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.
HELLO! I’m Nicole! I make gluten-free food enjoyable & affordable. If they can make it with gluten, we can make it without. That’s a promise!