A Beginner’s Guide to Gluten-free Baking: Easy Chocolate Chunk Cookies

These chocolate chunk cookies are so simple to make and decidedly less involved than many gluten-free baking recipes. They bake up thin, crispy, and perfectly chewy. These cookies contain no flour or starches, which means they are lower in carbohydrates and, since they are made with cashew butter, are loaded with protein. And, should you choose to use dark chocolate, they’re also dairy-free. As always, be vigilant and check labels — especially when purchasing chocolate, as some contain wheat and gluten.

Easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients:
(Makes 8-12 Small Cookies)

1 cup cashew butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. salt (preferably sea salt)
1 bar dark chocolate (3 oz.), broken into small pieces

Making homemade cashew butter is simple enough and reduces your risk of being contaminated by gluten residue and particles, as well as being much more affordable than any packaged product.

To make the butter, simply add a few handfuls of cashews (raw nuts are preferable) to a food processor and slowly stream in a mild-tasting oil (grapeseed, safflower, sunflower — all preferably organic) until nuts are ground and the mixture has the consistency of peanut butter. Measure one cup of the butter and set aside. Store remaining mixture in a cool place, preferably the refrigerator.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in large bowl until well-blended. Place spoonfuls of batter onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until done. Let cool completely on baking sheet (otherwise, they’ll crumble).

The perfect accompaniment to these yummy cookies? Organic, gluten-free, dairy-free, or sugar-free hot chocolate: Organic hot chocolate for the winter holidays.

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Author Information: Liz Schau, Tampa, FL
Liz Schau, Health Writer
www.LizSchau.Wordpress.com
LizSchau@Gmail.com