Bake With Me: Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip, M&M Cookies (Easter-Inspired)
Looking for a quick Easter dessert that is also gluten-free? The kids & I did a play on a chocolate chip M&M cookie yesterday that is delicious! Pull these out a tad early and they will be soft & gooey. Let them sit a minute long and they will have a yummy crunch that is perfect when paired with milk! To learn how I make my gluten-free chocolate chip M&M cookies keep reading!
Why Gluten-Free?
After having my second child I was constantly sick. It seemed like no matter what I ate my stomach constantly hurt and I struggled to keep most of it down. I went to doctors and specialists without much luck. The only answers I got was that my stomach digested on the slow side and I had cells that mimicked celiacs disease (without actually being celiacs, we did the genetic testing too). Finally, after two years of eating like a rabbit (for real you guys, I was a vegetarian who could only hold down lettuce, fruit, & veggies) I decided to get the EverlyWell Food Sensitivity Test done. As it turns out I was not celiac like the doctors said, but have a very high reaction to anything containing wheat, coconut, and chicken. A few other foods were also listed, but the reactivity was low so instead of cutting them out I just avoid them when possible.
So what did that do to my diet? In the last year, I have gone completely gluten-free, coconut-free, and chicken-free. I have added back to my diet fish, turkey, and beef with great success. (less success for my waistline however 😂). As for being gluten-free, we have spent our time experimenting with different flours and premade foods, and have started to gain some serious knowledge in making some tasty treats. These foods, such as the cookies we made yesterday are enjoyed by the whole family. I don't advertise they are gluten-free and no one (besides Carl & the kids) can tell you they are!
Ok, Kaylin, we get it. Get to the recipe already!
Alright, Alright, the recipe! It is actually pretty easy with the help of Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour. We live in small-town Iowa, and while there is one store that sells it, I opt to get it from Amazon because it is much cheaper. I also have another trick of mixing my chocolate chips with dark and semi-sweet chocolate. I LOVE dark chocolate and this creates a bit of dimension in the flavor. I use Nestle Allergen Free Chocolate Chips for this recipe. You don't have to, but it just gives me peace of mind when baking! Finally, the milk chocolate M&Ms also give you the sweetness you want with this cookie.
Here is what I do when making these delicious Easter Inspired chocolate chip, M&M cookies. First I gather my baking crew, then we get to work! ⬇️
First, combine 2 1/2 cups of gluten-free flour, 1 heaping teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt into a bowl. Mix & set aside.
Next, in a separate bowl, use a mixer to combine 1 stick of unsalted butter & 2 cups of packed light brown sugar together. You will want to mix for 3-ish minutes until light and fluffy.
Add 2 eggs (at room temperature) & mix on medium speed for a few seconds. Then add a good amount of vanilla extract. 1 1/2 teaspoons works if you like to measure. I always go with my gut on this one and do what feels right, 😉.
Once you've mixed the vanilla into the batter, it is time to start adding your dry ingredients. I do about a cup at a time until completely combined. The dough should start to form into a ball and this is when you know it's time to add the chocolate chips!
This is where I get creative compared to other recipes. You will need 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips total & mix for 30 seconds or so. I like to do 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips and 1 cup of semi-sweet. If you REALLY love chocolate you can add 2 cups total. I normally do this if I am not adding M&M's in the end. Today I stuck to 1 1/2 cups so it didn't overpower the M&Ms.
So when do you add the M&Ms? Once your dough is formed with chocolate chips, use a small ice cream scoop to make your cookie shapes. Place cookies on a parchment paper-covered sheet pan & top them with as many M&Ms you'd like. We did 5-6 M&Ms per cookie, with a couple of extra chocolate chips on top and they turned out perfect!
Bake for 10 minutes (or to desired cookie type. A little less for gooey & a little more for crunchy) & enjoy!
Here is the recipe card! We snacked on a bunch of cookie dough and were still able to make 24 cookies with this recipe. If you try them, please let me know how they turned out in the comments!
💕💕Sending you love & momma to momma support, Kaylin