OMG. Stop what you are doing and go get the stuff to make these. Make them and your life will change…for the better, for the worse, your call. Depends on if you are trying to lose weight. If you are, I take back my recommendation. Just move on to another blog post. Because these are not healthy. I repeat…These. Are. NOT! Healthy. They are, however, gluten free and (I just died and went to dessert heaven) freakin’ delicious.
A little background, since this recipe doesn’t exactly fit with most of what’s on this blog…So, here’s the story. In case you were unaware, I typically follow a lowcarb, ketogenic and grain-free way of eating (or WOE if you spend lots of time on the internet…who comes up with this shit?!?!). I am also gluten free because of a gluten intolerance. I eat this way because it makes me feel the best and allows me to maintain a healthy weight. I sleep better when I avoid carbs and sugar, I’m happier and have more energy. But, I do allow myself treats, usually ice cream. Man, I’m a sucker for ice cream. Maybe once a week, usually when we’re out with the kiddos. The only thing I don’t ever cheat is the gluten…because I know that doing so will result in debilitating cramps in the middle of the night for at least 2 nights following the ingestion.
My husband and kiddos are also gluten free and eat minimal sugar, since I do all the cooking and most of our treats are for the whole family, myself included. I use a lot of coconut flour, stevia, erythritol and protein powders. I have also begun experimenting with raw pumpkin seed flour, since both myself and my oldest kiddo have issues with almonds. My youngest has sensory issues so I spend a lot of time trying to create recipes that will nourish a picky 2 year old who only eats brown food that is “not gooey”. I have gotten as creative as adding chicken livers to muffin batters, spaghetti squash in cupcakes and just about every other “sneaky chef” way to make sure he is eating a relatively well-balanced diet that really only consists of variations of waffles, pizza crust, pancakes, muffins, etc. We have recently branched into being ok with fruit chips, and in working with an OT we are definitely making progress, but it’s a challenge. Every. Single. Day.
That said, there are some areas where my kids and husbands take a little more leeway than I can allow myself. As a “super special” treat, my oldest will have gluten free oatmeal for breakfast a couple times a month. My kiddos eat ice cream a few nights a week, and they also eat a good bit of fruit. When we are out or at parties, as long as it is gluten free, we’re pretty lax about what they eat, because I know that 90% of the time at home they are getting what they need and I’d rather them have a little sugar now than feel deprived and go off the rails when they have the chance away from us.
Anywho, about a week ago, this recipe popped up in my pinterest feed. It looked amazing. I checked it and completely missed the white flour portion and thought…hmmm, it’s gluten free, I can make this as a special treat. I had some time during nap earlier this week and had picked up powdered sugar to make my oldest son’s birthday cake frosting (like I said, not purists…I just can’t even remember the last time I bought powdered sugar!). I pulled up the recipe and re-read it, realizing that it wasn’t gluten free. Crap. Figured I’d play with it, and I did. Holy crap. These things are so freakin’ good. Like I said before…this recipe may ruin you. Consider yourself warned. Let me know what you think…
Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cookies (Gluten free…)
1 cup butter, softened
¼ cup coconut oil
1½ cups dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 Tbsp vanilla (optional)
1 ½ cup pumpkin seed flour (or almond meal)*
1/3 cup packed coconut flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
2 cups gluten free oats*
Heat oven to 375
Make the Cookies
Cream butter, oil and sugar. Add vanilla and egg and beat. Add remaining ingrediants except oats. Mix well with a hand mixer. Add oats and mix again. (If you add the oats early, the batter will be very thick and hard to get thoroughly combined.
Roll into larger balls (approximately 2 inches) and leave lots of space, these things spread like crazy. I got about 8 on a parchment lined (important, line with parchment) cookie sheet.
Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Edges should be crisp and the middle will look un-done. (Really, you’ll think you should cook them more, but you shouldn’t if you want them to be soft like Little Debbie’s) Remove from oven and allow to cool on cookie sheet for 10 minutes. If you remove them early, they will disintegrate. Before they cool, you can use a spatula to separate and round them out, they are very pliable, just kind of push them into submission.
While cookies are baking, make the cream filling
Cream Filling
¾ cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup sour cream
1 vanilla bean
Cream butter. Add powdered sugar and mix until combined. Add sour cream and inside of the vanilla bean (you could sub 1-2 tsp of real liquid vanilla, but the bean is better). Mix well until combined.
Add 1 tbsp of filling to each pair of cookies and sandwich together. Eat. Share…or not, I won’t tell.
Store in the fridge (or the freezer). Cookies will set up better after about an hour in the fridge.
*For a crisper cookie, more cookie than “Little Debbie” style, you can increase the oats to 3 cups and decrease the pumpkin/almond meal to 3/4 cups. Follow all the directions, just make sure the middles look done when you pull them out.
NOTE:
I plan to try these in a parchment lined muffin pan next time to make them a little smaller and thicker, as that would prevent the spread.
, should you so choose, and bake for approximately 16-18 minutes, or until sides and bottoms turn golden brown.
Cook Well. Eat Better. Live Happily. 