Gluten-Free Bacon Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

This weekend was a busy one for me. On Saturday I started cooking for our day of Super Bowl snacking, testing several new recipes including today’s cookies. I finished making the rest of the meal on Sunday and we had fun tasting everything while watching the pre-game show and the Super Bowl. Some needed adjusting, but overall it was a great day of food excesses.

I love any excuse to cook for a crowd – even if we aren’t hosting anyone. It reminds me of the meals I used to make for my brothers and parents. Even a simple dinner needed to feed ten – three brothers and my dad all eating two portions, my mom and I eating single plates. Cutting recipes back is still a challenge for me. That’s why there are always so many leftovers in our fridge, LOL.

Today is no different – anyone want some cookies? 🙂

The bacon for these cookies almost didn’t make it into the dough ~ if there is one thing I have a hard time resisting, it is bacon. Smelling it cooking, filling the house with mouthwatering aromas … I would make a horrible vegetarian because I know I would cheat anytime there was bacon cooking. I should have made twice as much as I needed. There are always a few pieces that cooked just a little too long that couldn’t possibly be included. 😉

Don’t expect to have a burst of bacon in every bite. Although adding bacon to recipes has been a fad for a while, unlike most, this recipe is beautifully subtle. The bacon adds a nice balance to the deep chocolate flavor without asserting itself.

Because this was my first time making the recipe and I used my gluten-free blend that absorbs liquids differently than regular wheat dough, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The dough was lovely right after I made it, but I made it on Saturday and baked the cookies on Sunday. After sitting in the refrigerator overnight, the dough was clumpy and difficult to work with.

At first I thought it was because it was still cold and would soften as it warmed. But it turned out that it needed more liquid, a few tablespoons of water made it supple again. With the extra liquid, the cookies were easy to scoop and form. I flattened them slightly and they did spread a little more than the others, but not a lot.

While both sets of cookies are delicious, the ones made with more liquid are softer and have the perfect chewiness we look for in cookies. The ones made with the drier dough are very crunchy, almost like a biscotti, and would be great dipped in a cup of coffee or coated with frosting or ganache.

The cookie in front is one from the first batch I baked; the one in back is after I added more water.

Give these a try, I know you will love them. If you are making them with gluten-free flours and the dough seems dry, follow your instincts and go ahead and add a little water. It can handle it.

Always follow your instincts when baking and cooking. You naturally know what will or won’t work. Too often we don’t listen to the voice in our head and think it is something we did wrong or blame the recipe. Somewhere along the way we’ve forgotten how much our location affects what we cook and bake.

I love this shot, it reminds me of a black-eyed susan flower!

The moisture in the air or lack of it (it is extremely dry in California right now), dramatically changes how flours behave. Just like every oven is different, some hotter or cooler than others and recipes give a range of baking times, they should give a range for liquids too. If your doughs are turning out drier than normal, make the adjustments needed and don’t worry about not following the recipe. We don’t know what the conditions were like where the recipe was developed.

I know you all love chocolate and these cookies are packed full of it. They’ve got a double whammy – cocoa and chocolate chips. The perfect way to start the week. Happy Chocolate Monday!

What better way to enjoy rich dark chocolate cookies than with vanilla gelato!

Gluten-Free Tips:

You can use any gluten-free flour blend to make these cookies. With or without xanthan or other gums, the cookies will be wonderful. In my opinion, if you are using rice flours in your GF blend, the superfine grind of the flours from Authentic Foods make a huge difference. There is absolutely no grittiness so common in gluten-free baked goods. To me it is worth the extra cost.

Gluten-Free Bacon Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

2015-06-18 14:34:04

Yields 48

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Ingredients

1. 10 slices gluten-free bacon, cut crosswise into thirds
2. 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
3. 2 tbsp maple syrup
4. 1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
5. 2 large eggs
6. 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
7. 2 cups gluten-free flour blend * or regular all-purpose flour
8. 2/3 cup gluten-free unsweetened cocoa powder
9. 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
10. 1/4 teaspoon kosher or fine salt
11. 1-1/2 cups gluten-free semisweet chocolate chunks, such as Guittard brand

Instructions

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon, turning occasionally with tongs until browned and crispy. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. When cool enough to handle, break into pieces and finely crumble. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of your standing mixer, place the sugar, maple syrup, butter, eggs, and vanilla. Using the paddle attachment, start on low until combined, then turn up to medium and beat until fluffy and lightened in color. Stop the motor, scrape the bowl and beater.
3. In a bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together until smooth with no streaks of white. Add to the beaten butter and eggs. Starting on low, beat until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Turn the motor up to medium and beat for 30 seconds. Turn off the motor, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and beater. Add the chocolate chips and crumbled bacon. Beat for 30 seconds or until evenly distributed.
4. Set racks in the upper third and lower third of the oven. Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Using a spring-loaded ice cream scoop, place 2 tbsp rounds of dough on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in hot oven. The edges will be firm but the centers will still be very soft. Leave them on the baking sheet 5 minutes to finish baking and firm up before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight container for up to a week.

Notes

1. Yield: 3 to 4 dozen 2-inch cookies
2. * Gluten-free flours tend to absorb more liquid than wheat flour, so if the dough looks dry and crumbly, add a few tablespoons of water and mix it in. Add more if it needs it.

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

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