Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Butterscotch Cookies and Gingerbread Cookies with Whole Grain Brown Rice Flour

 It's my mom and dad's wedding anniversary today. As a random side note that has nothing to do with cookies...um...yeah. So congrats to the happy couple for 39 years of insane coolness. The best parents ever! Don't they look super young?!

As many of you know, my sweet Sister has been dealing with a whole new life of gluten free baking. I received some  Certified Gluten Free Brown Rice Flour  to play with a little while ago and have been really enjoying coming up with Chef Tess magic new recipes that will work for Emily. I love that it's whole grain! Such a nutritional boost.  Now, Em is also diabetic. She can't have a lot of sweets, however, these can be made with alternative sweeteners. Emily will be happy. They're thick and fudgy with a really  nice texture. One thing I noticed with the brown rice flour is that this particular milling from Honeyville Farms out in California is pretty fine. I've had other rice flour that was too grainy. I did get it here local at the Honeyville Farms store in Chandler where I teach my cooking classes.  I've really had some great success with it.  Let's chew some gum for a minute.

The use of xhanthan gum is a great replacement for gluten in baking products. It somewhat mimics the way gluten proteins react in a baking medium by suspending the starches. A little goes a long way. It is gluten free. It can be purchased in most grocery store locations in the baking section.

Chef Tess' Gluten Free Brown Rice

 Classic Chocolate Chip Butterscotch Cookies

2 1/2 cup Certified Gluten Free Brown Rice Flour ( 625 ml)

1 tsp  Xanthan Gum ( 5ml)

 1 tsp Salt ( 5mg)

1 tsp baking powder (5ml)

1/2 cup (4 oz) melted butter (125 ml)

1 1/2 cup Dark brown sugar ( 375 ml)

2 whole egg ( 125ml)

1 tsp pure bourbon vanilla ( 5 ml)

2 cups dark chocolate chips or chunks ( 500ml)

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl combine the brown rice flour, xanathan gum, salt, and baking powder. In a separate bowl whisk the melted butter, dark brown sugar, eggs and vanilla. Mix the brown rice flour mixture with the egg/sugar mixture. Stir well. Add the chocolate chips. Scoop cookies (36g each or 2T/30ml) onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet with 1 inch between cookies. Lightly flatten cookies with your hand. Bake 9-10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on cookie sheet 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Keep in an air tight container. Yield 2 dozen cookies.
These Orange Gingerbread cookies are thick and chewy. When you use the Wise Woman of the East spice blend it gives a subtle hint of rose petal and lavender to these already beautiful creations. Enjoy!

 Chef Tess Gluten Free Brown Rice Orange Gingerbread Cookies

  3 cups Certified Gluten Free Brown Rice Flour ( 750ml)

1 tsp Xanthan Gum ( 5ml)

1 tsp Salt (5ml)

 1 tsp baking powder (5ml)

2 tsp Chef Tess Wise Woman of the East Spice Blend ( 10 ml)

 1/2 tsp ground ginger (½ tsp or 2.5ml)

 2 tsp fresh orange zest (2tsp 10ml)

1/2 cup (4 oz) melted butter (125 ml)

 Dark brown sugar ( 375 ml)

 2 T molasses (30ml)

 2 whole egg ( 125ml)

1 tsp  pure bourbon vanilla (1 tsp)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
 In a large bowl combine the brown rice flour, xanathan gum, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and orange zest.
 In a separate bowl whisk the melted butter, dark brown sugar, molasses, eggs and vanilla. Mix the brown rice flour mixture with the egg/sugar mixture. Stir well. Mixture will be thick. scoop cookies (36g each or 2T/30ml) and round with hands into balls. Roll the balls of dough in sugar. Transfer to a lightly oiled cookie sheet with 1 inch between cookies. Lightly flatten cookies to ½ inch thick with your hand. Bake 9-10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on cookie sheet 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Keep in an air tight container.
Yield 2 dozen cookies.


There you  go Auntie Em! Oh...and Yes! I am working on the Chef Tess Approved gluten free bread. It's coming soon I swear!! 

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess