I don't bake often, but I've been on kind of a cookie kick lately. Rick is very happy about this. I was shopping online for a cookie jar the other day, because I thought it was just wrong to not have one, and I fell in love with a sweet vintage pig cookie jar on eBay. I don't really want a vintage pig cookie jar, because things tend to get broken around here, and just about anything vintage is simply too much responsibility... and too expensive, as it turns out, in the case of piggy cookie jars. I did a little scouting, and came up with a website offering replicas of all sorts of vintage kitchen things, and that's where I found my pig. I think she's just beautiful, and I can't wait for her to arrive. Get yours at Storybook Ceramics.
Oil Free Happy Pig Chocolate Chip Cookies
Wet Ingredients
Combine in a bowl:
2/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2/3 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla or peppermint extract (or 2 tsp orange extract)
1/3 cup water
2 T ground flaxseeds
Dry Ingredients
Combine in a large bowl:
1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
3/4 cup buckwheat hot cereal (uncooked) or rolled oats
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp xanthan gun (you can do without this, but it helps hold a gluten free dough together)
1 cup vegan chocolate chips (or raisins or anything else you like in a cookie)
1 cup chopped walnuts - optional
If using orange extract, add a little cinnamon and nutmeg
Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Let chill in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. Preheat oven to 350ยบ. Place spoonfuls of the chilled dough on a parchment lined cookie sheet, and flatten into a nice cookie shape. They won't do it on their own. Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool a few minutes before removing from pan.
