Recipe: Gluten-Free and Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
So, I realize that I don't often (as in ever) post recipes. Which is kind of odd considering the fact that I'm a baker and love to try out just about any tasty recipe, especially cookies, that I can get my greedy little hands on. I also love to challenge myself by trying to find recipes for people with dietary restrictions that don't taste like wet dust or textured like a brick.
I came across an awesome book that I recommend to absolutely anyone who has dietary restrictions (except for diabetics, still working on finding some for you folks), allergies to just about anything, and vegetarians and vegans. It's called 'Welcoming Kitchen' by Kim Lutz (and Megan Hart) and it is amazing. I love it for a lot of reasons: all the recipes are allergen-free, gluten-free, and vegan (not just one or the other) and the ingredients you need to make them are mostly things you find in your pantry or at a local store. I don't have to mix five different types of flours and scour stores for Xantham gum or Guar gum. All you need is some gluten-free flour mix (all-pourpose or oat, either one is now pretty common in most major food store chains. I use Bob's Red Mill Brand, cuz it's awesome.)
Anyhow, here's the recipe I used for the christmas cookies ambulancerobots and I delivered to the firehouses and police station, just in case anyone needed some gluten-free or vegan lovin'. These cookies are pretty oat-y, which I like, but ambulancerobots was making faces at, so if you want a cookie that spreads a bit more, try using only 1 1/2 cups rolled oats.
Also, no pictures, my skill with a camera is sad at best, and I honestly just completely forget about taking pictures and such while I'm busting out recipes in the kitchen. I always remember after they're all eaten or gone. Ah, well.
BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING: Please, if you are making this recipe for someone with a allergy to gluten, do your best not to get any gluten in it accidentally. Make sure you wash all of the tools (bowls, spoons, mixers, cookie pans, etc.) even if they are already clean, before using the ingredients. Make sure you keep all of the items you are using for this recipe well sealed and away from other baking supplies. Don't use ingredients, like the raisins or oats, that have been used before with any other baking recipe (unless it was also gluten-free) because even small traces of gluten can harm someone with a serious allergy. And last but always most important, WASH YOUR HANDS before you start and if you touch anything that does not belong in the recipe.
Gluten-Free Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
1 cup gluten-free oat flour (I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten-free all-purpose flour and it worked fine too)
2 cups gluten-free rolled oats (old fashioned) (note: Please make sure the oats are labelled gluten-free, or they might be from a field near wheat and could contain gluten)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup applesauce (I used unsweetened)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (I'm going to try this recipe again, but replace this with agave syrup. I'll update with the results when I do.)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup allergen-free chocolate chips (again, read the labels, since not all chocolate chips are gluten, dairy or soy-free. If you don't want chocolate, just toss in another 1/2 cup raisins)
2 tablespoons cornstarch (or kuzu root if you have it)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In medium bowl, combine oat (or gluten-free all purpose) flour, rolled oats, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt with a whisk. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine applesauce with baking powder. Add brown sugar, syrup, and oil to the applesauce mixture.
Slowly add dry ingredients to wet. Stir in raisins (and chocolate chips, if using).
Drop batter by rounded teaspoon (I use a small portion scoop) onto ungreased cookie sheets. (Parchment paper is my best friend for these recipes, because I never trust anything other than shortbread to actually come off of a sheet pan cleanly. Just be careful to use parchment and not wax paper, because wax paper tends to smoke).
Bake 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool 3-5 minutes on cookie sheet before removing to cooling racks. Let cool completely. (I think this is more of a guideline than a solid rule. I have a tendency to only let them cool until they're still a bit warm and then I munch on one, or two...or five.)
Enjoy!
So, as you can see, I like to make lots of notes all over my recipes (you should see the scribbles all over my handwritten ones!) hopefully they're a little helpful. These cookies are chewy and oaty and cinnamony, and just plain delicious!
I came across an awesome book that I recommend to absolutely anyone who has dietary restrictions (except for diabetics, still working on finding some for you folks), allergies to just about anything, and vegetarians and vegans. It's called 'Welcoming Kitchen' by Kim Lutz (and Megan Hart) and it is amazing. I love it for a lot of reasons: all the recipes are allergen-free, gluten-free, and vegan (not just one or the other) and the ingredients you need to make them are mostly things you find in your pantry or at a local store. I don't have to mix five different types of flours and scour stores for Xantham gum or Guar gum. All you need is some gluten-free flour mix (all-pourpose or oat, either one is now pretty common in most major food store chains. I use Bob's Red Mill Brand, cuz it's awesome.)
Anyhow, here's the recipe I used for the christmas cookies ambulancerobots and I delivered to the firehouses and police station, just in case anyone needed some gluten-free or vegan lovin'. These cookies are pretty oat-y, which I like, but ambulancerobots was making faces at, so if you want a cookie that spreads a bit more, try using only 1 1/2 cups rolled oats.
Also, no pictures, my skill with a camera is sad at best, and I honestly just completely forget about taking pictures and such while I'm busting out recipes in the kitchen. I always remember after they're all eaten or gone. Ah, well.
BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING: Please, if you are making this recipe for someone with a allergy to gluten, do your best not to get any gluten in it accidentally. Make sure you wash all of the tools (bowls, spoons, mixers, cookie pans, etc.) even if they are already clean, before using the ingredients. Make sure you keep all of the items you are using for this recipe well sealed and away from other baking supplies. Don't use ingredients, like the raisins or oats, that have been used before with any other baking recipe (unless it was also gluten-free) because even small traces of gluten can harm someone with a serious allergy. And last but always most important, WASH YOUR HANDS before you start and if you touch anything that does not belong in the recipe.
Gluten-Free Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
1 cup gluten-free oat flour (I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten-free all-purpose flour and it worked fine too)
2 cups gluten-free rolled oats (old fashioned) (note: Please make sure the oats are labelled gluten-free, or they might be from a field near wheat and could contain gluten)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup applesauce (I used unsweetened)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (I'm going to try this recipe again, but replace this with agave syrup. I'll update with the results when I do.)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup allergen-free chocolate chips (again, read the labels, since not all chocolate chips are gluten, dairy or soy-free. If you don't want chocolate, just toss in another 1/2 cup raisins)
2 tablespoons cornstarch (or kuzu root if you have it)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In medium bowl, combine oat (or gluten-free all purpose) flour, rolled oats, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt with a whisk. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine applesauce with baking powder. Add brown sugar, syrup, and oil to the applesauce mixture.
Slowly add dry ingredients to wet. Stir in raisins (and chocolate chips, if using).
Drop batter by rounded teaspoon (I use a small portion scoop) onto ungreased cookie sheets. (Parchment paper is my best friend for these recipes, because I never trust anything other than shortbread to actually come off of a sheet pan cleanly. Just be careful to use parchment and not wax paper, because wax paper tends to smoke).
Bake 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool 3-5 minutes on cookie sheet before removing to cooling racks. Let cool completely. (I think this is more of a guideline than a solid rule. I have a tendency to only let them cool until they're still a bit warm and then I munch on one, or two...or five.)
Enjoy!
So, as you can see, I like to make lots of notes all over my recipes (you should see the scribbles all over my handwritten ones!) hopefully they're a little helpful. These cookies are chewy and oaty and cinnamony, and just plain delicious!