Dr. Sprecher's Grain-Free Surprise Cookies

Paleo, Gluten Free
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Every now and then it’s fun to have a treat. I have been working on modifying cookie recipes to create a tasty low-guilt treat!

One of the tricks in cookie baking is finding the balance between cakey vs. crunchy vs moist vs crumble.
This recipe seems to create a fun balance.
The surprise part is you can change the flavor of the cookie based on what you add as the filler.

Basic Ingredients:
2 sticks (½ pound) organic salted butter, softened
¾ cup coconut sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

2 ¼ cups gluten-free flour blend*
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon Rumford Baking Powder**
1 teaspoon sea salt

• Flour Blend options:
  • The goal is 2 1/4 cups of a gluten-free flour blend
  • Simple Gluten Free (has grain):
    • Any gluten-free baking flour, i.e. Bob’s Red Mill, King Arthur, Namaste…
  • For Paleo Grain Free use: 
    • 1/1/2 cups almond meal flour
    • ¾ cup Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Flour

For Chocolate Chip Surprise Cookies use:
1 cup coarsely ground nuts, (I like pecans, but any nut or seed will do)
½ cup whole or larger nut pieces
1 bag Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Chips

Variations:

Dried fruit and Nut Cookies: 
1 cup organic raisins, or cherries, or cranberries, or chopped dates or a blend
¼ teaspoon lemon rind
½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1 ½ cups ground nuts or seeds

Oatmeal Cookies:
Add 1 cup organic gluten-free oats to replace nuts or use half nuts and half oats then choose fruit or chocolate or both! Surprise!
Or gluten free grain free granola mix 1 to 1 ½ cups

Putting it all together:
In a separate bowl blend together flour mixture*, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, cream the butter til light and fluffy. Then add the coconut sugar whip til well blended and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time beat until well blended.
Add vanilla extract or for the fruit cookie feel free to use ¼ teaspoon almond extract, lemon rind etc. to vary the flavor.
Fold in the dry mixture until well blended. Do not over beat.
Then fold in nuts, chocolate or any other combo. Surprise!
(The total add-ins no matter the combo should equal about 3 cups total. This makes a nice rich cookie filled with crunchy surprises!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Use parchment paper lined cookie sheets
Drop 1 tablespoon of dough every 3 inches. 
Bake at 350 for approximately 10 minutes util lightly browned.
Remove from oven and slide paper off pan onto a cooling rack.
Store once cooled in an airtight container. I leave the cookies on the layers of parchment paper and store in a 9 by 13 Pyrex dish with a cover. Ideally keep in the refrigerator. The shelf life 7 to 14 days. Depending on how fast you eat them!! Makes about 32 cookies.