Gluten and Sugar Free Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

3/4 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup xylitol
3 eggs (room temperature, otherwise the coconut oil hardens into chunks due to the cold eggs)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract (no sugar)
1 cup gluten free flour mix ( I used 1/3 cup each tapioca starch, brown rice flour and sorghum flour)
3 cups rolled oats
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup hemp hearts (chopped nuts work too)
1 cup chocolate chips or dried fruit (optional - we did not add these and the cookies were still amazing without them)

Stir together coconut oil and xylitol. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Add flour, oats, baking soda and cinnamon. Stir until just combined. Add coconut, hemp hearts/nuts, and optional add ins. Stir until combined. Drop onto baking sheet with a tablespoon or medium scoop. Flatten cookies slightly. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes until cookies are firm and golden. Makes about 3.5 dozen cookies. These cookies even taste good the next day. I always find it a challenge to find a good gluten free cookie that still tastes good after it has sat for a day or two.

Paleo Rhubarb Coconut Cookies

One of our favourite spring baking combinations is rhubarb and coconut. Since we can't eat my other cookie recipe here due to dietary restrictions, I have created a new awesome grain, sugar and dairy free cookie! This recipe is based on this one here but I changed it since we can't have chocolate chips.

1/2 cup coconut oil (butter if you can have dairy), room temp
1/2 cup xylitol, powdered
2 free range eggs
3 cups almond flour
1 tsp pure vanilla extract or 1/2 tsp ground vanilla beans
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
3/4 cup diced rhubarb

Cream xylitol and coconut oil, beat in eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add rhubarb and coconut, stir to combine. Spoon about a tbsp of dough onto the cookie pan (I use a small scoop to get uniform cookies), slightly flatten with your fingers. Bake at 350F for about 15 minutes.

Frosted Rhubarb Coconut Cookies

Cookie:
1 cup margarine
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups diced rhubarb
3/4 cup flaked coconut

Cream shortening and sugar till fluffy, beat in eggs. Combine flour, soda and salt. Gradually add this to creamed mixture and mix well. Fold in rhubarb and coconut. Drop by tbsp. full onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-14 minutes. Let cool on pan for a minute before removing from the pan. Makes 3 - 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

Frosting:
3 oz. package cream cheese
1 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 cup icing sugar
3 tsp. vanilla

Mix frosting in order given and ice cooled cookies.

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

2 cups shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 cups canned pumpkin
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons butter
8 tablespoons milk
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice


Cream shortening, white sugar and pumpkin. Add eggs and mix well. Sift together the baking soda, spices, salt and flour. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
Drop from spoon to cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
To Make Frosting: Cook butter, milk, and brown sugar until dissolved. Cool and add confectioners' sugar, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla. Spread over warm cookies.

Carrot Sunflower Cookies

3/4 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. quick oats
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/3 c. butter
1/3 c. packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. finely shredded carrots
1/2 c. sunflower seeds, hulled
4 tbsp. milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)

Mix flour, oats, cinnamon, and soda; set aside. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in remaining ingredients until blended. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Flatten to 1/4 inch thick. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 10 minutes until lightly browned. Cool. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used unsweetened apple sauce)
1 egg
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, spices, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and mix well.
Add vanilla, chocolate chips and nuts.
Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm. Makes about 4 dozen.

Easy Date Filled Cookies

Filling:
3/4 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup sugar
3 oz. water

Cook in pot on stove until thickened. Be careful not to burn the filling.

Cookie:
1/2 cup margarine
2/3 cup brown sugar (original recipe calls for 1 cup but I used less and it tastes just fine!)
1 egg
1/4 cup water or buttermilk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 3/4 cup flour

Cream margarine, sugar and egg. Add water. Mix well and add other ingredients. Drop by spoonful on cookie sheet. Add 1/2 to 1 tsp. date filling and cover with 1/2 tsp. dough. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Yield: 2-3 dozen cookies. This recipe is extremely easy and very quick to make cookies with filling inside! No rolling out of dough and spreading filling between two cookies!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup margarine
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cups chocolate chips, smarties or whatever add ins you choose
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional) - I like using macadamia nuts if using white chocolate for the add in

Cream margarine and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually blend into creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop from small spoon onto cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 mins.

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Combine the flour and baking soda; stir into the sugar mixture. Mix in the white chocolate chips and cranberries. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. For best results, take them out while they are still doughy. Allow cookies to cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
Note: I doubled the recipe – used 2 c. Spelt flour and 1 c. White flour, and one whole white Easter bunny chopped up.