Rice Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

EVENT: FOODIEMONDAY/BLOGHOP

THEME: #206 GLUTEN FREE TREATS

Today my 100% concentration is not on writing the post and yet I want to say so much. The problem is that I just don’t know how to put my feelings into words. For once I’m lost for words! I guess that happens to all those who become grandparents for the first time or even many times. I guess the feeling is the same.

Yes, now officially I’m a grandmother or more precisely  as they say in Gujarati ‘Hu Ba bani gayi.’ So, now I proudly announce that I’m Ba to Lily Monique Mayuri Patel. Must say that’s a really long name but feel so honoured that the parents (my son and daughter in law) have decided that as her official name.

My feelings when I first saw her – tears of joy.

My feelings when I stroked her hand – we’re connected for life as grandmother and granddaughter.

My feelings when I held her in my arms – just couldn’t stop grinning and my heart was fluttering. Its like falling in love again.

My feeling when I heard you cry for the first time – became so concerned and thought what can I do to help you.

My feeling when I changed your pooped nappy for the first time – “wait my little one, will get you all clean in a jiffy.”

My feeling when the doctor gave you your first inoculation – my heart felt the ache.

My feeling when you didn’t cry too much after the injection – that’s the way to go girl, you’re so strong.

My feeling when you came home – I couldn’t stop humming the song “Mere ghar aayi ek nanhi pari”

I could go on and on and that will result in no recipe post. My dearest Lily, a special and amazing journey has begun as Ba and Lily, my pari (fairy) from Saturday 27th July 2019; you’re my joy, my happiness and my heart. Even though we’ll not be together always, you’ll be in my thoughts every waking day and bloom like a lily in my heart, spreading fragrance, peace and humility.

Coming to today’s recipe, its all about going gluten free as the theme was suggested by Sujata. Now, if you ever have a chance to pop over to her blog Batter Up With Sujata, then you will understand why she suggested this theme. She usually bakes with gluten free flours or adds a mixture of flours for her bakes. I’ve still got the gluten free coffee cake on my list. I would have baked it for this theme but I didn’t have soya flour and a cake tin at my son’s home. So the recipe will have to wait till I get home.

During the last few days before the due date, my daughter in law was craving for some home baked cookies and I think for that cookie baking aroma. So before she went to the hospital, managed to buy some brown rice flour from Bali Buda a shop cum cafe that not only serves exciting healthy food and drinks but also sells healthy food products right from spirulina tablets to lentils, nuts and gluten free flours. Baked the cookies, she took in the aroma and next day went to the hospital.

How did I decide to bake rice flour cookies? Well, the famous Persian Rice Cookies also known as Naan berenji have been on my mind for a very long time. I couldn’t find any white rice flour in the shops nearby so settled for these cookies. Adding a bit of this and a bit of that, baked some soft and slightly chewy gluten free cookies loaded with dark chocolate chips and chopped pecans. I also decided to use coconut sugar which is a good alternate to white sugar or brown sugar. If  I say diabetic friendly that doesn’t mean that they can have 2-3 cookies at a time.

Overall reaction to the cookies as I had many tasters? “So different and cannot believe that they are made from rice flour. Adding chocolate was a good idea”.

So here’s the recipe before my thought process goes to back to my granddaughter Lily. Both grandmothers are patiently waiting at home while dada has gone to the hospital to pick up the new parents and granddaughter.

Cookies baking in the oven –best aroma therapy 🙂

RICE FLOUR CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Makes about 24 to 26 medium ones

1¾ – 2 cups brown rice flour

½ tsp baking soda (soda bicarbonate)

½ tsp salt

¼ cup soft butter

¾ cup coconut sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

½ cup dark chocolate chips or bits

½ cup chopped nuts, I used pecans

1. Sift flour, salt and baking soda today into a bowl.
2. In another bowl, add butter and sugar. Whisk or beat till it becomes soft and creamy.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and whip till mixed well.
4. Add the rice flour, and mix well using a spoon or spatula.
5. Add chocolate chips and nuts and mix into the dough.
6. At this  point the dough may appear sticky.
7. Cover the bowl with a lid and let the dough rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
8. Preheat the oven to 180ºC  before you’re ready to bake the cookies.
9. After 2 hours the dough should be soft but not sticky.
10. Lightly grease your hands with butter.
11. Grease the baking tray lightly with butter or line with parchment paper.
12. Take about a tablespoonful of the dough and roll it into a ball.
13. Continue with the rest of the dough.
14. Place the balls at least an inch apart as they will spread slightly.
15. Flatten the balls down gently using your fingers or a fork.
16. Bake for 12-15 minutes till the edges become light brown.
17. Remove the tray from the oven and let the cookies rest on the tray for 5 minutes.
18. Remove the cookies from the tray and let them cool down completely on a wire rack.
19. For more crunchier cookies put them back in the oven at 150ºC for 10 minutes.
20. Enjoy the cookies with some milk, tea, coffee or store the cookies in an airtight container till its time to enjoy them.

Tips:

• You can replace the brown rice flour with white rice flour.
• Add dried fruits, nuts of your choice.
• I allowed the cookies to become a little crunchier at low temperature as when normally baked, they were quite soft.

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A little request:

If you do try this recipe then please either

• add a comment below,
• send a picture to my email mayuri.ajay.patel62@gmail.com
•  tag me as #mayuri_jikoni on Instagram
• or tag me on Twitter as #Mayuri1962

You may want to check out some gluten free dishes:

Gluten Free Pizza Crust

Fig and Amaranth Cookies

Onion and Carrot Ragi Bhakri

Juar Jo Dhodho

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