Gluten and Dairy Free Honey Cookies

I am in the midst of working on a recipe that I’m not quite ready to share yet. I’m excited about it, but I really want to work on it just a little longer. So, while I’m working on that one, I figured I would share an oldie but goodie I have that never fails me. This is a recipe that I used to make in our gluten filled days, and so I decided to try it out with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour. Just like promised, the flour was a perfect substitute for our gluten filled favorites! These honey cookies are my go-to spring time cookie. There is a little farmer’s market that opens up in the spring that my husband and I go to frequently. Every year, the first thing we always buy is local honey from one of the farmers. I love that using different types of honey changes the flavor of these cookies. This recipe is a great base cookie, too, for adding different fillings such as honey sweetened cream cheese or ice cream for a warm weather treat. The cookie is crispy on the outside with a chewy center. They transport well, which makes them a great gift to share when you go to a neighbor’s house for a barbecue. Also, it’s likely you already have all the ingredients in your house, so that makes them easy to make last minute. Seriously, make these! I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Gluten and Dairy Free Honey Cookies

Makes 30 cookies

• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp Light Flavored Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2/3 cup Sugar
• 1/4 cup Honey
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/3 cup Turbinado Sugar

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, sugar, and honey. Mix until combined. Next add the egg and vanilla to the oil mixture. Mix until thoroughly combined and the sugar is dissolved. This will take about 3-4 minutes. In a separate bowl, blend the flour through salt together with a fork to insure there are no lumps. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix just until combined. Shape 1 tablespoon of cookie dough into a ball and roll it in the turbinado sugar. Place 2 ½ inches apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes. They should be nicely browned around the edges, crackly and golden. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Sarena Shasteen has been an avid health food and fitness enthusiast from an early age. She holds a degree in Culinary Arts from The Art Institute of Atlanta, a certification in Fitness Nutrition, and is a certified Fitness Trainer from International Sport Science Association (ISSA). Becoming a Personal Trainer and Specialist in Fitness Nutrition has been a lifelong goal of hers. Sarena enjoys helping others reach their health goals by teaching them that health and fitness are not only achieved in the gym, but also through fun everyday activities. Now a food writer, recipe developer, personal chef, Personal Trainer, and Specialist in Fitness Nutrition, she enjoys sharing with others that healthy living can be fun and delicious. Keep up with her at The Non-Dairy Queen and on Facebook and Twitter.