Greetings, cookie fans!!
- My nephew thought they were
kinda-sorta okay
It’s 12:11am, and I really, really, really, really, really, really-like-WOAH-really need to sleep. About 48 hours prior to writing this post, my unspeakably adorable niece was born into this here world. It has been a whirlwind of emotion and babysitting for Auntie Insomnibake. There’s even been some un-blogged baking! My nephew and I made and decorated some cookies for Mama, using Joy the Baker’s Giant Vanilla Sugar Cookie recipe.
So, this has been a few days of forced insomnia rather than insomnia-by-choice. But daytime baking just doesn’t have the calming effect that my
night-time baking does. Conclusion– I best get to baking before I collapse! I wanted to try a gluten-free recipe today. Not for health reasons, or nutritional reasons, or ethical reasons, but rather because the InsomniBaker’s InsomniBoss is gluten-free. This means that if I want to bring in my late-night treats to the office, it would be best if he can actually eat them. I’ve generally done well with flour-free
desserts like truffles, chocolate bark, or fudge, but I thought it was time to kick things up a notch. Most of the recipes I found online called for a dizzying assortment of flours and gums– instead I’ve decided to go with a recipe that uses coconut flour and lots of eggs to simulate wheat protein. This has the added benefit of being a Jamie Oliver recipe, and I figure that anyone so adorable would never steer me wrong. I’m adding sweetened and dried cranberries and white chocolate, because why on earth wouldn’t you? Finally, my favorite thing about any recipe . . . taking time to let the butter soften. These days, I’m working my way through 3 seasons of Arrested Development. I had never seen it before. Now I’ve seen . . quite a lot of it.
- I preheated the oven to 350.
- I creamed together 3/4 cup sugar, a few grinds of sea
salt, and a splash of vanilla.
- My kitchen-counter of
plenty
- Then I beat in 4
eggs. This is way, way more eggs than you would use in just
about any other cookie recipe. It feels like too many
eggs. The mixture is lumpy and looks gross. But I am
trusting in the folksy charm of Jamie Oliver. - Stirring in a cup of coconut flour, which smells nutty
and fantastic, I took a moment to congratulate myself on being such a good employee. - I reward myself with a
handful of cranberries and white chocolate (just to make sure they’ll be good). These cranberries are sweetened with apple juice. I’m pretty sure provides enough antioxidants to provide a small city with super-powers. Such good eating habits warrant another handful of cranberries and white chocolate. - While I’m congratulating myself, I’m allowing the batter to “rest” for 5 minutes. Why? Because Jamie Oliver told me to. And I’ll do anything you say, Jamie Oliver. Anything.
- I throw in the white chocolate chunks and dried cranberries, all luciously sweetened with apple juice. Such teases, these dried cranberries. Rawwrrr.
- These babies are supposed to bake for 15 minutes, which is not enough time to watch a full episode of Arrested Development. Which is okay, as Season 3 contains a subplot featuring Charlize Theron, who I just can’t stand. I’ve tried. I really have. But I’ve failed to find her the least bit watchable beyond the blond / leggy bits.
- Oh, thank goodness, we’re back with Will Arnett.
- The cookies are pretty crumbly when they first come out of the oven, so
I give them a couple minutes to cool and set up. - Time for eating!
- BEHOLD
MY GLUTEN-FREE DELICIOUSNESS. BEHOOOOLD.
I would give these a 6 out of 10, though I do get bonus Domestic Goddess points for playing around with the recipe, and for my first attempt at something gluten-free-and-trying-not-to-be. The coconut flour has an odd texture– slightly gritty, and definitely not
flour-y. These would be entirely too one-note if not for the genius addition of my white chocolate and cranberries. They could definitely use more salt. They could also use a little
something to vary up the texture– maybe salted almonds. However, it’s almost 2am, and I must be up in 6 hours. I have successfully sated the baking beast! Good night,
all.
A Bit of Sweetness for the Sleepless 
Does the coconut flour have any coconut flavor? As I was
reading the recipe, I was thinking that coconut and white chocolate
and cranberry sounded like an awesome combo. (I, too, am a huge fan
of white chocolate/cranberry.) With the grittiness of the flour, it
almost sounds like maybe it’d work well in a crumble? Darn it, now
I’m hungry. Congratulations again on the new niece! 🙂
Not much coconut flavor, but there is an odor. Some toasted coconut could definitely boost the coconutty flavor and add some much-needed texture to these– my biggest complaint is that they don’t capture the “crispy on the outside chewy and ooey on the inside” deliciousness of your average cookie.
I don’t know anyone who found the Charlize Theron arc anything but watch-from-the-hall. I’m still not entirely sure what the writers thought they were doing there.
Also, since I’m not going back to work for a while (and thus won’t be baking anything for my gluten-free co-worker), you are welcome to come over and raid my GF baking supplies. I have enough GF AP flour, xanthan gum, and brown rice flour for several batches of brownies.
Pingback: Sugar Cookies for the Restless | A Bit of Sweetness for the Sleepless