These days, whenever I have a new cookbook hit the shelves, I'm usually lucky enough to already be working on the next one. And that is 100% only because of your support. I don't have a television show (nor do I want one—honest!) and I'm not part of some Big Food Blogger Circle that pushes all my books. I don't have the sort of blog that is packed with comments from other food bloggers hoping to get you to click through to their blogs or to help me build my comment count. My Facebook page has real people on it, and I don't have much of a presence on Twitter since I mostly just talk about my cat and dogs there. I don't really think that's what I am meant to be doing there, but that's what I do. Oh, and I have exactly 2 photos on Instagram since I don't take any pictures with my smartphone except for the occasional picture of one of my kids or (you guessed it) my cat or my dogs. I figure you don't really care to see those, so I don't ‘share' them. I also don't go in for “big announcements” or do tons of sponsored posts. And I don't have a lot of friends, blogger-friends or otherwise. If it's not authentic, I'm not gonna do it or else I won't sleep much at night.
That's a long-winded way of saying this: I'm so glad you're here, and I feel like I really reach you a few times a week. More than anything, I want to shift the conversation surrounding gluten free food. I want it to be just plain good, and I want to continually surpass expectations (mostly because I find they are so low). I believe we have the power to put downward pressure on gluten free food prices and upward pressure on quality. It is in that spirit that I tell you that my next cookbook will be filled with recipes for Gluten Free Classic Snacks.* Recipes for Pop Tarts and Hostess Cupcakes, Weight Watchers brownies and Keebler Town House Crackers, all made gluten free, each a dead ringer for the original.
*ETA: The new cookbook is here!!
I'm telling you about this today because today's recipe will not be in the new book, but … it could have been. These gluten free oatmeal cookies are a copycat recipe for Starbucks' Outrageous Oatmeal Cookies. And the point is this: if you've ever wandered the packaged foods aisle or gone to the movies (a whole chapter on candies!) and felt sorry that you couldn't have Mallomars (the “best cookie ever invented” (reference anyone?)) or Devil Dogs, or had your the gluten free kid come home and feel terrible that he had never had a Hostess Apple Pie (especially before they went bankrupt and completely changed the recipe), this is gonna be the cookbook for you. Look for it about a year from now. But don't worry. I'll keep you posted. :)
The ingredient list for these cookies is a wee bit longer than you might expect, but they're unfussy and uncomplicated.
And they might just be a comfort as you scan the baked goods case at Starbucks, waiting to order your (overpriced) coffee. If you only make them once, or (*gasp*) even if you never actually make them, it might just be nice to know that you can make them. Buttery, chewy and (yes) outrageous, these are the gluten free oatmeal cookies to beat. And you? You're the reader of my dreams.
Starbucks-Style Outrageous Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (210 g) all purpose gluten free flour (I used Better Batter)
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
1 cup (120 g) certified gluten free oat flour (I processed my own in a food processor from old fashioned whole grain oats)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup (25 g) certified gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (164 g) packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons (48 g) shortening, melted and cooled
5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 eggs (120 g, out of shell) at room temperature, beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon (21 g) honey
1 tablespoon (21 g) unsulphured molasses
3 ounces dried sweetened cranberries
3 ounces dried apricots, diced
1 teaspoon cornstarch (or another starch)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set them aside.
In a large bowl, place the flour blend, xanthan gum, oat flour, baking soda and salt, and whisk to combine well. Add the oats, granulated sugar and brown sugar, and whisk to combine again, working to break up any lumps in the brown sugar. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the shortening, butter, eggs, vanilla, honey and molasses, mixing to combine after each addition. The dough will be thick and you may have to knead it with your hands to get it to all come together. If it doesn’t come together, the ingredients specified to be at room temperature were likely not at room temperature. Toss the cranberries and apricots in the cornstarch, and add them to the dough. Mix until the dried fruit is evenly distributed throughout the dough.
With wet hands, shape the dough into 1 1/4-inch round balls, and then press flat into disks about 1/4 inch thick. Place about 1 1/2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Place in the center of the preheated oven and bake or until lightly golden brown all over and set in the center (about 12 minutes). Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet until set (about 5 minutes) before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Dee says
Could you sub choc chips for the fruit? I like the Enjoy Life brand:-) Also, sub butter for shortening? Thanks!
Angela says
Can I use maple syrup instead of molasses?
Nicole Hunn says
No, Angela, maple syrup is not a substitute for molasses.