Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies

2 1/2 Cups Gluten Free Hazelnut Flour or Meal

1/2 Cup Packed Dark Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup White Sugar ( If you want to make this Sugar Free just use the Pyure Stevia in the same amounts as both sugars)

1 Cup All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour ( I used Better Batter)

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

2 Large Eggs (Beaten)

8oz. Cream Cheese softened

1/2 Cup Salted Butter softened (1 Stick)

1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla

1- 11.5 oz. package Hershey’s Gluten Free Milk Chocolate Chips ( if you want this sugar free then use 2 packages of the Sugar Free Chips)

Preheat oven to 350*F.

In large bowl whisk together all dry ingredients. Using electric mixer or food processor beat together eggs, cheese, butter and vanilla.  Add dry ingredients to wet and mix together until well blended, then fold in chocolate chips. You may want to cover bowl and let set in fridge for about 15 minutes, or you can go ahead and spoon onto greased cookie sheet, and flatten out to about ¼ inch thick. ( I wet my fingers to do this.) Bake for 16 to 18 minutes. We like ours just until they are crispy around the edges. Be aware these are a little rich, but that’s ok for Valentine’s Day! Enjoy!

I recently found this cookie baking pan and since it is different from using a regular cookie sheet, I  have adjusted the baking time in my Soft Butter Cream Cookie recipe to accommodate.  I did leave the normal dough resting and baking time at the bottom for you.

I’m finally back in the kitchen after shoulder surgery, so I had to make something fun!

Melting Witches

1 Box Pillsbury Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Mix

2 Peeled Ripe Avocadoes

2 Tablespoons Water

1 Large Egg

Hats and Brooms

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Hershey’s Classic Kisses

Gluten Free Candy Corns

Gluten Free Pretzel Sticks

Preheat oven to 350* F.

In large mixing bowl mash avocadoes, add water and egg. Blend until smooth. Add Sugar cookie mix and blend into wet ingredients. When mixed spoon about 1 ½ inch balls of cookie dough onto greased cookie sheet. With wet fingers press out dough to look like little puddles. I like to indent on 2 or 3 sides to make it look more like puddles. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes. While cookies are baking unwrap candy to have it ready to place on warm cookies.

When cookies are done, remove from oven and start placing inverted peanut butter cups onto cookies. Then add Kisses by pushing down onto center of peanut butter cup. The cup will melt some , so don’t push down too hard. Then add candy corn and pretzel to form the broom. Let cool for 10 – 15 minutes before removing to cooling rack. Let Cookies fully cool before serving.

Enjoy!

Note: only use regular packages of candy that states Gluten Free on the back. Do not use the seasonal bags. The company says they are not Gluten Free.

Strawberry Thyme Frozen Yogurt Pie!

2 Cups fresh washed stemmed and sliced Strawberries

2 Tablespoons Fresh chopped Thyme (if you use dry, then only one Tablespoon)

1 Cup plain Greek Yogurt

1/2 Cup Stevia (you can add more or less of your favorite sweetener to your taste)

1 Gluten Free Graham cracker pie crust

Place strawberries, thyme, yogurt and sweetener into food processor. Chop on the puree setting until strawberries are finely chopped and other ingredients are well mixed. Pour into pie shell and freeze for at least 2-3 hours or until pie is set. Serve frozen, Enjoy!

This recipe also makes great yogurt popsicles, minus the pie crust of course!

Crunchy No Bake Chocolate Cookies

2 Cups Gluten Free Chocolate Chips ( You can also use GF White Chocolate chips)

1/4 Cup or 1/2 Stick of Butter ( You can use a Butter substitute, Earth Balance, Coconut Butter, or mashed Banana)

1/2 Cup Organic Agave Nectar, or Honey

4 Cups lightly Crushed Gluten Free Rice Chex Cereal  ( These work better than GF Rice Crispies)

1/2 Cup Ground Chia Seeds

In large mixing bowl melt chocolate chips and butter in microwave for 1-2 minutes or until chocolate is melted. Remove from microwave and stir in agave nectar. When well blended fold in crushed cereal and ground chia seeds. When cereal is coated, spoon onto parchment paper and let cool. They are ready to eat when cookies are set. Enjoy!

@rio2016 In honor of the 2016 Rio Olympics

Brazilian Sweet Corn Meal Cake, Bolo de Fubá

1 Stick of Salted Butter Softened (or ½ Cup Butter Substitute)

1/2 Cup Oil

1/2 Cup Milk

1 Cup plain Greek Yogurt (or sour cream)

3 Large Eggs

2 Cups Gluten Free Corn Flour (finely ground cornmeal, I used Bob’s Red Mill)

1 Cup Gluten Free Flour with xanthan gum already added (I used Better Batter )

2 Cups white granulated Sugar

2 Tablespoons Gluten Free Baking Powder

1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar (confectioners’ sugar) For decoration

Preheat oven to 350*F.

Place all ingredients (except powdered sugar)  into food processor or blender. Blend on high until completely mixed. Stop processor and scrape down sides as needed. When well mixed pour batter into a buttered or grease a non-stick Bundt pan. Place pan in oven and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes back clean. Remove from oven and let cake cool for at least 10 minutes. Before removing cake from pan slide a plastic knife or small spatula around edges to loosen cake. Then invert cake over cake plate. Cake should slide out clean. Dust with powdered sugar and  serve with Fresh Berries and Cream! Yum!!

Easter Egg Cake Pops ( only without the stick)

1/2 Cup Plain GF Greek Yogurt ( or 4oz. cream cheese)

1 Cup Sugar

3 eggs

1 Cup All-purpose Gluten free Flour  (I use Better Batter or Tom Sawyer Gluten Free/Betty Crocker GF Flour Mix  ½ & ½ mix)

1 Teaspoon Gluten Free (Clabber Girl) Baking powder

1 Teaspoon pure Vanilla

Cream yogurt, sugar & eggs. Add remaining ingredients & mix well on high speed until blended. Let dough set in fridge for about 30 min.  When ready to bake preheat oven to 350*F. Butter both sides of non-stick cake pop pan and fill bottom half of pan with batter. (without the holes). Place top on, and lock together. Place in oven and bake for 9 minutes, then turn pan over and bake another 9 minutes. (18 minutes total). Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before removing top.  If batter comes through holes in the top be sure and remove those little bits before cooling. After 5 minutes remove from pan and lay them out to cool on the seam side down. This causes them to have more of an egg shape.( It may be necessary to trim the seam side of pops) When cool dip in melted GF almond bark and decorate. This is a fun decorating project for the kids!

Please note: Butter is the only thing I’ve found that will keep the pops from sticking. Also, its important to use the yogurt or cream cheese in the batter. Even if you choose to use a cake mix, replace the butter called for with yogurt or cream cheese.

This will make 2 dozen cake pops.

Ella’s Strawberry Cake

Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix

Replace the 2/3 Cup of water called for in the mix with 2/3 Cup Puréed Strawberries

Use only 1/2 Stick of melted Butter(or 1/4 Cup oil)

1/4 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt ( I use Fage)

Instead of 3 Eggs Use 4 Eggs (Beaten)

Omit the Vanilla called for on the box

Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl and fold liquids into cake mix. Then mix on high for 30- 40 seconds or until all dry ingredients are mixed. Then let batter rest for about 20 minutes before baking to let the rice flour absorb the liquids.

Preheat oven to 325*

When ready to bake pour batter into a greased and floured square 9 inch or 9inch round. Bake for 35- 40 minutes or until cake is set in the center and a tooth pick inserted in center of cake comes back clean. Let cool and Ice with Butter Cream Frosting below. This makes a very rich dark red cake. Enjoy!

To make a 2 layer cake or 9×13 inch cake, you will need 2 Cake mixes and double the recipe above.

You may want to add fresh strawberries to decorate or add the pureed strawberries to the frosting. Whatever you prefer. ( Or drizzle the strawberry juice over the frosting then add fresh strawberries)

Basic Butter Cream Frosting

8 oz. Plain Philadelphia Cream Cheese

2 Sticks unsalted Butter Softened (or 1 Cup)

1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla

4- 5 Cups Pure GF Powdered Sugar

In food processor blend all ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate in sealed container until ready to use.

To make a Fruit Flavored Butter Cream Frosting.

Instead of 2 Sticks of butter, replace 1 Stick with 1/2 Cup pureed Fruit and omit the vanilla. Mix until frosting forms peeks. If it needs to be thicker just add a little more Powdered sugar, until the frosting is the consistency you prefer.

Gluten Free Soft Pumpkin Cookies
1 ¾ Cup Jan’s GF Pie Crust Mix ( see recipe Below)
2 Teaspoons GF Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda…
1 Teaspoon Additive Free Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Additive Free Ground Nutmeg
1/2 Teaspoon Additive Free Ground Ginger
1/2 Teaspoon Additive Free Ground Cloves
1 3/4 Cups Dark Brown Sugar Packed
2 Eggs
1- 15oz. Can Pure Pumpkin Purée
Place pie crust flour mix, baking powder, baking soda, spices and brown sugar in mixer or food processor and mix or pulse until blended. Then add eggs, and pumpkin, blend until all incorporated and smooth. Place dough in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes until dough is stiff. When ready to bake preheat oven to 350*F. Place dough onto lightly greased cookie sheet by a tablespoon each, and bake for 20 minutes or until cookies are puffy and browned around the edges. When done remove from oven and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. These make are really soft cake like cookie. This recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies. Enjoy!

Jan’s Gluten Free Zucchini Banana Bread

3  1/2 Cups Gluten Free Rice Flour ( I use Tom Sawyer/Betty Crocker GF Rice flours mixed ½ and ½ )

1 Tablespoon GF baking powder

1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1  1/2 Cups Pure White granulated Sugar

3 Large Eggs beaten

1 Stick softened Salted Butter

2 Small Bananas sliced and mashed (about 3/4 cup when mashed)

3/4 Cup Peeled, finely chopped or shredded Zucchini

1 Cup chopped Pecans (optional)

Yeast Mixture

1/2 Cup room temperature Sweet Buttermilk

1/2 Cup warm water (be sure it isn’t over 110*)

1/2 Cup packed Pure Brown Sugar

2 Teaspoons Dry Active Yeast

In large mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and white sugar.  Using mixer on high, blend together, flour mixture, beaten eggs, butter, mashed bananas, and zucchini. Cover and let set for about 15 minutes, while you prepare yeast mixture.

In glass container, add room temperature buttermilk, warm water, brown sugar, and yeast. Whisk together and set yeast mixture by the stove to keep it warm, for about 5 – 10 minutes. It will rise and start to bubble.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325*F. Add yeast mixture to batter and mix until completely blended don’t over mix. If using pecans, fold them in now.  Pour batter into a greased and floured (with GF flour)  5×10 inch loaf pan. If you have smaller pans make 2 loaves. Bake for 65 to 70 minutes or until bread is set in the middle and a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean. When done remove from oven and let cool before removing from pan. Enjoy!

This recipe will make several muffins. Just bake at 325*F. for 25 – 30 minutes or until they are set in the center.

Chocolate Bunt Cake with Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

Gluten Free Sticky Honey Buns