Throw any pantry ingredients into these basic homemade Gluten Free Everything Pantry Mix-in Cookies. It’s a cookie that’s sure to make you smile.
I’ve been a little MIA these last few weeks. I apologize. I’ve been a little preoccupied with moving. Not so much with my moving lately, but more so with my parents’.
I’m basically seeking refuge here in Utah with my parents until all of our furniture and moving boxes arrive in Arizona. They are supposedly coming mid July. We’ll see about that. I often find that I am a magnet for being that small percentage of the population where things don’t quite work out the way they’re “supposed to”.
Well, except for living in Hawaii. Now that was some good luck. Actually, it was a dream come true. I will never complain about that experience. We literally won the jackpot on that decision.
So yeah, I’ve been chilling with my parents for the past two weeks helping them get ready to move into their new home. My mom literally called me a few weeks ago and said that she saw a house on their morning walk through the neighborhood and they were going to buy it.
Ummmm…okay.
She proceeded to tell me about this amazing home (which their home now is nothing short of amazing too) and I kind of had to snicker. While describing the backyard, she noted there was a basketball court, a trampoline, a swing set, a hot tub, and a POOL!!!
Well that sounds fantastic for a family with KIDS. My parents are empty nesters. Not only are all of their children grown and moved out, my mom doesn’t even like the water. In the 4 or 5 times she visited us in Hawaii, I recall her getting in the water once. And it was hilarious. So hilarious I had to video tape it, partly for blackmail purposes and partly for evidence that she really went swimming. Well, as close to swimming as she’s gonna get.
Now that we are here and I’ve seen the house in person, moving boxes back and forth and cleaning, I can see why this new house was so enticing even without having children at home.
First and foremost, the view is breathtaking. They are situated at the top of a hill where you get a 180 degree view of the mountains both in the front yard and the back. Every evening I’ve been there, I’ve spotted deer grazing in the wash behind them. You watch a killer view of the sunset at night and a perfect view of one of our church’s temples out in the distance. Just beautiful.
Aside from the view, I have thoroughly enjoyed watching my children play in the amusement park they call their backyard. They’ve jumped on the trampoline (after an hour and a half assembly with a new mat…UGH), slid into the pool (which has not been cleaned yet…GROSS!), swung on the playground, and ran around in the grass. If anything, this home is a grandchild’s paradise. I guess I can’t complain if my kids and I are the ones that are going to benefit from my parents’ mid life crisis. Haha!
So now that we are on the move (once again after counting my move from Hawaii), I am trying to help my mom go through some of her food in her pantry. Not to brag, but I rocked at cleaning out our fridge and pantry before we left. So, I’ve been cooking a few dinners, baking multiple loaves of banana bread, and creating tons of new cookie recipes that use up all those random mix-ins you find lurking in your pantry.
One of my favorite cookie recipes I made the last week before our move was for these Gluten Free Everything Mix-in Cookies. They are what they sound. A delicious chewy homemade cookie packed with your favorite treats. Literally, you can choose to add anything to these cookies: a variety of chocolate chips, raisins, nuts, toffee bits, you name it.
Now obviously some combos are better than others. Let’s not get too carried away here. Remember that saying, “Less is more”??? Same thing applies here. Pick just a couple of flavors and toss them into the dough. You’re in for a real treat, literally.
I chose to use up some white chocolate, milk chocolate, and butterscotch morsels as well as some toffee bits. The flavor combo was killer, especially with the caramely sweetness from the butterscotch morsels and toffee bits. The white and milk chocolate gave a smooth, melty texture along with a richer flavor. Downright delicious I tell you!
As always, you can opt to make these cookies with your own gluten free all-purpose blend. I can’t promise the exact texture as to what I achieved, but it should be pretty close. I usually have seemingly good luck using a pre-made blend for baking cookies. You really can’t make cookies too chewy, which is what I worry about with the extra xanthan gum in pre-made blends. That’s why I never use them for cakes or muffins. Too much chew. Ick.
These cookies are also probably the closest cookie I’ve made to my mom’s famous homemade chocolate chip cookies. That’s one recipe I’m determined to replicate but haven’t quite mastered. Being able to perfectly replicate the texture and taste of my mom’s cookies would be a dream come true. Maybe someday. But, until then, these cookies are pretty darn close.
I love these cookies because they stay soft and chewy on the inside, yet they had a slightly crisp shell, just as a homemade cookie should be. They also don’t spread all over the place while baking and they keep for a few days either at room temperature or in the fridge, depending on your preference. I sometimes love a chilled cookie. Mmmm mmm!
So whether you are moving or just need to rotate through some of your baking goods, consider baking a batch of these cookies. Not only will your tummy be satisfied, but your increased pantry space. Oh, and make sure to grab yourself a glass of milk. You’ll need it
What are your favorite cookie mix-ins?
- 2 sticks butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1¼ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup brown rice flour
- 1 cup white rice flour
- ½ cup sweet sorghum flour
- ½ cup finely ground almond meal
- ⅓ cup tapioca starch
- ⅓ cup arrowroot or potato starch
- 2 cups your choice mix-ins (any flavor chocolate chips, toffee bits, caramel bits, nuts, etc.)
- Prepare cookie dough by creaming together butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer.
- In a separate mixing bowl, sift together salt, baking soda, xanthan gum, cinnamon, brown rice flour, white rice flour, sorghum flour, almond meal, tapioca starch, and arrowroot/potato starch.
- Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides and mix on high for 1 minute. Add mix-ins and stir until evenly distributed.
- Cover dough and chill in fridge for at least an hour.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350. Drop round tablespoon balls of dough onto silpat or parchment paper covered cookie sheets 2" apart. Bake cookies for 11-13 minutes or until browning and set around edges.
- Remove pan from oven and slide parchment paper with cookies onto a cooling rack. Allow cookies to completely cool and set before serving.
- Store extra cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
