Double Quinoa Power Cookies {Gluten-Free, Vegan Option}

Greetings, all!

My posts have been sporadic these past months, to say the least. Mea culpa, friends. I’ve been in  masochistic recipe development- and cookbook writing- mode, replete with piggy-backing deadlines, manic hair-pulling, and incessant teeth gnashing. Whee! The only way to survive has been to let a few things go, such as regular blog posting…and housework…and eyebrow plucking (hello unibrow).

But no complaints (except from Kevin), especially because I am so excited SO EXCITED about my upcoming (specifically, August 28th) book. Wait for it…here comes the shameless self-promotion… drumroll…
500 Best Quinoa Recipes: Using Nature’s Superfood for Gluten-Free Breakfasts, Mains, Desserts and More !!!

I’ve used quinoa every which way in this book and the happy side-benefit is that all of the recipe testing has left me feeling healthier than ever and 5 pounds lighter to boot.

One of my goals with the book was to showcase the versatility of quinoa flour, too.  If you’ve poked around here on on Power Hungry, you may have noticed that I’ve posted a few recipes using quinoa flour. I love that it is delicious, produces beautiful quickbreads, flatbreads and sweet treats without the addition of xanthan gums or the like, is naturally gluten-free, über-healthy (complete protein, baby), and, in addition to be available milled and ready-to-use, can be made with ease using a cheap-o coffee mill. I’ve included more than 100 baking recipes in the book that use it (exclusively, not in combination with other flours).

Enough yakking, it’s time to show, not tell. These are my double quinoa cookies, which you can happily munch on for breakfast on the go, a snack, or a treat. Easy, yummy, and both curious kids and skeptical spouses approve.

I’ll be sharing lots (LOTS) more quinoa fun now that I’m (momentarily) shackle-free (i.e., big round of edits complete, text is off to typesetter). But for now, I’m off to have my cookie and eat it, too…right after I clean the refrigerator and find the tweezers.

Continue to Content

Yield: 40

Double Quinoa Power Cookies

Print

Your subconscious will register “cozy comfort” with this nostalgic combination of cranberries, walnuts and cinnamon. Cooked quinoa in the dough gives the cookies a unique and incredibly appealing texture reminiscent of oatmeal and a flavor hinting of toasted sesame.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Total Time 27 minutes

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups quinoa flour
• 1 tbsp arrowroot or cornstarch
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 cup natural cane sugar or packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, warmed slightly, or unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-1/4 cups par-cooked cooked quinoa (see below), cooled

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C)
2. large baking sheet, lined with parchment paper
3. In a small bowl, whisk together quinoa flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
4. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat sugar, egg, oil and vanilla until blended. Stir in flour mixture until blended. Using a wooden spoon, Stir in quinoa.
5. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 9 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on pan on a wire rack for 2 minutes, then transfer to the rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.

Notes

Cooked Quinoa:

To prepare 1-1/4 cups of par-cooked quinoa, combine 3/4 cup quinoa and 1 cup water in a small saucepan . Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until liquid is just barely absorbed. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, fluff with a fork, and cool completely for use in the cookies.

Vegan Option: Replace the egg with a flax egg: mix 1-1/2 tbsp flaxseed meal with 3 tbsp warm water and let stand for 5 minutes to thicken.

Tips
* You can add 2/3 cup dried fruits, such as raisins, blueberries, and chopped apricots, or your favorite nuts or seeds (a combination is great, too)

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @powerhungrycamilla on Instagram and hashtag it #powerhungrycamilla