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!

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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.

**This recipe and post is not sponsored. It does contain affiliate links. Purchases made through those links help support this blog with no extra expense to you. Thank you for your continued support!**

Originally Published December 2013

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

Andes Creme de Menthe Baking Chips

I love chocolate. Milk chocolate, bittersweet, dark – I’m an equal opportunity chocolate eater. Know what else I love? Mint + chocolate. After all, I do live in Michigan, home to the Mint capital of the World. That’s why I’m super excited that Andes Creme de Menthe baking chips are gluten-free! Even better, they are made in a peanut-free facility as well! They’re the integral ingredient in these gluten-free triple mint brownies.

Krusteaz Gluten Free Mixes are Certified GF

As my brownie base, I chose to use Krusteaz Double Chocolate Brownie mix. Since Krusteaz also makes “regular” mixes, I highly appreciate that they are certified gluten-free by GFCO. It gives great peace of mind that they go through the extra steps, and expense, to make a gluten-free product geared towards those with Celiac Disease. (Their pancake mix makes a great “biscuit” for breakfast egg sandwiches too!)

This mix comes loaded with chocolate chips. However, I wanted you to experience mint in every bite of these gluten-free triple mint brownies. Therefore, I sifted the chocolate chips out of the brownie mix and replaced them with Andes Creme de Menthe baking chips.

From there I simply added the rest of the ingredients listed on the box. Egg, oil, and water. (By the way, normally prepared these brownies contain no dairy ingredients!) The next step for these amazing gluten-free triple mint brownies is the minty cream!

How To Make the Minty Cream Filling

As I mentioned, I’ve never made these gluten-free triple mint brownies before. Therefore, I relied on the wisdom of my fellow blogger Sharon of What The Fork for inspiration. I’ve been dying to recreate her Flourless Chocolate Mint Brownies, and her mint filling recipe is ON POINT.

The final task is the minty ganache. Sharon used semi-sweet chocolate chips. But remember, these are gluten-free TRIPLE mint brownies. Therefore, I used the afore mentioned Andes baking chips for my ganache! While Susan used cream in her recipe, I used some canned coconut cream in mine. Why? Because it’s what I had on hand.

What Do Others Think About these Brownies?

So what was the verdict on these gluten-free triple mint brownies? I took these to a picnic. People, young and old, quickly gobbled them up! I originally cut these into 16 squares. However, it quickly became obvious I needed to cut them in half again. Otherwise, many would have missed out on this delicious treat!

I was just excited that they turned out as nicely as they did. They may just be the most beautiful thing I’ve ever made. Quick note. See those barely scalloped edges? I made these gluten-free triple mint brownies in a disposable aluminum pan. I snipped the corners of the pan, pulled them down, and unearthed one breathtaking brownie!

Print

Gluten-Free Triple Mint Brownies

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Chill Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Equipment

• 365 by Whole Foods Market, Organic Powdered Sugar, 24 Ounce
• LorAnn Bakery Emulsions (Peppermint, 4 Fl Oz
• Andes Creme De Menthe Baking Chips, 10 oz
• Krusteaz Gluten Free Baking Mix Variety Pack

Ingredients

Brownie Layer

• 1 Krusteaz Double Chocolate Brownie Mix
• 3/4 cup Andes Creme De Menthe Baking Chips
• 1/3 c. water
• 1/3 c. vegetable oil
• 1 egg

Mint Cream Filling

• 1/2 c. butter softened (115g)
• 2 cups powdered sugar 240g
• 2 tbsp milk 30ml
• 1 1/4 tsp LorAnn Oils Peppermint Emulsion

Ganache Topping

• 1 cup Andes Creme De Menthe Baking Chips
• 4 tbsp butter
• 4 tbsp Thai Kitchen Coconut Cream

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325. Lightly spray 8 x 8 baking pan with oil and then lightly dust with rice flour. 
• Sift Krusteaz Double Chocolate Brownie Mix to remove chocolate chips. Set chocolate chips aside. 
• Place sifted brownie mix in bowl, along with mint chips, water, oil and egg. Mix to combine. Pour batter into prepared ban and bake for 45-50 minutes. 
• Remove brownies from oven and allow to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, prepare mint cream filling. Combine all items in large bowl and beat until creamy. Spread on completely cooled brownies and then place pan in refrigerator to harden for 30 minutes to an hour. 
• Finally, prepare ganache. Put Andes Creme de Menthe Baking chips in microwaveable bowl. Add butter and microwave on 50% power for 50-60 seconds. Stir. Continue to melt chips on 50% power until melted. Carefully stir in coconut cream. 
• Gently pour ganache filling onto chilled and firm brownies. Use a small spatula to GENTLY spread ganache over the entire pan. 
• Return pan to refrigerator to allow ganache to set, 30-60 minutes.
• TO CUT – Use a clean knife to cut through brownies. I find it best to dip the knife in hot water between cuts, and clean the knife with a cloth or paper towel

**Krusteaz provided the brownie mix for this post. I was not otherwise paid or compensated for my time. This post does contain affiliate links. Purchases made through those links help support this blog with no extra expense to you. Thank you for your continued support!**

Originally Published August 2017

The post Gluten-Free Triple Mint Brownies appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

What’s Special About Oh MI Organics Chocolate?

Oh Mi Organics, owned by Megan and Brent Hurst, meets a very important need in this world. Chocolate. Not just any chocolate, but chocolate that is free of gluten and many common allergens.

It’s exciting to see a small Michigan business tackle an issue that’s usually only contemplated at major companies. They’re just one more company that makes me proud to be a Michigander.

Where Is Oh MI Organics?

A visit to their store in St. Johns is like a step back in time. They don’t have a business phone and they don’t offer Wi-Fi. Instead, the Hurst’s have board games and a nice quiet atmosphere to enjoy them in. This has attracted many kids from the community. In an age of prolific technology, teenagers actually set their phones aside, enjoy a conversation and play a game!  

Oh Mi Organics even offers sidewalk chalk and coloring pages for those that want to get creative. This chocolate shop has quickly become a local place to create memories with one another. Learn more about this magical place in Megen Hurst’s own words.

Does Oh MI Organics Take Credit Cards?

When Oh MI Organics first opened, they were a cash only business. However, they started accepting online orders and digital pay during the pandemic. Our customers really enjoyed having the option of paying with a card, so we continued with the digital register.

​What​ inspired you to become a gluten-free ​chocolatier​?​

I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis when I was 31. I eliminated many foods to help limit the inflammation in my body. Foods on the no-no list now included gluten, dairy and preservatives.

The thing I missed the most was chocolate, because it was tough to find them without those ingredients. Therefore, my husband and I came up with a gluten-free chocolate recipe that was safe for me (and so many more) to eat! You can read more about the birth of Oh Mi Organics on our about page.

Are Your Chocolates Free From Other Allergens?

As of 2019, all of our products are free from the top 9 allergens. Our products are free of artificial colors and flavors as well. Our chocolates are made from Fair Trade certified cocoa. As our name suggests, we use organic ingredients.

All of our products are dairy-free, and we never use cow’s milk. We do use a dairy free coconut based caramel made by Bloom Caramel in Portland, Oregon.

What steps do you take to guarantee that your products are gluten-free?

We do a lot of research! We have thoroughly researched and/or contacted our ingredient supplies  to verify that they are 100% gluten-free. We’re very transparent, and you can watch us hand-make and package our sweet treats in our Chocolate Studio Observation Window.

What Local Michigan Ingredients do you Use?

We source our maple syrup and pure mint oil from Livingston Farms of St. Johns. We obtain our raw honey from Gearig Apiaries in Ithaca. Our Bean Bean chocolate has two roasted coffee beans on top from Blue Owl Coffee in Lansing, MI.

How Do You Create All Of Those Amazing Chocolate Flavors?

Our unique flavorings come from a business in Baltimore, MD. All of their flavorings are gluten and dairy-free, all without propylene glycol.

How Flavors of Gluten Free Chocolates Do You Make?

To-date we have now made over 250 flavors of chocolate. We rotate our flavors, and keep 50 in stock in our display case at all times.

Our most popular flavors are Neapolitan (the flavor changing chocolate), English Toffee, Super Swirl Ice Cream, Coconut Macaroon, Mint, Raspberry, all of the caramel filled chocolates (dairy free caramel of course), and our customers with nut allergies really enjoy the “PB” filled chocolates (made with sunflower seed butter)

Can You Share About Your New Line of Gluten Free Baked Goods?

All of our baked goods are also vegan-friendly, because we use flaxseed instead of egg. We make a variety of cookies – Snickerdoodle, Sugar, Chocolate Surprise, “PB” (made with sunflower seed butter), and Oatmeal Cranberry.

Some of our products do contain oats. Our Jammy Bars contain rolled oats, from a dedicated gluten free facility. Our oat flour comes from a company that is very allergy friendly and also batch tests for gluten and other allergens.

Our Cookie Pies are very popular as well. Two soft baked cookies with handmade dairy free buttercream frosting sandwiched in between. Flavor varieties are:

• Chocolate Vanilla
• Cinnamon Roll
• Blackberry
• Raspberry
• Toffee Crunch
• Banana Cream
• Lemon Cream
• Mint Chocolate
• Maple
• Red Velvet Cake
• Coconut Cream
• Lemon Lavender
• Fudgie
• and “PB” Chocolate.

We also make caramel filled brownies, and delicious Jammy Bars (an oatmeal bar with natural fruit preserves).

What Customer Feedback Has Brought You Joy?

We have met many people at our storefront that have food allergies, mainly dairy and gluten. When they look over our glass case of over 50 flavors to choose from, it’s a joy to see the smiles on their faces when they realize that they can once again enjoy an array of chocolate flavors.

Many people have told us that we have “ruined store chocolate for them.” One customer stated that she had a bite of a known brand name of chocolate, threw it out her car window, and drove straight to our store to get a Sea Salt Caramel because she liked ours better.

Can You Share More About Your Lunch Options?

We offer a variety of grab-n-go lunch options like vegan mac-n-cheese made with brown rice pasta, Basmati Rice Bowls such as Shawarma, Sweet & Sour, and Taco. All also vegan friendly, as we used seasoned roasted cauliflower in place of meat.

In the summer, we offer Asian Chopped Salads, Taco Salads, and we make side salads like Broccoli Salad, Sweet Potato Salad, and Italian Pasta Salad. All made with vegan dressings as well.

In the fall and winter we offer a wide variety of soups like Split Pea, White Bean Veggie, Tom Kha, Cheesy Veggie with Rice, Mexican Quinoa Stew, Taco Soup, Red Lentil Curry, and Butternut Squash Bisque. All are vegan friendly as well. We also make gluten free cheesy garlic biscuits to go with the soups.

What Else Would You Like My Followers to Know?

We create our products with food allergies or diet restrictions in mind. In addition to our chocolates, we have many raw, paleo and keto diet options. These include our no-bake energy bites, which are made with sunflower seed spread, gluten-free oats and ground flaxseed. We lightly sweeten them with pure Michigan maple syrup.

Our newest product, “You Dip It”, is an organic, vegan-friendly all-purpose dip that goes great with fruit slices, pretzels, cinnamon pita chips, graham crackers, and more!

We also created the Fall FEASTival, held in downtown St. Johns every year in September. This outdoor festival features only Michigan-Made food.

Oh MI Organics Location, Hours and Contact Information

Oh Mi Organics
109 W Higham St
St. Johns MI 48879
Open Mon- Fri 8 am – 6 pm, Sat 9 am – 2 pm, CLOSED SUNDAY
Website / Facebook / Instagram / Email

**While this is a sponsored post, all of my thoughts and opinions are my own. I’m excited and proud that there’s a chocolate company in Michigan that’s so forward thinking about food allergies!**

Originally Published February 2017

The post Oh Mi Organics – Michigan’s Allergen Free Chocolate appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.