One Step Closer...

I'm still on the look out for an easy, vegan, gluten-free, wheat-free cookie recipe. I admit I haven't been trying super duper hard, but I've bought some recipe books & I'm looking...I'm just waiting for certain organic flours to arrive via UPS. Most recipes require a gluten-free flour mixture and/or eggs, so this should be interesting. Plus, the few that I've had, had a distinct tapioca texture. *Sigh*
Yesterday, I got lucky! I came across Dreena Burton's recipe for Gluten-Be-Gone Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies from ED&bV. Thank you Lord for answering my prayers! I got to taste one while it was still warm, but am looking forward to tasting it the day after. This was a very simple recipe & did not require many dishes - which I LOVE! I just used a large mixing bowl & mixed my liquids in my measuring cup. The cookie batter was wet & cohesive - a GOOD SIGN! It wasn't all crumbly & falling apart. This recipe definitely appealed to me because of the small amount of tapioca flour...I still think it was noticeable, but I'm hoping I'll have a different opinion today. *Fingers crossed* Eventually, I would like to replace the brown sugar. I may need to increase the amount of flour as a result...I think I may have also used 1/4 tsp baking powder** instead of 1 tsp. Opps. Also, before baking, I placed the dough in the fridge for about 15 - 30 minutes, giving the brown rice syrup & coco oil a chance to harden & reduce cookie spread.

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Gluten-Free Cookies!
3/4 cup + 1 tblspn brown rice flour/amaranth flour
2 tblspn tapioca flour
1 tsp xanthum gum
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder**
1/4 cup brown sugar (little less)

1/3 cup maple syrup (brown rice syrup, agave nectar & maple)
1/4 tsp blackstrap molasses
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/2 tblspn coconut oil

1/8 cup carob chips
1/8 cup white chocolate chips
1/8 cup coconut flakes, unsweetened
1/8 cup dried cranberries

• In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients + sugar.
• Measure your sweetener in a liquid measuring cup & add to that the molasses, vanilla extract & coconut oil. Stir around to combine.
  
• Poor the wet ingredients into the dry, including the filling (nuts, fruits, chips, etc) & fold to combine.
• Refrigerate dough for ~15 - 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350F & line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Divide dough into 12 balls (~32grams) (Flatten cookie ever so slightly before baking.) Bake for 11 minutes.
  
• Remove from oven & cool on baking sheet for a few minutes.
• Carefully remove from parchment paper, an offset spatula may be necessary, & place on cooling rack.

**I've made this a few more times since this post & one time I used 1 tsp baking powder - the cookies were really puffy & did not spread much at all. Another time I used 1/2 tsp + a little more & the cookies were more to my liking...flatten cookies slightly before baking for 1/2 - 1 tsp baking powder. I've also omitted all dry sugar & added about another tablespoon of brown rice flour with great success.