Gluten-free chocolate chip cookies are a dream come true. After all, 7 billion chocolate chip cookies are eaten in the US every year, I would be curious to know how many were gluten-free cookies.
These homemade gluten-free cookies are a sinch to make in under an hour and are a fun activity for children to bake. Let them be creative with their own alternative additions like white chocolate, nuts, dried fruit or spices.
Who invented the chocolate chip cookie?
The chocolate chip cookie was invented in 1930 by Ruth Wakefield who ran an inn, the Toll House in Massachusetts. The story goes that one day she set about making her usual batch of Chocolate Butter Drop Do cookies (a popular colonial recipe), but instead of melting the block of Nestle chocolate (given to her by the very Andrew Nestlé himself) as she normally did, she just chopped it and stirred it into the batter. Expecting them to melt in the oven, they retained their original form, making the cookie moist and gooey – and there you go…a legend was born! Incidentally, to this day, Ruth Wakefield’s recipe ended up being printed on every packet of Nestlé’s chocolate chips.
About this recipe
These cookies are known as “drop” cookies, which means exactly that – dough is scooped and dropped onto a baking tray. If you like your cookies slightly flatter, simply press down with a fork or use your fingers.
To prepare the dough, all you need for this recipe is one large bowl, one small bowl and a small saucepan. The latter is used to create a butterscotch flavour to the cookie by melting the butter with the golden syrup and adding bicarb of soda and boiling water. T
What I love about these cookies are the different additions you can add whether it’s dried fruit, chopped nuts or white chocolate pieces. They also keep for 5 days and travel well, making these perfect for school packed lunches/snacks or picnics.
Freezer Tip
The cookie dough also freezes well. Store the raw dough balls in an airtight freezer container, separating each layer with baking paper. When you are ready to bake, place them directly from frozen onto the baking tray and bake them at 150°C/300°F for 17 minutes.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal & Raisin Cookies
Equipment
- Regular size ice-cream scoop (optional)
Ingredients
- 90 g gluten-free oats
- 220 g store-bought or homemade gluten-free plain flour
- 1 tsp xanthan gum
- ½ tsp gluten-free baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 50 g brown sugar
- 60 g caster sugar
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 110 g butter
- 1 tbsp golden syrup
- 1 tbsp boiling water
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 50 g raisins
- 70 g dark chocolate chips or roughly chopped dark chocolate pieces
Instructions
- Soak the raisins in water for 10 minutes, drain and set aside. This step prevents the raisins from burning during baking.
- Preheat oven to 150°C/300°F.
- Line baking trays with baking paper or silicone mats.
- In a medium bowl, mix the oats, flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt and sugars.
- In a small bowl, mix the lightly beaten egg with the milk and vanilla extract.
- Using a wooden spoon, add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Mix well.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the golden syrup over a low heat.
- Combine bicarb. of soda and boiling water in a small cup and add this to butter and golden syrup. The mixture will foam and rise up instantly. Remove from the heat.
- Stir the warm butter mixture into the cookie mixture, mixing well with a wooden spoon.
- Drain the soaked raisins and add them together with the chocolate to the cookie mixture.
- Roll the cookie mixture into equal balls or use a small ice-cream scoop to drop the balls onto the baking trays 5 cm apart.
- Flatten each ball with a fork or your fingers if you like your cookies flatter.
- Bake for 17 minutes on the middle rack, one tray at a time for even baking.
- Test the cookie doneness by carefully sliding it on the tray with a spatula. Once it freely slides on the tray, the cookies are fully baked.
- Cool them on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to completely cool down.
- Store them in an airtight tin or glass jar. Avoid plastic containers as these make them soft.
Notes
- Keeps for 5 days at room temperature in an airtight tin or glass jar.
- Cookie dough rolled in balls are suitable to freeze
Replace the raisins with halved pecans, walnuts or macadamias.
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