OATMEAL COCONUT/NUT RAISIN COOKIES (GF/DF)

 Six months surely can go by quickly. Seems like I just had my teeth cleaned yesterday. If you follow me, you know that I always take a treat to the dental staff. I tell them it is a bribe so they won't hurt me. They never have, but there is always a first time for everything. (Just kidding.) I enjoy seeing and hearing their pleasure when they try them. One of the hygienists needs GF and another one prefers little or no sugar. So I am always looking for a recipe that meets those requirements or I can make it with substitutions to meet those requirements.

This recipe came from an older small booklet type Pillsbury County American Cookbook. I just made sure the ingredients were GF and substituted sugar substitutes. I usually don't add nuts to their treats just in case. Since the recipe called for a whole cup of chopped nuts, I felt I needed to substitute something so the consistency would be similar. I had unsweetened coconut so I added a half a cup of it for the nuts. (We like coconut in our treats.)

Since the recipe called for shortening, I didn't expect the cookies to spread. I left the cookie dough for the first pan as a "dollop", but then the next three pans, I flattened the dough with my fingertips as I liked the looks of the "flatter" cookie than the "dropped" cookie. 

Print recipe.

OATMEAL COCONUT RAISIN COOKIES (GR)

3/4     cup shortening

1          cup firmly packed brown sugar (I used truvia brown sugar complete)

1/2      cup sugar (I used stevia)

1          egg

1/4      cup water

1          teaspoon vanilla

1          teaspoon cinnamon

1/2      teaspoon cloves

1          cup pancake mix (I used a GF pancake and baking mix)

1          cup chopped nuts (I substituted 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut)

2         cups rolled oats (I used GF rolled oats)

1          cup raisins (Mine were GF)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Cream the shortening, brown sugar, and sugar in a large mixing bowl until soft and creamy (about 2 minutes).

Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Add egg, water, vanilla, cinnamon, and cloves.

Blend until completely mixed up.

Lightly spoon the pancake mix into a measure cup and level off.

Add the pancake mix,  oats, raisins, and nuts or coconut. Mix until blended.

Using a tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the dough and flatten off before dropping 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet.

Cookies do not flatten much so if you prefer a flatter cookie, press lightly with finger tips to have a flatter cookie.

Bake 12 minutes or until golden brown on the edges.

Immediately remove from cookie sheets and cool on wire racks.

Makes almost 4 dozen cookies.

No changes for high altitude (above 3500 feet)

HEALTHY COOKIES

 I hesitate saying "Healthy Cookies" even though that 's what they are called because so many people are turned off when you tell them they are egg-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, and no-sugar-added. I had several people eat theirs before they left the Cafe at church so they could tell me what they thought and they said they were really good. A few people came for them because someone had suggested it.

Cafe Treats Baker Jean said she would make them again and I know I will be making them for us. I hope you will give them a try. I don't think you will be disappointed especially if you are wanting to enjoy a treat but have issues with allergies or watching your sugar intake.

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HEALTHY COOKIES

3     mashed ripe bananas

1/3  cup unsweetened applesauce

2     cups gluten-free oats

1/4  cup almond milk (oat milk works)

1/4  cup raisins or nuts

1      cup dark chocolate chips (no sugar added)

1      teaspoon vanilla

1      teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookies with parchment paper. Set aside.

Mix all of the ingredients together until well blended. 

Using a tablespoon scoop, drop the "dough" onto the cookie sheet with a little space between them. They will not spread when baked. Bake for about 20 minutes. 

Cool.

GF, SF - OAT FLOUR CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Going to the dentist has never been on my Love to Do List. When I was little, my mother would stay in the room with me and my dentist. (I was four when I first started going to Dr. Grumbles. I stuck with him through college.) I always thought when I was little that she stayed there the whole time, but when I was older she admitted to me that she would leave and go sit down eventually. 

Later when Wayne and I lived in Biloxi, MS, I would wear headphones and have music blaring in my ears so I didn't have to hear the scraping noise, etc. Even later when we lived in Ventura, CA, I took my Walkman and listened to my CDs. The Eagles and Phil Collins (Just another day in Paradise - you got that wrong) got me through dental appointments with Dr. Namikas and Karen, his dental hygienist. Karen thought if she didn't scrape for an hour, she wasn't doing a good job.

Then we moved to Kansas City, MO and I decided I was grown up enough that I would try without anything. Brave? Right, but it worked. I liked the hygienist Linda and she didn't think you had to scrape for an hour. 

The office eventually changed ownership and Dr. Graue is awesome and his staff has grown immensely. Dee, the receptionist, and Sandy, his assistant haven't changed the whole 16 years I have been going to the practice and they always greet me with a smile and it feels like family. I have never brought my music in to listen to to distract me, but I hold my hands in my lap and pretend it is Jesus holding my hand. That helps me relax especially during the little bit of scraping, etc.

After I started my blog, I started bringing a treat for the staff to share each time I came. I jokingly told them it was a bribe so they were be kind to me and not hurt me. I always tried to bring something not too sweet, afterall, I am taking it to a dentist office, but over the last year or so, Dr. G. has added hygienists who require gluten-free or sugar-free. Of course I wouldn't take something that only a few could enjoy so my collection of recipes is changing somewhat. It really isn't that big of a deal, because I also like to have a GF and/or SF options for the Cafe Treats at church.

As I expected hearing that I had brought GF-SF Chocolate Chip Cookie was very well received in the office. As soon as Chelsea, my hygienist finished cleaning/polishing my teeth, she left to go eat a cookie. She came back while Dr. G. was examining my teeth and said if she had been wearing a mask, she would have thought she was eating a Chips-a-Hoy cookie. That's a pretty high recommendation, I think. 

They don't look like a Toll House cookie, but they are really good and I am sure I will be making them again for us. When I do, I will probably make my own oat flour by grinding up old fashioned oats since I don't have to have gluten-free. (FYI - oats are naturally gluten-free, but only oats that say GF have been processed on equipment limited for GF products.)

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GF, SF - OAT FLOUR CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

2-1/2   cups oat flour

1         teaspoon cornstarch

1/2      teaspoon baking soda

1/4      teaspoon salt

1/2      cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

3/4      cup light brown sugar (Sweet Complete Brown)

1/4      cup sugar (stevia)

1         large egg, room temperature

2         teaspoons vanilla extract

1         cup no-sugar-added chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the oat flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt with a whisk. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugars for 3 minutes on medium speed. (If necessary, stop and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.)

Combine the egg and vanilla and

add to creamed mixture.

Beat until smooth and well combined.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and

mix just until combined.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough using a cookie scoop (press in if necessary). Form into a ball if necessary when you release it from the scoop and place 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Flatten with your fingers.

Bake for 8 to 9 minutes until edges are set.

Cool for 3 minutes on the pan before removing them to a wire rack to cool. 

Store in an airtight container.

 

WHITE CHOCOLATE CRANBERRY BLONDIES

 

Each Sunday we try to offer a gluten-free and a sugar-free treat at the Cafe at Platte Woods United Methodist Church.  I had an idea last week that I would buy a cake mix that was gluten-free and sugar-free so then I could make one treat instead of two. I was so excited. Then when I started to gather the ingredients, I noticed on the back of the box that the cake mix was prepared using almond and coconut flour. That wouldn't work at all since the Cafe is a "nut-free zone". So I put the cake mix back in the pantry and got out the gluten-free biscuit and baking mix that is made with rice flour. 

In the past that is what I have used when I had to make something that was gluten-free. It actually works well in a regular recipe like this one and just omit the baking powder, baking soda, and salt that the regular recipe called for. I have done this several times and it has worked well every time.

I used the brown sugar instead of my brown sugar complete so I did have a different treat to offer for no-sugar-added. I cut the servings small as I always do but I only took half of the pan so I can freeze the rest and share them again next Sunday.

PRINT RECIPE.

WHITE CHOCOLATE CRANBERRY BLONDIES

1       cup dried cranberries

2       cups hot water

3/4    cups (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar

4       teaspoons vanilla

2       large eggs

1-1/2 cups flour*

1       teaspoon baking powder*

1/2    teaspoon salt*

1       cup white chocolate baking morsels

*I substituted 1-1/2 cups gluten-free baking mix for the flour, baking powder, and salt for gluten-free blondies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13 - inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.

Chop the dried cranberries while you boil the water.

In a medium sized bowl combine the dried cranberries with the hot water and

allow to set for 1 minute.

Drain.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer

until light and fluffy, at a minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl at least once.

Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time,

blending well each time.

In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients if you are not using the gluten-free baking mix. 

Add dry ingredients or baking mix to the creamed mixture and

mix to combine.

Fold in the cranberries and white chocolate morsels.

Spread the batter evenly into the pan.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top is a light golden brown and tests done with a toothpick. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting.

Cut into squares or desired serving size pieces.

CHOCOLATE CHIP BARS (SF)

 I'm not sure where 2023 has gone but it has gone so quickly. Next week I will have a personal celebration for starting something that turned into the Cafe Treats at Platte Woods United Methodist Church. I was hoping I would start something when I asked if I could bring something for the Cafe to go along with the coffee. I just didn't realize I would be heading it up. I started asking a few friends if they would be willing to make and bring something - cookies or mini-muffins - and leave out any nuts so no one would be concerned about eating anything. I put out a volunteer sign-up sheet and to my surprise people signed up. How exciting! 

We started with just three people volunteering each Sunday (each brought 3 dozen of whatever) and a month later we were up to five volunteers. Now we usually have at least seven different treats. We now try to have at least one gluten-free treat and one zero-sugar treat. It is always a popular place in the welcome center and that not just because of the coffee and hot tea while that is welcomed. The hot cocoa and spiced tea has been quite popular this winter.

Saturday afternoon I wanted to make something sugar-free since I didn't get anything made for last Sunday. I had seen this recipe on Facebook and even though the picture didn't look tempting, I thought I would give it a try. I used a zero-sugar yellow cake mix and no-sugar-added chocolate chips so I would have a sugar-free option.

I used my 8 x 11 - inch glass baking dish so the bars would be a little bit thicker. You could use a 9 x 13 - inch baking dish, but the bars will be thinner. Watch and adjust the baking time if you do decide to use the bigger pan. I cut my bars small to have more to offer. If you needed a gluten-free option, just use a gluten-free cake mix. Just make sure the chocolate chips are also gluten-free.

They didn't look anything like the pictured ones on Facebook which was nice. They all went before the second service was over so I am glad I put one aside to eat later. One of our four ministers enjoyed at least two of them as he couldn't help but grab one whenever he walked by the Cafe. He said they tasted great to be sugar-free. I guess I should add that you don't have to use a zero-sugar cake mix either if you don't want to. In fact, there are several different variety of cake mixes that I can think of that might make a really awesome bar. I'll have to consider that when I don't need them to be zero-sugar.

PRINT RECIPE.

CHOCOLATE CHIP BARS

1     box yellow cake mix (I used a Zero-sugar one. You could use any flavor other than a yellow cake mix, if you like.)

2     large eggs, beaten

5     tablespoons butter, melted (substitute oil if you need dairy free)

1     cup chocolate chips (I used no-sugar-added chocolate chips)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8 x 11 - inch baking dish for thicker bars or a 9 x 13 - inch baking dish for thinner ones with a non-stick cooking spray with flour. Set aside.

Empty the dry cake mix into a large mixing bowl and add the beaten eggs and melted butter.

Beat on medium speed until a dough forms.

Add the chocolate chips and

stir until the chips are well distributed .

Drop big spoonfuls of dough into the baking dish leaving a large spoonful in the bowl.

Press the dough evenly to cover the bottom of the dish.

Then take the reserved part 

to fill in as necessary to cover the bottom of the dish.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the edges start to turn brown. ( I needed the full 25 minutes since I was using the smaller sized baking dish.)

Cool completely in dish before

cutting them into bars to serve. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2024.