Gluten Freebird

In my book, every day is a cookie kind of day.
In the good old days, freshly baked cookies were the trick to bribing the Comcast man for better cable and coercing colleagues into working on my projects. But post-Celiac, it’s been a little different.
Where is the love with the store-bought cookies (gluten-, dairy-, and flavor-free? Really? You can market that?) that have all the appeal of cardboard? The problem is that I had no confidence in home-baked…until today.

I finally found the chocolate chip cookie recipe that rocks my world. It’s chocolate walnut orange chip, but that can all be tweaked as you like. I love orange and chocolate, so I use the zest of an entire navel orange. You can sub in any mix that you love. Just make sure to account for the baking soda and the xanthan gum to give it a cake consistency.

One of the best parts of baking cookies is eating the dough. While this is good dough, it still isn’t as good as glutenous dough, but that’s ok because these cookies are outrageous. Eaten 4 and counting…

And when they’ve cooled, they’re awesome in ice cream sandwiches (picture here with Vanilla Chocolate-Covered Almond from Thomas Sweet).

The Comcast installer will never know what hit him. Check it after the jump, yo.


Walnut and Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Adapted from Cooking Gluten Free!)

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups gluten-free baking mix (I use Mr. Ritt’s)
1/2 tsp xanthan gum (if not included)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1 orange, zest only
2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375

Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well after each addition. Combie flour, xanthan gum (if using), soda and salt in a bowl. Add to the butter and eggs in a steady stream mixing well.

While mixing on medium speed, add nuts, orange and chocolate chips.

Drop dough by spoonful onto ungreased baking sheet or parchment paper. Bake 12 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Transfer to baking rack to cool.