gluten free

Mocha Almond Cookies (Gluten Free)

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These cookies are like if a brownie and an almond cookie had a baby. Not too sweet, more cake-y than cookie, they are a quick and easy (+gluten free) dessert. I have a sincere love/hate relationship with baking. The precision of traditional recipes can sometimes be too much for my patience. What if I forgot to leave the butter out and it’s not room temperature? Soften in the microwave for a touch too long and your butter is melted, ruining any chance of a fluffy cream with the sugar. This recipe is designed to be fool proof. Even when I shot these photos I forgot the cocoa powder and had to add it at the end. All was well. That’s my kind of baking!


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Mocha Almond Cookies (Gluten Free)

30 mins

Yields: 12-15 cookies


Ingredients:

1 ½ cups almond flour

¼ cup cocoa powder

1 tsp instant coffee

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

¼ cup unsalted butter

¼ cup natural almond butter

1 egg

⅓ cup white sugar

1 tsp vanilla


Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 375F. Prepare a cookie sheet with a silpat mat or parchment paper.

  2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (almond flour, cocoa powder, instant coffee, baking powder, kosher salt). Set aside.

  3. In a microwave safe bowl add the semi-sweet chocolate chips, butter and almond butter.  Microwave on medium-high in 45 second increments (likely only need 2) until the chocolate chips and butter melt.

    • Stir in between to combine - it may look like the chocolate isn’t fully melted but when you stir they may melt into the heat. Stir until smooth. Set aside to cool for 5 mins.

  4. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the egg, sugar and vanilla until combined.

  5. Pour your melted butter/chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, and stir until smooth.

  6. Add your dry ingredients and fold in until everything is well incorporated.

  7. Scoop 1.5 tbsp portions and roll each into a ball. Place onto prepared cookie sheet and press down with three fingers to slightly flatten. Cookies won’t spread much but leave 1 inch in between.

  8. Repeat for 12-15 cookies.

  9. If desired, top cookies with flaky sea salt or a little extra kosher salt.

  10. Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes.

  11. Allow to cool on the sheet - enjoy!


Lemon Olive Oil Cake (Gluten Free)

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Growing up, my mom always preferred lemon desserts. In the true fashion of trying to copy everything my mom liked, I have now developed a strong preference for citrus based desserts. But desserts are always a bit of a downfall for me when I have company over for dinner. I always seem to run out of time.

Enter this 7-ingredient lemon olive oil cake that involves no flour (gluten-free friendly and no flour all over your kitchen!) and no fancy baking equipment. You don’t even need vegetable oil! Just your regular everyday cooking extra virgin olive oil. Don’t have a cake pan? You can do this in a square brownie pan! Don’t have a lemon? Use an orange! The world is your oyster/cake. One bowl, a quick 15 mins in the oven and your dessert is ready.

The result is a thin, crumbly, spongey cake that’s not too sweet but hits the spot after a decadent meal. Also goes well with tea for an afternoon treat.

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Lemon Olive Oil Cake

30 minutes total

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs

  • ½ cup white sugar

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 large lemon zested (yields about 1 tbsp lemon zest)

  • 2 cups almond flour (ground almonds)

  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder

  • ¼ tsp kosher salt

  • ½ lemon, juiced (yields about 2 tablespoons)

 Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350F and prepare a 9” cake pan by oiling the sides/spraying with cooking spray and lining the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment paper

  2. Tip: trace the bottom of your pan on a piece of parchment paper and cut out the circle to get the perfect piece

  3. Whisk together the eggs, olive oil, sugar and lemon zest in a medium bowl until smooth

  4. Add the almond flour, baking powder and kosher salt on top. Mix together with the wet ingredients using a fork, which helps prevent you from overmixing. Mix until combined.

  5. Add the lemon juice and fold into the mixture.

  6. Pour into the prepared pan.

  7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. The top should be evenly brown.

  8. Let cool completely before serving. Serve with a dusting of icing sugar on top. Or with a big scoop of ice cream.