Good Monday Morning!

The sun is shining…and well, it’s sunny. I’m trying to be positive here, OK? It’s Monday again, freezing outside, and my little boy has been sick and just not himself since last Thursday. When your child is sick, it feels like it has been FOREVER since things were “normal”. And I know that we have been extremely fortunate with our children, they are rarely sick, and overall, have very, very good health. It sure makes you appreciate when they are doing well, fighting with each other, and running around the house, I can tell you that. Hopefully we can figure out what’s not right soon, then he, and us in turn, will all be feeling better again.

This week marks The Baking Beauties 3 year blogiversary. So, all gifts with either leather or crystal would be greatly appreciated. I kid…any gift will do at all. 😉

Do you ever think to yourself…why is it is called “The Baking Beauties” while Jeanine just sits here and talks by herself? Well, if you’re asking that, you’re probably not alone. So, today I will share the little story with you about how this blog got started 3 years ago.

It was a cold and stormy night (it probably was, February in Manitoba isn’t know for it’s good weather).

My friend Dawn and I were busy emailing back and forth, we were thinking of starting up a blog. She suggested it, I had never even heard of a blog before that (gasp!).

We had met a few years earlier, mostly online through a candle making forum that I ran, but occasionally we’d meet at a Dollarama and clean out the place. (Did you know that everything there used to be only $1??)

Both of us love working in the kitchen and trying new recipes for our families, so we thought…why not blog our recipes? Yeah, great idea! But first, we needed a name. We decided, after witting down a list of possible names, to go with “The Baking Beauties”. (See, there used to be another Beauty on here, it wasn’t just me, I promise!)

At the time, none of the recipes on this blog were gluten-free. (I know, shocking, right?)

A few months after starting this blog, Dawn decided to follow her heart, and returned to painting and crafting, and let me tell you, she is AMAZING at what she is doing! Please, hop on over to her site and show her some love. Her shoppe is called Prairie Lane Boutique, and she has beautiful custom hand-painted signs, photo frames, glassware, etc. She’s also on Facebook and Etsy. (If you’re still looking for a blogiversary gift idea…I LOVE the family rules signs, as well as anything coffee themed, just sayin’)

I was then diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and started baking & cooking gluten-free meals & sweets for my family.

Once Dawn was no longer blogging, I realized that I was only blogging gluten free recipes. So, I decided to go through ALL the recipes we’d posted, and removed anything that was not gluten-free. I know there are others like me that are looking for only gluten-free recipes, and I didn’t want it to be a mixture of recipes. (I hate when I do an online search for “gluten free apple pie” and instead get a site that has the words “gluten free” somewhere, but nowhere near referring to the apple pie that is on that page. Know what I mean?)

So, now we were down to a single Baking Beauty with all gluten-free recipes. However, we already had the name The Baking Beauties with blogger, and it was just easier to keep it that way. BTW, there are about 350 gluten-free recipes on this blog now…not bad, eh?

The end. (or maybe I should say “And now you know the rest of the story”…good old Paul Harvey)

Gluten-free Cappuccino Cookies | The Baking Beauties

Now that you know how long I’ve been blogging, and the history behind how the blog got started, it’s time to move onto the cookies. I love cookies. And now that I’m more comfortable with converting recipes (which I really am starting to love doing), I like finding recipes that I can convert and change up a bit. These cookies were inspired by Joy the Baker, whose site always leaves me craving something (today it’s cupcakes, she has some of the prettiest cupcakes around).

These Gluten Free Cappuccino Cookies are essentially my Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, kicked up a notch. They were chewy when warm, got a crisp outside with a chewy inside after 1 day, then became a crisp cookie by day 2. I did not mind them in any of these stages, they were delicious any way.

Gluten Free Cappuccino Cookies

You can enjoy these chewy gluten free Cappuccino Cookies with a piping hot cup of coffee, or an ice cold glass of milk.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups gluten-free flour mix (see Note)
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons espresso powder
2 cups certified gluten free quick-cook oats
1 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream together the softened butter and the brown sugar.

Add eggs, one at a time. Mix until blended. Stir in vanilla.

In a large bowl, combine gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda and espresso powder. Stir to blend.

Stir dry ingredients into margarine/sugar mixture.

Add the rolled oats and chocolate chips, and stir to combine all ingredients.

Using a cookie scoop (or two tablespoons), drop cookies onto parchment lined cookie sheets.

Bake in preheated oven for 11-12 minutes, depending on your oven. You want them to be slightly browned around the outside, but still slightly moist in the middle.

Allow to cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Cool completely, then store in an airtight container.

Notes

The all-purpose gluten-free flour blend is as follows: 4 cups superfine brown rice flour 1 1/3 cups potato starch (not flour), 2/3 cup tapioca starch. Combine all ingredients in a large zipper seal bag. Shake to distribute evenly.

Comments

Whit says
February 28, 2011 at 11:53 am
these sound amazing! I love baking gluten free (not entirely my choice but now my preference!). I will definitely have to try these ones 🙂
Jeanine says
February 28, 2011 at 11:58 am
@Whit Thanks, Whit! I hope you enjoy them as well.
Susan says
February 28, 2011 at 12:38 pm
♫♫ Happy Blogiversary to you ♫♫..great job and great pictures..I can almost taste you cookies.Many more years of healthy and happy cooking!! ♥
now…if only Hallmark had a card for this occasion!!
Jeanine says
February 28, 2011 at 12:45 pm
@Susan Thanks, Mom! What do you mean…Hallmark is missing out on this joyous event? And they say they have a card for all occasions… 🙂
• friX • says
February 28, 2011 at 2:20 pm
Congrats on the upcoming Blogiversary !
Grace says
February 28, 2011 at 2:58 pm
Jeanine we're so glad that you blog gluten free now. Interesting story!
Kim-Cook it Allergy Free says
March 1, 2011 at 1:38 pm
Jeanine, happy happy blogiversary!! You have created an amazing spot here in the blogasphere! I love your story and am looking forward to seeing how the rest of it plays out! Your photos and this recipe today are just beautiful!!!
And by the way, I know so very well how "off" things seem when one of your children is sick. Especially when you are not entirely sure of what is going on.
Hope you guy is up and feeling back to himself soon!!
Carolyn says
March 1, 2011 at 3:17 pm
First of all, happy blogoversary! Second of all, good to hear the history of your blog. Third of all, I can't believe those cookies are GF, they look INSANELY good.
Jeanine says
March 1, 2011 at 8:10 pm
@• friX • Thank you, friX!
Jeanine says
March 1, 2011 at 8:10 pm
@Grace Thanks, Grace. It's nice to have a blog be all one or the other, I think. Makes it easier to find things.
Jeanine says
March 1, 2011 at 8:12 pm
@Kim-Cook it Allergy Free Thank you very much, Kim! I've been wondering what the next chapter in my story will be, but as of right now, just more of the same. But, you never know what life will throw your way, right?
And thanks, some meds from the doc, and my little guy is bouncing right back. MANY times today I've had to tell him "Shhh", so I think things are pretty much back to normal now. 🙂
Jeanine says
March 1, 2011 at 8:12 pm
@Carolyn Thanks for all 3 things, Carolyn!
Sarah says
March 2, 2011 at 4:46 pm
Happy blogiversary! So glad you are here! These cookies sound amazing. I loved hearing the story of the evolution of your blog. Please keep 'em coming.
Jeanine says
March 7, 2011 at 10:48 am
@Sarah Thank you, Sarah!
NutellaLoveAffair says
March 9, 2011 at 1:34 am
These look amazing! And, really, how can you go wrong with espresso powder? I will be baking myself some Gluten Free Cappuccino Cookies soon!
Jeanine says
March 9, 2011 at 12:46 pm
@NutellaLoveAffair, I hear you! I used to use instant coffee powder, but this espresso powder packs more punch than that, love to add it to many things, including brownies. Yum!

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