The Tried and True

A friend of mine is an overly talented person in everything she does from her work and gardening to crafting and baking.  The day I tasted her triple chocolate cherry pecan cookie, I had to have the recipe.  I figured that it came from Gourmet or Bon Appetite, but it was the standard chocolate chip cookie recipe from the package of Nestle Toll House baking chips. 

I cannot use the recipe from the Toll House package due to multiple food allergies, but I did have a cookie recipe that was void of eggs, butter, and wheat.  In an attempt to replicate that delicious cookie that my friend made, I came up with this recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookies+.

For Easter, I changed a few of the add in goodies and made white chocolate lavender cookies. Just like the stand by Toll House recipe, the Chocolate Chip Cookies+ can be your stand by cookie recipe.  The recipe takes additions, subtractions, and substitutions very well and is a simple and great allergy friendly cookie.  To make my cookies for Easter, I added 2 tablespoons of lavender buds and ¾ cup of white chocolate chips.

Since the white chocolate chips had milk as an ingredient, my son with the dairy allergy felt a little left out.  We decided to try the recipe for Blondies on the back of the Enjoy Life Mega Chunks package.  To our delight, the recipe worked like a charm.  

I must admit that I am hesitant to try new recipes, especially brownie recipes.  They usually flop!  It seems impossible to make a brownie (or Blondie in this case) that does not call for eggs, wheat, or butter.  These turned out great.

Enjoy Life Decadent Blondies per Mega Chunks Packaging

Makes 12-16 vegan gluten free blondies

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon GF flour mix

¼ teaspoon xanthum gum

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup oil

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mega Chunks

Flax Gel (flax egg) 1/3 cup warm water combined with 2 tablespoons finely ground flax seed.

Blondies are Awesome!

• Preheat the oven to 350 deg.
• Prepare a 9 inch square baking dish with non-stick spray.
• Combine flax gel, vanilla extract, and oil in a large bowl.
• Add brown sugar to the wet ingredients and mix until uniform.
• Combine flour mixture with wet mixture and mix until well combined.
• Stir in the Mega Chunks
• Pour batter into a prepared pan and bake for 20-22 minutes until golden brown.  Allow to cool, cut and serve.

See for yourself!  Happy baking.