GF Fudge Chip Cookies

In exchange for picking me up from the airport, I offered to bake a friend some cookies. Any cookies, take your pick. Chocolate chip? Peanut butter? Really, anything you like.

"Great," he said, "Doesn't matter, as long as they're gluten free."

Me, on the outside: "Oh, cool! I've never made anything gluten free before. It will be a challenge!" (On the inside: "Oh shit. I don't have any of the crazy ingredients you need to for gluten free baking. This is going to be a much more difficult and expensive project than I anticipated.)

Next step: Message Libby, my undisputed queen of gluten free baking. What should I do?! I don't know anything about baking without gluten. Help!

Libby immediately sends me a well-researched reply with some easy alternatives. Yes! I knew Libby would come through. Super easy and quick cookies--perfect!

These cookies are wonderful because instead of having to purchase wheat flour substitutes and other ingredients that I am not likely to use often, they just omit the flour entirely. They are quick, easy, sweet, crispy-chewy, and extraordinarily chocolatey. Next time I'll mix in walnuts, too, so that the bitter nuttiness can balance the sweetness for an even more complex gluten free cookie experience.

GF Fudge Chip Cookies
~Print Recipe~

• 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup cocoa powder, Dutch-process preferred
• 3 large egg whites
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• Chopped walnuts, to taste 

1.  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two baking sheets, or line with parchment/Silpats.
2. 
   Stir together ingredients through the vanilla, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, until smooth. Add chocolate chips and walnuts, if using, and stir until incorporated. The mixture will look quite runny.
3. Drop batter onto the prepared baking sheets in 1 1/2" circles--use a cookie scoop if you have one.


4. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes; they should spread, become shiny, and develop crackly tops. 
5. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool on the pans set on cooling racks.

Christmas Meringues

I really should have posted this before the holidays, but better late than never. These cookies are named for Christmas because in our family we always have them on Christmas and on other special occasions. The recipe comes from Grandma Barbara Reid, one of many of her classics. These cookies look like little clouds of snow, and will stand apart from the rest of the holiday cookie fare. They are simple to make, and will wow your guests!

What's in them
2 egg whites
3/4 C sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
1 C chocolate chips
1 C nuts

How it's made
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (do not forget to do this step first!)

In a non-aluminum bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form, and whites are stiff. Slowly add the sugar, beating until glossy and smooth. Beat in vanilla and salt. Your mixture should be quite stiff and not runny. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.

On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spoon cookies 1/2" apart. Place in oven and turn oven OFF. Leave in overnight or for 5 hours.

For tips on beating meringes go here. I don't recommend trying this recipe for the first time on a rainy or damp day.