Spelt Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies

I was never a big fan of oatmeal sandwich cookies, but can you blame me?  Those store bought, prepackaged cookies aren't that great in my estimation.  I like oatmeal cookies, and decided that oatmeal sandwich cookies should be a step up.  I mean, how can you go wrong putting frosting in the center of two oatmeal cookies?  For that to happen I needed to make them homemade.  I found a recipe at Two Peas and Their Pod but I wanted them a little healthier, so I changed the recipe to my satisfaction, crossed my fingers and hoped they turned out.  They were fantastic!!!

yield: 18 sandwich cookies

COOKIES:
1 1/2 c white spelt flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 c coconut sugar
1/2 c organic cane sugar
1/2 c unsalted butter, cut in cubes
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c rolled oats
FILLING:
1 c white chocolate chips
1/4 c unsalted butter, cut in cubes
1/4 c plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 c organic powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375F.  Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.  In a medium sized bowl, stir together; flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine; sugars and butter until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Add egg and vanilla, mix well.  Add dry ingredients and mix to combine.  Add oats and mix well.  Scoop by tablespoon or small cookie scoop onto the prepared baking sheets 3 inches apart.  Bake for 10 minutes (they should be light brown).  Leave on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

While the cookies are baking, prepare the filling.  Place white chocolate chips in a small saucepan and melt over low heat just until the chips melt.  In a bowl, whip together butter and yogurt until combined (the mixture will seem runny until the melted chocolate is added).  Add one cup of the powdered sugar and mix until combined.  With mixer running, slowly add white chocolate.  The filling will begin to get more fluffy, add remaining powdered sugar and vanilla.  Mix on high until smooth and glossy.

The cookies will only need about 20 to 30 minutes to cool.  Once cool, flip the cookies over (this will make it easier to match same sized cookies for the sandwiches), frost the bottom of one cookie and place another cookie (bottom side to the filling) on top.  Place cookies in refrigerator for about 20 minutes or until the frosting is firm.  Store cookies and any leftover frosting in refrigerator.

This recipe should yield about 18 sandwich cookies, though I was eating cookies as they came out of the oven to test them, then again when sandwiched to test them again!

I got an enthusiastic thumbs up from the family and was told this recipe was a keeper!  I don't want to say I was proud of myself, but I was!

Gluten Free Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found this great recipe at Two Peas and Their Pod and adjusted it to suit my diet.

1 cup gluten free flour mix (or 1 1/4 cup spelt flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 TBSP coconut oil, melted and cooled to room temperature
3/4 cup organic sugar
1 TBSP molasses
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup shredded zucchini, then chopped to small pieces
2 cups spelt flakes (or old fashioned oats)
1/2 cup unsweetened dried coconut
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F.  In a large mixing bowl, combine; coconut oil, sugar and molasses.  Mix until smooth.  Add egg and vanilla extract.  Then add zucchini and mix until just combined.  Stir in the spelt flakes, coconut and chocolate chips.  On a parchment lined baking sheet, drop dough by heaping tablespoons (or cookie scoop) about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 10 minutes until browned around the edges.
Yield: approximately 30 cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

I dreamt these up when I wanted chocolate chip cookies but didn't want the butter, sugar or the fuss of baking.  These were super easy and they are pretty tasty when you crave something sweet and chocolate!

1/4 cup almond butter
1 TBSP coconut oil
1 cup spelt flour
1 to 2 TBSP Stevia (depending on how sweet you want it)
pinch salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Place the almond butter and coconut oil* in a small sauce pan and warm stirring until smooth and runny.  Meanwhile, stir the remaining ingredients together in a medium sized bowl.  Add the melted almond butter mixture and stir until combined.  If too dry, melt additional almond butter, if too wet add more spelt flour.  It should be a firm dough that is easy to handle and roll into balls without falling apart. 
Roll into small balls approximately 1/2" in size.  refrigerate or freeze until ready to eat.
*If you desire a vanilla flavor to your bites, stir 1 tsp vanilla into the almond butter mixture just before adding to the dry ingredients.

Yield:  approximately 25 balls

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites

These are adapted from Grain-free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls.

1 can or 1 1/4 cups cooked chickpeas, rinsed and well drained

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup almond butter

1/4 cup thick honey

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine all the ingredients, except for the chocolate chips, in a food processor and process until very smooth. Transfer dough to a bowl and stir in chocolate chips. The mixture will be very thick and sticky.  With wet hands, form into 1" balls. Place 1/2" apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and press down slightly on the balls because they won't spread. Bake for 10 minutes until slightly cracked on top and the bottoms are browned.  Note: the tops of the cookies won't brown

Gluten Free Molasses Ginger Cookies

1 3/4 stick (14 TBSP) of unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg (or 1 TBSP arrowroot mixed with 2 TBSP water)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose blend 
(I used 2 parts brown rice flour, 1 part tapioca flour & 1 part potato starch)
1 tsp baking powder
(if not already in your flour blend, add 1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum and 1/2 tsp salt to flour mixture)
3 TBSP molasses
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
3/4 cup chopped crystalized ginger
granulated sugar to roll cookies in

Preheat oven to 350F.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.  In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar until soft and fluffy, about 1 minute.  Add egg (or arrowroot mixture) and vanilla.  Beat until smooth.  In a separate bowl, combine flour blend and baking powder.  Mix well.  Add to butter/sugar mixture 1 cup at a time, beating briefly, to incorporate, after each addition.  Add molasses and beat to combine.  Fold in cinnamon, ground ginger and crystalized ginger.  Mix well.  Scoop dough into a cookie scoop leveling off to make teaspoon sized dough balls.  roll in granulated sugar and place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes.  Remove from oven and slide parchment onto rack to cool (slide cookies off parchment after a few minutes).

Makes approximately 32 cookies.  Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.  These cookies freeze well.

Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

3/4 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 1/4 cups gluten free flour or 2 1/2 cups spelt flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
sugar for dipping

Heat oven to 325F.  In a large bowl, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and egg; blend well.  Stir in flour, cocoa and baking powder; mix well.  Shape dough into 1 inch balls.  Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.  Flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.  Bake 8 minutes or until set.  Cool 1 minute before removing from cookie sheet to cool.

Spelt Cherry Cookies

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups white spelt flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup dried cherries ( I substituted craisins)
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300F. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Add the egg and mix well. In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and mix well. Stir in the cherries and chocolate chips. Drop cookie dough from a cookie scoop onto a parchment covered baking sheet.  Bake in preheated oven for 13 minutes.

Almond Butter Cookies

This is a great recipe that has no flour.

What I did different:

I didn't have any almond butter, so I made my own following these instructions.

I used raw cane sugar in place of white sugar.

The dough was a little dry, so I added an extra egg white and it was perfect.

I also only rolled the tops of the dough balls in the raw cane sugar.

They were different, but very tasty. They are good plain and the chocolate is yummy. Some other ways I'd like to make them: raspberry jam instead of chocolate on top and peanut butter or pistachio butter instead of almond butter.