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Gluten Free Chocolate Lace Cookies

These deliciously delicate chocolate lace cookies will be the hit of your next party – and they just so happen to be accidentally gluten-free! 

gluten free chocolate cookies

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

gluten free cookies

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!

flourless chocolate cookies

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

flourless cookies

healthy cookies

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

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.

Published on October 17, 2011

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183 Comments

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      • Intentionally Katie says

        I made these tonight and they were delish! I scooped them out with a mini cookie scoop and they made about 20-25 mini cookies. For some reason, mine didn’t flatten out, they just stayed round balls, so clearly I did something wrong. But it didn’t change the taste…YUM!!

          • Kim says

            Just made these and they are delicious! However, mine also did not flatten. I used a mini cookie scoop and they stayed in that shape. I flattened out the balls on the second pan and I think they turned out better, and my roommate agrees. They still weren’t as flat as the ones in the pictures though, which is what I was really hoping for! Any advice?

  1. katie @KatieDid says

    As someone who needs to eat gluten free, I find it interesting that someone would choose to just to try it out because its not always easy or fun. Sure I’ve learned a ton about cooking and nutrition in the process and ultimately have enjoyed having to go gluten free… but I’m not sure I would enjoy it if I didn’t have a medical reason to. But like you said… if it makes someone happier and healthier then go for it!

  2. Lucy says

    My mom is gluten free so i just taged along, i think it can be successful because once you take out all the things that have gluten you also take away all perservatives if you wern’t watching that before and that can make you feel a lot better. Also these cookies look amazing I’m always trying to make awesome gluten free stuff and looks like you were successful

  3. Kristin @ STUFT Mama says

    I’m not sure how I feel about the whole gluten free thing. I do think it’s great that there are so many options available now for those people that NEED to go gluten free.
    I think I want one of these cookies for breakfast. 🙂

  4. Frances says

    Wow these cookies look fantastic 😀
    I just became vegan a few days ago and I have been living on your website 😛
    Thank you for helping all the vegans out there!!!
    Woo

  5. Katie says

    I’m not gluten free but I am gluten sensitive. I can definitely tell when I’ve had too much. I think that it’s a matter of balance. If a person is happiest and healthiest on gluten free, then it’s appropriate. If they’re happiest and healthiest with gluten, then that’s appropriate. I can handle gluten in low enough quantities, in fact I feel amost as bad without any gluten as I do when I’ve had too much. I think it is, or at least should be, about figuring out what you’re body needs to function best more than what trends say it should be.

  6. Sweet and Savvy says

    These look Amazing!

    As For the gluten free trend, I think it is a great idea For people who are known to have stomach issues. I do Think it is ridiculous from people to go GF to lose weight.

    • Vikki says

      Well, after lots of research, I went grain-free (and sugar free) in desperation. And finally lost the weight I had gained from my two pregnancies. I had always been sugar-free but that wasn’t enough. And gluten-free wasn’t enough, it had to be all starches. I can stomach a bit of gluten every now and then but I know it’s not the best thing for me.

  7. Holly - InspirationBeauty says

    Hi Katie, I have noticed you use blended dates in a few of your recipes. I really don’t like dates on their own, and I was wondering if you can taste the dates strongly in recipes such as this one? These look delicious but I’m hesistant to try because of the dates! Thanks

  8. Melanie says

    The big gluten-free fad is really irritation but it does have one really big upside. It makes it a lot easier for true celiacs to have a more interesting and varied diet.

  9. bitt says

    I had to cringe at the mention of Atkins being similar to gluten-free. For me, as a celiac gluten-free has always been about health, whereas Atkins is about dieting. I know people who have been tested for celiac and gluten allergies but are not allergic but feel better not eating too much gluten. It’s inflammatory. I talked to a heritage grain specialist and she said the levels of gluten in flour and wheat has been increasing compared to the past. So yes, I think there’s truth that many people can benefit from eating less gluten and diversifying their grains and feel better. But do they all have a serious health issue? Maybe not. I am super suspicious of people who go gluten-free without any sort of medical advisement. Unfortunately, there’s a bunch of popular bloggers who have tried to go gluten-free and are inconsistent about it and do not always spread accurate information. So this part of the gluten-free trend alarms me. People need to listen to the experts!

    All that being said, I appreciate your grain free gluten-free cookie! I’d love a nonchocolate version if that’s possible.

  10. Janice says

    Hello 🙂 I was wondering if you can use sunmaid raisins instead of dates since thats what my mom buys for her oatmeal and we are also on a budget so we just buy what we all need and eat and not just for one person. 🙂 Thanks

  11. Chelsea @ Naturally Sweet Recipes says

    Love these! They look awesome!

    The gluten thing I think is happening because of necessity. I’ve heard white processed flours and such are becoming so genetically modified, gluten content has increased dramatically and our bodies can’t handle it! Hence all the celiacs out there…. It’s sad, but I think going low gluten to gluten free is a wise choice. And it becomes an aboslute breeze when you got delicious treats like yours to eat! 🙂 Thanks for helping to make a healthy lifestyle easy!

  12. Lilly says

    I think being GF can be great if it makes a person feel better, yet doing it just because it is a trend or thinking it will solve weight problems seems silly. I am good with gluten 🙂 but I occasionally have GF stuff too since my mom is gluten sensitive and gets a not-so-fun skin reaction with too much of it. These cookies look great for the holidays too, like chocolate snowflakes 🙂

  13. Kit-Kat says

    I have a friend who is gluten intolerant, and allergic to dairy. I might want to try this recipe on her (I would want to try it too, of course!).

  14. Jennifer JCD says

    These look beautiful, as always, Katie!!

    I’m a believer of ‘everything in moderation’ and ‘listen to your body’. If you feel better by eating less/no gluten – great. If you overdose on gluten and feel icky, you probably ate too much. Often, for those doing it for non-medical reasons, cutting gluten often means cutting out a lot of processed junk that was in their diets (and usually replacing it with more veggies) and of course that will make them feel better. So that leaves me with a mixed opinion about the popularity of non-medical GF diets.

    For me, I’ll still buy bread on occasion and eat wheat/rye/barley when I feel like it. I haven’t tried going gluten-free and I have no intention of doing it unless it’s under doctor’s orders. I already have to give up so many things because of my food allergies, and don’t want to avoid more foods if I don’t need to.

  15. vicki says

    Celiac’s have an autoimmune disease and ANY gluten will make them sick. Because of factory farming in this country our wheat is 80-90% gluten. In Itlay it’s only 10% gluten. We are quickly ruining our food in this country by way of growing/harvesting/storing. Sadly, it is making many people, who are not Celiac’s, gluten intolerant or gluten sensitive. It is real. When we continually feed our bodies foods that are damaging the results eventually show up in our health. Whether that be too much sugar, too much fat or too much gluten. When you realize what you eat is making you sick, you have to make a change for you health. Many of us can go decades without noticing a gluten intolerance… just as we can consume tons of sugar before we realize we’ve developed diabetes. The problem is that our food supply is contaminated… eventually a great number of people will realize gluten doesn’t make them feel well. The problem isn’t gluten, it’s too much gluten and our bodies eventually reveal the symptom’s of a too-much diet.

  16. Lindsay @ biking before bed says

    What a great friend! I’m sure all those GF folks out there wish they had a baker like you to hang out with. Like you, I don’t plan on adopting a gluten free diet. I believe that diet choices are extremely personal. I respect everyone’s eating habits but I don’t enjoy when people “preach” about their diets.

  17. Liz @ Southern Charm says

    I think some people do it because they are trying to loose weight, or at least that has been the reason I’ve been given. I think if they stop and look at the nutritional stats, you won’t loose weight.

    Sometimes, I do eat gluten free foods, but it’s because I like them. I love love love brown rice. And companies make brown rice tortillas. I LOVE THEM. They are so soft and chewy and I love the taste! I feel the same about brown rice spaghetti. But like I said, I do this sometimes.

    In my opinion, I think there is a lack of research and more of just following along with fads and such. Funny you mention this … I think Self has an article about going gluten-free!

  18. Kathy says

    Glulten is not an issue for me… but i find some recipes work for my daughter who is allergic to dairy and egg. WE have tried a baking mix for her though and she does not like the texture of the baked goods… it’s almost like a cornmeal texture.

  19. Anna @ The Guiltless Life says

    I have absolutely no doubt that a lot of people need to avoid gluten – whether it’s full-on medical intolerance or just that it makes them feel better. But I am so curious as to how it all came about – how did we start getting all of these allergies and intolerances that it seems as though people didn’t have years ago (or if they did have then clearly the symptoms were not as debilitating as no one felt the need to do anything about it!). Such a mystery how we evolve, but if it works, do it!

    • Anonymous says

      Read “wheat belly” and it will tell you. Wheat today has been genetically modified and is nothing like it once was and that is why our bodies cannot handle it.

  20. Vanessa :P says

    For me it has never been a trend but rather health reasons. Gluten-intolerance runs in my family, even back 2 or 3 generations so that is why I gave it up. Personally I did feel better and I can say for sure it was not placebo effect since I had physical symptoms that cleared up gradually after changing what I ate.
    I eat a million times better than I did before so while I don’t think that people should just go gluten-free for fun or whatever, I think it is good to get out of the wheat rut and experiment with other foods, flours, and grains.

  21. Stephanie says

    Interesting topic! I’ve been gluten-free for a few years now. Not Celiac or intolerant and not because I wanted to try it out or lose weight. Essentially, wheat, dairy and soy products wreak havoc on my hormones. And not just with mood swings and crankiness – more like needing surgeries to remove the nasty by-products of estrogen spikes in my system. I try not to come across as a special snowflake in restaurants, but just quietly ask the server for an option that’s dairy, wheat and soy-free. I can’t say whether the change in my diet has triggered me feeling better, because I made several drastic life changes at the same time, so I think it’s a combination of diet, exercise and stress relief that makes me feel awesome every day. In all, I figure if someone wants to go gluten-free for whatever reason – cool. If not – cool. My choice works for me and I’d like everyone to have the freedom to choose what works for them.

  22. Alyssa says

    For some, going GF isn’t a choice (as you mentioned). My sister-in-law and niece both have Celiac, and both of my kids have Autism, so we’re pretty familiar with GF around here. But I also believe that if someone wants to go GF and see if s/he feels better, where’s the harm? As long as it’s not part of any disordered eating, I don’t see a problem.
    I hate seeing food as a polarizing issue. IMHO, as long as a person isn’t doing any harm, their eating habits are their own business. Who am I to judge?

  23. Veggie V! @Veggie V's Vegan Adventure says

    You’re killing me. Well, at least my diet. I’m making cookies for my class next week, and I’ve already got your chocolate pumpkin stuffed cookies bookmarked, and now these! I don’t have rice flour. Do you think wheat would work? Or oat? I’ll probably try oat.

    On the GF thing, I tag some of my recipes as GF because they are and because it’s popular and what a lot of people are looking for. Personally, I don’t think I have a gluten intolerance, and nobody I know has a medically diagnosed intolerance either. But, a lot of people I know think they feel better without the gluten. More power to ya, my friend. I just like to experiment with different flours and non-grains. I consider it another, welcomed challenge 🙂 Your cookies, however, will not be a challenge – to eat!

  24. Aine @ Something to Chew Over says

    These look so deliciously chewy!

    I was almost totally g-f for a couple of years as my boyfriend had to be for medical reasons (he’s ok now). Wheat is definitely hard for me to digest if I have it in large quantities so moderation is important. But a few slices of pizza or a sandwich is totally fine for me!

    I would say don’t go gluten-free unless you’ve thoroughly researched it – it’s not easy!

  25. Kate says

    These are so pretty and perfect for the holidays! I dont avoid gluten completely but I try to limit how much I eat daily!

  26. Kate (Bread & Chocolate) says

    I can’t tolerate gluten, so I appreciate this cookie recipe! My first year gluten-free (I’m also allergic to dairy) was a real challenge, but now it’s pretty common to find natural products that I can enjoy. Thanks for the chocolate suggestion!

  27. Maria @ runningcupcake says

    Interesting topic- I have one friend who is diagnosed as a coeliac (so thanks for the recipe) and she had years of tests and pain and illness before they confirmed it- since going gluten free she is so much better. I also know people who claim to be intolerant to gluten, but will eat it sometimes- I don’t believe they are because the pain my poor friend has if she has something contaminated is really bad- not just bloating or cramps or anything. I can see that as a society we are heavily reliant on gluten, so getting a range of grains has got to be better. But I don’t think most people have a problem with it.

  28. pdw says

    We went GFCF for our son, who would not have been able to be gluten-free if there was still gluten in the house. Not only did it make a difference for him (to be able to eat breakfast for the first time in years without having to lay on the couch doubled up in pain afterward), but hubby and I both found that if we ate gluten away from home, we had problems. Not the “typical” diarrhea, but neurological symptoms, horrible back pain for hubby (actually a symptom of inflamed colon), etc. The funny thing is, DS is adopted, so he doesn’t get his gluten intolerance from either one of us! I started looking at the longer lists of celiac symptoms. Not just diarrhea and weight loss, but some of those other things I had been dealing with for years – low iron, chronic nosebleeds, unexplained infertility, migraines, seasonal depression, constipation, and on and on. Wow.

    A couple of years of being GF, and my dad decided that he needed to try it. He did have the weight loss, he was skin and bones. He had the migraines worst of all. He had a lot of other issues as well. He had been trying to sort out food sensitivities for years, and had never thought that wheat was a problem. The first month that he went GF, he gained 10 lbs. Looking back over his lifetime, he could see a lot of those issues that I saw in myself – the chronic nosebleeds, low energy, migraines, environmental and food sensitivities, and as a baby failure to thrive and as a little’un, “dysentery” that almost killed him. Lots of low-immunity issues as well.

    Looking over our family history, he realized that his mother had it as well, and his grandmother (who had, in fact, said that she was “allergic to bread”.) Probably my brother has it as well, but he refuses to be tested. On my mother’s side, one first cousin has been diagnosed, and her brothers probably both have it as well.

    Thank you for posting all of the great recipes that you do. I made the peanut butter and chocolate peanut butter cookie dough cookies for Canadian Thanksgiving, and they went over really well. These lace cookies are out for me, as I am allergic to the base ingredients, but I am always watching for the new things that come out of your kitchen!

    [I am vegetarian, dairy free, grain-free (yes, all grains, not just gluten), with allergies to some nuts, dates, raw pineapple, and more! Also no alcohol, coffee, tea, or caffeine . . .

      • pdw says

        LOL! More than you would think!

        Yes, I occasionally have soy, usually in the form of tofu or miso, I try to avoid the processed stuff. Kiddo goes through lots of soy milk, and I have a bit occasionally, but usually use water or coconut milk in cooking.

        Most fruits and veggies are okay, I am sensitive only to a few (unless my ulcer or oral allergy syndrome are acting up, in which case most fruits and many veggies will bother me!) Too many leafy greens bother me, but okay in moderate amounts. We do a lot of stir-fried, raw, or steamed veggies. Lots of fruit for snacks/desserts. My usual pre- and post- run snack is banana and pb.

        Fungi and sea veggies are fine.

        Legumes are good (beans, peas, lentils, peanuts). So we have chili or curry for supper at least once a week, and then I use the leftovers for lunches or breakfasts. There is one brand of veggie burger here that is okay, or I make my own.

        Seeds are fine, some nuts are okay (cashews, pecans, coconut). I usually have some homemade trailmix for a snack once a day.

        Root veggies are all fine – potatoes, sweet potatoes, tapioca, arrowroot, jicama, etc. I often have baked potato for breakfast. And supper. I use Terra Chips instead of corn chips for taco salad, and occasionally have some plain potato chips or other vegetable chips.

        Pseudocereals like buckwheat, quinoa, and amaranth are okay. I use quinoa anywhere you would use rice, and it is usually the base for my lunch. I make my own grain-free granola with buckwheat and quinoa flakes and other goodies.

        Cocoa is good, or dark chocolate in small amounts as long as it is not cross contaminated with nuts!

        The flours I generally use are buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth, arrowroot, tapioca, plantain, coconut. I have good recipes for pancakes and rolls, those are my bread staples, but I only have a few servings a week. I usually only bake desserts for holidays/functions, and then there are a wealth of recipes from Katie and other bloggers that I can usually adapt. I make my own pizza crust for pizza nights, lots of veggie toppings, and if we have any around, Daiya cheese.

        When kiddo wants pasta (Tuesday is usually pasta night, so guess what is tonight?) I usually have a baked potato topped with whatever sauce instead, but I can also have bean thread noodles, kelp noodles, shiritaki noodles, tapioca stick, arrowroot vermicelli, or spaghetti squash.

        Pam

  29. Eleanor@Eatinglikeahorse says

    I’d never complain about my coeliac diease because it’s helped me find so many other things to eat which are nice for themselves and naturally GF, like these which sound great 🙂
    But having said that, there are a lot of times when it’s awkward and I do miss proper bread sometimes… like you say though, if cutting out gluten/dairy/whatever, makes someone feel better for any reason, it’s got to be a good thing!

  30. Amy says

    Recently I noticed how eating “gluten-free” has become trendy. I have not eaten gluten for over 3 years because I am intolerant to it, but I would not recommend it as a way to lose weight for those who are tolerant.

    Eating a diet that is free of gluten requires a lot of education about what is in certain things. Social situations can become difficult if you do not educate yourself. I pretty much know what is off limits when I go to restaurants, so I don’t have to have the waiter ask the chef about every item on the menu.

    For me it is not difficult to eat a gluten free diet because I am adventurous with food. Also it has been very beneficial to me health-wise, but many people feel healthy eating gluten and that is great.

  31. bebe says

    Just made the flourless chocolate chip cookies. they are delish. i think i will try them again omitting the white sugar, chocolate chips and adding coconut. OMG they are so yum. i have my 5 year old frantically cleaning his room so he can hurry up and get one 🙂 thanks!

  32. Kaitlyn@TheTieDyeFIles says

    WHat a good friend! I love your supportive attitude. I’ve never tried a gluten-free diet so I can’t judge for myself whether the benefits are of the placebo effect type, but it surely allows a lot of variety of ingredients so it can’t be all that bad, right?

  33. Heather @ Bake, Run, Live says

    I agree with you that it isn’t our place to judge. Each person needs to decide what makes them feel their best. I have been grain free for about 6 months, and I feel really good. I was falling asleep on my way home from work (while driving- never a good thing), and I just had no energy. In reading different blogs, I came across one that talks about no grains. Being a carb-addict, I wanted to see if it would make a difference (I have no medical reason to do this). My stomach bloat is gone, I sleep better, I have more energy, and recovering from long runs is much quicker. I’m not 100% committed- I bake too much for that to ever happen. However, I plan my week, and cheat, so that I don’t feel deprived.
    Bottom line though, I would never push this on anyone, or think this is the best way to eat…again, each person must make that decision for themselves.

  34. ~Christy @ wonderofallthings says

    The cookies look good! I have friends with celiacs and will pass the recipes on. thanks!

    So much of the time there is just enough info out there to be dangerous — many folks are just looking for the next big thing that promises to change their life. Some really do need it, some can benefit. The important thing is for people to educate themselves and do what is best for them, for their body, for their health…not because it’s the next big thing.

  35. Amber K says

    I don’t have Celiac, but there’s also another group of people like me who have to be gluten-free. I am gluten-intolerant. While it may not be doing horrific damage to the villi in my intestines, it still wrecks havoc on my system. “Intestinal distress” is how I’ll nicely put it, lol. The problem is that so many people are gluten-intolerant and don’t even know it. They think feeling bloated occasionally, having random bouts of constipation or diarrhea is normal. I even have a friend who gets headaches from gluten. It affects people in different ways, so it continues to be a hot topic. Among those who feel the effects and those who think we’re making it up.

    Those cookies look awesome! While chewy/crispy isn’t my favorite, neither is soft/non-chewy. Soft/chewy all the way! 🙂

    • Sarah AJ says

      Exactly. We tried GF for a while to see if it would help with my daughter’s seizures. It didn’t, but all of my stomach & intestinal problems that I thought were normal went away! I’ve never felt better. I can eat small amounts occasionally without an issue, but if I start eating it regularly, I go back to feeling icky and my energy levels go way down (and for the record, it wasn’t a matter of replacing processed foods, as we’ve been eating whole foods for several years).

  36. Dalai Lina says

    I think even if you are not allergic to gluten it is wise to reduce the amount of gluten in our diets. Gluten is like glue and we don’t need it clogging our system.

    That being said, a warm, crusty french roll? I’m all in…

  37. Aja says

    I only heard about gluten free foods when my cousin realized that she was extremely gluten intolerant. I like sending her gluten free recipes from the internet now. The gluten intolerance thing confuses the heck out of my mom, but she’s weird and doesn’t believe that people can have anything wrong with them without it being all in their head.

  38. Leanne @ Healthful Pursuit says

    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!

    • Meena says

      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!

  39. Susan says

    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!

    • Pdw says

      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

  40. Alexa says

    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

  41. L. says

    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.

  42. Nichole says

    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..

    • pdw says

      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.

  43. Moni'sMeals says

    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!

    • Frances says

      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.

  44. SheilaBmarie says

    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.

  45. Brittany @ Pretty Fit, Pretty Healthy, Pretty Happy says

    My mom has Celiac disease, so in her case I think going gluten-free is a great idea. As for everyone else, I think if it’s what they want– then sure!

    I myself think moderation is best. If you’re not sensitive to wheat, I don’t see harm in whole grains as long as you balance it out with some protein and some veggies. 🙂

  46. Katie @Nutrition In A Peanut Shell says

    Gluten isn’t an issue with me, but I really enjoy gluten-free bread because it’s dense yet fluffy.
    I know some of my friends are just going GF because they think it’s less calories. I wish people would become educated about this stuff

  47. michelle says

    I think if you replace one flour for another one higher in vitamins and nutrients than great but if you’re simply following a trend without doing your homework then you could be missing out. Often gluten free means higher in fat, carbs and calories and lower in fibre. Replacing whole wheat flour with potato or rice flour isn’t necessarily the way to go if you don’t need to!

  48. Jess says

    I don’t have a problem, but i have tried a few GF recipes; it’s a different taste to my family, unlike even whole wheat, so at best it’s generally an acquired taste. Recently I’ve started eating more rice, but wheat pasta is still my favorite. I also don’t mind konnyaku/yam noodle, if only b/c it tastes like whatever your put it it. To me it’s no different than vegetarianism or veganism; i currently feel no reason to change my habits so drastically, although cutting back on dairy, eggs, and some meat is probably doing some good (although i can’t rely on soy or other legumes; my body has an even harder time handling those, lol). i already get an excess of soy in the form of miso and various asian sauces i use/make. Thanks for the recipe. if i wasn’t so caught up with apples, i’d probably give it a try.

  49. Tami@nutmegnotebook says

    I personally don’t need to avoid gluten but I have a friend who is gluten free so I appreciate your gluten free recipes. I like to make desserts that she can also enjoy and that taste good to the rest of us too.

  50. BroccoliHut says

    From a dietitian’s point of view, I can definitely say that many people need a gluten-free diet in order to get the nutrients they need. That being said, when there is no medical need for a gluten-free diet, (i.e., there is no sensitivity or allergy), I think it makes life much more complicated than it needs to be. Whole grains are good for you!

  51. Anonymous says

    Hey Katie I’ve noticed in your recent recipes you’ve been using dates. Any particular reason why and have you ever cooked with date sugar?

  52. TheCrabbyCrafter says

    I’m not gluten intolerant, but I do like making gluten-free recipes. Not just because all my GF friends go crazy over them, but because I like to get as wide a variety of grains (well, everything, really) in my diet as possible and it’s so so easy to just have wheat in everything. ;p

  53. Colleen Grossner says

    Hi Katie!
    I have been meaning to write for a long time — probably for the last year or so I have been reading AND LOVING your blog! Being a dietitian, with similar health outlook, I recommend it all the time! I love how you make food, the ingredients — lack of sugar (as you prefer), combinations, creativity, you’re amazing! You’re super cute, kind, have a great personality — that is why everyone LOVES you! Knowing you were “just in college” (young), I was so proud of you and amazed after each post! You’re so organized and well-rounded. I kept especially telling my husband how great you are and that you should write a book, and now you get to do the blog professionally — congratulations! You certainly earned it, and I am SURE there will be MANY books in your future!!! …thus ends, perhaps, the love letter …lol. I think I put off writing because I have a website (www.fresh-you.com), as well as a blog, which I always wanted to improve before you took a look! Alas, I have 3 young children, and thus limited time, and so that has yet to happen, but I did at least begin a FB page which is starting to be sort of active, and fun, isn’t it great getting feedback?! You get hundreds of comments, but perhaps when you started, you were excited about the first few?! Though I am SURE you were really popular right away — you have such talent — you were born for this I think! Anyhow, I would love if you would check out my FB page, when you have a chance. I was so excited to tell you about my (I thought!) Skinny Balls recipe (“Larabar Ball” (that’s what we call them in my house) for Thin Mints (on the FB page), but after scouring your blog for PB fudge (which I guess you don’t have a certain page for, but that my children AND I love!) I saw an idea you had for the thin mints — mine’s a little different ingredients, but of course you thought of something like it! Longest comment ever, perhaps. Katie, THANK YOU for all the great ideas, smiles you’ve made in our house, and for sharing it all so kindly! Have a great day!!!
    PS- these lcookies look delicious – and beautiful!!!

  54. Clair says

    I love the idea of going gluten free just to see how it feels, but the bf and I are dabbling in the vegan arena, and gluten just makes it so much easier (especially since he’s a big weight lifter).

    These look delicious though!

  55. Sapphire says

    We try to be GF (and casein free) for our son, who is on the autism spectrum. It really does help his symptoms and his behavior.

    The cookies look nice, but one thing stands out: chocolate chips are not necessarily GF – you have to read the labels REALLY well to make sure that there is no gluten of any kind in them. My nephew (who doesn’t have celiac, but IS allergic to gluten) has to have specific kinds because most store brands have either milk (which he is ALSO allergic to), or some form of gluten in them. It sucks. I feel so bad for him. Fortunately, he can have chocolate! He’s not allergic to that 🙂

  56. Katelyn @ Chef Katelyn says

    AHHHHH so pretty 🙂 I love that you call them lace! Girl anything with chocolate is a winner. I could use a hefty batch of those here at college where real food is a major rarity.

  57. Jeanie says

    Katie,
    These look amazing! They must be sturdy to be stacked like that!
    I feel so much better eating gluten free and more recently grain free.
    By the way, these qualify for that! 🙂

  58. Jess says

    Since going gluten/grain-free nearly a year ago, I have not been sick once (beyond an occasional brief “fighting off a cold” feeling that goes away within 24 hours). I’ve lost 40lbs effortlessly, and now maintain at the lower end of my ideal weight range without effort (at my highest, I weighed 100lbs more than I do now – I’m definitely not “naturally” skinny). I’ve had a poochy belly, regardless of weight, since I was young. Now it’s pretty flat… and I’ve had three kids, the youngest just under a year ago. Relatedly, I rarely have gas at all anymore. I used to think farting all the time was just a part of life. I’ve always had a horrible sweet tooth. Two weeks after cutting out grains, my craving for sugar dropped dramatically, and while I haven’t eliminated sugar from my diet entirely, I eat much much less of it. My moods are more stable – I’ve been medicated for depression in the past, and now I honestly don’t need it. On the rare occasions that I do get down in the dumps, it’s very clearly tied to poor food choices and/or lack of sleep. Similar is true of my husband, and our marriage is happier now. We always used to get into huge fights after a nice dinner out.

    So yes, I’m gluten-free by “choice”, in that I didn’t have the extreme digestive symptoms associated with celiac disease. But I do feel that my quality of life is much better if I avoid it.

    And I think people who talk about how they couldn’t possibly give up bread regardless of any potential health benefit are literally addicted.

  59. Anonymous says

    Mmm they look so good!
    I don’t really have much of an opinion on the gluten-free diet, I personally feel that you should avoid cutting out whole food groups. Instead of cutting out something like gluten I feel that sticking to whole grains makes me feel much better 🙂
    I don’t think gluten is the key to most people’s digestive problems, I think it’s much more to do with the sugar content in most glutenous foods!

  60. Jennifer says

    Katie,

    Hi I just started reading your blog and have made a few of your recipes,I was even kind enough to share with my family. Rave reviews were received! Its been so much fun trying them out. I am always looking for ways to improve recipes and make them healthier to indulge upon especially chocolate yummyiness! Thanks for sharing!
    Now for my question For this recipe what can I do in place of the almonds? I have a severe nut allergy.
    Thanks!
    Jen

      • Jennifer says

        I am just nut-free, but I can do gluten and I made these with soybean nuts and they were not as pretty as yours but they tasted ok I might try sunflower or pumpkin seeds next. Soybean nuts or soybean butter is my goto for anything that calls for nuts, but I am so bored of them. I look forward to your other recipe! Thanks for taking the time getting back to me. My challenge for tommorow is using 3 ripe avocados in a recipe and when I say use my hubby says he doesn’t like them but when he doesn’t know avocados are used he is OMG this is delicious LOL.

          • Jennifer says

            PDW I have everything for the recipe and I will use soy milk or rice milk thank you! I just made myself a pumpkin pie smoothie itssssssssssss so yummy Thanks night !

        • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

          Here’s the similar recipe that is nut-free (except for coconut oil. Is coconut oil considered nut-free?)
          I was planning to give them one more test run before posting the recipe… if you try them out, please do let me know what you think :).

          Hot Chocolate Cookies
          1 cup spelt flour or all-purpose
          2 T 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 1/2 to 4 T unrefined coconut oil (you can cut it down to 1 1/2 T pus 2 T water, but note that the cookies will be a bit drier)

          Blend first six ingredients until dates are finely pulverized. (I used the Magic Bullet.) 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. (If using only 2 and 1/2 T oil, you can add 1 T water, but no more.) Bake at 355 F for 7-8 minutes. (Take out when still undercooked, as these continue to cook as they cool.)

          • Jennifer says

            This recipe worked out great, wonderful, and amazing Katie ! Just wondering do you use a certain brand of chocolate chips? I made a tray of chocolate chips today using raw cacao powder, coconut oil, and NuNaturals vanilla stevia.( I made them to top my banana ice cream or my choc bannana which is just frozen bannanas and a little water, maybe cocoa powder in the food processor) Wonder how my chips would work in your Pumpkin Chocolate-Chip Pizookie recipe. Only one way to find out LOL!

          • Chocolate-Covered Katie says

            I’ve tried more than one brand in these. Once with a mix of Enjoy Life and Whole Foods dark chocolate chunks, and once with semi-sweet Ghirardelli.

            Definitely let me know how the homemade chips work out when baked! I have a homemade chocolate bar recipe, but I’ve never baked with it because I assumed it would melt too much (since it’s coconut oil-based).

  61. Jennifer says

    Thank you Katie!!!! I will let you know how they turn out. I am and have always been a coconut lover!!! Btw Here is the scoop on the Coconut, This is the definition from the library of congress “Coconuts are classified as a fibrous one-seeded drupe. A drupe is a fruit with a hard stony covering enclosing the seed (like a peach or olive) and comes from the word drupa meaning overripe olive. A coconut, and all drupes, have three layers: the exocarp (outer layer), the mesocarp (fleshy middle layer), and the endocarp (hard, woody layer that surrounds the seed). When you buy a coconut at the supermarket the exocarp and the mesocarp are removed and what you see is the endocarp.” Here are some cool Interesting Coconut Facts

    •Every bit of the coconut is used. As a result, coconuts are called the “Tree of Life” and can produce drink, fiber, food, fuel, utensils, musical instruments, and much more.

    •When intra-venous (IV) solution was in short supply, doctors during World War II and Vietnam used coconut water in substitution of IV solutions.

    •Botanically, the coconut palm is not a tree since there is no bark, no branches, or secondary growth. A coconut palm is a woody perennial monocotyledon with the trunk being the stem.

    •Possibly the oldest reference is from Cosmas, a 5th century AD Egyptian traveler. He wrote about the “Indian nut” or “nut of India” after visiting India and Ceylon, Some scholars believe Cosmas was describing a coconut.

    •Soleyman, an Arab merchant, visited China in the 9th century and describes the use of coir fiber and toddy made from coconuts.

    •In 16th century, Sir Francis Drake called coconut “nargils”, which was the common term used until the 1700’s when the word coconut was established.

    •It takes 11 -12 months for the coconut to mature.

    Again all of this info was obtained from the Library of Congress

    • pdw says

      Botanically, coconuts are not nuts, nor are cashews are almonds. But under culinary or food-labelling rules, they are. Coconuts tend to be processed on the same machinery as tree nuts, almonds, etc. so they can be cross-contaminated and you probably need to avoid them if you are nut allergic.

      However, I expect that you could buy and process a whole, unopened coconut without fear of cross-contamination

      I don’t know what kind of equipment coconut oil is processed on, and what the risk of cross-contamination is there. Any allergy-safe solid fat would work in the posted recipe – butter, palm oil, shortening, etc. Maybe even those avocados! A liquid fat could be used in smaller amounts and would change the consistency slightly.

  62. Angie Halten says

    I love trying new ingredients that I normally don’t cook with – like dates. I can’t wait to try this recipe, thanks!

  63. Aisha says

    These were awesome. You are a genius. I used almond flour instead of processing the almonds because I didn’t have enough raw almonds and used 3 medjool dates. YUM!!! Ate the entire batch for dinner.

  64. Richa@HobbyandMore says

    these looks lovely.. i have to try them and then eat a couple of batches before i send them off in gift baskets..:):)..
    One of my cousins went glutenfree several years back and no one in my family in India knew anything about it and thought he was a bit crazy eating rice all the time.:) he never used the term gf..it did help him though, so i do try make some items gf. though i havent figured out a gf bread yet.. an i really love breads!

  65. mandy denslow says

    I’m a mom (and nutritional counselor) of a boy on the autistic spectrum. He went gluten and casein free 5 years ago. I had suffered from severe depression my whole life but never really thought about what could be the cause. 3 years ago I took out gluten, milk and corn and my depression disappeared. I have since put corn back in intermittently with no problems. I also found that sugar triggers my depression, so I avoid it as well.
    It has been found that only 1/3 of people with gluten sensitivities or allergies have GI issues to go with it. The other 2/3rds have other tissues effected as well as neurological issues and the brain directly. So things such as arthritis, brain fog, chronic fatigue, alzheimers and other ailments have been found to be linked to gluten sensitivities in some individuals.
    That is just something to think about. If you are just curious, try it for a week. Gluten takes about 5 days to leave the system. It is a fun experiment if nothing else.

  66. Grace says

    Hey Katie! I love your blog! And chocolate 🙂 yesterday I made your gluten free chocolate lace cookies and they were so good! I used half the almonds, and I baked them at a slightly higher temp. because I was making your flourless chocolate chip cookies too, and they all turned out great, except the lace cookies didn’t flatten out, they stayed in like a big ball shape haha. But do you think that’s because of the temp. I baked them at? Or should I have flattened them out?

    Thanks!

    Ps- I also made the rasperry cobbler bars, except I had to use strawberries. So yummy!!

      • brandie says

        Hi Katie-
        I had the same problem of my cookies staying in a ball shape. I ended up making them into cookie shapes before baking, but still not getting the lacey effect. I’m wondering if my dates are too dry? It’s my first time cooking with dates and/or coconut oil, but regardless, they taste amazing!!! I’m going to use the ingredients I have on hand to make them again today, but next time I’m going to use super high-quality dark chocolate! I love that I can give these to my preschool-age kids and feel really good about it!!! I’ll also be making the flourless chocolate chip cookies!

  67. Pat Meadows says

    What do I think of the ‘gluten-free’ trend? Well, I have some experience with this – I’ve been totally gluten-free for about 5 years – from medical necessity. And I do mean ‘necessity’!

    It’s VERY expensive, VERY VERY. Everything costs a lot – and I bake from scratch a lot. But even the flours are costly.

    I’m not a baker by choice (I’m a cook by choice – making dinners and so on). Baking gluten-free quick breads and muffins is an especial PITA – many recipes have as many as 16 ingredients! I can make delicious quick breads, muffins, pancakes, waffles. Many of my favorite desserts – the tofu cheesecake type of thing – are gluten free naturally, fortunately.

    I cannot make decent ‘yeast’ bread – have tried several recipes without success. I buy excellent whole-grain bread from samisbakery.com – also chips and bagels. All their products are excellent.
    AND EXPENSIVE.

    To me, it’s a *very costly nuisance*, and an *awful lot of work* – and seriously screws up eating out. I just cannot imagine why anyone who had a choice (i.e., wasn’t a celiac) would do this on a whim.

    Pat

  68. kel says

    Hi. Great recipes! I tend to eat paleo, which is just about opposite vegan! But you still have some fabulous recipes that are both! If anyone wants to know more about gluten, celiac, or why there are more people having sensitivities to gluten, I suggest you read “Wheat Belly” by Dr. William Davis. It is VERY informative, and science based.
    Thanks Katie. Love your blog. I found you looking for Lara bar recipes so I wouldn’t have to test my own. Fudge babies are beyond great– they passed the toughest test of all… my 3 super-picky kids! They liked them better than the samoas, although those didn’t last long either. Cashew cookies will be next!

  69. Robyn says

    I wish I wasn’t part of the “trend,” but sadly, I am gluten intolerant. 🙁
    But thanks to recipes like these, I can manage. YAY!! Thanks once again. 🙂

  70. Izabela (yoginiselfportrayal.wordpress.com) says

    Hi Katie,
    First of all I recently discovered your blog and I love it.
    I just made those cookies and the are amazing. Thank you for this recipe. I am gluten sensitive so I am cutting it off from my diet as much as possible so these is definitely a great sweet treat for me.
    PS. Do you have any recipe for a gluten free Bday cake? My Bday is coming up and I want to make something on my own that will not kill my stomach after the next day?

    • CCK says

      Hi Izabela!

      Happy early birthday!! My favorite birthday cake is actually gluten-free :). It’s my Chocolate Bar Pie, and it’s what I had for my own birthday! But the Deep-Dish Cookie Pie, Giant Chocolate-Chip Cookie Cake, and Cinnamon Roll Pie are all gluten-free as well.

  71. Izabela (yoginiselfportrayal.wordpress.com) says

    oh, many thanks Katie. I will take a look at all of them. I am sure it will be a hard decision;)

  72. DJ says

    As a 53 year old female who just recently went gluten/grain free (6 months ago), I can tell you that there is definitely a link between gluten and disease for many people! My arthritis pain, which had become quite debilitating, has all but disappeared, as has the depression I’ve suffered from since I was a teen. I’ve lost 30 pounds (easily, I certainly don’t consider this a “diet”), and my menopausal symptoms have vanished. Gluten causes inflammation in the body, and inflammation in the body is a very bad thing, leading to much of the disease plaguing our society. I follow a primal diet (similar to paleo), and am nothing short of amazed at the health improvements I’ve experienced since adopting this lifestyle. I will never go back to eating the way I used to.

  73. Amal says

    I macy’s cookies cookies for valentine’s day on my husband love them. I would not let him eat a second one until I figured out how many calories were in each cookie. I entered the recipe into my plate.Com. I made a batch of 12. Each came in at 233 calories. I can only afford one cookie per day. Next time I will break the batch up omto 24 cookies. Thanks katie for this recipe! These are worth repeating.

  74. Barbara says

    I made these but altered them and what do you know, mine came out fluffy and gooey… I replaced the dates with 1/2 a ripe banana, mashed, and I added a tbs of non-dairy milk, 1/3 cup oats, and a sprinkling of raw sugar…. I also replaced the coconut oil with rice bran oil (did not have coconut oil…) and the chocolate chips with 100g dark chocolate (melted- did not add any choc chips.)
    Delicious.
    Ooh, I also added some cayenne pepper which is delicious, but not everyone’s cup of tea.

  75. Jeanette says

    My mother-in-law found your blog here and referred me to it. She also convinced me it was worth looking at when she made me your gluten free chocolate chip cookies. I don’t have Celiac Disease but I once had a friend who did. I few years after losing that friendship I discovered I had food allergies. One of those food allergies is wheat. I’ve done some searching and it’s not quite the same as gluten but a lot of the same foods must be removed out of my diet. It’s tough not eating the food I love. But finding your cookies puts one more thing I love unto the I-Can-Eat-This list. That’s exciting for me. I also look forward to trying more of your recipes in the future!

  76. Sterling says

    My mom tested positive for Celiac Disease, and after a lot of considering my own personal health, I decided to go gluten- and dairy-free. After having not had these two things for a few months, I (as well as my poor husband) can tell when they get into my system. It’s not pretty. I’ve had people suggest I get allergy-tested, but as a nurse, I feel like my health choices work for me and I don’t need a test to prove or disprove this.

    The longer I’ve gone without these types of things, the better I feel and the less I crave them. I’m also very excited to try these since there’s no added sugar other than the chocolate chips.

    Thank you for such amazing recipes!!

  77. LeeAnn says

    I can’t stand the gluten free “trend”. Why? Because my son has Celiac Disease. We had his genetic testing done to figure out why he was having seizures EVERY DAY FOR FOUR YEARS.. He has a systemic immune response to gluten.Both his father and I are carriers of the gene responsible. I should be grateful for the trend I guess.. It has made a lot of gluten free products available to him but I get so pissed off when I hear people say they have a “gluten issue” or are “bothered by gluten”.. Really? Shut up and eat the pasta..You’re making the people who truly do have Celiac Disease look like tools too. That’s as bad as telling someone you can’t go swim because you have skin cancer when you really just don’t want to wear a bathing suit because you never lost that baby weight. TRUE Celiac Disease is awful. It’s not a trend, not a fad, not a gimmick..On a different note, I eat gluten free now because he does but boy do I miss my bread and pasta! I really enjoy the products available but sometimes there is nothing like the taste of a big squishy soft piece of white bread!

    • DJ says

      LeeAnn, I don’t mean to be disrespectful, and I’m sorry your son has the issues he has, but beyond that you don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m one of those people (and I think there are many many thousands of us, if not more), that has a “gluten issue”. I’m an older woman who was suffering from arthritis pain to the point where I was facing knee replacement surgery. Out of desperation I tried eliminating gluten from my diet and have experienced miraculous healing. Other health symptoms I was suffering from also disappeared. I never want to go back to feeling that way, and no, I won’t “shut up and eat the pasta”. I thank God daily that people are becoming more and more informed about the dangers of gluten!

    • Laura says

      LeeAnn I see where you can get upset with people who avoid gluten to “lose five pounds” and it ostrasizes people like your son who aboslutely need to avoid it for medical reasons.

      There are some people (myself included) who are not celiac BUT do have real issues with gluten
      http://life.nationalpost.com/2012/12/04/what-grains-mean-or-dont-mean-for-weight-loss/
      I share your frustrations as a young, fit female and people who judge me for my eating habits when its a true medical need, however just because someone doesn’t have celiac disease and tests negative doesn’t mean they don’t have gluten sensitivity. You should consider seeing a Naturopathic Doctor to learn more about it

  78. LeeAnn says

    DJ, have you ever had the the genetic testing done? If you have experienced such drastic relief then you may very well have true Celiac Disease! Part of my sons ordeal included him suffering from symptoms of Juvenile Arthritis. That cleared up after we started him on the gf diet. People like you were not included in my rant. You have a legitimate reason for being gf. It works for you in a way that, to me at least, points towards you having CD. The testing is around a thousand and not usually covered by insurance so I know a lot of people can’t afford it but it is worth it to know if you have CD. Its not an allergy test so it doesn’t matter if you are eating gluten or not, it will register as you having the genes. to those who TRULY have an allergy or CD, my post is not directed at you guys!!! What aggravates me is the people who claim this disease and are nothing more than trend followers who do it because they heard about it in a magazine or saw it on Dr. So and so.

    • DJ says

      No, I haven’t been tested for Celiac Disease. I’ve eaten wheat my whole life (up until a year ago when I started my gluten free experiment). I know that if I started eating gluten again I would feel awful, gain weight, and my arthritis symptoms would return as well as my other health problems. I’m content to simply not eat it anymore and enjoy the health benefits. My diet (and my families diet), now consists of lots of whole, healthy, unprocessed foods and we’ve all experienced tremendous health benefits from eating this way. My personal belief is that gluten is probably not good for most people. Why do I believe this? It’s based on research I’ve done, and at least a dozen people I know personally who have given up eating it and have experienced some very dramatic improvements in their health and energy levels. I don’t think the current trend of people discovering they have a sensitivity to gluten is something that will go away. On the contrary, I believe that more and more people are going to discover it to be true for them.

      • LeeAnn says

        I do agree that gluten is bad for most people. I think I just get irritated by the people who do something drastic with their health without fully understanding why they are doing it because its the “in” thing to do. When I say trend I mean trend as in “fashionable”. Being gluten free should be done with a thought to your whole body health and not just some “get skinny quick” gimmick. You would be amazed at how many people I have had ask me why my son has to be on a gf diet and they assume I’m “not feeding him properly”. I have had issues getting chefs to understand that gf means NO GLUTEN, NO CONTACT WITH GLUTEN.. its been a real journey and I don’t want the fad dieters giving gf products a bad name. We have enough on our hands just getting people to understand that this is a disease. Its not a game. I am really glad to hear how well your health has improved and I pray it continues.

  79. leslie says

    I go gluten free almost exclusively and my diet has much more variety than the typical American diet. I don’t think most people realize that wheat has MANY TIMES more gluten now than it did generations ago due to the hybridizing of the grain. This has been done to make it cheaper for the manufactuers of wheat products because it is easier to work with when it contains lots of gluten.

    This is why gluten problems are more prevalent these days.

    Also, for a fast education on what’s being done to food, Google: Millions Against Monsanto.

  80. Megan says

    Even though I do not follow a gluten-free diet, I am always watching my weight, so this recipe looks great!

    I do have a question though. What would happen if I substituted canola oil in for the coconut oil? I don’t have coconut oil to begin with and I have mixed feelings about the health effects of coconut oil.

      • Megan says

        Hi again!

        So I tried the recipe substituting canola oil for the coconut oil. It came out great! I also added in about another 1/4 cup of melted chocolate chips because I thought the batter wasn’t shiny enough. It turned out a little too oily, so I might reduce the tablespoons of canola oil next time.

        Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks for the recipe!

  81. JacquelineW says

    Gluten is one of my many allergens, so I am gluten-free. I don’t know that I think gluten-free is necessarily an objectively healthier diet, but I do think that WAY more people are sensitive to gluten than realize it, so I think many people could benefit from trying gluten-free. It’s amazing how many of our society’s common foods have gluten. I also think that grains in general (some exceptions), and wheat in particular, are not the healthiest foods, no matter what sensitivities you do or don’t have, so *if* the gluten-free trend is helping to facilitate a shift away from wheat, then I personally think that is a good thing.

    That being said, although I think there’s more options now than there ever was before for us gluten-free folks, there’s still widespread misunderstanding of what it means to be “gluten-free.” I know someone who thought “gluten-free bread” was the same as “whole wheat bread” and someone else who thought that “gluten” was a type of sugar (I guess they were thinking of glucose?) and that “gluten-free” was similar to “sugar-free.”

    I do have high hopes in this area; I think that as more and more people realize their gluten sensitivities, more people will understand gluten and more options will become available. The fact that consuming gluten actually hurts a lot of people makes me think that this is not a fad trend that will fade.

  82. Jennifer says

    What could I use as a substitute for the almonds? I’m allergic to nute. Need to keep GF, too. I skimmed through all the comments and didn’t see this listed in them. Thanks in advance!

  83. Ginger says

    I have been gluten intolerant for several years now but it seems I’m getting worse. I have tried eating different breads and grains and mostly “grocery store products” that aren’t gluten free and I just can’t handle them. Do you know that most bread contains a chemical that they use in making rubber tires. I looked it up and it’s true!!!! It’s no wonder that people are having these autoimmune diseases. I love your website. It gives us ways of eating gluten free and enjoying it.

    Thanks,

    Ginger Lewis

  84. Alyssa says

    I have been gluten free for about a month now. I find it so interesting that people think going gluten free is such a pain. There is certainly a learning curve, but a lot of people suffer from gluten intolerance and side effects from it without even knowing about it for years (I certainly did!) I had digestive issues, sore throats, head aches & more. Once I cut gluten out all these things went away, but I don’t have Celiac Disease. A gluten free diet can be very beneficial for a lot of people. Gluten can really do a lot of harm to the body as well. Check out the book Wheat Belly for more info.

  85. Alyson says

    I have been weaning off of gluten and dairy, basically to follow an anti inflammatory diet at my doctor’s suggestion because I have MS which I have been trying to manage med-free for 15 years. My 3 year old son also has a host of food allergies that we are trying to manage, among them a wheat allergy and most dangerously, peanuts, cashews and walnuts. From what I have read, most holistic health educators would have us believe that no one really NEEDS gluten, most especially those of us with inflammatory diseases, but I know it is arguable that if you removed it completely, unnecessarily, you can create problems where there weren’t any. In my house, we call it gluten-lite. I stopped using wheat flours and buying bread. With the exception of trying out GF crackers or chips, we don’t do many processed foods so what I store in my home is gluten free, what he eats at school is gluten free, when we are out we are more flexible to what is available. That has been working for us so far.

  86. Amanda says

    I just wanted to throw out a bit of information on wheat. I’m doing a masters in the field of agriculture and have colleagues who are working on wheat projects – so many wheat projects, tons of wheat projects!! The problem with wheat now is that the amount of gluten has been drastically increased through selective breeding and genetic modification. Wheat used to be diploid like us, with 2 sets of chromosomes, now they have varieties that are hexaploid with 6 sets of chromosomes. It used to be about 4 feet at maturity, now we have dwarf wheat that’s 2 feet tall with crazy big reproductive structures. And most of this has happened in the last 50 years, which is why your grandparents never knew anyone who was celiac, it didn’t really exist back then! Gluten levels have increased 80 to 100 fold. Objectively you can’t change something that much and not expect it to cause a change – maybe negative, maybe positive, but a change for sure!

  87. Sushma says

    Thanks Katie! These are incredibly yummy!!! Next time though, I think I will omit oil because the cookies are a tad too oily.
    Everyday I visit your website and have been making some recipe of yours.
    Next I want to make cookies by slightly modifying your German chocolate fudge bites (probably add some almonds to the food processor). Will let you know how they turn out.

  88. Linda says

    Read ‘Wheat Belly’ by William Davis, MD. The wheat grown nowadays has been so modified to increase yield and resistance to disease that it’s molecular structure actually makes it addictive. it’s why we’ve got such high percentages of diabetic, obese, insulin resistant population. Quite dangerous, actually, as these conditions lead to other serious health issues and shorten lifespan. Many who cut out wheat have clearer thinking, more energy, lots less gas and bloating, and more.

  89. Cecilia says

    Hi Katie!! 😀

    I loooooooove your blog! Unfortunately I’m allergic to almonds and nuts (coconut works though) and I’m wondering what I could possibly use instead in your recipes? Sunflower seeds? Pumpkin seeds? 🙂

    Hope you get a nice christmas!

  90. Julia Smith says

    Om nom nom… these are amazing!!! Yummyyyy! 🙂 I don’t like crispy cookies either, but mine were soft because I accidentally melted the whole cup of chocolate chips because I din’t read the directions carefully enough and they were great! So yummy and they had little crunches from the almonds! Thank you so much for so many amazing recipes! 🙂

  91. Monica says

    I really appreciate you adding the GF recipes.. As for our lives, it’s not just a “thing to try” or new “health food craze”. My husband was diagnosed with Celiac Disease back in 2008, but we now know he has had it way before them, once we realized the symptoms. “cheating” on his GF diet is NEVER an option. The effects of gluten when he is even cross-contaminated are horrible, not to mention the long term effects to whole body on various levels.
    Keep the healthy GF recipes coming! WE LOVE THEM and appreciate them very much!!!

  92. Kate says

    The gluten free diet has defininetly helped me. It wasn’t that I would get stomach pain after eating wheat, I would get after eating the meal after, sort of like the wheat ruined my stomach and then my stomach freaked out and thought it was my salad or whatever. I got tested and I do have an inflammatory reaction. I think everyone would be better off not eating wheat! Did you know that eating a slice of whole wheat toast raises your blood sugar more than a tablespoon of sugar? There’s a load of reasons to not eat wheat, including the fact that heirloom wheat has less than half the chromosomes of traditional gm wheat. There is also some sort of reason why wheat makes you age faster. If you’re really interested you should read the book wheat belly, it’s really dense though so I don’t understand everything lol

  93. Tami says

    I tried to make these without chocolate chips. I make my own chocolate, with cacao, coconut oil and honey. Well, they didn’t bake up well, but they did taste yummy. I put them in a rectangular dish – thought maybe they would be like brownies. I ended up eating them with a spoon but boy did they taste good. 🙂 So, I tweeked the recipe. I left out the baking soda and added 1 cup of cacao powder, about 1/2 cup of honey and 1/2 cup of coconut oil then put them in molds in the frig. They are sooooo good this way. I actually crave them … haha I do want to try to make the actual recipe, but i didn’t have chocolate chips at the time.
    Thanks Katie !

  94. ashley says

    Hey! I just wanted to let you know, that my friend made these for me and hers weren’t crispy or chewy. They were nice and soft and delicious. She made hers a bit thicker than yours in the picture, so that might have been the secret to getting them more like you like them. These are one of the best cookies I have had in a LONG time! Thank you SOOO much!!!

  95. Barbara says

    We went gluten free when my husband developed Crohn’s disease. We found that gluten put him into a flare. For the sake of convenience I just got rid of all gluten in the house. I had been suffering from severe heartburn/GERD and been on Rx meds for several years and would still have breakthrough heartburn. It totally went away when I went GF. I’m now off the meds and only have issues when I “cheat” and eat gluten containing foods.

  96. Mariana says

    I tried gluten-free eating a couple of years ago because my throat had been chronically swollen and someone suggested the diet change might help. It did. After three weeks, I ate flour again just once. Oh my! Two days later my brain was so foggy you would think I had swallowed a full bottle of Benadryl… and my nightly abdominal cramps were back.

    Ever the skeptic, I continued gluten free for a few more weeks, then tried wheat again. Suffice it to say I have been gluten-free ever since! My throat is fine, the chronic abdominal cramps and headaches gone.

    So, thanks for the great gluten-free recipes!

    MD

  97. Kathy says

    Does anyone know what the equivalent of 1 cup of whole almonds are after pulverization? I have almond flour on hand and would like to use it. Thanks!

  98. Gina says

    My mom went gluten free about a year ago, just because of the fact that wheat that we have now isn’t the same wheat in history. It’s a GMO version. Since coming off of it her arthritis has disappeared. She’s 70 and has more energy than people half her age.

  99. Lara says

    Hi Katie! These look so amazing but I’m allergic to almonds >.> Could I use spelt flour instead or do you have an Cookie recipe that doesn’t includes almonds? 🙂

  100. Wiscogal says

    Katie, I see the picture of chocolate crinkle cookies, but no recipe. Am I missing it. And Thankssss! I recently went gluten free (gluten causes my eczema symptoms – itchy!!) These are on my list to try.

  101. Barb says

    Katie, it would be helpful if you included instructions for what to do with the dough in the chocolate lace cookies. Roll into balls and flatten? How big – how many does the recipe make? I’d rather get complete instructions and nutrition info than have to scroll through numerous almost identical cookie pictures featuring bits of ribbon. I used a food processor for the dates, and almond flower. It made a nice sticky dough.

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