GF Baking Contest - Second Place - Oatmilk Chocolate Chip Cookies with Peanut Butter Morsels

This was the Second Place Winning Recipe at our Gluten Free Baking Contest, made by Olivia D’Amico, Age 10. They were absolutely delicious and we were so happy when our guest judge, Mayor Straz, chose her recipe as our second place winner!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb (2 sticks) salted butter, softened

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 bag peanut butter morsels

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup oatmilk powder

2 cups King Arthur Gluten Free Flour

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 tsp salt

1/2 bag milk chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Set out two cookie pans and line them with parchment paper; set aside.

In your large mixing bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

Crack the eggs into a small bowl and check for shells. Add the eggs and vanilla to the butter mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined.

In a medium bowl, combine the oatmilk powder, gluten free flour, baking soda, and salt and whisk them together. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on medium speed until just combined.

Fold in the chocolate chips and peanut butter morsels using a spatula. Use a tablespoon to measure and drop balls of cookie dough 3 inches apart on your prepared cookie pans.

Bake for 6 to 9 minutes, the cookies will be thin. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Adapted from the Ultimate Kids Baking Book by Olivia D’Amico, Age 10

GF Baking Contest - First Place - Smookies

This was the Grand Prize Winner at our Gluten Free Baking Contest, a recipe developed by Maureen and Jimmy Moloney.  They were inspired to develop the recipe for a gluten-free school friend of Jimmy’s.  We really loved them!

 A graham cracker-inspired cookie with a zest of holiday magic.

By Maureen and Jimmy Moloney

 Ingredients:

½ cup of butter

1 cup of brown sugar (or sugar substitute)

1 large egg (applesauce can be used too)

1 ½ cup graham crackers crumbs* and about 4 tablespoons for dusting

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons of vanilla***

¾ cup Almond Flour – extra fine

¼ salt

1 cup mini chocolate chips**

½ cup chopped marshmallows****

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

In bowl cream together, butter and sugar until creamy.

Beat in vanilla and egg.

In medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly add butter mixture until it’s combined.

Stir in choc chips and marshmallows.

Using a cookie scoop, form into balls.

Roll ball in cookie crumb crust.

Place balls on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake from 8-12 minutes.

Cookies will look slightly underdone, but will set once they are cool.

Eat & Enjoy!!

Notes: *I used Pamela’s Gluten Free Cinnamon Graham Style Crackers – just place in blender to crush into crumbs. If you are not a fan of cinnamon, honey is a nice flavor too :)

**I used Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips – mini chip, big flavor

***I used Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract

****Most marshmallows are gluten free, but produced in factories that may be exposed to gluten contamination. I have used dehydrated marshmallows (which work great) but I haven’t found ones that are certified. I used Dandies, which are certified gluten free so you know they are safe. I cut up the marshmallows into little squares with scissors and let them harden so they bake better.

Gluten Free Baking Contest- 1st Place: Gluten Free Sea Salt Caramel Biscotti

Our 1st Place winner for our Gluten Free Baking Contest was Gloria Patitucci with her Gluten-Free Sea Salt Caramel Biscotti! She said that she started gluten free baking because of close friends who were gluten free. She's been perfecting her biscotti recipe for a long time and makes plenty of other flavors. The mayor said they were really crisp on the outside and had great flavor.

Ingredients –

·         1¾ cup of gluten free all-purpose flour

·         ¼ cup of gluten free corn starch

·         1 teaspoon of baking powder

·         ¼ teaspoon of salt

·         ¾ stick of butter

·         Heaping cup of baking chips or nuts of your choice

·         2 eggs

·         1 teaspoon of vanilla

Directions –

1.       Preheat oven to 350o F.

2.       Whisk together flour, corn starch, baking powder and salt.

3.       Once combined, cut in the butter using a pastry blender, forks, or two knives.

4.       Mix in eggs and vanilla and then let the dough sit or about ten minutes before mixing with your hands.

5.       Form into three even logs about two inches thick and eight inches long.

6.       Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

7.       Place on parchment lined cookie sheets and bake for 30 minutes.

8.       Let cool for ten minutes and then cut into pieces, spread out over baking sheet and bake for another ten minutes.

9.       Once fully cool, melt chocolate and drizzle over the cookies.

10.   Store in an ar tight container for up to three weeks.

Gluten Free Baking Contest- 2nd Place: GF Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake

Our 2nd Place winner for our Gluten Free Baking Contest was Anne-Marie Niziolek with her gorgeous Gluten Free Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake! She said that she started gluten free baking because her father in law has celiac. She’s definitely a talented baker!

Ingredients:

·         Crust:

o   2 Cups gluten free graham cracker crumbs

o   6 tablespoons butter- melted

·         Cinnamon Crumble:

o   1 cup brown sugar- lightly packed

o   1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

o   6 Tablespoons all-purpose gluten free flour

o   6 Tablespoons butter- melted

·         Cheesecake filling:

o   4 packages cream cheese- softened

o   ¾ cup granulated sugar

o   3 Tablespoons flour

o   2 teaspoon vanilla extract

o   ¾ cup heavy whipping cream

o   3 eggs

·         Topping:

o   2 Tablespoons butter- softened

o   2oz cream cheese- softened

o   ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

o   1 ½ cups powdered sugar

Instructions:

Crust:

·         Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9” springform pan, spray with non-stick spray and set aside.

·         Prepare the crust by adding about 2 packages of gluten free graham crackers to a food processor and pulse until you get about 2 cups of crumbs. Add in melted butter and pulse until well combined. Pour the crumbs into the prepared pan and gently press using the back of a spoon to form the crust. Be sure to bring the crumbs about 1” up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Crumble:

·         In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mix with a fork until the ingredients come together and you have a wet sand-like texture. Set aside.

Filling:

·         To prepare the cheesecake filling, add the softened cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a paddle attachment. Cream for 5-6 minutes or until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.

·         With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the sugar and gluten free flour. Once the sugar is combined, increase to medium speed, and mix for an additional 1-2 minutes.

·         Add the vanilla extract and mix until just combined.

·         Slowly pour in heavy whipping cream and mix on low speed until combined.

·         With the mixer to low speed add the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Be careful not to overmix after adding the eggs!

·         Pour 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan and top with 1/3 of the cinnamon crumble. Gently press the crumble into the filling. Top with half of the remaining cheesecake batter and smooth. Continue with another layer, ending with cinnamon crumble on top.

·         Bake at 350 for 15 minutes then, without opening the oven door, reduce the heat to 200 and bake for an additional 50-55 minutes until the center slightly jiggles and edges are set. (You are looking for a Jell-o consistency, not a runny/watery consistency. If the center still looks too watery, bake for an additional 5-10 minutes checking often. However, the cheesecake will set up more while cooling, so keep that in mind.)

·         Turn off the oven and slightly crack the oven door to allow the cheesecake to cool for 15-20 minutes before removing.

·         Allow cooling on a wire rack until completely cooled and place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours but overnight is recommended.

Topping:

·         Using a hand mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese on high speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and mix slowly until combined. Slowly pour in the vanilla and mix until just combined.

·         Add the frosting into a piping bag with a small round tip or into a Ziplock bag with a corner cut-off and drizzle the frosting over the top of the cheesecake.

Serve and enjoy!

Gluten Free Baking Contest "Kid's Choice Award": GF Pumpkin Bars

Our Kid’s Choice winner for our Gluten Free Baking Contest was Morgan Cutrone with her amazing Gluten Free Pumpkin Bars! They were absolutely delicious!

Ingredients –

·         2 cups of Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour

·         1 teaspoon of baking soda

·         1 teaspoon of baking powder

·         ¾ teaspoon of salt

·         1½ teaspoon cinnamon

·         ½ teaspoon of allspice

·         ¼ teaspoon ginger

·         ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

·         3 eggs

·         ¼ cup of milk

·         1 cup of brown sugar

·         ¼ cup of white sugar

·         ¼ cup of milk

·         15 oz can of pumpkin puree

·          can vegetable oil

·         

For the Frosting

·         1 stick of unsalted butter

·         8 ounces of cream cheese

·         3 cups of powder sugar

·         1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

·         ¼ teaspoon of salt

Directions –

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.      Grease and line an 11x17 cookie sheet.

3.      Place all dry ingredients in a bowl, whisk, and set aside.

4.      In a smaller bowl, mix eggs, brown sugar, white sugar, pumpkin puree, and vanilla until smooth.

5.      Pour wet ingredients into bowl with dry ingredients and mix until combined.

6.      Pour atter into cookie sheet and spread-out batter evenly using an offset spatula or back of a spoon.

7.      Bake for 16-18 minutes, remove and place on a cooling rack.

Vegan Gingerbread Loaf (GF)

This is a wonderful, healthy bread that makes a nice breakfast or treat on a chilly December day! It’s gluten free, vegan, and low in sugar, so everyone can enjoy it!

Dry Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups (250 g) oats, blended into a fine flour*

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Wet Ingredients: 

2 flax “eggs” (2 tablespoons ground flax + 5 tablespoons water)

1/2 cup (80 g) + 2 tablespoons coconut sugar

1/2 cup (120 g) unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup (85 g) molasses

1/4 cup (60 ml) avocado oil*

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

Toppings: (Optional):

2 tablespoons turbinado or raw cane sugar

Melted coconut butter or icing sugar, to drizzle on top

See the entire recipe and directions at From My Bowl.

Lemon Cake with Almond Flour (GF)

This wonderful cake has only four main ingredients, so it’s simple to whip up anytime! It uses almond flour, so it’s great for gluten-free diets, but will please anyone since almond flour makes delicious tasting desserts!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups almond flour 

4 eggs separated, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 Tbsp lemon zest grated from 1 large lemon

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Powdered  sugar and lemon slices for garnish optional

See the entire recipe and directions at Natasha’s Kitchen.

Gluten Free Pasta Salad

I love pasta salad because it’s endlessly adaptable. Feel free to switch out any of the veggies for any fresh vegetables you see at the Farmer’s Market (the Palos Heights Farmer’s Market is on Wednesdays from 8-1). Also, we have a great gluten free fusilli pasta at the store by Cadia that’s perfect for this recipe!

Ingredients:

12 oz Gluten-Free Tri-Color Rotini*

2 Cups Chopped English Cucumber (1 large cucumber)

2 Cups Chopped Red Bell Pepper (1 medium pepper)

2 Cups Chopped Orange Bell Pepper (1 medium pepper)

2 Cups Chopped Yellow Bell Pepper (1 medium pepper)

2 Cups Halved Grape Tomatoes (1 pint)

1 Cup Chopped Red Onion (about ½ medium onion)

1 Cup Sliced Black Olives (1 3.8 oz can)

Italian Dressing:

½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

½ Cup Red Wine Vinegar

1 TB Dried Parsley

1 TB Dried Oregano

2 Tsp Dried Basil

½ Tsp Black Pepper

See the entire recipe and directions at Strength and Sunshine.

Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Cake (GF)

This delicious cake is perfect for spring, plus it’s gluten-free (and can easily be made dairy-free with a couple of substitutions)!

INGREDIENTS:

Wet ingredients:

1 cup shredded zucchini (from 1 medium zucchini)

2 eggs

½ cup honey

zest from 2 lemons

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Dry ingredients:

1 ½ cup packed blanched fine almond flour

¾ cup gluten free oat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

For the blueberries:

1 heaping cup fresh blueberries

2 tablespoons gluten free oat flour

For the lemon frosting:

½ cup butter (or sub vegan buttery stick), at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

To garnish:

Extra blueberries for sprinkling on top

See the entire recipe and directions at Ambitious Kitchen.

Quinoa with Lemon, Shallots, and Herbs

Quinoa is a wonderful, versatile grain, and this delicious recipe can easily be made into a main dish with the addition of garbanzo beans or another protein source.

INGREDIENTS:

1–2 shallots (or ¼ of an onion) – very thinly sliced – see notes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 ½ cups quinoa, rinsed, drained (rinsing removes bitterness)

2 1/4  cups water

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 ½ teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon granulated garlic (or use 1–2 minced garlic cloves with the shallot)

1 teaspoon dried oregano (or italian seasoning, or herbs de Provence, or similar)

Garnish:

lemon zest from one small lemon,

sprinkling of fresh herbs ( italian parsley, dill, basil, cilantro)

2 tablespoons slivered almonds (optional- other nuts & seeds are ok, or just leave off)

sautéed shallot (see notes) or crispy shallots

drizzle of good olive oil– optional but good.

See the entire recipe and directions at Feasting at Home.

Matcha Blender Muffins

These delicious muffins are from a great new gluten-free recipe blog I discovered- Erin Lives Whole. Matcha is a green tea powder full of antioxidants and gives baked goods a unique flavor.

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 cups rolled oats

2 tbsp matcha powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

2 large bananas

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup almond milk

1/2 cup sliced almonds

See the entire recipe and directions at Erin Lives Whole.

Ale's Macaron Cookies (Gluten Free)

These gorgeous cookies are gluten-free and were made by our own Ale from the store! They can also be adapted to be dairy-free as well if needed.

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

1 cup of almond flour

2/3 cup of powdered sugar

2 egg whites

1 pinch of salt

1/4 cup of granulated sugar

1 pinch of cream of tartar powder

Food coloring (optional)

For the buttercream:

1 stick of butter (softened)*

Powdered sugar (to thickness and taste)

Splash of milk*

*For a dairy-free buttercream, substitute milk with almond milk or other milk of choice and use plant-based butter

Steps

1. Get eggs and let sit out for at least thirty minutes. This will help with making sure the egg whites get firm peaks when whipped.

2. Gather the rest of the ingredients and preheat oven to 300 degrees.

3. In a large mixing bowl, sift the almond flour and 2/3 cup of powdered sugar. If there are any clumps left behind in the sifter, toss them out. Mix the sugar and flour together gently to make sure everything is combined.

4. Separate the egg yolk from the egg white. We only need the egg white for this recipe so you can use the egg yolk for anything else!

5. Using either a hand mixer or a stand mixer, slowly start mixing the egg whites. Let the egg whites become a little frothy and add the pinch of salt. Continue to beat the egg whites, increasing the speed of the mixer little bit by little bit until the eggs have gone from clear to a white color. Once they are white, slowly add the granulated sugar. Adding it too fast will cause the egg whites to flatten so slow and steady is the key! After adding the sugar, add in the pinch of cream of tartar. This will help make sure that your egg whites create a stiff peak when finished. To check and see if your egg whites are ready, turn off the mixer, take your whisk attachment, and turn it so that the whisk is facing the ceiling. They should create a little peak that can stand on its own. And if you’re feeling a little more daring, you can slowly turn your bowl over your head and the mixture will stay in the bowl without falling on your head!

6. Once the egg whites are ready, add the almond flour and powdered sugar mix. Fold it together by using a spatula and scraping the bottom of the bowl and bringing it to the top. Do this about eight to ten times or until the mixture is just combined. To see if the mixture is ready to be pipped, scoop some batter onto the spatula and see if you can make a figure eight with the mixture. It will be complete and ready to pipe once you can make a complete figure eight with the dough.

7. Take a piping bag or Ziplock bag and insert a round piping tip (or cut a hole in the corner of the Ziplock bag) and fill the bag with the mixture. It helps to put the piping bag in a glass and fold the top of the bag over the edge of the glass when filling up the bag with the mixture.

8. Place a silicone mat or wax paper on a cookie sheet and pipe out the filling on the baking sheet. You don’t have to pipe out too much of the mixture. As the mix settles, it begins to spread. Make sure you don’t pipe the cookies too close together!

9. Once you’ve finished piping the cookies, gently tap the tray on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Let sit on the counter for at least 20 minutes before placing in the oven.

10. Bake the macarons on the middle rack of the oven for about 12 – 15 minutes.

11. Take them out an immediately transfer the silicone baking mat or wax paper to a wire cooling rack. Let the cookies sit on the rack until completely cooled.

12. To make the filling, beat the softened butter until fluffy and add powdered sugar. Add enough sugar to thicken the mixture up but not too much or else it will be way too sweet. Add a splash of milk to make it creamy. This is a good base for your buttercream filling. Feel free to add whatever flavors you’d like! You can make vanilla, chocolate, or even coffee flavored buttercream.

13. Once your buttercream is ready, put it into a piping bag with a round tip or a Ziplock bag and cut a small hole in one of the corners.

14. When the cookies are completely cooled, turn half of them over so that the flat part of the cookie is facing the ceiling and begin piping some of the buttercream and then top it off with another cookie.

You can eat them right away but its suggested that you let them sit in the fridge for at least 12 – 24 hours.

Enjoy!!

Grain Free Lemon Poppyseed Cookies

These light and delicious grain free cookies are perfect for spring!

Ingredients:

For the wet ingredients:

• 1/4 cup melted and cooled coconut oil (or sub melted butter)

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 1 egg

• 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract⠀

• zest from 1 large lemon (about 1 tablespoon lemon zest)

For the dry ingredients:

• 1 cup packed fine blanched almond flour

• 2 tablespoons coconut flour

• 1 tablespoon poppyseeds

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda⠀

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Optional for rolling the cookies:

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

For the lemon glaze:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar⠀

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more if necessary

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

See the entire recipe and ingredients at Ambitious Kitchen.

Flaxseed Quick Bread

This recipe is made entirely with flax meal, with no other flours, making it perfect for allergy-free diets. It tastes best toasted and makes a wonderful, healthy breakfast or snack!

Ingredients:

• 2 1/3 cups golden flaxseed meal*

• 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. water

• 1 tsp. baking powder

• 1 tsp. baking soda

• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 tsp. salt

See the entire recipe and directions at Nutrition Refined.

5 Minute Cassava Flour Tortillas

Cassava flour is made from the root of the yucca plant and has a mild taste and fine, light texture that makes it perfect for grain free and gluten free baking!

2 cups cassava flour

1 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup water

1-2 teaspoons sea salt to taste

2 teaspoons garlic granules fresh cracked pepper to taste

1-1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil for cooking

See the entire recipe and directions at Paleo Gluten Free Eats.

Almond Flour Quick Bread (GF, Paleo)

This is a great, simple recipe for a grain free bread made with almond flour! It’s especially fabulous toasted with a bit of almond butter for a healthy breakfast!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, unsalted butter, or ghee

• 2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour

• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon — optional

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 4 large eggs

• 1 large egg white

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

See the entire recipe and directions at Well Plated.

Flaxseed Muffins (GF & DF)

These delicious muffins are a great way to get some extra flaxseed into our diets- they’re also allergy friendly!

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

1/2 cup dairy free milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup coconut sugar

3 T granulated sugar

1/4 cup neutral tasting oil, melted butter, or melted coconut oil

1/2 cup ground flax

1/2 cup almond flour (whisk to remove lumps if needed)

3/4 cup gluten free flour

1 T baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

See the entire recipe and directions at There Is Life After Wheat.

Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies (Gluten and Dairy Free)

This is a delicious holiday cookie recipe for anyone, but they’re especially fabulous for people with gluten or dairy-free diets!

2 1/2 cups of Gluten-free Flour Blend (gum-free)

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup organic extra virgin coconut oil, solidified not liquid

1 cup (about 225 grams) organic raw sugar

2 large farm fresh brown eggs, beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons peppermint extract

1/2 cup unsweetened organic cocoa

1 cup mini dairy-free chocolate chips

See the entire recipe and directions at tasty-yummies.com.

Soft Gluten Free Anisette Cookies

These wonderful Italian cookies are perfect for holiday baking!

INGREDIENTS:

For the cookies:

2 cups (280 g) all purpose gluten free flour

1 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)

1/2 cup cornstarch (or try arrowroot)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 eggs at room temperature, beaten

2 teaspoons pure anise extract or 1/2 tsp. anise oil

2 to 3 tablespoons milk (any kind), at room temperature

For the glaze:

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon pure anise extract or 1/4 tsp. anise oil

1 tablespoons milk (any kind), plus more by the 1/4 teaspoonful if necessary

Nonpareils, for decorating (Cake Mate & Betty Crocker brand nonpareils are gluten free in the U.S.)

See the entire recipe and directions at Gluten Free on a Shoestring.

4 Ingredient Banana Almond Mini Muffins (Vegan, Grain-Free)

These muffins are a snap to put together, and are made with only four healthy ingredients! I think they taste best straight out of the oven. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup (250 mL) mashed, very ripe banana (between 2 and 3 large bananas)

• 2 tablespoons (13 g) flaxseed meal

• 1 and 1/2 cups (168 g) blanched almond flour

• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• Optional: 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

See the entire recipe and directions at Power Hungry.