Yesterday I posted a family recipe, chocolate drop cookies, handed down by my great grandmother (my mother’s maternal grandmother) in time to celebrate Father’s Day. We have family members who have celiac disease as well as a few more who are gluten intolerant. It’s important to my mother and I to make our family favourites gluten free so they can enjoy them with us. This recipe did not disappoint.
If you love chocolate cake this recipe is for you. What do cookies have to do with cake? In this case a lot. These cookies are basically drops of baked cake, especially when you ice them. Like their gluten counterpart, they are light, moist, and an easy alternative to cupcakes.
The original recipe calls for baking chocolate, but we almost never have it on hand so today we will be using cocoa powder. After baking cookies with the cocoa powder, and some with baking chocolate we determined that the cookies made with cocoa powder have a stronger chocolate flavour. However, both recipes are delicious.
Don’t be afraid to switch up the flavour profile, the possibilities are endless. You could add mint extract for mint chocolate cookies, use vanilla icing and sprinkles or add toasted walnuts. We love orange and chocolate together, so we tried that combo first. Check out yesterday’s post for the orange icing recipe.
Before we get started let’s talk gluten free flour. I have been baking GF treats since my cousin was first diagnosed with celiac disease about 10 years ago. The flour has come an exceptionally long way since then, but some flour is better than others. A few years ago, my cousin recommended President’s Choice All-Purpose Flour Blend and it’s now our go to. We are not being paid to recommend this flour, just want to let you know which flour we like best!
This recipe calls for melted butter which means no beaters. You have no excuses not to make these cookies for your father, loved ones or to treat yourself. When you do let us know, we would love to hear from you.
Recipe copied down by my mother. We were unable to find the original recipe card but this now has a home in my grandmother’s recipe box.
Gluten free chocolate drop cookies packaged to give to family members.
Gluten Free Chocolate Drop Cookies
Ingredients
- 1½ cup gluten free all-purpose flour
- 6 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp gluten free baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 tbsp butter when using cocoa powder you need to add an extra 2 tablespoons of butter.
- 1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature.
- ½ cup milk room temperature.
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate icing
- 2 cups icing sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ cup butter softened
- ¼ cup strong brewed coffee
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Gently melt butter in microwave, set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder.
- When measuring check to make sure the brown sugar is lump free. If it is combine with a slightly beaten egg.
- Add the vanilla extract to the milk and combine with the egg and sugar mixture.
- Mix the dry and wet ingredients together until fully incorporated.
- Let the batter stand for 10 mins before baking.
- Drop 1 slightly heaping tablespoon of batter onto your cookie sheet.
- Bake 12 cookies to a tray on the middle rack, one tray at a time for 13-15 minutes.First time baking this recipe? Try baking just one, letting cool completely to make sure it is properly baked.
- Cool before icing.
Chocolate Icing
- In a medium bowl beat softened butter and icing sugar until combined.
- Add the extract then 1 tablespoon of the liquidat a time until you use all 4 tablespoons or reach the desired consistency.
- If the icing is too thick, add a little bit more liquid, too thin, add a little more icing sugar.
- Ice cookies with approximately ½ tbsp of icing.