Gluten Free Chocolate Cookies

• 2 cups rice flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• pinch cinnamon
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 1 tsp pure vanilla
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar (for topping)

1. In bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, cornstarch and cinnamon, then set aside.
2. In large bowl, beat oil with sugar, until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in vanilla
4. Stir in flour mixture in 3 additions, gently using hands if necessary, to incorporate.
5. Roll by tablespoonfuls into 1-inch balls.
6. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets
7. Dip tines of fork into sugar, then press crisscross pattern onto cookies, flattening to 1/4 inch thick.
8. Bake in centre of 325°F oven for 18-20 minutes, until firm to touch.
9. Let cool completely on pans on rack.

Makes about 45 cookies.

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Usually, instead of two loaves, I’ve made 24 muffins. Both the bread and muffins were delicious, and pretty too, with little bright green flecks, as you can see in the photo below.

Zucchini Banana Bread

• 2 c. grated zucchini
• 1 c. mashed bananas
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 c. sour cream
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 c. sugar
• ½ c. vegetable oil
• 3 c. gluten free flour
• 1½ tsp. baking powder
• 1½ tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. nutmeg
• ¼ tsp allspice
• 1½ tsp. vanilla
• 1½ c. raisins, optional (I’ve also used blueberries — very good)

1. Shred zucchini and set aside. (I rinse it, then try to press out all the liquid)
2. Mash bananas and set aside.
3. In large mixing bowl, combine eggs, sour cream, salt, sugar and oil.
4. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice
5. Stir into egg mixture.
6. Add vanilla and raisins.
7. Add zucchini and bananas and continue to mix until blended.
8. Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans.
9. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45-55 minutes.
10. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan to completely cool on wire rack.

Instead of 2 loaves, you could make 1 loaf and 12 muffins, or 24 muffins. Cook the muffins for 20-22 minutes.

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You can find more gluten-free links and information on my Excel tips website.

Here’s a tasty apple crisp recipe, adapted from the Betty Crocker’s Cookbook for Boys and Girls. If your apples are tart, you may want to add a bit of sugar or maple syrup to them, before you add the flour topping. This is our preferred kind of crisp — just flour, no oatmeal, even for those of us who can tolerate gluten.

Gluten Free Apple Crisp

• 4 cups peeled, sliced apples
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup gluten-free all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup soft butter

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Spread apples in 8″ square pan.
3. Sprinkle apples with water, cinnamon and salt.
4. Using a pastry blender, mix together the sugar, flour and butter until crumbly.
5. Spread crumb mixture over apples.
6. (optional) Sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon, and a few slivers of butter.
7. Bake uncovered about 40 minutes.
8. Serve warm, with a bit of whipped cream or ice cream.

6 servings.

A few years ago I started making these with gluten free flour blend, and we like them just as well with gluten free flour as we did with wheat flour.

This recipe is adapted from the Betty Crocker Cookbook for Boys and Girls, that was my first cookbook. I bought it for $1 while we were on a family vacation, the summer that I was 10 years old.

Many years later (too numerous to count), I’m still using it, so I sure got my $1 worth.

Butterscotch Brownies

• 3 tbsp canola oil
• 1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup gluten free all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla or maple flavouring
• 1/2 cup raisins (I soak them to moisten)

1. Heat oven to 350°F
2. Grease an 8″ square baking pan
3. In a large bowl, mix oil and sugar.
4. Stir in egg.
5. Add flour, baking powder and salt, and blend well.
6. Stir in vanilla and raisins.
7. Spread in pan.
8. Bake 22-25 minutes, only until a toothpick stuck in centre comes out clean. Do not overbake.
9. Cool in the pan and cut into squares.

Makes 16 2-inch squares.

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You can find more information on the gluten free section of my Excel tips website.