Gluten-Free Peanut Butter, Honey & Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter, Honey & Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mmmm … uh… chickpeas?! You go first.

Oh, Facebook — I love ya. Every day, you suggest wonderfully spammy websites to visit, weight loss potions to purchase, and weird businesses to “Like”. You also make my tummy happy, by spreading crazy recipes like a rampant virus through my news feed.

This recipe recently appeared in my news feed on Facebook no less than five times. Apparently, the ingredients are so weird people can’t resist sharing it with their Facebook friends. If you are on Facebook, you have probably seen it recently. While technically it is a chocolate chip cookie, I use the term “cookie” rather loosely. It contains no flour, eggs or butter, which any self-respecting cookie should contain. No, my dear sugarholics, this cookie is made from chick peas. You read that correctly! Chick peas, peanut butter, honey, baking powder, chocolate chips and a pinch of salt. That’s it.

I am skeptical by nature, so I needed to try it out. Mr. Cake made a rude face when I described it to him. However, I knew if he liked it, it could be a winner. The recipe doesn’t make very many cookies, about a dozen and a half. They turned out well – I flattened the sticky balls of dough a little to achieve a nice “cookie” shape. As a bonus, the recipe is gluten-free, if your baking powder contains corn starch instead of wheat starch (most do)**. I recommend natural peanut butter – I like the crunchy variety. They were delicious – and Mr. Cake liked them, too!

Share your experience with me if you try it!

More like "cookie-adjacent"

Gluten-Free Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Chewy chocolate cookie goodness

I have jumped on gluten-free bandwagon! I started avoiding gluten mostly out of curiosity. I wanted to see if I would feel different, or better, if I didn’t consume it as much as possible. It is still too early to tell, but it hasn’t been as difficult as I imagined it would be.

Stack 'em up – inhale!

This recipe contains no flour, however, it does contain nuts and egg whites, so it is not completely allergy safe. What they are is moist, chewy and packed with amazing chocolate flavour. They are so rich and satisfying that you’ll only need to eat one. OK, maybe two!




Gluten-Free Chewy Chocolate Cookies
Based on this recipe at Martha Stewart.com

Makes 24 cookies
Ingredients
3 cups icing sugar, sifted
3/4 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup almonds, chopped and toasted (method below)
4 egg whites

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 325°F. Place chopped almonds on a cookie sheet and place in the oven, shaking it occasionally, until fragrant – about 10 minutes. 
2. In a large bowl, whisk together icing sugar, cocoa and salt until combined. 
3. Stir in coconut, chocolate chips and toasted almonds and stir until combined. 
4. Stir in eggs whites very gently until just combined. Do not over mix. 
5. Drop by heaping tablespoonful onto parchment lined cookie sheets, about 2” apart. 
6. Bake for 15-18 minutes, turning pans halfway through, until tops of cookies are shiny, cracked and dry to the touch. 
7. Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

Gifts from the Kitchen: Cookies for Santa

Better hurry Santa, those look mighty tasty

My sister and I left cookies out for Santa on Christmas eve. It was always a big debate: chocolate chip or shortbread? Chocolate chip usually won the day. Tradition ruled that we also leave carrots out for the reindeer. 

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I love summer, but I hate what it does to my bananas! 

I eat bananas every day, yet recently it seems like I'm buying new bananas every couple of days — they turn brown so fast! I really shouldn't mind, because I like banana bread and I LOVE these Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins even more.

These muffins are a breeze to whip up in the morning or any time you're faced with overripe bananas.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

4-5 ripe bananas

1 egg

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup chocolate chips

Vegetable spray

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and baking powder and mix. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mash peeled bananas. Add egg and stir until combined. Add flour mixture, then sugar, then pour the melted butter over top. Stir until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Spray muffin pan with vegetable spray. Scoop batter into the 12 muffin tins (no need for cupcake papers).
5. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until just lightly browned on top.

This column first appeared in Stimuli Magazine. Check out my column

'Just Desserts' for more sweet and delicious recipes!

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

Cookie monsters, assemble!

What is the perfect chocolate chip cookie? Well, that depends upon how you like them! Do you like them thin and crispy? Chewy and gooey? I like mine chewy, gooey and buttery. I make them smaller so I don't feel guilty by eating a small handful. I use dark chocolate chips for an extra flavour punch. For extra large, impressive cookies, use an ice cream scoop and flatten the dough balls gently. Don't forget to increase the cooking time by a few minutes.