These are the cookies we will be leaving out for Santa this Christmas Eve. I think I finally created a chocolate chip cookie recipe that is gluten-free and good tasting – no small feat since we have tried many recipes over the years. They are liked by friends and family alike. . . and hopefully Santa too. Try them and see if you agree!
This recipe uses rapadura sugar, which is less processed than other other sugars. It is made from unrefined cane sugar so it is full of vitamins and minerals, including iron. Because the color is similar to brown sugar, the cookies tend to bake darker overall. That is why I use white rice flour instead brown rice flour. (I also sometimes add some white cane sugar for the same reason.)
The chocolate chips I use are made by Equal Exchange. (Be sure to check the link below). These chips have only three ingredients, are all organic, contain no GMOs (like soy lecithin), and taste great. (They are available semi-sweet and bittersweet.)
You will also notice that I use grass fed butter in this recipe. Although we are dairy-free my family tends to tolerate good quality butter, preferably raw farm butter. If you need to stay away from butter, you can substitute the coconut shortening (or use ghee) instead.
Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookie
- 1/2 organic coconut/palm oil shortening
- 1/2 cup grass fed butter (or another 1/2 cup coconut shortening)
- 1 cup organic rapadura (sugar)
- 1/4 cup organic cane sugar (optional or another 1/4 cup rapadura)
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract (gluten-free)
- 1 tsp. organic apple cider vinegar
- 1 egg
- 1-3/4 cups organic white rice flour
- 1/4 cup organic tapioca flour
- 1/2 tsp. Himalayan salt
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 cup organic, free trade chocolate chips
Combine the shortening and butter together in a large bowl (if you are using both). Add the sugar, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar and mix well. Add the egg and stir until smooth. In a separate bowl combine the rice flour, tapioca flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir this dry mixture into the wet mixture a little at a time until well combined. Then stir in the chocolate chips.
Preheat oven to 350. Using either a lightly greased baking stone or an aluminum cookie sheet covered with parchment paper, drop one inch size balls onto the cookie sheet about 1-1/2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Start checking them at about 10 minutes to make sure they do not get over baked. (Because of the rapadura sugar, they can get too dark and/or burn more easily.)
Once removed from the oven, let the cookies sit on the baking stone/sheet for a few minutes before using a spatula to remove them. Let them cool before transferring the cookies into an airtight container. Makes about 48 cookies.
This article was written by Sharon Harmon, founder and owner of Life Design for Health. She has a passion for helping people find their way back to optimum health. Please contact Sharon if you would like to know more. There is a great deal of health-related information on her blog and website.