{Gluten-Free} “Make Everything Better” Cookies aka Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I’ve been making these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies since I moved to San Francisco back in 2006ish — I had picked up a used copy of the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook soon after I arrived there and the recipe caught my eye. It’s a winner: chewy, buttery oats mixed with semisweet chocolate chips and just the right amount of salt. My friend Lesli called these the “Make Everything Better” cookies and the name stuck; even when things are pretty good, these cookies make them just that much better. Now that I’ve rewritten it to be gluten-free and using unrefined sweeteners dare I admit the recipe been elevated from really really good to really, really, REALLY good.

I’m the first person to argue in favor of cake, but my kids love — and need — a regular infusion of cookies. I hadn’t done these in awhile, and while I included a version in my cookbook I decided to give it another go. In this round I’ve updated the weight measurements for the flour, swapped in coconut and maple sugars, and removed the baking powder, replacing it with more baking soda to make a chewier cookie. I used oat flour in place of the original recipe’s all-purpose flour, because these are oatmeal cookies though you could try sorghum instead. In each recipe in which I use both oat flour and maple sugar the two play off off of each other so beautifully, creating a caramel-sweet undertone that is perfect in cookies and vanilla cakes. S commented that she liked these even better than the “regular” chocolate chip cookies I make for them — so, all in all a rousing success.

Original recipe is here.

Til next time – N x

Need substitutions? Swap sorghum flour for the oat flour. Swap granulated sugar for the maple sugar and brown sugar for the coconut sugar. If you don’t do eggs, try one flax egg in place of the egg. Use your favorite non-dairy butter for the butter. I don’t have a good sub for the rolled oats since they are so important to the cookie, but if you can’t tolerate oats, you could experiment with quinoa flakes.

{Gluten-Free} Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe by nicole

Servings

24

servings

Simple, not too sweet, and full of whole grains, these cookies are one of my favorites.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (I also microwaved for 15 seconds)

• 1 cup maple sugar

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 210 grams/about 2 cups gluten-free oat flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 2 cups gluten-free rolled oats

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter, maple sugar and coconut sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and mix thoroughly.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the oat flour, baking soda and salt and beat into butter mixture until well combined. Add the oats and chocolate chips on low speed and mix until well blended.
• Drop batter by tablespoons onto the prepared sheets. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes until lightly browned. Remove cookies from oven, cool on pan for 5 minutes, then place cookies on a wire rack to cool completely.
• Cookies may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.