Category: Cookies

Snickerdoodles

11/27/2012

The name's Doodle. Snicker Doodle. (insert 007 music here)

This cookie has been eluding me for the longest time. Over the past 5 years, I've made several versions of my favourite snickerdoodle cookie and I could never get it to be as good as the egg and dairy version. Well folks, the wait is over. Tonight the creative juices were running high. Coupled with my unwavering determination and borderline insane obsession with anything cinnamon, my frequently fragmented thoughts came together in harmony to create the best snickerdoodle cookie I have ever tasted. I mean EVER.

You must try them. NOW.

Snickerdoodle Cookies (Dairy, Egg & Nut Free)
Yields 3 dozen cookies

1/2 cup dairy free margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
Cinnamon Sugar for rolling (2 Tbsp sugar + 2 tsp cinnamon)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine margarine and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and applesauce. Beat until thoroughly combined. Add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Mix until dough comes together and no flour is visible.

In a small bowl, prepare cinnamon sugar. Using a small cookie scooper, drop dough into cinnamon sugar two at a time and roll until well covered. Place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the centre looks like it's barely done.

If you like them crunchy, leave them in the oven for an extra minute.

I prefer mine crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside.

Can't. Stop. Eating.

See what I mean...?

Cinnamon Crunch Cookies

4/2/2012

Yesterday I did a terrible thing; a very horrible thing.

I baked. Again.

Typically, I'm one of those people who like to sink their teeth into a nice soft cinnamon coffee cake. My thighs, however, do not agree with such notions. Neither does my waist, and other body parts that I'm currently in negotiations with. I'm trying to prevent a full fledged invasion here. We're on the brink of war.

My body and I have issues.

Because of that, and because I love baking, I had to settle... or at least I thought I was settling. I came up with a cinnamon crunch thingy that's quickly become the equivalent to crack cocaine in this house. No one could stop eating them, even visitors. It didn't help that I made them in different variations. Things got even more dicey when people found out how low on calories they were. I tried to explain that eating 25 of them does not constitute a low calorie snack but I don't think anyone heard me. They were all busy scarfing down those cookies.

Although a part of me wishes to keep this recipe a well guarded secret, the other part... the better part most likely, wants to share it with all of you. Just beware when you serve the cookies. Stay alert, otherwise, you might lose a limb in the frenzy.

You will need the following...

Combine your margarine and sugars. It's important to note that your margarine has to be at room temperature. I know, sometimes we cut corners and use the margarine straight from the fridge but this time, it needs to be soft. If you don't want to wait the ten minutes, because you have more important things to do like laundry, sweeping and harassing family members, just stick it in the microwave for 20 seconds. Voila!

Beat until light and fluffy. I mean REALLY fluffy, almost like whipped topping. It usually takes about 2 minutes. Then add applesauce and vanilla and beat some more.

It should look like this...

Add the dry ingredients. In this case I am making Cinnamon Crunch, but if you wanted S'more Crunch, decrease the flour and add cocoa powder and graham cracker crumbs, or if you want Chocolate Chip Crunch, then just omit the cinnamon and add chocolate chips at the very end. See, the variations are endless with this recipe. It's part of what makes it really fun!

Now, once you mix the dough and make sure that all the flour has disappeared, add the oats, marshmallows and cereal. In this case, I decided to use Cinnamon Pops cereal instead of Rice Krispies. You can use whatever cereal you want based on how crunchy you want the cookies to be.

My marshmallows look mutated like they've undergone some gene therapy that went horribly wrong. I discovered half way through the recipe that I don't have mini marshmallows (because I'm a total dimwit). All I had were the oversized ones so I chopped them up. Do not be like me; chopping marshmallows is hard work. They stick to the knife (and scissors and hands and counter and bowl and everything they touch; they even stick to themselves) like guilt to a catholic. Use mini marshmallows to avoid the guilt... errr... the stickiness.

Once they're stirred, drop them onto parchment lined cookie sheets and bake. Your house will smell soooooo good. Your welcome!

This is what they look like when they come out of the oven and have cooled a bit. These are the cinnamon crunch cookies.

And these are the Chocolate S'more variation...

And these are the Chocolate Chip Crunch variation...

I don't know which is my favourite. They're all good; they're all addictive. You know it's bad when you have to remind your husband (who's on his way to the kitchen a lot more often than usual) to stay away from what's left of the cookies because you're keeping them for your daughter who gains only one pound per year and loses that same pound the year after.

Cinnamon Crunch Cookies (Dairy, Egg & Nut Free)
Yields 4 dozen

1/2 cup dairy free margarine, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup Rice Krispies
1 cup mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine margarine with sugars and beat for 2 minutes or until very light and fluffy. Add applesauce and vanilla. Mix until combined. Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda. Beat on medium speed until thoroughly mixed. Use a rubber spatula to stir in oats, Rice Krispies and marshmallows.

Use a small cookie scoop to drop rounds on baking sheet about two inches apart. Flatten slightly with palm then bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in a tightly sealed container for up to a week, if you can make them last that long.

Nutritional Info (Per cookie)
Calories 48.88, Total Fat 1.76g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 37.84mg, Potassium 13.89mg, Total Carbohydrates 7.93g, Fiber 0.37g, Sugar 4.3g, Protein 0.5g

Variations:
For Chocolate Chip Crunch Cookies - omit the cinnamon and add 1/2 cup dairy free chocolate chips at the end and stir in.
Nutritional Info (Per cookie)
Calories 55.38, Total Fat 2.2g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 49.21mg, Potassium 12.69mg, Total Carbohydrates 8.66g, Fiber 0.31g, Sugar 4.29g, Protein 0.55g

For Chocolate S'more Crunch Cookies - omit the cinnamon, decrease flour to 1/2 cup, add 1/3 cup cocoa powder and 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs with the flour.
Nutritional Info (Per cookie)
Calories 45.79, Total Fat 1.78g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 40.06mg, Potassium 12.49mg, Total Carbohydrates 7.16g, Fiber 0.22g, Sugar 4.4g, Protein 0.41g

Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Calculations are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutritional Facts are obtained from Radium Technologies' Living Cookbook. However, Allergymom.ca has no affiliation with Radium Technologies and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.

Lemon Cookies

8/18/2011

My fridge is overflowing with lemons. Hence, the bombardment of lemon treats. In the past week, I've managed to make three different batches of lemon cookies - all delicious. I'd thought that I found the one until I got flooded with rave reviews about these two recipes. So for those of you who requested them (because I'm that sort of gal; always giving, rarely taking) and those who think I'm an "awesome cook & fabulous baker", you make my day.

Now, on to lemon goodness. If you like mellow undertones of lemon then you may enjoy Lemon Tea Cookies. They are soft, chewy and have a very mild lemon flavor that perfectly compliments a hot cup of tea or coffee. On the other hand, some of us prefer a cookie with zing or pizzazz, sort of like a party in your mouth. If you like a strong lemon flavor then you might like Lemon Sunshine Cookies. Both recipes are delicious. They did not last 24 hours in my kitchen (because I kept eating them and because hubby claimed he had to taste each batch twice to make sure they have been thoroughly reviewed). Did I mention my sordid affair with the exercise bike? I swear the darn thing stares me down every time I pass by it.

Lemon Tea Cookies
Yields 4.5 dozen

3/4 cup dairy free margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
1 lemon, juiced and zested
2 Tbsp corn syrup
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar (for rolling dough)

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add applesauce, lemon juice, zest and corn syrup. Beat until thoroughly combined. Add flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix until dough forms. Keep dough in bowl and place in freezer for about an hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using a small cookie scoop, drop chilled dough into sugar and roll to coat. Place on prepared cookie sheet about two inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden. Let cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes then transfer to wire rack to continue cooling.

Nutritional Info (Per Cookie)
Calories 63.92, Total Fat 2.59g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 67.02mg, Potassium 9.61mg, Total Carbohydrates 10.03g, Fiber 0.23g, Sugar 5.78g, Protein 0.53g

Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Calculations are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutritional Facts are obtained from Radium Technologies' Living Cookbook. However, Allergymom.ca has no affiliation with Radium Technologies and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.

Lemon Sunshine Cookies
Yields 3.5 dozen

1 box lemon flavor cake mix, without pudding (dairy & egg free such as Added Touch)
2 Tbsp dairy free sour cream
1 lemon, juiced and zested
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup icing sugar (for rolling dough)

Pour cake mix into the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in sour cream, lemon juice, zest and oil until well blended and no lumps remain. Keep dough in bowl and place in the freezer for about an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using a small cookie scoop, drop chilled dough into icing sugar and roll to coat. Place on prepared cookie sheet two inches apart. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until the middle is set. Let cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes then transfer to wire rack to continue cooling.

Note: Lemon Sunshine Cookies are very delicate and can easily burn. Keep an eye on them while in the oven and remove them as soon as the edges are pale pink because they will continue to bake on the sheet as they settle.

Nutritional Info (Per Cookie)
Calories 78.16, Total Fat 3.38g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 83.4mg, Potassium 18.33mg, Total Carbohydrates 11.64g, Fiber 0.23g, Sugar 8.32g, Protein 0.64g

Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Calculations are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutritional Facts are obtained from Radium Technologies' Living Cookbook. However, Allergymom.ca has no affiliation with Radium Technologies and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.

Rainbow Cookies

7/12/2011

My little girl loves rainbow cookies. You know, the ones made with colorful candy covered chocolate chips. One of the things that has kept me from making rainbow cookies for a long time was the lack of dairy free candy coated chocolate chips. Those little things are available in most grocery stores but unfortunately they contain dairy. Every time we passed by the cookie aisle in the grocery store, Maya would ask for rainbow cookies and every time I would have to read the label and show her that they are unsafe. But that got me thinking (surprising, I know, tell me about it) that there must be a way I can make them, if not the same, then at least very similar.

It was an accidental discovery to be honest. Now that my kitchen is all nice and new (read: clean and organized) I am able to see everything stored at a glance. No more stuff hiding behind more stuff. No more dispatching of search and rescue teams to find that lone can of sliced pineapple trapped behind the mass of applesauce jars. I was in the process of making Canada Day Cookies (a recipe that will be discussed in a later post) and needed Maple extract which was sitting beside the colorful cake sprinkles. And that's when it hit me. Chocolate chips and sprinkles in cookie dough = rainbow cookies. No one said that the chocolate had to be covered in candy. As long as they both made it to the party, who cares, right? It was time to try this madness.

The results were quite good. My little girl was so happy and requests Rainbow Cookies often. These are not soft like chocolate chip cookies. They are crispy and chewy (not to mention sweet and addictive). My mouth loved them a great deal but my thighs not so much. I hope you enjoy them as much as my family did.

Dairy, Egg, & Nut Free Rainbow Cookies
Yields 4 dozen

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
1/3 cup dairy free margarine
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup dairy free chocolate chips
1/2 cup multicolored sprinkles (I use Cake Mate, which I talked about here)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine sugars, shortening and dairy free margarine. Mix until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and applesauce. Mix until smooth.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to wet ingredients and mix until just comes together. Do not overbeat. Add chocolate chips and sprinkles. Stir with a rubber spatula. Using a small cookie scoop, drop dough 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. Do not flatten, as they will spread. During baking the cookies will rise a fair bit but do not be alarmed. They will sink once cooled.

Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden and the middle looks set. Let cool on sheet for 1 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in a tightly covered container and leave on kitchen counter (assuming they don't disappear within 24 hours).

Note:
- Because they contain shortening, the cookies spread a fair bit, so do not flatten them and stick to a small cookie scoop. That will yield the standard two inch cookie size.
- These cookies are very delicate and burn easily so keep an eye on them. They really only need 7 to 8 minutes in the oven and only a minute to cool on the tray.
- To my knowledge, the only dairy, egg, & nut free sprinkles in the city are made by McCormick Canada and are branded Cake Mate. Wilton is NOT safe for dairy and egg allergies. Please read this post for details.

Nutritional Info (per cookie)
Calories 70.6, Total Fat 3.25g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 55.35mg, Potassium 8.74mg, Total Carbohydrates 9.84g, Fiber 0.22g, Sugar 4.34g, Protein 0.46g

Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Calculations are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutritional Facts are obtained from Radium Technologies' Living Cookbook. However, Allergymom.ca has no affiliation with Radium Technologies and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.

Ginger Cookies

4/12/2011

Okay, I know I haven't been posting for quite a while, but hear me out. I have a good excuse. I was swallowed by a black hole called Kitchen Reno. Due to a number of seemingly good reasons at the time, including our allergy lifestyle, my husband and I collectively decided that upgrading our kitchen (more like giving it a complete overhaul) would be a brilliant move. After a lot of stress, sweat, tears, cash, blood, more stress, more cash and more tears, it is finally done! I now have a much bigger, more beautiful, and extremely more functional kitchen than I'd ever imagined. Yes, I'm broke but I'm happy. Granted, it's not Martha Stewart's kitchen (nor do I really want it to be), but it works very well for our little family. I christened our new kitchen with a double batch of cinnamon rolls that were promptly devoured (just like the cookie monster). I realize that sometimes it seems like I'm living in Sesame Street, but I promise you the rest of the time, I'm either living in the twilight zone (on a good day) or in a horror flick (the rest of the time).

Now that my husband and daughter have proven that having their fill of cinnamon rolls is a myth, as both of them could inhale an entire tray and then ask for more, they've since started asking for my famous ginger cookies. Those ginger gems are back by popular demand. The compliments have been pouring ever since I gave them out as Christmas gifts last year. At least a dozen people have asked for the recipe so I thought I'd post it here to please the masses. Just think, what would happen if a gingersnap and a molasses cookie came together; they would produce my ginger cookie. It's neither crunchy like a gingersnap, nor soft like a molasses cookie. It's a little bit of both and it definitely has a ginger bite to it!

WARNING: They are addictive. Eat at your own risk. For best results share with others. DO NOT hoard the entire thing and then chain yourself to the treadmill for a week. DO NOT grab all the cookies and lock yourself in the pantry. DO call the Betty Crocker clinic if symptoms persist.

Enjoy!

Dairy, Egg, & Nut Free Ginger Cookies
Yields 2 dozen

1/3 cup dairy free margarine
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 Tbsp molasses
1 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine dairy free margarine and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add molasses and applesauce. Mix until thoroughly incorporated.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and stir until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix. Using a small cookie scooper, place dough rounds unto the baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Pat very gently with your hands to flatten the tops a little bit. You can sprinkle a little bit of granulated sugar on top of each cookie if you wish.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes then promptly remove to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will be soft when they come out of the oven but will harden as they cool.

Note: Make sure not to overbake them. They should look a bit wet or undercooked in the centre when they first come out of the oven. One minute longer in the oven and they will become crunchy. One minute less will make them softer. Play around with the recipe and see what you prefer; make it your own.

Nutritional Info (per cookie)
Calories 68, Total Fat 2.6g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 72.79mg, Potassium 57.65mg, Total Carbohydrates 10.82g, Fiber 0.19g, Sugar 6.03g, Protein 0.57g

Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Calculations are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutritional Facts are obtained from Radium Technologies' Living Cookbook. However, Allergymom.ca has no affiliation with Radium Technologies and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

5/16/2010

Dairy and egg free chocolate chip cookies are not really very difficult to make and so many variations are out there. It's not the taste that makes the allergy friendly variety challenging; it's the texture. With a little bit of creativity, you can get the results you want, whether you like a chewy chocolate chip cookie or a crunchy one. That being said, the key to making perfect chocolate chip cookies is to avoid overbaking them. Every oven varies so you need to adjust your baking time according to your oven. Chocolate chip cookies are very delicate and overcook quite easily. One minute longer can mean the difference between soft and chewy, and hard as rock hockey pucks.

Last month I went into a chocolate chip cookie frenzy. For an entire week, I was baking one batch of chocolate chip cookie after another. I tried so many different recipes from a number of my usual dairy versions but none of them came out the way I wanted them, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. They were all good mind you, but they just didn't measure up to the delicious ones you buy at the store. I wanted to make a chocolate chip cookie that resembled the packaged cookies, not only in taste, but also in texture. So I came up with this recipe which I've had many (and I mean many) people taste. It is by far the best chocolate chip cookie I've made and is a favourite among family and friends. Most of my taste testers thought these cookies are better than store bought ones. They have an added bonus too - less fat, less sugar and no cholesterol. They do go fast, however. Once you try them and like them, I strongly suggest doubling the recipe. It'll go in no time!

Dairy, Egg & Nut Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yields 3 dozen

1/2 cup dairy free margarine, softened
6 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup soymilk
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 box dairy free instant vanilla pudding powder (the 6-serving or 153g size box)*
1 cup dairy free semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 3 cookie sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream margarine and sugars until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and soymilk. Mix until thoroughly combined.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and instant pudding powder. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until the dough just comes together. Add chocolate chips and stir with a rubber spatula.

Using a small cookie scooper, place cookies about two inches apart on baking tray. Lightly flatten the surface of the cookies. Do not press too hard as they will spread and puff slightly.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden around the edges and the middle looks wet. They might look doughy when they first come out but they will firm up as they cool. Let them sit on the baking tray for 2 minutes then promptly remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

*Note: Please make sure that the instant pudding powder you use is allergy safe. Store brand and low fat versions often contain dairy or are made on equipment that shares dairy and nuts. I use the 6-serving (153g) size of Kraft's Vanilla Instant Pudding Powder which is completely dairy, egg, peanut and tree nut free.

Nutritional Info (Per Cookie)
Calories 74.12, Total Fat 3.98g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 82.6mg, Potassium 9.29mg, Total Carbohydrates 9.59g, Fiber 0.39g, Sugar 3.22g, Protein 0.67g

Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Calculations are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutritional Facts are obtained from Radium Technologies' Living Cookbook. However, Allergymom.ca has no affiliation with Radium Technologies and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.

Lime Drops

5/9/2010

Today I woke up in a total baking mood so after my morning coffee I headed straight into the kitchen. What to make? Something fruity or citrus would be perfect as a mother's day treat but I needed something that can be whipped up quickly, as in under 30 minutes start to finish. Cookies take very little time to bake, so cookie it was. I wanted a cookie that's decadent and tender so I came up with Lime Drops. They were incredibly easy to make and literally took less than 30 minutes including the baking time. I zested and juiced the lime while the mixer beat the sugar and margarine until fluffy. The batter was done in ten minutes and it took only 10 to 12 minutes to bake. These cookies are quite tart but the sweetness of the glaze takes the edge off. They are very tender and have that melt in your mouth trait. For a tropical twist, add 1/2 teaspoon of coconut extract to the batter.

Dairy, Egg, & Nut Free Lime Drop Cookies
Yields 15 cookies

1/4 cup dairy free margarine, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 lime, juiced and zested
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

Glaze
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 Tbsp lime juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream dairy free margarine, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Reserve one tablespoon of lime juice for the icing and add the remaining juice and zest to the mixture. Stir until thoroughly incorporated.

In a separate bowl combine flour and baking powder. Add to the wet ingredients. Mix until the dough just comes together. Using a cookie scooper, drop rounds of dough unto cookie sheet. Lightly flatten the tops without pressing too hard. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

Let cool on baking sheet for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle with glaze.

To make the glaze:
Combine sugar and reserved lime juice. Mix until you have smooth consistency like that of honey. Pour into a plastic bag and make a slit in the side. Drizzle glaze over cookies.

Nutritional Info (Per Cookie)
Calories 107.53, Total Fat 6.55g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 57.35mg, Potassium 16.23mg, Total Carbohydrates 11.55g, Fiber 0.35g, Sugar 4.68g, Protein 0.93g

Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Calculations are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutritional Facts are obtained from Radium Technologies' Living Cookbook. However, Allergymom.ca has no affiliation with Radium Technologies and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.

Cappuccino Cookies

4/26/2010

I'm a big fan of coffee, and I really love cappuccino. I've recently noticed that our little girl likes coffee too even though she's never tasted it. She likes the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and in the morning will often comment on how yummy it smells. So, I decided to try a recipe with coffee in it to see what she thought of the actual taste of coffee. The result was those cappuccino cookies which she loved and asked for more. Since I don't want to have a child hopped up on caffeine I typically use decaf in all my coffee recipes but you can use regular caffeinated coffee if you wish. It's way too early to have our child addicted to anything besides Backyardigans.

These cookies are for the coffee connoisseur. They are sweet, chewy and have a strong coffee flavour. In short, they are decadent. Be careful though, they are quite addictive. They're also perfect with a hot cup of coffee. Enjoy!

Dairy, Egg & Nut Free Cappuccino Cookies
Yields 24 cookies

1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup dairy free margarine
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 Tbsp instant coffee granules
4 Tbsp soy milk or rice milk, warm
2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Icing
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 Tbsp soy milk or rice milk, hot
1 tsp instant coffee granules
1 Tbsp light corn syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet lined with silicone mat or parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine dairy free margarine and sugar until creamy. In a small bowl, dissolve the coffee in warm soy milk. Add to sugar and margarine, then add vanilla. Mix until combined.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined.

Using a small cookie scooper, place cookies on baking sheet 1 inch apart. Shape with your hands to smooth out the edges and flatten a bit with the palm of your hand. Bake for 15 minutes until the edges are set but the middle looks wet.

Let cookies cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a rack and let them cool completely before icing.

To make the icing, combine confectioners sugar, hot soy milk with coffee granules, corn syrup and vanilla and stir until smooth. It should have the consistency of cold honey. Place in a plastic bag and make a slit on one of the edges. Drizzle the icing on the cookies and let sit for a few minutes to harden. Store cookies in a tightly sealed container at room temperature.

Nutritional Info (Per Cookie)
Calories 132.6, Total Fat 5.23g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 139.56mg, Potassium 36.01mg, Total Carbohydrates 20.36g, Fiber 0.29g, Sugar 11.64g, Protein 1.28g

Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Calculations are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutritional Facts are obtained from Radium Technologies' Living Cookbook. However, Allergymom.ca has no affiliation with Radium Technologies and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.

Banana Cookies

1/30/2010

Those who know me also know that I'm a good baker and half decent cook. Since we've learned about Maya's allergies to dairy, eggs, and peanuts I've been slowly collecting recipes that mirror my own, only without the foods Maya is allergic to. I've adjusted many of my favourite recipes to make them safe for Maya while maintaining the same wonderful flavour. However, I was never able to find the perfect banana cookie recipe. I love banana cookies. I like them crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. I've experimented for over two years and the results were always less than pleasing. Without eggs, the recipe just didn't come out right. Some of the ones I made resembled hockey pucks. Some of them just fell apart when they cooked. Others did not cook at all. Today, (after months of trial and error)I found the perfect banana cookie recipe and I'd like to share it with all the banana lovers out there.

This recipe is based on multiple ones I've tried over the past two years with variations. Before you start, make sure that the bananas are very ripe with lots of spots or almost all brown on the outside. Be careful not to overcook the cookies. If you leave them for too long in the oven, they will really harden after they cool and will not be chewy. If you want them chewy, then monitor them as they cook. Ideally, to get the chewy consistency, they should be golden around the edges and wet or moist in the middle. As they cool, they will firm up but remain chewy. Make sure to let them cool completely before even attempting to remove them otherwise they will crumble. It takes 17 minutes to cook them in my oven, but it might take more or less depending on yours.

Dairy Free, Egg Free, Nut Free Banana Cookies
Yields 24 cookies

1/2 cup dairy free margarine (I use Earth Balance Buttery Sticks)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 medium banana mashed
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup + 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup quick cooking oats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with a silpat (or you can use parchment paper or dairy free cooking spray) and set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dairy free margarine, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat on medium/high speed until light and fluffy. Add the mashed banana and vanilla, and continue beating until well incorporated. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add to dairy free margarine mixture and combine until thoroughly mixed. Remove the mixer and stir in oats with a rubber spatula.

Use a cookie scooper to place batter on the cookie sheet. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until light brown around the edges and moist/wet in the middle. Cool completely on cookie sheet and store in an airtight container for two weeks.

NOTE: It goes without saying that you can add whatever you like to those cookies. I like mine plain, but you can add 1/2 cup chocolate chips, raisins, or any dried fruit you like. And if you are not allergic to them you can even add walnuts. Experiment with it, and enjoy!

Nutritional Info (Per Cookie)
Calories 106.2, Total Fat 4.1g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 113.29mg, Potassium 44.22mg, Total Carbohydrates 16.6g, Fiber 0.63g, Sugar 9.27g, Protein 1.15g

Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Calculations are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutritional Facts are obtained from Radium Technologies' Living Cookbook. However, Allergymom.ca has no affiliation with Radium Technologies and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.