My intentions were to post this (and other) gluten free cookie recipes BEFORE the holiday season. However, at approximately 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve, I was frenetically baking like Martha Stewart on crack. Like a rabid Keebler Elf. Like Betty Crocker on a bender. No, it was not a pretty picture. Why was I baking on Christmas Eve, you ask? This is why…
On December 23rd, I was out doing some last minute shopping. I battled parking spot stalkers, mall crazies, and scrooges filled with a case of the “bah humbugs”. Exhausted, I came home to find that my first “child” Baxter had eaten TWO DOZEN of my gluten free cookies. Baxter is our black lab mix. My husband and I adopted him from a local shelter 11 years ago. Did I mention Baxter is blind? Apparently his sense of smell is MUCH better than his eyesight! I can only imagine the scene: Baxter’s overactive olfactory system detects my ziploc-bagged cookies. Cookies placed on the CENTER of the kitchen table. He somehow pulls them down, unceremoniously rips apart the bag, and devours all cookies. Only a few crumbs were remaining. That and a lot of dog slobber.
On a happier note, I feel quite confident about posting this tasty cookie recipe. Thing 1 and Thing 2 loved the cookies and Baxter most certainly gave them two paws up.
Hope you all had a WONDERFUL holiday!
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
1 cup butter (softened)
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon orange extract
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup millet
1/4 cup amaranth flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
zest of an orange
1/2 cup craisins
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using a mixer, cream butter and sugars. Add eggs, orange juice, and orange extract — continue to mix well. Slowly add in white & brown rice flours, millet, amaranth, and tapioca flours. Add in baking soda, salt, baking powder, and xanthan gum. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are combined. By hand, fold in orange zest, craisins, and white chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonful onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake 13 to 15 minutes. After removing from oven, wait a few minutes before transferring cookies to cooling rack. Makes three dozen cookies.
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#1 by ttfn300 on December 28, 2008 - 5:06 pm
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aw, baxter’s got good taste
hope you had a wonderful holiday!!
#2 by Sarah Schatz - menu planner for people with allergies on December 28, 2008 - 5:56 pm
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I love your post about your cookies – and they look delicious. I might need to replace the sugar with maple syrup or agave because I can’t eat too much sugar but I’ll let you know if they come out this way or not!
Thanks for your funny story – well funny now – and your recipe.
Happy Holidays
sarah
#3 by glutenfreeforgood on December 29, 2008 - 9:22 am
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Aaah, but he’s so cute! And so semi-innocent looking. I smiled all the way through this post, thinking of how much Baxter enjoyed his adventure starting with — hmmm? I smell something very interesting. No need to actually see when you have a trained nose like that. Well, he’s sure a cutie, regardless of his mischievous ways.
Here’s to a happy and healthy 2009! For dogs and people alike!
Melissa
#4 by Gluten Free Steve on December 29, 2008 - 5:30 pm
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Ok while you may think that wasn’t funny, that was a darn funny story!
#5 by Thrifty Gluten-Free Mom on December 31, 2008 - 6:44 am
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I have to add my awww…too. Reminds me of our yellow lab who managed to open a tin of gingerbread men and devour them one Christmas. Love your blog.
Happy New Year
Wendy
#6 by Kay on December 31, 2008 - 12:56 pm
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Merry Christmas, Baxter! Cheers to your resourcefulness! Blind? No problem! No opposable thumbs? No problem! Will. Eat. Cookies.
Sorry you had to hurry through your last minute baking. “Betty Crocker on a bender” Ha ha!
You always make me smile! Happy new year!
#7 by Peter Bronski on January 5, 2009 - 9:53 am
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=) This story made me smile. I think every dog owner has a similar story… Fortunately, my dog is just small enough that he can’t get his snout onto the kitchen counter, but while babysitting a friend’s dog, he swiped an entire dinner’s worth of grilled baby bok choy off our plates! At that point, there’s not much you can do but laugh at the situation (and cook yourself something else to eat).
Cheers, Pete
#8 by April Chipman on January 6, 2009 - 11:40 am
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I’ve got a Rottweiler that has a horrible habit of swiping things off the counter if not put up when we leave. He’s eaten several loaves of bread (gluten and gluten free) and a whole pan of No Bake Cookies.
I’m going to try your cookie recipe, but need some more information on the millet and amaranth flour. Do you think I could find these at Whole Foods? Is the millet a flour also?
Love the podcasts!
April
#9 by Sophie on January 7, 2009 - 6:36 pm
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Cranberries and white chocolate are a divine combo. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year’s!
#10 by Melanie on January 7, 2009 - 8:50 pm
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OH I love it! Baxter knows what’s good! One of our rat terriers ate 16 hemp twine bows off the Christmas cards I was making. Now I know those didn’t taste as good as your cookies! Then last week she climbed up on my desk to steal my can of almonds I keep my my computer. While watching tv we heard the awful noise coming down the stairs. There at the bottom of the stairs was an empty can of almonds and a very guilty looking terrier at the top looking down at me. The can that had been half full, was now empty save the two almonds that fell out on the stair way steps. There were teeth marks all over the plastic lid where she had pried it open! Gotta love our pets!