Do Baking Chips and Cocoa Contain Gluten?

Do chocolate chips and other baking chips contain gluten? I’ve lived with Celiac Disease for almost 20 years, and I don’t recall ever seeing gluten as an ingredient in chocolate chips. (In the past Nestle Butterscotch Chips contained gluten, but not anymore.)

That being said, I am always reassured when I find brands that have dedicated gluten free facilities. (Read more on this issue in My Gluten Free Kitchen’s post, Best Gluten Free Chocolate & Baking Cocoa.)

Andes Mints Are Made in A Dedicated Gluten Free Facility

These Gluten Free Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies call for two kinds of baking chips. One, is specifically the Andes Mints Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips. These Andes Mints, like all products made by their parent company Tootsie Roll, are made in a dedicated gluten free facility.

When it comes to chocolate chips, I prefer Guittard, which are made in a dedicated gluten free and peanut free facility. I also appreciate Guittard’s stance on honorable sourcing of cocoa, and their attempts to curb child labor.

What Gluten Free Flour is Best for Cookies?

Full confession. I snagged the recipe for theses Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies off the back of the Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips bag. As written, it uses regular wheat flour. When attempting to recreate a recipe, using gluten free flour, I find it best to use a high quality gluten free flour blend. I prefer King Arthur Flour Measure for Measure, or Cup4Cup Multipurpose flour blend.

You are free to use other gluten free flour blends you have on hand. However, you must remember that they all act and absorb moisture differently. For a primer on gluten free flours, and flour blends, I highly recommend this article on Gluten Free Flours from Flippin’ Delicious. When baking cookies, I recommend baking 2 or 3 cookies, and then adjusting your batter for moisture.

Should You Refrigerate Cookie Dough Before Baking?

While my recipe for Gluten Free Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies doesn’t specify it, all gluten free doughs and batters benefit from a rest. As explained in this article from King Arthur Flour, any dough or batter seems to benefit from 15-30 minutes of rest time.

In addition, cookies benefit from refrigeration. It helps prevent spread, by chilling the fat (butter, etc). As King Arthur Flour explains, chilling cookie dough also helps develop flavor and deepen colors. For more tips, read this article on Gluten Free Cookie Baking Helps from GF Jules. Have an “oops”? Faithfully Gluten Free shares how to correct a Gluten Free Cookie Crisis.

Michigan’s Mindo Chocolate & Lorann Oils

As much as possible, I prefer to support local manufacturers. For instance, I’ve purchased my cocoa from Mindo Chocolate in Dexter, MI. Like Guittard, they place a high value on sourcing their cocoa ethically, and treating farmers fairly. While that means that their products cost more than Hershey or Nestle, I know that my purchase helps treat workers with dignity.

In addition, I discovered LorAnn Oils a few years back.  What started as a Michigan small family business in 1962, has become a major business that ships all over the world. This recipe for Gluten Free Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies calls for vanilla extract. However, substituted it with LorAnn Oils Peppermint bakery emulsion. You can use mint extract, but the Lorann Oils emulsions impart a much richer flavor.

Other Gluten Free Christmas Cookie Recipes

Christmastime is definitely peek cookie baking season. I highly recommend my recipe for Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies, Cinnamon Stars and any of these Culturally Inspired Gluten Free Christmas Cookies. Looking for the best tools for making cookies? You can find my favorite cookie cutters in my list of Favorite Kitchen Accessories

There are many other great gluten free cookie recipes out there. Flippin’ Delicious is the queen of Gluten Free Sugar Cookies. Looking for egg and dairy free cookie recipes? Sarah Bakes Gluten Free created many gluten free vegan cookie recipes.  In addition, this round up of Gluten Free Christmas Cookies from What the Fork should help you make just about anything you desire!

Print

Gluten Free Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4 dozen

Ingredients

• 1 c. unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp. instant coffee granules
• 2 c. plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose GF flour
• 3/4 c. baking cocoa
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 c. brown sugar firmly packed
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 1 tsp. LorAnn Oils Peppermint Emulsion
• 1 pkg. 10 oz. Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips
• 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chunks

Instructions

• In a small saucepan melt butter with coffee granules over low heat until completely dissolved. Remove pan from heat and let cool to about room temperature. (Confession – I do this in a microwave safe batter bowl and save myself from having to wash a pot!)
• While that is cooling, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.
• Beat butter mixture, sugar, brown sugar and extract in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in the eggs. Gradually beat in the flour mixture 1/3 at a time, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in the Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips and semi-sweet chips.
• Drop rounded spoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart onto an ungreased or parchment lined baking sheet. Chill for 1-2 hours.
• Remove dough from refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let rest on baking sheet for 1 minute then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

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Originally Published December 2013

The post Gluten Free Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.