Two Wheat-Free/Gluten Free Cookie Recipes, Revisited and Revised

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One of the things I hope to do from time to time on this blog is to share with you revisions I make to recipes when I attempt them again. Every time I recreate an old recipe, my hope is that I can find a way to make it better than ever. I originally posted a recipe for wheat and gluten-free raspberry gems in December 2010. The version I’m offering today contains walnuts rather than almonds and sunflower seeds, and additionally, I’ve slightly increased the amount of flour, vanilla and cinnamon, and adjusted the baking time and temperature. I first posted a recipe for wheat and gluten-free coconut-peanut macaroons in March of 2011, but last week I made these cookies again, with some revisions.  I’m convinced that the gluten-free versions of both these cookies taste as good, if not better, than the more conventional one. After the jump, you’ll find my updated recipes for both these cookies.  Let me know how you like them.

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Photos: Top--Wheat and gluten-free raspberry gems. Above--Wheat and gluten-free peanut-coconut macaroons.

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WHEAT AND GLUTEN FREE RASPBERRY GEMS

Makes 2 dozen  2 1/2-inch cookies / Preheat oven to 355º

Dry ingredients:

2 cups walnuts, ground fine in a food processor

1 1/2 cups quinoa flakes*

3 cups rice flour*

1 tablespoon cinnamon

pinch of salt

Wet ingredients:

3/4 cup rice syrup

3/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup soy or rice milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

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You will also need a 10-ounce jar of fruit sweetened raspberry jam.

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1. Combine the dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until you have medium-fine meal.

2. Whisk together the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. Allow the dough to rest for 10-15 minutes to firm up.

4. Line cookie sheet pans with parchment paper. Form the cookie dough into 2-inch balls and place them on the cookie sheets. Make a well with your thumb or a small spoon in the center of each ball and spoon about a teaspoon and a half of raspberry jam into that indentation.

5. Bake the cookies in a 355º F oven about 20 minutes, or until crisp on top and light golden brown on the bottoms.  Cool on the pans for 5 minutes or so before removing to wire racks to finish cooling.

* If you are not baking for people with gluten sensitivities, you could substitute rolled oats (ground in a food processor) for the quinoa flakes, and whole wheat pastry flour for the rice flour.

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WHEAT AND GLUTEN FREE PEANUT-COCONUT MACAROONS

Makes 20 cookies / Preheat oven to 350º F

Dry ingredients:

2 cups roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 cups shredded, unsweetened coconut

2 1/2 cups white rice flour (I used mochi-ko, sweet rice flour)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

tiny pinch of salt

Wet ingredients:

1 cup coconut milk

3/4 cup rice sryup

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Measure  the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir together well. Measure the wet ingredients into a blender and blend very well.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, stir well.  Chill one half hour in the fridge (this makes the dough much easier to handle). Form into balls two inches in diameter. Place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.  Bake in a 350º oven 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden on top and bottom (after ten minutes, switch cookies on top shelf to bottom shelf and vice versa). Cool on wire racks.