Sunday, September 11, 2011

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Remix

I have been FaceBooking and blogging for a little while now and through my online journeys, I have met a wonderful gluten free blogger named Shirley Braden who writes a blog and has a website called Gluten Free Easily. She comes up with wonderful recipes that are simple and easy to make and what she doesn’t write, she finds and shares. Yesterday, she posted this recipe on FaceBook. The original recipe was not gluten free (gf) and when I saw that she had made it gf, I was very happy. I knew this was a recipe I had to make immediately.

I bake differently than most people. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying that “baking is an exact science”. Well sorry, that’s not for me. I substitute a lot (also what you're not supposed to do) and I use less sugar and salt in all my recipes or when trying other recipes. I have not found it to be a problem with the end result, I am happy with it and so is my husband, Jim.

This recipe was no different. As soon as I read the ingredients, the substitutions were running through my head like a scrolling marquee - this for that, less of that, etc. It’s not radically different than Shirley’s, but I do recommend you read her recipe first before reading mine. She has other info of interest - especially if you’re gf.

Yesterday was my Farmer’s Market day and at the Market, there are a lot of vendors offering fresh, tasty treats. One vendor had some gf chocolate cookies, so I bought one to try - it was $2! As I’m leaving the Farmer’s Market I realized that I didn’t buy anything for Jim (if I buy for me, I buy for him), so I went back to the same vendor and she had these huge not gf chocolate chip cookie, so I bought one for Jim. He ate his after lunch and said they were tasteless. After having one of my cookies this morning, I asked him how it was and how it compared to the one he had yesterday and he said that it was good and was better than the one he had yesterday - that made me very happy.


Spaced these a little too close to each other.


Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookie Remix 

1 c. softened, unsalted butter
1 c. not packed light brown sugar (I just scoop it)
½ c. granulated sugar
2 eggs at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1¼ c. brown rice flour
¾ c. arrowroot powder
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tb. flax meal
½ tsp. salt
1 c. dark chocolate chips
½ c. pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Beat butter until creamy, then add in brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat until well combined. Add in eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla and beat until incorporated. In another bowl measure in flour, arrowroot powder, baking soda, and salt - stir with a whisk to combine and break up any lumps. With your mixer on low, mix the flour and butter mixtures together a little at a time - process until they come together. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Using your 1 tablespoon measure, place 1 tablespoon on your baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes until set.

These cookies were crunchy around the edges and wonderfully soft in the middle - I ate 2 right off the cooling rack. I usually don't care much for raw cookie dough, but guess who was licking the beater of my mixer? You guessed it, even uncooked, these were yummy. I took some notes as I was baking so I could share with you:

I do not pack my brown sugar and I always use less than the recipe calls for. For years now, I’ve been very conscious of my sugar intake and lessening the sugar by ¼ to ½ cup in all my baking recipes (I even lessen the salt in recipes) - I don’t really care for really sweet snacks or desserts.

The arrowroot powder can be substituted with potato starch or cornstarch, like Shirley used.

I used flax meal because it’s good for you and it was next to the xanthan gum in the frig.

Use any nuts you like, I just happened to have pecans in my freezer.

I decided to make mine 1 tablespoon size - I wanted this to be a small snack, not a big one, and 1 tablespoon is just enough.

I think next time I'll add another ½ of chocolate chips, although, eating the cookie without nuts and chips is really good.

My cookies took 10 minutes to bake nice and brown.

The cookies can be removed immediately from baking sheets - just be sure to place directly on cooling rack without letting them fall in between the bars or they will break.


Whenever I’m baking and working with dough or batter, I always have a mug filled with ice and water near by. I keep my dishing utensils in the cold until I am ready to use them - it really helps with easy dough removal and prevents less stickage.

I got 31 good sized cookies from this recipe.


Happy baking!!


Comments or questions are always welcomed. I would love to hear what you think of this recipe or any of my other posts. Thanks!

4 comments:

gfe--gluten free easily said...

Oh, Faith, I love your adaptation! Less sugar, plus flax and nuts--those alone are great changes! Thanks so much for the sweet words and link love, as well as letting me know about your post on FB. :-)

Shirley

Faith said...

Thanks Shirley. After I posted on your page, I thought maybe I should've checked w/you - I was worried that maybe I overstepped myself, but I'm so glad you like it.

Faith

gfe--gluten free easily said...

Faith--FYI--Others can adapt and share recipes any time. It's only when folks copy another blogger's recipe verbatim without permission that problems arise (e.g., copyright). Anyway, again, I love it and will be making your version soon!

Shirley

Faith said...

Thanks for the FYI Shirley. I would never copy anyone's recipe and call it my own - that's just wrong. Take care.

Faith