Testing the Best Chewy Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Is it really the best?

Spoiler alert: Yes! This recipe is a winner.

I heard about the Best Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies from a gluten-free friend. She said her whole family loved them and thought they tasted like real cookies. I was eager to test the recipe my friend found from Michelle of MyGluten-freeKitchen.com

Michelle tested lots of different recipes before she settled on this one.

Rhubarb Crunch {Gluten Free}

Strawberries and rhubarb are in season right now, and we are enjoying rhubarb crunch. A "crunch" is very similar to a "crisp." A crunch dessert has a streusel-like layer on the bottom in addition to the streusel-like layer that would be on the top only if the dessert were a crisp. One layer means it's a crisp, sometimes called a "crumble," and two layers means it's a crunch. (And while we're on the subject on desserts that start with "C," "cobblers" are fruity desserts that have a biscuit topping, as opposed to crisps that have oats in them.) But no matter what you call it, it's a wonderful blend of flavors and textures.

Some of My Favorite Gluten Free Breads

I've tried a lot of gluten free breads, some of which crumbled and others of which resembled cardboard, but found a few I like. My favorite store-bought bread is Canyon Bakehouse's Cinnamon Raisin bread, followed by their other flavors like seven grain, which you can sometimes find at Meijer. 2021 UPDATE: several years later and I'm still loving Canyon Bakehouse! (Udi's is OK. Past non-favorites include Rudi's and Food for Life brand bread... if you need a way to use up some dry, unappetizing bread, check out this recipe for French Toast Strata, aka Breakfast Casserole or this recipe for speedy stuffing.)

Oat Baguette Bread {Gluten Free, Allergy Friendly}

I found this recipe for soft and chewy oat baguette bread on Stephanie's Hope For Healing blog. My mom modified it (surprise, surprise) but this time it was not to reduce the sugar, or make it gluten-free because all of Stephanie's recipes are gf, dairy free, soy free, and refined sugar free "as much as possible" according to her bio. Instead, we had to change the recipe because we could not find psyllium husk powder. What is psyllium husk powder? It is the husk of the psyllium ground into powder, silly. Actually, it makes a great thickener. My mom decided to try chia seeds instead.
We had never used chia seeds before, but we had heard them compared to flax seeds, and even used in the place of pectin in refrigerator jam! Generally, we use xanthan gum or potato starch for thickening.

chia seeds

Anyway, I'm sure you all want to know how to make this quick, non-rising, gluten free, dairy free, sugar free bread which does not have eggs, soy, nuts, or yeast either!

Gluten Free Buttermilk Waffles

I have wanted to share this protein-packed recipe for a while now, but my mom kept tweaking it. Her recipe is loosely based on Rice-Soy Waffles recipe found in The Gluten-Free Gourmet Revised Edition by Bette Hagman. (Rest assured the recipe no longer contains soy.) Do I recommend the book? Well, it's funny how I got it. When people found out I had to be gluten free, they gave me gf cookbooks, most of which I skim through and think interesting. But when I want a specific recipe for something, I usually turn to the internet, not the cupboard, for ideas.
Now I give you the tried and true formula for waffles.

Blueberry Muffins {Gluten Free}

In case you hadn’t noticed, I have a thing for muffins. They are less messy because they are conveniently wrapped in their own personal muffin cup. I can grab one to go faster than, say, banana bread, because I don’t have to slice it, or get a napkin. Plus, I just feel that they are healthier.  This particular recipe is sugar-free, dairy-free, and packs some protein from almond flour, coconut flour, and eggs. (See the more detailed breakdown below) Here’s the blueberry muffin recipe:

Combine Dry Ingredients:

1 cup Pamela’s Artesian Flour Blend

1 cup almond four

½ cup coconut flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon baking soda

Mix wet ingredients:

6 eggs

½ cup honey

¾ teaspoons vanilla

1 ripe banana 

Banana Bread Brownies or Bars {Gluten Free}

These are delightfully moist due to the bananas and sour cream. We actually found this recipe on Facebook (looks like that content is not available anymore) but we had to modify it to make it gluten free, like almost everything, and we reduced the sugar. (While you’re at it, like my page, Left and Write.)

Wet Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 cup sour cream

½ cup butter, softened

 2 eggs

1 ¾ cups or 4 very ripe bananas, mashed

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Black Raspberry Crisp {Gluten Free}

Donuts are to bagels what cupcakes are to muffins, or what store bought is to homemade- sugary and overrated versus wholesome and even healthy.

I propose another lovely switch for gluten free people: crisp in exchange for pie. Pies are already too time-consuming for me my mom to make, and it only gets worse when you add gluten-free dough! It sticks to everything but itself! It won’t hold its shape. Crisps are quick and obedient by comparison.

Filling:

5 cups black raspberries

½ cup sugar

¼ cup potato starch

½ teaspoon cinnamon

dash of cloves

Combine and dump in a greased 8 by 8 pan. We use coconut oil for grease.

Topping:

½ cup each of oats*, 

Red, White, and Berry Gluten Free Muffins

These patriotic muffins have red raspberries, “white” bananas, and “blue” black raspberries. The batter has an almost biscuit-like consistency, light and fluffy, unlike any other dense gluten free muffin you’ve ever tasted! They are also sugar free, sweetened with bananas and honey.

Yield 2 dozen

Ingredients; Dry:

1 cup Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix, (which is add-an-egg-and-oil-easy. It has flours, starches, baking powder, baking soda, salt and xanthan gum)

1 ¾ cup Pamela’s Artisan Flour Blend (flours, starches and guar gum)

1 cup almond flour

¼ cup coconut flour

2 Tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt