These deliciously delicate chocolate lace cookies will be the hit of your next party – and they just so happen to be accidentally gluten-free!
Have you ever thought about trying a gluten-free diet?
Like Atkins in the 90s, the idea of “going gluten-free” has swept America (and beyond). If you haven’t tried a gluten-free diet, chances are you know at least one person who has.
There are people who adopt this diet out of necessity (Celiacs). And then there are those who try it simply because they’re curious. I have a friend who falls into the latter group: She’s been avoiding gluten for the past two months, and she swears it’s made her feel better.
I don’t know if my friend is really gluten-intolerant, or if it’s the placebo effect working the magic on her. But my job isn’t to judge; my job is just to be a supportive friend. And so I support her the best way I know: with lots of love… and food! (My Italian grandmother would be so proud.)
For more recipes: Over 100 Healthy Gluten Free Recipes
The following recipe is the definition of “experiment.”
I had absolutely no idea, when I threw a bunch of random ingredients together, what would come out of my oven!
Luckily, these gluten free cookies were a huge hit when I shared them this past Saturday night, and my gluten-free friend was so appreciative she wasn’t left out of dessert for once.
To be honest, the cookies aren’t my personal favorites. They turned out too crispy/chewy for my liking, and I much prefer softer cookies like my Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cookies.
But some of my friends loved the flourless chocolate cookies so much that I’m posting the recipe anyway. If you like your cookies to be chewy (as opposed to soft), this is a recipe for you!
Chocolate Lace Cookies
Very loosely based on my Fudge Babies Recipe.
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- scant 1/4 tsp salt
- level 1/2 tsp baking soda
- packed 1/4 cup pitted dates (45g)
- 1 cup chocolate chips (170g)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp unrefined coconut oil
Blend first five ingredients until almonds and dates are finely pulverized. In a separate bowl, combine vanilla, oil, and 3/4 c of the chocolate chips. Melt (I microwaved 1 minute, then stirred). Pour the dry ingredients, as well as the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips, into the wet. Stir until evenly mixed, making sure to break up any big clumps. It’ll seem dry at first, but keep stirring until it all looks dark and shiny.
Bake at 355 F for 7-8 minutes. (Take out when still a bit undercooked, as these continue to cook as they cool.)
Link Of The Day:
Flourless Chocolate Chip Cookies
What do you think of the gluten-free trend?
I know this is a polarizing subject: some people believe everyone can benefit from adopting a gluten-free diet, while others think the idea of eating gluten-free by choice is ridiculous.
Personally, I don’t think I’m qualified to judge. I don’t have Celiac Disease and I’ve never tried a gluten-free diet (nor will I, unless it becomes medically necessary to do so). But I do think that if someone wants to give up gluten and thinks it helps him/her feel better, all the more power to that person. It’s really not my place—or anyone else’s—to tell others what diet works best for their bodies.
From what I learned in school while studying to become a holistic nutritionist and what my sister is learning in med school is that gluten-free isn’t for everyone. In fact, its completely unnecessary. The reason many people feel good on a gluten-free diet isn’t because they’ve eliminated gluten, it’s because they’ve removed processed foods and are eating a whole foods diet. I am gluten-free not by choice and if I could have gluten again I most certainly would! A healthy rye bread, or sprouted bread is 100% fantastic for you. I love that the gluten-free trend has made it easier for me to go out to restaurants, go to peoples houses… but that’s about it.
Love the cookies!
Oh wow, I am so glad you posted here, because it led me to find your site. You have a new follower for sure! Looking forward to making some of your gf recipes!
1. I’m gluten-free. If I eat gluten, my sinuses fill up with gunk and that starts me on a path off mouth breathing, no sense of smell, and sinus infections. My brain and guts feel fine on gluten, and those are areas where most people feel different.
2. I made your Choc-Pumpkin cookies gluten-free a few days ago! I had trouble getting the dough to stick together to make a ball around the pumpkin filling (my flour is rice based). They were cracking and falling apart, but tasted GREAT in the end. Two thumbs up!
Susan,
I’m amazed at all the things I can smell now that I’m gluten free! And how far away I can be and still smell them!
Pdw
Hello Katie,
LOVE your recipes! The chocolate stuffed cookie from the other day was well worth the wait! I made them as soon as you posted them 🙂 I might have to make these little babies tonight… though I am not sure if I have enough almonds…. Anyways I would like to place a request! COULD YOU PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE x infinity and beyond post a recipe for single serving ginger molasses cookies? I live alone, and after a tough day love to whip up a batch of cookies just not…10 of them 😉 And I love your single serving cookie recipes. But the other day I decided to try to use your singe serving cookie recipe sans chocolate chips ect and used molasses and ginger…don’t know what I did wrong but they turned out flat! Needless to say I ate those cookie pancakes up anyway. But I would love to see a recipe for ginger molasses cookies, especially with fall in the air like this.
Thanks,
Alexa
I will put it on my VERY long to-make list lol
But in the meantime, if you have a freezer, you can always make up a big batch of cookie dough (from a normal recipe) and freeze the balls and only cook one at a time :).
LOve it!! My younger sis (who gluten free) is going to love this recipe 🙂
OH my goodness!!! I ADORE chewy cookies!!!!! Way more than soft!!! 🙂 In my opinion, it goes chewy, then crunchy on the outside and tender in the middle, then soft, then crunchy in order of most yummy first and least yummy last.
But what I love about this recipe the most is that it’s not only gluten-free but it is also GRAIN free!!! I don’t eat grains anymore because I’ve found that they make my arthritis flare-up. Seems extreme but it really does work for me.
And my friend Jessica who was captain of the Bryn Mawr track team for a couple years, well we are randomly friends again and guess what, she’s trying to go gluten free recently!!! I should totally show her your blog and see if she knows you.
I made this today and it was delicious! We all enjoyed it! And I posted it to my blog. Thank you!!! http://www.mummies-yummies.com/2011/10/chocolate-chip-cookie-dip.html
I don’t really see a reason to be gluten-free unless you have to. I have family who has celiac’s disease and it’s really difficult to be gluten free. On top of that, it doesn’t seem like most gluten-free food is healthy. I think if your body is functioning ‘normally’ then eliminating gluten really wouldn’t help you that much..
Processed food is unhealthy, whether it is gluten-filled or gluten-free. Breads filled with starches and sugars are not healthy, whether they are wheat or rice.
However, whole food that is naturally gluten-free is not unhealthy. Fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, beans and lentils, mushrooms and fungus, etc. are all very healthy and very easy to prepare and eat.
the cookies are so shiny! I love how black and shiny and lattice-ey they are. Very pretty!
good topic, I understand all sides of gluten free. However nothing drives me more mad than when someone changes their diet ONLY because of celebrity’s…seems the No gluten trend is the number one right now. Lame!
I agree. That is exactly why I get so irritated about it. My son has Celiac Disease. It is auto immune, not a trendy fad.. Most people don’t understand that. I’ve seriously been asked why I won’t feed him right.. Lol.
I am very sensitive to gluten and white sugar so I have to really be careful about what I eat. But I don’t mind at all because I feel so much better on a whole food based diet and don’t have a desire to eat those things anymore. It isn’t a bad thing or limiting to me either because of all your wonderful recipes! 🙂
I’m not sure about someone choosing to go GF for weight loss or to just “experiment”. Everyone is different. its a personal preference and about what works for you. But if it comes down to restricting yourself from things you really enjoy or causes a disruption in everyday life then maybe it should reconsidered.