Little Chocolate Biscuits -- gluten free, plant-based simplicity

These little chocolate biscuits are kissing cousins with my little oat wafers. They are neither quite so simple, nor quite so homey. These are still a down-to-earth tea cookie, but you can also imagine them with ice cream. 

The light, crunchy texture is very pleasing, and there is some flexibility with regards to ingredients. You'll see!!

Because I roll these out into a large rectangle on a silicone mat, then draw lines into the dough with a spastic spatula, they are quick and easy to make. Rolled shape cookies are great, but a  lot of work. So, you do you, but I am very happy to make these as basic as possible. That being said, you can certainly cut them into any shape you like on the silicone mat as well. I just happen to like the little triangles with fork holes in them. Why? I do not know.

equipment needed:

mixing bowls

mixing spoons

measuring cups

measuring spoons

silicone mat or baking parchment

baking sheet

whisk

rolling pin

ingredients:

A)

1 cup of flour (I used 1/2 cup sorghum and 1/2 cup millet. You can also try 1/2 cup brown rice or 1/2 cup oat flour. Make sure your flours total 1 cup)

1/2 cup tapioca starch

1/4 cup cocoa or cacao (I used a combination of different types of cocoa totally 1/4 cup)

1/4 cup soy milk powder 

B)

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

3/4 tsp himalayan salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cream tartar

1/2 tsp tonka bean powder (optional!!)

C)

1/4 cup coconut oil

D)

1/2 cup water

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp molasses

directions:

1. in a large bowl, combine the ingredients from part A and part B, and mix well, making sure you break up any clumps. I often use a whisk to mix dry ingredients. 

2. in a small bowl, combine the ingredients from D, and mix well.

3. add C to the large bowl, and mix with a fork

4. add the mixed ingredients from D to the large bowl, and mix well until everything comes together and forms a dough

5. turn the dough out onto your rectangular silicone mat or similarly sized parchment paper, and shape press into a preliminary log

6. sprinkle a little extra flour onto the dough, and gradually roll out into a rectangle. (I use a plastic spatula to shape the edges.) Try to keep the thickness as consistent as possible.

7. When the dough is rolled out, use a plastic spatula or similar to cut the dough into squares or triangles (or your idea) on the silicone mat (or parchment). Put the mat onto a baking sheet, and bake at 345 for 25 or 30 minutes. (make sure it doesn't get too brown)

8. You can further dehydrate the biscuits to full crispness in a low oven over night. (my oven's lowest setting is 170, and this seems to do the trick)

Double Chocolate soft cookies -- whole foods, plant based, gluten free deliciousness

For when oatmeal chocolate chip is not going to ring that bell, these double chocolate pieces of fabulousness may be just what you need.

These big, soft, puffy cookies are halfway between cake and cookie -- and they are chocolatey enough for even the most thorough-going of chocolate lovers. The best part is how good they are for you. All the decadence and satisfaction you could want, all while fuelling you well.

Cacao is a dark flavour, and my rule of thumb tends to be you need an addition of sweetener on a 1:1 ratio with however much cacao you put into something. Hence, since there is 3/4 cup cacao in these, there's an additional 3/4 cup date sugar on top of the coconut sugar in them. However, you are welcome to reduce that to whatever suits your own palate.

Finally, when it comes to grain flours, they are not all equal. However, these 'cakies' are super forgiving, and you can certainly sub in your favourite gluten free flours instead of millet. I love sorghum (super high in protein! tastes nice! delicate texture!) and oat flour, some people like brown rice flour or whatever. You do you. You may have to play around a little with quantities to make it work out perfectly, but what's a 1/4 cup rolled oats more or less between friends?

equipment needed:

measuring cups
measuring spoons
mixing bowls
whisk
4 tablespoon scoop (optional) or soup spoon
fork and cup of water
baking sheets and silicone mats (or parchment)
oven
timer


ingredients:

a)
2 cups water
1/4 cup avocado oil (or 1/4 cup melted coconut oil)
1 tbsp molasses
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

b)
1 cup coconut sugar
3/4 cup date sugar

c)
1 cup almond flour (or sunflower seed flower for a nut-free version)
1/2 cup tapioca powder
1/4 cup millet flour
3/4 cup cacao powder

d)
1/2 cup chickpea flour
1/4 cup soy milk powder

e)
1/2 tsp salt (earth salt, why not)
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp tonka bean powder (optional!)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar

f)
1 cup oat flakes

g)
1 or 2 cups of chocolate chunks


directions:

preheat oven to 345

1. In a medium sized bowl, combine the ingredients from a) and b), and whisk well
2. In a large bowl, combine the ingredients from c), d), e) and f), and whisk or stir until fully mixed
3. add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir very very well, until completely incorporated
4. add in g)
5. using a 4 tbsp scoop, deposit equal lumps of the cookie dough onto the lined cookie sheets, aiming for about 12 per cookie sheet, until all the cookie dough is used up (I squeeze them all onto 2 baking sheets -- they won't spread at all)
6. using a fork dipped in water, (slightly) flatten and shape the cookie dough
7. bake at 345 for 25-30 minutes
8. allow to cool on the baking sheets, and then remove with a metal spatula

The Bake Sale Cookie -- an Oatmeal and Chocolate Chunk masterpiece that will rock your world whether you are gluten-free and vegan or not

The thing about chocolate chip oatmeal cookies is this: almost everybody loves them. And these ones, my friend, elevate the basic treat to decadent and irresistible.

I came up with the recipe when I wanted a cookie for our regular school council coffee morning at my kid's public school. 

Every time we have these cookies out, someone asks for there recipe.

These are a nut free, plant based treat that are naughty and delicious little sugar bombs, but without any processed ingredients or unpleasant additives. Load them down with fair trade dark chocolate, and enjoy  a thoroughly satisfying treat with a cup of coffee or tea.  There is nothing virtuous about these little delights. But sometimes, that's exactly what any of us wants. Something completely naughty without any talk-back.

equipment needed:

kettle (to heat the water)

measuring cups

measuring spoons

whisk

mixing bowls (at least 2)

mixing spoons

cookie dough scoops (optional -- you can also use spoons)

baking sheets and silicone mats or parchment paper

cooling racks

oven

fork for flattening the cookies just a little

ingredients:

A)

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil

B)

1/2 cup brown sugar

6 tbsp organic cane sugar

1 tbsp molasses

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

C)

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

3/8 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp tonka bean powder (optional)

1/2 tsp ceylon cinnamon

D)

1/2 cup tapioca starch

1 cup (gluten free) scotch oats (or grind up rolled oats a little in the food processor)

1/2 cup finely shredded (unsweetened) coconut

E)

2 cups (gluten free) rolled oats

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

F)

1 cup fair trade chocolate chips

(or 1/2 cup mini-chips, 1/2 cup regular size chips)

directions:

1. heat oven to 345

2. combine A, and let melt

3. whisk in B

4. whisk in C

5. stir in D

6. stir in E

7. stir in F

8. line two baking sheets with silicone mats or baking parchment

9. scoop batter by 2 tbsp scoop, 12 per baking sheet, and flatten a little with a wet fork (you can also use the wet fork to fork the cookies into a good shape if they look a little sloppier than you prefer)

10. bake at 345 for 18 to 20 minutes. If you bake 2 pans at a time, you can switch them

halfway through baking. (You can also use a 4 tbsp scoop and do jumbo cookies, baking them 6 per tray so they have room to spread without sticking together)

11. makes about 30 cookies (2 1/2 dozen)

baker's notes:

1. if you want to break the creation of these cookies into stages, you can combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl  (C-E) and mix them really well, and combine all the wet ingredients ingredients (A-B) in a separate bowl. You can set these aside until you are ready for them a couple of hours later. Just mix them together, add the chocolate chips, and then put them on the cookie sheets while the oven is preheating. This is what I do sometimes!!

2. if the cookie dough seems 'runny' at all, add more quick oats. Trust your instincts as a baker on whether or not the cookies have enough integrity to hold together.

dry and wet ingredients combined separately ahead of time for efficient use of time