making it less messy). After about 15 minutes, the ganache will set, then you can transfer them to a container where they will keep for 2-3 days. They freeze well too, if you can't eat them all by then (which usually isn't the case with my family).
Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
One Fine Tomato http://onefinetomato.com/
 Something that I like to do with these cookies is sprinkle a little bit of sea salt on them, it gives the cookies some added dimension, and makes it a little more fancy.

Desserts

Jiffy Cookies

Leave a comment

Growing up, one of the most often made cookies in our household was the Jiffy Cookie.  I have no idea where the recipe came from, I just know that it was easy enough that my brothers could make it.  

1 /2 Sugar

1/2 cup Corn Syrup

1 cup Peanut Butter

3 cups rice krispies

You boil the sugar and corn syrup together, mix in the peanut butter, and then the rise krispies.  Easy, and quick (hence the “jiffy”) but definitely not healthy.

I tried swapping out maple syrup for the corn syrup, but the mixture seized up (the variety of sugar molecules in the corn syrup prevents this seizing, which I had forgotten, obviously).  I decided to try it without the sugar or corn syrup, and just use honey.  

Surprisingly, it worked perfectly.

Jiffy Cookies (Sugar-free)
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1/2 cup honey
  2. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
  3. pinch salt
  4. 1/2 cup peanut butter (or sunflower butter)
  5. 2 cups crispy brown rice cereal (I use Nature's Path brand)
Instructions
  1. Place crispy brown rice in medium bowl; set aside. Put honey in small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Boil until bubbles are large, and go an inch high up the pan (technical, I know, but that's the easiest way to tell it's ready). Whisk in cinnamon and salt. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until smooth. Pour over crispy brown rice and stir until combined. Use a cookie scoop to scoop onto parchment or wax paper. Let cool completely.
Notes
  1. Depending on the type of crispy rice you use, you may need to use more or less cereal.
One Fine Tomato http://onefinetomato.com/
 The only remotely tricky part is boiling the honey, but here are some pictures to assist.

IMG_3608
No, not ready yet
IMG_3613
Okay, now we’re ready to stir in the peanut butter

 

Desserts

Hermits, GF/DF/EF

Leave a comment

You may think by the post title ‘Hermits,’ that I’m talking about myself.  While I was a bit of a cyber-hermit, I certainly haven’t been hermitting (yes, I just made up a word) otherwise.  

I have a large family of 28 members and they were all in town for a week.   With our family, there are certain cookies and candy that if they weren’t on the dessert table, there would be an uproar, and Christmas would be ruined.  Okay, maybe there is a little exaggeration there…not really.  Because there are quite a few others in my family that have food allergies, this meant I had to make batches of both ‘normal’ and allergen-free cookies and candy.  

So I have been pretty busy baking both before and after work for quite some time. I will be slowly posting recipes for some of those treats.

Now back to the recipe for the hermit cookie.  I came across these while going through my grandma’s recipes.  Unfortunately, the recipes came with no directions to it (my guess is it was one she copied quickly out of a magazine).   

I did a search for hermit cookies, and found one that was similar to my Grandma’s, and I successfully converted it to be vegan, and gluten-free.  While a humble looking and sounding cookie, they are delicious, travel well, and stay moist.

Hermits
Serves 40
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup raisins
  2. 2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
  3. 8 tablespoons coconut oil
  4. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  5. 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  6. 1/4 cup brown rice flour
  7. 1/2 cup sorghum flour
  8. 1/4 cup teff flour
  9. 1/2 cup tapioca starch
  10. 1/2 cup potato starch
  11. 1 teaspoon xanthum gum
  12. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  13. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  14. 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  15. 1/2 cup molasses
  16. 1/2 cup applesauce mixed with 1 teaspoon baking powder
  17. 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
  18. 1-1/2 tablespoons orange juice
  19. 3/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and adjust oven racks to upper middle and lower middle positions. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a food processor, pulse raisins and ginger until the mixture sticks together and only tiny pieces remain. Transfer to a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together flours, starches, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In a small pan, melt coconut oil with cinnamon, and allspice and cook until fragrant, a few minutes. Stir into raisin mixture. Add brown sugar, molasses, and applesauce mixture. Stir until combined. Stir in dry ingredients and refrigerate for 2-24 hours, until dough has firmed up.
  4. Divide dough into 4 even pieces. Place two pieces on each lined sheet pan. Using a rolling pin or just your fingers, press/roll each portion of dough into an even 10 inch log (if dough is too sticky, sprinkle dough with rice flour), use a ruler to square the edges.
  5. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. Only a shallow indentation remains on edges when touched, but the center will appear slightly soft. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring parchment to a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. In a small bowl, whisk powered sugar and orange juice together to form a glaze. Drizzle over cooled logs, and let sit until glaze is hardened. Slice into 1 inch portions.
Notes
  1. When stored in a container, these cookies remain moist and delicious for a long time.
Adapted from Cooks Country
Adapted from Cooks Country
One Fine Tomato http://onefinetomato.com/
 I have no idea where the name came from.  Maybe because they aren’t glamorous looking like a hermit likely is, or maybe it’s because these are so delicious that you will want to become a hermit and keep all of the cookies for yourself.