cookie recipe

I'm procrastinating going to bed and wanted to get my cookie recipe up before I go computer-less for a few days, so here it is! I took photos, too, but you'll have to wait for those. Just take my word for it: these cookies are AWESOME. And look for more holiday yumminess in a few days - I have some awesome looking recipes for a few holiday parties this weekend that I can't wait to make, eat, & then post. :)

Colorado Chocolate Chip Cookies (double recipe)
Adapted from Gluten-Free Celebrations, Carol Fenster, Ph.D.

1 c. coconut oil
1 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 lg eggs
1 tsp. rice vinegar plus enough almond milk to make 1/2 cup
2 c. Lynnae's crazy flour mix (imprecise blend of coconut, sorghum, brown rice, white rice and sweet rice flours with tapioca & potato starch) or your own GF mix plus 1 c. hazelnut flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. shredded coconut
1 c. dried cranberries
1 c. chopped nuts (optional - I forgot to add these but would recommend pecans or walnuts)
3/4 c. gf/df chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixing bowl, mix butter, sugar and vanilla together until smooth. Beat in egg, then almond milk mixture. In separate bowl, combine flours, soda, and salt. Beat into egg mixture on low speed until incorporated.

2. Stir in coconut, cranberries and chocolate chips (and nuts if you're using them). Drop by tablespoons onto nonstick cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

3. Bake 7-10 minutes or until cookies are lightly puffed and slightly browned. Cool on rack. Store in airtight container. Serves 24.

Notes:
Flour: Most gluten-free bakers recommend a precise blend of specific flours. This recipe calls for 2 c. brown rice flour, 1 c. potato starch and 1/2 c. tapioca flour, but I didn't have all of those, so I went with what I did have and made it up as I went. The cookies are really crumbly (probably from all the hazelnut flour), so I might add a little bit of xantham gum next time, but otherwise the texture and flavor is fantastic. Experiment with your own mix and see what happens!

Almond milk: typically when a recipe calls for buttermilk (i.e. vinegar & non-dairy milk for me), I'll use soy, but I had a quart of almond milk in my pantry and decided to use that. I think it made the difference in these cookies - it's lighter, not as nutty (surprisingly), and more subtle than the soymilk typically is. I think the rice vinegar helped, too; it has a distinct taste that's subtler and sweeter than a cider or regular vinegar would be.