You’d Never Know They Are GLUTEN-FREE Chocolate Chip Cookies

About a year ago, my husband and I went on a gluten-free diet because we learned that it could improve my husband’s health condition.  We were quickly able to find alternatives for our meals, but we couldn’t find gluten-free alternatives for the snacks that we missed dearly.  So, I decided to make snacks myself. 

After much experimentation, I developed these chocolate chip cookies, which have become our favorite cookies - with or without gluten.  We haven’t been on a gluten-free diet for months, but my husband specifically requests gluten-free chocolate chip cookies.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
• ½ cup rice flour
• ¼ cup potato starch
• 1 tsp baking soda (or 1 ½ tsp xanthan gum)
• ¼ tsp salt (optional)
• 1 cup butter (softened)
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ cup light brown sugar (packed)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 ½ cups chocolate chips

Gluten-free Flour Tips:  

It was a daunting task for me to find a gluten-free flour mixture that behaved like wheat flour and that actually tasted decent.  Above is the best combination that I’ve found.  Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free all-purpose baking flour is available at Target and most grocery stores, and it behaves just like wheat flour.  However, the primary ingredient in the Bob’s Red Mill All-purpose flour is garbanzo beans and you can definitely taste it in cookies and cakes.  I like to add rice flour and potato starch because it reduces the bean flavor to the point where it is undetectable.  Also, rice flour and potato starch add a fluffy texture and are super cheap!  Pick them up at an Asian food market for insanely low prices, if you have one around.

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Combine flours, baking soda, and salt, if desired.  Set aside.

3. At a medium speed, beat butter and sugars together until creamy.  Then, add eggs one at a time and vanilla while beating.

4. Turn beater to the lowest speed.  Slowly add dry flour mixture to wet butter/sugar mixture.  Mix until combined.

5. Add chocolate chips.  Stir.

WARNING: Do not eat this cookie dough raw!  The garbanzo bean flour in Bob's Red Mill all-purpose flour tastes horrible raw, but delicious when cooked.  Resist the temptation, or you will suffer!

6. Spray cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.  (Gluten-free cookies will stick to the pan if you don't spray!)  Scoop 1-2 Tbsp size portions of dough onto pan, spaced at least two inches apart.

7. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

8. Allow to cool for 1 minute before removing from pan.

9. Try to exercise some control while devouring the deliciousness you just created.