Gluten Free Gobsmacked

Okay..what the heck is going on! Time is FLYING! FLYING, I tell you! I completely intended to post this the day after we made them (oh…about the 10th of June). Suddenly, I look up and Father’s Day is tomorrow! Seriously, NOT the 10th of June, huh?

Ah well.
The good news is: I’ve got my BAKE-On again!

Yeap – you read that right. The Chicklet and I have managed to find a rhythm in our play-filled, laughter and honey-I-love-you-so-much-I-could-eat-you-up days. She plays, I play, we laugh, she giggles, she plays some more and I begin to bake, sew, cook, plan, draw, write and live again with her by my side. Oh, it’s even more fun now!

She is dying to figure out the mixer. She really isn’t too thrilled with any food processing noises, but she doesn’t mind the results when the noise yields fresh hummus, pesto, garlic-mayo, crushed sesame seeds and sunflower seeds for breads/rolls, etc. Oh yes, she wants to cook and bake with me!

(Worse: she wants to type with me. It makes writing amazing difficult…LOL.)

I made these cookies and brought them over to a friends with the other, old-school sugary addictions from my way-old cookbooks. I wanted them to taste test for me. Instead, they just ate all of these. The one or two bites the old school, sugar bombs got were followed quickly by commentary about possible trips to the dentist. We set those bad boys aside and finished our fabulous Korean BBQ, roasted corn on the cob and some cantaloupe salad with these little delights for dessert.

I admit publicly that I also gave these cookies to my little imp as her afternoon snack. OH, she was in heaven. And well, I don’t have too much Mommy-guilt. After all, these cookies have hidden wonders like walnuts and flaxseed meal. Just writing about these cookies makes me think that I’ll make another batch tomorrow too.

The beauty of this recipe is that you can vary the nut butter to change up the flavor. You can also add some finely chopped crystalized ginger pieces to add a little flare – or even some raisins to bring them to the comfort zone of old-school.

Whatever you do, just don’t overload them with sugar. These cookies use agave nectar instead. This means that you do have to bake these cookies for 8 – 10 minutes (the Old School ones are bake-free). Just an FYI.

Now – GO GET YOUR BAKE ON! Make some cookies and get your YUMMMMMMM going too!

Gluten Free:  Healthier Nut Butter and Oat Cookies
Recipe makes two dozen tablespoon-drop cookies
(Printable recipe can be found here.)

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons butter
2/3 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup milk (or milk substitute)
1 1/2 cups gluten free certified rolled oats
1/2 cup flaxseed meal (or ground flaxseeds)
1/3 cup almond or other nut butter
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon (or 2 teaspoons, you are cinnamon fans!)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup crushed walnuts (measure after crushing)

Directions:

1. Put oats, flaxseed meal, nut butter, cinnamon, and walnuts into a medium mixing bowl.
2. Boil butter, milk and agave nectar together for 2 minutes.
3. Pour hot liquid over the dry ingredients.
4. Add the vanilla extract.
5. Stir well to coat all dry ingredients evenly. Set aside for 5 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 350F.
7. Drop cookie mixture by the tablespoon on to parchment paper.
8. Bake at 350F for 8 – 10 minutes or until golden. (Baking for this time makes for a softer cookie. Bake for 10 – 14 minutes if you wish to have a firm, crunchy cookie.)
9. Allow to cool before moving to storage container or eating.

Enjoy!

Happy GF Cookie Baking!
~Kate