You know how I always say “you gotta make these…“, well, you gotta make these gluten free Teff and Oatmeal cookies with stuff!  There was a lot of  stuff, too many to list on a title anyway, that I added into the cookie – white chocolate, cranberry and walnuts.  This is a cookie not just for Christmas, but anytime.  It is ideal for the gluten free members of your family and friends.  Check the labels on the oatmeal to ensure it’s gluten free, although if you have someone that is gluten free, I’m sure you already have!  An added bonus – no mixer required!  Oh such a good cookie!

I first came across Teff when I made injera for an Ethiopian class at one of the cooking schools I used to work at.  I was blown away with how easy it was to work with and the results were even better.  It has a nutty taste with hints of rich molasses – so yes, really flavorful.  I knew it would have applications other than savory.  I hadn’t done a gluten free cookie for the 2023 series so was delighted to find this recipe.  I picked the add-in ingredients based on complementing tastes – tart cranberries with sweet white chocolate (I know, the third cookie in this series with those add-ins) and crunchy walnuts.  At first glance, in my mind, I thought dark chocolate would have been too overwhelming.  Now however, while writing this up and having more time to ponder, I’m thinking it would also be a great combo, but for another blog.

You can always use whatever add-ins you like, just think of the overall composition of the flavors. I think dried sour cherries and dark chocolate would make a great adult cookie (and possibly a future blog).  I added a slice of candied ginger on top, again primarily for the picture, but also to give it that chewy mouthfeel which always adds to the overall taste of a cookie.  Rice flour and gluten free oatmeal make up the rest of the dry ingredients.  If you don’t bake gluten free, you may need to purchase small quantities of some of these ingredients; but if you are gluten intolerant, you probably already have these in your cupboard.  The important one though is the Teff flour.  Thankfully the flours listed here are all sold in small quantities in most grocery stores.

I think you’ll like making and eating these.  For those of us fortunate enough not to have gluten issues, and have only enjoyed gluten based products, you will love this gluten-free tasty cookie!  I might even get you to use some of the remaining Teff to make injera as well!  Injera is a delightful pancake usually served with Ethiopian food, but would work equally well with Indian food. As always – enjoy!

Ingredients
113g (8 tbsp/1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
100g Teff flour
30g tapioca/rice flour
100g gluten free oatmeal
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (reduce to 1/4 if you are using salted butter)
80g brown sugar
50g coconut sugar (or the equivalent in brown sugar)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
250g mixed add-ins – I used white chocolate, cranberries and walnuts

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350f, line two baking sheets with parchment – set aside
2. In a medium microwave safe bowl, melt the butter
3. To the melted butter, add the sugars and stir to mix and cool slightly
4. Add the egg and vanilla – mix well using a whisk or wooden spoon
5. Sift in the flours, baking soda and salt – mix well – if you were using a whisk, switch to a wooden spoon/rubber spatula
6. Add the oatmeal and all the add-ins at once and mix well – remember to scrape from the bottom of the bowl
7. The dough should be thick enough to scoop, if not, let it sit for a few minutes until it thickens up – the magic of rice flour
Note:  I used a teaspoon to scoop the dough and place it on the baking sheet, then gently pushed a piece of candied ginger onto the top. If you have any edges jutting out, dampen a finger with water and smooth them out. I got 54 cookies using the teaspoon measure, they did a bit of spreading as you can see.
8. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes (12 minutes for me), rotating the trays half way through
9. Let them cool on the tray until firm enough to move to a cooling rack otherwise they will crumble apart – in which case you will have  delicious topping for ice cream, a delicious add in for trifle etc – as long as it’s tasty, you can’t fail
Store in an airtight container