Happy National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day!

Today is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day. It is ALSO Founder’s Day for my sorority Alpha Delta Pi! 161 years of being the first and the finest sorority! How fun that on our founders day is also a perfect day to bake delicious chocolate chip goodies! I’ve already posted a few chocolate chip goodies in the past. So today, I decided to get creative with the classic chocolate chip cookie!

First up, Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes! (now there’s a mouthful!)

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes 

Adapted from Java Cupcakes

Ingredients

For the Cookie Dough Filling:

• 3/4 cup gluten free flour
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted vegan butter, melted (Earth Balance)
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons coconut or rice milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

For the Chocolate Cupcakes:

• 1 cup gluten free flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Cookie Dough Frosting:

• 12 tablespoons unsalted vegan butter (Earth Balance)
• 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup gluten free flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut or rice milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Garnish 

• Mini chocolate chips
• Chocolate chip cookies (optional)

Let’s get baking!! First make your cookie dough filling.

1. In a small bowl, sift together the gluten free flour, baking soda and salt.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter, sugars, milk and vanilla until smooth.
3. Whisk in the dry ingredients and the chocolate chips until smooth.
4. Refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes or until firm.
5. Scoop out dough into 12 balls. Freeze for at least 30 minutes.
6. While your cookie dough balls are in the freezer, make your cupcakes.
7. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line a cupcake pan with 12 liners.
8. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda and salt.
9. Add the water, oil, egg and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are combined.
10. Fill each cupcake liner 1/2-2/3 full.
11. Take your cookie dough balls out of the freezer and gently press a one ball into the center of each cupcake, only submerging the ball 1/2 way.
12. Bake the cupcakes for 19-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cupcake portion of the cupcake (not tested through the center where the dough is), comes out fairly dry. Chunks/pieces of cake are okay, just not moist batter.
13. Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.
14. To make your frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until smooth and creamy.
15. Add the flour, milk and vanilla and beat on high until well combined.

Assembly Time!!

1. Pipe swirls of frosting onto each cupcake.
2. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top!

ENJOY this cupcake take with a classic cookie!

Kwegyirba Croffie is a freelance Associate Producer at News 12 Connecticut and a Special Events/Event Planning and Social Media Intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is a Quinnipiac University alumni and a sister of Alpha Delta Pi. She enjoy cupcakes,Broadway musicals, Forever 21 ,giraffes, peacock feathers, orchids, lillies and anything Disney.

Homemade “Oreos”

Granted I am NOT a huge Oreo fan. I’m definitely a cookie girl but not Oreos. BUT, I recently saw a recipe I wanted to try that called for Oreo cookies. Well, since I cannot pick up a package of Oreos and I am picky about my gluten free cookies, I decided to make my own. Here we go.

Oreos

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 80 grams sweet rice flour (3/4 cup=70 grams + 1/8 cup=10 grams)
• 60 grams white rice flour (5/8 cup=60 grams)
• 35 grams teff flour (1/3 cup=25 grams + 1/8 cup=10 grams)
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (we used Dagoba organic)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons room-temperature, unsalted vegan butter (Earth Balance)
• 1 large egg

For the creamy filling:

• 1/2 stick room-temperature, unsalted vegan butter (Earth Balance)
• 4 tablespoons vegetable vegan shortening (Earth Balance)
• 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preparing to bake. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.

Making the cookie dough. Put the sweet rice flour, white rice flour, and teff flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a whisk, stir the flours together to combine and aerate them. Add the xanthan gum, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Turn the mixer on and let everything combine in motion. While the mixer is running on low speed, add large pieces of the butter until they are all incorporated. Add the egg and mix well. (At this point, you might think the dough will be too dry. Trust. Keep mixing. It will come together.)

Baking the cookies. Scoop a rounded teaspoon of batter (literally. scoop just more than a teaspoon’s worth) and form a ball. Gently, flatten the dough in the palm of your hand. After you have flattened, smooth the edges of the cookie dough disk to make it evenly rounded. Place the dough disks onto the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. (These will not spread, but you do not want them to touch each other.)

Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 5 minutes, then turn the baking sheet 180ºF. Bake until the cookies are crisp on the edges with just a touch of softness in the center, about 5 more minutes. Take the cookies out of the oven. After a few moments, transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely.

Repeat with the rest of the dough.

Making the creamy filling. Put the butter and vegetable shortening into the bowl of the stand mixer. (Clean the cookie dough out first!) Whip them up together, then add the sugar and vanilla extract. Beat the filling on high until it is fluffy frosting, about 5 minutes. (Be sure to turn off the stand mixer and scrape down the sides occasionally.)

Assembling the cookies. If you have a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch round tip, you can pipe tiny dots of filling onto a cookie. We couldn’t find ours, so we used a teaspoon measure and our fingers to spread the blob of creamy filling toward the edges but not entirely there. Gently, press the second cookie down onto the filling and watch the filling reach the edges.

Continue until all the cookies are little chocolate sandwiches with a creamy filling. Homemade Oreos. There you go!

Now, wanna know what that recipe was that called for some Oreo cookies? Frozen Reese’s Peanut Butter Pie!!! YAY! Up next on TwentyOne No Gluten!

Valentine’s Day Cookie Dough Bites

How doesn’t love cookie dough? Exactly! But unfortunately, you can’t eat raw dough. Yea I know we all occasionally sneak some raw dough into our mouths when we’re making cookies, but you really shouldn’t!!

These cookie dough bites are perfect for the dough eaters of the world (whether they are out in the open about it or not). These are great because they are bite size and made without eggs!

Valentine’s Day Cookie Dough Bites 

Ingredients

• 1 cup salted vegan butter, softened
• 1½ cups packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups gluten free flour
• 6 ounces gluten free miniature chocolate chips
• 1 bar gluten free white chocolate
• red food coloring

1. Cream vegan butter and sugar together.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix well — use your hands to get it together the best.
3. Roll into 1-inch balls.
4. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Dip in chocolate, drizzle with chocolate or eat as is — equally delicious no matter what!
5. Melt bar of white chocolate and drip in red food coloring until the you reach the desired color.
6. Drizzle over cookie dough bite
7. Let stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.
8. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Pop the in your mouth one by one or serve with your favorite dessert! These will definitely be addictive and you’ll want them again and again, NOT just for Valentine’s Day!

ENJOY! :-*

 

It’s Peanut Butter PEANUT BUTTER time!

Sure. I know what your thinking. Isn’t it peanut butter jelly time? NOPE! Today is all about peanut butter. Sticky, creamy, nutty and oh so yummy. These two recipes are delicious, decadent and healthy for you! YES! Have your cookies and feel good too!

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cookies

I love peanut butter cookies. Watch out. These cookies are trouble because they are so addictive. You’re going to want more than one…maybe two or three. Splurg a little! You deserve it!

• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sweet raisins (your favorite)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons roasted, salted peanuts
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. If you have a food processor, mix all of the ingredients and combine until very smooth.
2. If not, mix all ingredients in a large bowl and combine with a large spoon until dough is a smooth as you can make it. Roll into balls, shape into fun shaped cookies or form into bars for a sweet, addictive, delicious treat.

Dough can be stored on the counter, in the fridge, or in the freezer. Or my favorite place, in my tummy nomnomnom

Time to make an AMAZING milkshake with the Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cookies! mmmm

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Milkshake

Using your addictive new peanut butter cookie dough cookies (if you have any left), this milkshake is definitely a sweet treat.

• 1 frozen large banana, as ripe as possible
• 1-2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (or more if desired)
• 2/3 cup coconut milk (Use more or less, depending on desired thickness)
• Peanut butter cookie dough cookies (3-4 cookies or more depending on desired thickness) and 1 to crumble on top. 
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• A pinch of sea salt
• Chocolate syrup or cocoa powder

1. Blend all the ingredients in the blender until desired thickness. If you want it a little thinner, add more coconut milk. For a thicker shake, add a little more peanut butter.
2. Pour into a tall glass and crumble 1 peanut butter cookie dough cookie on top
3. Sip with your favorite straw!

Mmmm, peanut butter goodness. Simple, easy recipes that will have you grinning from ear to ear. Hopefully the sticky peanut butter doesn’t have your mouth glued shut

ENJOY!