Gluten-free Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (Experiment #2)
Ok, so the vegan gluten-free chocolate chip cookies I made were a tasty experiment but the coconut oil made them quite hard if you over cooked them even a smidgen. This time I tried a variation of Meaningful Kitchen’s The Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe (thank you Erin!). I made a few changes including adding almond extract which I find gives depth to the cookie. These were really, really good. I’m sure the original recipe is also stellar so give that a go if you like.
Ingredients
- 1/2 C butter
- 1 Tbsp rice dream (you could use almond milk or Silk)
- 1 C brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp ground flax seed whisked together with 3 Tbsps water (or 1 egg if you eat eggs)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 1/3 cups gluten-free flour with 1/4 tsp xanthan gum added. I used Bob’s Red Mill and followed the instructions on the back for adding the xanthan gum.
- 1/4 cup ground almonds
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup gluten-free chocolate chips
- Sea salt for sprinkling (this really does add a special something to this cookie so I encourage you to give it a try)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, xathan gum, ground almonds, baking soda and salt.
- Brown the butter by melting it in a saucepan over medium heat. As soon as it’s melted start whisking. It will foam and then it will begin to brown. As soon as it starts to brown take it off the heat and pour into a glass bowl to keep it from burning.
- Pour the browned butter into the mixing bowl of a Kitchen Aid. Add the rice dream and brown sugar and mix with the paddle attachment until combined.
- Grind up 1 Tbsp of flax seed (I used a coffee grinder) and whisk with the 3 Tbsps of water. It will get gelatinous (like the egg substitute it is supposed to be).
- Add the flax egg (or regular egg to the Kitchen Aid) and mix until combined.
- Add the vanilla and almond extract and whisk until smooth and creamy.
- With the Kitchen Aid on low, slowly add the dry ingredients until well combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips. You may find it easier to mix them in with your hands to get them to incorporate.
- Cover the mixing bowl and let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough into 1″ balls (about 1 Tbsp) and leave 2″ between cookies (they spread!).
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until browned on the edges and set in the middle. Keeping an eye on them so they don’t burn.
- Cool for 5 minutes and move to wire racks and sprinkle with sea salt.
Makes 2 dozen cookies.