Cookies Again

Anzac Day was 25 April.   I made these cookies for sharing later today since have impressive street cred: they "converted" a creative writing workshop to vegan cookie advocates in Spring 2011.  These cookies taught me an important lesson when I made them in October; I rushed the first batch and ended up with a giant cookie.  The lesson of "low and slow" was important for the driving in the snow I did the day after I made them.  Cookies are educational!

The giant cookie turned into my birthday cake with a little water and creative microwaving: cookie base with preserves, dried fruit, and chocolate chips on top.

Anzac Biscuits

Modified from http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/anzac-cookies-recipe.html

1/2 cup vegan margarine (I used Earth Balance Coconut Spread and at another time regular EB)

2 tablespoons golden syrup (I used agave)

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 cup organic sugar

1/2 cup organic brown sugar (run it through the food processor if it’s a brick)

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut (also food-process or blenderize if too big)

1 cup GF rolled oats

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (low and slow).  Line two baking sheets with parchment.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the margarine with the golden syrup.  Once melted, remove from heat.  Alternatively, combine margarine and syrup in a microwave-safe vessel and microwave for 1 minute or until melted.

In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients until uniformly combined.  Pour the melted margarine-syrup mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well.  DO NOT ADD WATER.  Keep mixing.  Once everything is uniformly shiny from the margarine, pack into a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop and deposit on prepared baking sheets.  If the mixture does not stick together in the bowl, that’s fine; just pack them into condensed small balls.

Bake for 6 minutes; when rotating the baking sheets, take out the oven and flatten the cookies gently with a fork.  Then return to the cookies to the oven for another 6-7 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch.  Cool on the sheets for five minutes then carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.  Makes 28 cookies.

Notes:

Large chunks will disrupt the fragile matrix, hence using small coconut pieces (less than 1/2” long and less than 1/4” wide) is important.  DO NOT rush baking these cookies by trying to bake them at 350 degrees; you will end up with one big (albeit delicious) cookie that makes a good granola bar-type-thing.

Consider yourself warned!

Q