While a great majority of traditionally baked cookies are off-limits to you if you suffer from a wheat allergy, gluten intolerance or celiac disease, you need only replace a few essential ingredients to make gluten-free versions of your favorite treats in your own kitchen. Many key cookie ingredients, including butter, margarine, sugar, eggs, milk, fruit and nuts are naturally wheat- and gluten-free. Gluten-free flours, including those made from rice, corn, potato, buckwheat, soy and oats, possess distinct baking qualities, which may demand a certain amount of trial and error as you adapt your favorite wheat-based cookie recipes.
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with the racks positioned in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2
Whisk together 2 cups gluten-free oat flour, ½ cup extra-fine white rice flour, 2 tsp. gluten-free baking soda, 2 tsp. ground ginger, 1½ tsp. ground cinnamon, 1½ tsp. ground allspice and ¼ tsp. salt in a medium bowl.
Step 3
Combine 1 stick unsalted butter, melted and still warm, with ¼ cup molasses, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, 2 tbsp. minced fresh ginger and 2 large egg whites together in a large bowl. Stir until thoroughly mixed.
Step 4
Pour the dry ingredient mixture and ¾ cup diced crystallized ginger into the butter, sugar and egg mixture in batches, stirring until fully combined.
Step 5
Place ¼ cup granulated sugar in a small bowl. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls, roll them through the sugar and place them on the prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart.
Step 6
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies expand, crack across the top and then begin to deflate. The cookies will be chewy; if you prefer crisper cookies, let them bake for another minute, or until they’re more flattened out.
Step 7
Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before storing them.
Tips and Warnings
- This recipe yields just over four dozen cookies that will stay fresh in an air-tight container for about five days. While oat flour does not contain wheat, look for a product that’s certified as gluten-free. Depending on a manufacturer’s practices, oats and oat flour may be contaminated by wheat during processing.
Things You'll Need
- 2 baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowls
- 2 cups gluten-free oat flour
- ½ cup extra-fine white rice flour
- 2 tsp. gluten-free baking soda
- 2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. ground allspice
- ¼ tsp. salt
- Whisk
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup molasses
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
- 2 large egg whites
- Wooden spoon
- ¾ cup crystallized ginger, diced
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Cooling rack
References
- “Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy”; Alice Medrich; 2010
- “Great Gluten-Free Baking”; Louise Blair; 2007
