Saturday, March 3, 2012

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies


Yes, I realize that the cookies above are not the prettiest. Okay, let's be honest - they're ugly. But I promise you that once you taste them, they will look beautiful to you.
A few weeks ago my mom asked me to make cookies for a work thing she was hosting. I found a recipe for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies online, and figured it would be simple to substitute gluten-free ingredients. Oatmeal is commonly thought to contain gluten, but it actually doesn't - many times it is "contaminated" due to the plant it is processed in. It isn't hard to find a gluten-free brand.
I went about making the cookies as normal, adding the gluten-free ingredients and making the usual substitutions as I went. When I took them out of the oven, I almost screamed. They were flat and terrible looking. But then we tasted them. They are delicious! They are crispy and sweet and gluten-free goodness. If you introduce them to people as crisps, they won't even be looked at as ugly.
Note: do NOT try to remove them from the cookie sheet while still very hot - they will crumble and you will cry like a sad toddler. Not that I would ever do that... alright, enjoy! <3

Gluten-Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
(adapted from this Betty Crocker recipe)

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 cups gluten-free oats
1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour (I like to use this blend)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir brown sugar and butter until blended. Stir in vanilla and egg until light and fluffy. Stir in oats, flour, baking soda, xanthan gum and salt; stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
Onto ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart.
Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Enjoy!

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