Sweet Bites: Gluten-Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Some home cooks roll their eyes and grumble about having to modify their menus for diners with special diets. I’m sure I’ve been guilty of this from time to time as well.
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But honestly it’s not that hard to do. And if you care enough to feed these folks in the first place, it only makes sense to treat them to a world-class meal and expand your culinary repertoire at the same time. 

These days it’s not too difficult to find gluten-free desserts available at specialty bakeries or boxed products in the grocery aisles, and thankfully the quality of g-free goods keeps improving. But there’s something special about a pan of home-baked cookies fresh out of the oven that will never be replicated by a store-bought dessert. To me, oatmeal cookies exemplify the home-made, made with love ethos more than almost any other flavor.
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I’ll wager that your g-free friends and family members will appreciate a warm batch of these Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies even more than a fancy dessert at a 5-star restaurant. Prove me wrong. 

So about today's Playlist -- you know I like to find a musical pairing for each recipe. Today's song from Ninja Sex Party is a RIOT! Hi-larious to the nth degree. Please do enjoy!

Kitchen Tip: More good news! The recipe can be easily adapted for vegans too. Simply swap vegan butter, vegan chocolate chips, and egg replacement for the regular versions. The cookies may spread a bit more and bake a little faster than usual, so keep a close watch – and embrace the homey-ness. Oatmeal cookies are never going to be glamour girls in the world of baked goods, and that’s OK. Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

The Verdict: These Gluten-Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies spread a little more than I would like, they’re quite crispy around the edges, and they crumble easily. These are not Pinterest-ready, look-at-me cookies, but they taste great and inspire much happiness. And ultimately, isn’t that why we take the trouble to bake for our loved ones? Enjoy.

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Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe Source: Epicurious
 
This recipe will be gluten-free if the oats aren’t cross contaminated with wheat/flour products. You can make the cookies vegan-friendly by using butter and egg replacements and vegan chocolate chips.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats, divided
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (or use Earth Balance for vegan)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 large egg (or use Ener-G Egg Replacer)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate chunks or chips (at least 65 percent cacao) (use vegan chocolate chips if desired)
• 1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt

DIRECTIONS:

• Heat oven to 375° and set racks in upper and lower thirds of oven.
• In a food processor or blender, pulse 1 1/4 cups oats until very finely ground.
• Add cornstarch and baking powder; pulse briefly.
• In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
• Add egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.
• Add flour mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in chocolate and remaining oats.
• Drop dough by tablespoons, 2 inches apart, onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle with salt.
• Bake until edges are golden brown, about 15 minutes.
• Cool on sheets 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.