Gluten Free Pumpkin Chip Cookies Recipe

Quick and simple.  Easy and delicious.  Chocolate and pumpkin.  Who could ask for anything more?

My sister makes these wonderful pumpkin chip cookies.  They are amazing.  They are delicious.  But alas they are not gluten free.

So I've had a real taste for these lately.  Because it's October.  And I'm suddenly hungry for anything pumpkin.  What's a gluten free homemaker to do?  Grab a box and a can out of her pantry - that's what!

SPH Gluten Free Pumpkin Chip Cookies
1 box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix, made per package instructions
1 cup pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350.  Add pumpkin to cookie dough, stirring well to combine.  Dough will be very soft.  Drop by spoonful/scooperful onto greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet.  Bake for about 12 minutes.  Allow to cool completely before removing from cookie sheet.  Try not to devour the whole batch before sharing with spouse, children, etc.

These are delicious just like this.  Not too sweet, but very cake-like for a very dessert feel to them.  However, if you really want to play around with them...

Add some pumpkin pie spice.  No more than 1/2 teaspoon.  Chocolate and spices go very well together.  Want them sweeter?  Dust with powdered sugar either before they cool (for more of a glaze effect), or after they cool.  Or, before baking, roll them in cinnamon/sugar.

No pumpkin?  Fool your kids and use either leftover baked squash or sweet potatoes.

Enjoy!




This recipe linked to Very Good Recipes.

Gluten Free Secret Ingredient Cookies

The question for the Mommy Panel recently was how to get picky eaters to eat their vegetables.  Here is your new secret weapon in this battle...

This is another recipe that I found in that same stack of hand-me-down magazines.  I tweaked it to make it gluten free.

SPH Gluten Free Secret Ingredient Cookies
inspired by a recipe by Candace Zaugg
Taste of Home Magazine, February/March 2008
1 box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup shredded carrots (I do mine in the food processor to make them extra fine)
1 cup gluten free granola (I used Jessica's Natural Foods Chocolate Chip)
1 3-oz. package chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix the cookie dough according to package directions.  Stir in carrots, granola and walnuts.  Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheet (I use a cookie scooper).  Bake for 18-20 minutes.  Allow to cool completely, then eat and enjoy!

These would also be lovely dusted with a little powdered sugar if you are so inclined.  We just LOVED them plain!

Another variation:  use grated zucchini.  And the trick with grated zucchini - let it drain in a fine mesh strainer for at least a couple hours before you bake with it.  Zucchini is almost all water.  By draining it first, the water has a chance to escape before the zucchini gets cooked.  No fine mesh strainer?  Use some cheesecloth in a regular colander.  Works just as well.

Feed a few of these to your picky eater, and tell them the secret ingredient is love.

Have a great day!



Recipe linked to Very Good Recipes

Gluten Free Girl Scout Cookie Brownie Bars Recipe

We're learning a method today, as well as making a recipe.  Come join the fun!

One of the things I've loved about watching Rachael Ray over the years is that she always says "I'm teaching you a method - switch things out and around based on what you have on hand."  Today we are following that model.

Over the past few weeks while blog-hopping, I've seen several take-offs on Girl Scout Cookies.  While sinfully delicious, and supporting a worthwhile cause, alas the cookies are not gluten free.  Here's a way that you can still enjoy the flavors of them and be safe.  By the way, to still help your local scouts, make a cash donation to a troop.

We'll start today with my all-time favorites - the Samoas (TM)  - aka Caramel Delites(TM).

SPH Girl Scout Cookie Brownie Bars
1 box Betty Crocker Gluten Free yellow cake mix
1/2 cup melted butter
1 box Betty Crocker Gluten Free brownie mix
1 12 oz. jar Smucker's caramel ice cream topping (get the kind in the glass jar)
1 cup toasted coconut

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix cake mix and butter til crumbly.  Press into a 9x13 pan.  Bake for about 6-8 minutes.  If you need to toast your coconut, now is a good time to get it in the oven to do some multi-tasking.  Meanwhile, make brownie mix according to package directions.  Spread carefully over cookie crust.  You may want to use an offset spatula for this.  Back in the oven she goes, for another 25 minutes or til a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.  Again, if you didn't think about it til now, this would be a good time to toast your coconut.  So the brownies are done - let them cool for a abit - just so they are still warm enough to melt your caramel.  Drizzle caramel sauce over the top of them, then sprinkle with your toasted coconut.

So let's take move on down the cookie line-up...

Trefoils - Do just the yellow cake mix, but use 1 cup of melted butter and add an egg.  Bake as above, but without the brownies and other toppings.  Cut into squares.
Lemon cookies - Do the yellow cake, 1/2 cup butter, one egg, some chopped candied lemon peel and 1 teaspoon lemon extract.  Add a little yellow food coloring if desired.  You can also make a quickie lemon glaze with a little vanilla frosting and some lemon extract and spread it on while these after they are out of the oven a few minutes.  Again, make these as just cookies - no brownie mix.  Unless you like chocolate and lemon together.  Or do them with candied orange peel and orange extract.  And then, if you have one of those really sophisticated palates that likes chocolate and orange, you could do the brownies.
Thin Mints (TM) - Use chocolate cake mix, 1/2 cup butter.  For the brownies, make per package directions and add 1 teaspoon mint exract.  Top with hot fudge.  Try not to make yummy noises too loudly while eating these.
Tagalongs (TM) - Yellow cake mix, 1/2 cup melted butter.  Bake as above.  When cooled a bit, CAREFULLY spread with melted peanut butter, then spread brownie  mix over top.  Top with your choice of more peanut butter or hot fudge.  Or both.  Hey, life's short!

These should definitely help with those cookie cravings - grab a glass of milk and enjoy!




 Recipe linked to Very Good Recipes

Gluten Free Irish Soda Bread Cookies Recipe

Made these the other night to take to Bubba's Court of Honor for Boy Scouts.  We have an Assistant Scout Master who also has gluten issues, and I try to be sure that he has something safe for him to enjoy.  So, in the spirit of St. Patrick's Day...

SPH Gluten Free Irish Soda Bread Cookies
1 cup butter, softened and at room temperature
1/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups Pamela's Baking Mix
1/2 cup currants or raisins (more or less to taste - optional)

Glaze
1/4 cup Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy Frosting
water, milk or cream

Preheat oven to 350.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them.  Cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla, and beat to combine.  Stir in baking mix until well mixed.  Fold in currants.  Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets (I used my cookie scooper).  Using your fingers or the bottom of a glass, flatten into round discs.  Be sure to try to make them all about the same thickness.  Bake for about 10 minutes.  Allow cookies to cool before glazing or frosting, and taste them first to decide which you'd rather do.

To make the glaze, put frosting in a small mixing bowl.  Add water, milk or cream a little bit at a time.  Whisk until frosting is loosened up and somewhat liquid.  For me, this was about 2-3 teaspoons.  Go slow - if your glaze gets too thin, you can either add more frosting, or you can also try adding some powdered sugar.  Try not to get it too thin, though.  To glaze your cookies, using a soup spoon, drizzle a little glaze in the center of the cookie.  In a circular motion, start here and work your way toward the edge of the cookie.  I left a little space at the edges so the glaze wouldn't drip off.  At least that was my intention.  Gravity and glaze often decide differently.

These are sooooo buttery and rich tasting, but still having that little hint of salt that really good soda bread has.  Use currants or raisins if that's what you like - I like mine with currants, but either regular or golden raisins would be just as good.  Same with the glazing.  You can also just frost them with plain white frosting. You be the judge - they will be insanely delicious no matter what you decide.

By the way, that Assistant Scout Master with the gluten issues took 5 or 6 of these home for a snack on Tuesday night.  He said they were delicious.  He's a Boy Scout - you can trust him!

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Coconut Cookies Recipe - 4 Ways

Quick and simple.  Easy and delicious.  Using up leftovers!

You've seen the Irish Coffee Blondies and the Coconut Brownies.  Here's what to do if you have any leftovers.

SPH Gluten Free Coconut Cookies
1 box Betty Crocker Yellow Cake mix
2 sticks butter, softened
1 egg
not quite 1 cup shredded, tinted coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla or coconut extract (to taste)
Leftover vanilla frosting/glaze
Leftover mocha frosting/glaze

Preheat oven to 350.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Add cake mix to a mixer bowl, and combine with butter til it resembles coarse crumbs.  Beat in egg.  Stir in coconut.  Drop by teaspoonsful (I use a cookie scooper) onto cookie sheets and bake for about 12 minutes. Allow to cool completely.  And warning - they SPREAD, so be extra careful how closely you place these.  Just sayin'.

So now the really fun and creative part - the four ways to fancy up these cookies:

1. You can leave them plain.  The leftover food color from the tint, plus the coconut, plus the extract of your choice will make these really good cookies.  And they will seem oh-so-fancy to whoever happens to lay eyes on them.
2. You can glaze them once, with either the vanilla or the mocha.  That's the cookie on the bottom right.  It was glazed with the vanilla.  See how the glaze sets up differently than regular frosting on a cooled cookie (the white one in the upper left)?  Put a small teaspoonful of frosting on while the cookies are still warm.  Let it get soft, then spread GENTLY.  A small offset spatula or the back of a spoon are your best choices for tools to get this job done.
3. Frost'em.  Let'em cool, then spread them with frosting.
4. Double glazed.  That's the one with the brown zigzags.  You can frost or glaze, then  drizzle with the mocha glaze.  Be sure the mocha is pretty thin so it drizzles well.  Also - another great tip:  be sure when you drizzle that you start a little ways off the cookie.  That way, you won't end up with those big blops.  And yes, that's a technical term...

This is a basic recipe that you can tweak how you want.  Use up whatever goodies you have leftover, like chocolate chips, chopped nuts, different flavors of extract or throw in some Jell-o.  If these aren't green enough for you, add some more food coloring.  After they are frosted or glazed, you could sprinkle them with more coconut or leftover colored sugars, too.  Let your imagination and your leftovers be your guide!

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Irish Coffee Bar Cookie Recipe

Coffee today instead of tea...

This is an "As Seen on TV" recipe - took these with me to WSPY.  A sweet coffee flavored treat - perfect for St. Patty's Day!

This recipe is based on "Chewy Irish Coffee Blondies" in the March issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine.  Gluten free and delicious.  Quick and simple.  Let's bake!

SPH Gluten Free Irish Coffee Bar Cookies
1 package Betty Crocker Gluten Free yellow cake mix (you can use a regular cake mix, too)
1/4 cup brown or raw sugar (I used organic demarara - you can use brown sugar or turbinado)
2 tablespoons instant coffee
1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened and at room temperature
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla (or to taste - I used a whole tablespoon because 1 teaspoon is never enough for me)
1/2 cup slivered almonds

White Glaze
1/2 cup Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy Vanilla frosting
1 tablespoon vanilla or almond extract

Mocha Glaze
1/2 cup Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy Dark Chocolate Frosting
1 tablespoon hot water + 1 teaspoon instant coffee OR
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh brewed coffee

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 9x13 pan.  In a mixer bowl, combine cake mix, brown sugar and instant coffee.  Add butter, and mix until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Add egg and vanilla and mix until well combined.  Spread batter into pan evenly.  Sprinkle almonds over top, and press them gently to be sure they stick to the batter.  Bake about 25-30 minutes, or til skewer inserted in center comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely.  Meanwhile, melt frosting over low heat.  Add vanilla and stir well.  Drizzle bars with glaze, and let set for 1 hour.  I alternated directions with my drizzle.  Cut into squares and serve.

Just a quick note here:  If you want TRUE Irish coffee, you need to add whiskey in here somewhere.  Martha and her fabulous bakers added it to the glaze, about 2 tablespoons, instead of the vanilla.  I have read that whiskey may not be safe for celiacs.  I have also read that it is safe because of the distillation process.  I think it's probably one of those things that it bothers some, but not others.  You can decide if you want to add it or not.  If you add it, it would probably work best in the white glaze.  Just remember, it may or may not be safe.  I'd personally rather err on the side of caution.

Enjoy!

TV Appearance & Special Guest Star Today

Pretending to be a celebrity today - will be back tomorrow - COMPLETE WITH VIDEO FOOTAGE!

Helping me out today is my new friend and Special Guest Star Pamela.  She's quite the baker, and I think you'll agree that the goodies she's brought in her basket today are OUTSTANDING!


I am so glad to be here to talk about Healthy Desserts.  I make healthy cupcakes and cookies for my family and community.  It just started out as a hobby and then people started asking me about my cupcakes and cookies, and then Pamela's Heavenly Treats was born.  I am so excited to be able to showcase these healthy desserts, because then I know that what I am making is good for everyone.

When you hear the word "HEALTHY" people cringe and think "YUCK", but if my kids are eating every single cookie and cupcake that I make then I think I am doing something right here.  All you have to do to make your favorite dessert recipe healthy is substitute a few ingredients.  And since I am doing a gluten free recipe today, we only have to use 4 ingredients.  Yes, you read it correctly. This is the easiest, moistest, most peanut buttery tasting cookie that I have ever had.  I made this cookie for my homeschool co-op Valentine's Day party and they were gone in about 10 minutes.



So here we go - I always make double batch so I can get 30 cookies.

Ingredients:
1 cup of Natural Peanut Butter (the kind with the peanut oil on the top)
1 cup of light brown sugar
1 egg (fresh brown eggs)
1tsp gluten free vanilla (or homemade if you make your own)

Preheat oven to 350.  Add all ingredients to your mixer and mix until well incorporated.  Using a small scooper , roll like a ball place on parchment paper lined baking sheet and then press down with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes, let sit for 2 minutes, transfer to wire rack. Enjoy!

I have enjoyed being here on Suburban Prairie.  You may come by my blog to see my healthy cupcake and cookie recipes at Pamela's Heavenly Treats .

Thanks so much, Pamela - we were so glad to have you today!  I hope everyone takes a few minutes to go see your wonderful treats that are up on your blog...

Enjoy your cookies!

 

Gluten Free Raspberry Cinnamon Thumbprint Cookies with Chocolate Glaze

So you have some leftover pie crust dough...



Look what you can make with it!

SPH Gluten Free Raspberry Cinnamon Thumbprint Cookies with Chocolate Glaze
One quarter recipe pie crust dough (leftovers)
1 3-oz. package raspberry Jell-o
2 T. sugar
2 T. softened butter
2 eggs
1 t. cinnamon
Raspberry Polaner (brand) All-Fruit fruit spread
Betty Crocker (brand) Rich-and-Creamy Chocolate Frosting

Preheat oven to 350.  Combine leftover dough, Jell-o, sugar, butter, eggs and cinnamon in a mixer bowl, and beat until well combined.  Drop by spoonful onto parchment lined baking sheet, and make indentations in each cookie with a small measuring spoon.  Fill each with a small dollop of raspberry fruit spread.  Bake for about 15 minutes.  Remove from oven, and allow to cool for about 2 minutes.  Place a small bit of chocolate frosting on each cookie and allow to melt.  Swirl to coat.

Or not.  Just make them plain thumbprint cookies.  Or, bake them without the fruit spread and fill with chocolate frosting when they come out of the oven.  Don't have raspberry?  Use strawberry.  Try orange Jell-o with some orange marmalade.

These have a bright fruit flavor with a surprising cinnamon finish.  Take a tray to your book club or Bible study - your friends will love them!

Enjoy!