Chewy, oaty, chocolate chunk filled morsels with a little sprinkling of something from the garden. These cookies are my new small batch gluten free favourite that I make when I need to feel just a little justified at baking cookies at 9 o’clock on a Wednesday night.
I try to keep my treat foods limited to the weekend, apart from a square or two of dark, dark chocolate while drinking tea and watching a little pre-bed television (side note: does anyone else watch House of Cards? Is anyone else completely in love with Claire’s wardrobe?). Now, I am not one for deprivation, but allowing myself a little chocolate during the week and saving my big treats for when I am baking on the weekend makes those indulgences even more special, which is something I have had to learn about how my body, mind, and I relate to ‘sometimes foods’.
But then, there’s the Wednesday cookie. You know what I’m talking about even if you call it by a different name: #winowednesday ring a bell anyone? The Wednesday cookie is the treat that you know you don’t quite need, but you need it at a deeper level. You need it because you just sat through an eleven hour meeting. You need it because you went to the gym at 5 am and didn’t get home from work until 7 pm. You need it because you want to change into stretchy pants and indulge in some midweek brain-draining television. Enter: the Wednesday cookie.
Now that you know about the Wednesday cookie, you need to know that I have a few rules for my Wednesday cookie indulgences. I want a small batch so that I don’t find myself with two dozen extra cookies after I have had my little treat. I want something rich and truly indulgent so that my cravings are fully satisfied in just one or two cookies. Wednesday cookies also need to be easy to make while you are putting together dinner, which these are apart from a little time chilling (time to eat dinner and wash the dishes). Once the cookies are baked I keep them in the refrigerator – it adds a little extra chewiness; though, I can attest that these are also perfect eaten warm off the tray. Melted chocolate chip smiles make Wednesday nights all the sweeter.
My Chocolate Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cookies are filled with dark chocolate chips and chewy rolled oats, and some grated zucchini, you know, so that your indulgence is tempered with a little bit of green too. Because, it’s only Wednesday after all!
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cookies
Gluten Free | Makes 12 cookies
Notes:
- You need to chill this dough for 20 minutes before baking. This is important to obtaining the perfect texture.
- If you can’t tolerate oats, you can leave them out, or replace them with quinoa flakes.
Ingredients
- 40 grams buckwheat flour
- 40 grams sorghum flour
- 40 grams white rice flour
- 30 grams cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 60 grams (1/4 cup) butter, softened
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup gluten free rolled oats
- 1 small zucchini grated
Method
- In a small bowl whisk together buckwheat flour, sorghum flour, white rice flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl using a hand mixer) beat butter and brown sugar together until pale and fluffy.
- Add egg yolk, vanilla extract, and milk, and beat until well combined.
- Reduce speed to low and add whisked dry ingredients. Mix until completely combined.
- Switch to a wooden spoon and mix in chocolate chips, oats, and grated zucchini.
- Chill dough for at least 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 180C (350F) and line two baking sheets with baking paper.
- Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into balls and place on lined baking sheets. Leave space for spreading.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are golden. The centres will still be soft (this makes for chewy cookies). Remove and cool completely on baking sheets.
- Store cookies in refrigerator for maximum chewiness for up to four days.
