Day 8 ~ Bake Cookies

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.
This was an awesome challenge! I got ty try out a recipe I had thought about trying, and when I shared the idea on Facebook, I think I inspired three other mommies to make some. I decided to do homemade Oreo cookies. While I like things that are cookies n' cream flavored, there's something about store-bought Oreos that I don't like. They have a bit of a cardboard texture/flavor that just makes them taste processed. Well...the solution is to make your own! You can click the link above for the recipe, so I'll just share my series of photos. I used King Arthur Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa for a really rich, deep flavor.

Homemade Oreo Cookies

Lydia loves cooking with me!

You can laugh about what this dough looks like. I did a bit...but it was yummy!

I made my cookies pretty small - I wanted them to be the size of store-bought Oreos.

Here are the cookies straight out of the oven.

I put the filling in a zipper bag and cut the tip to "pipe" the filling into the cookies.

Baking with Kids ~ Almond Cookies

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.
I love getting Lydia in the kitchen with me to cook. Last Friday, we decided to bake almond cookies together first thing in the morning. I hope that one day she shares my love of cooking and baking. Here's our recipe - this is a great one for the holidays!

Almond Cookies

(makes 40 small cookies)

Ingredients

2 sticks (1 cup) of butter, softened

2/3 cup powdered sugar (plus extra for dusting)

1 cup coarsely-ground almonds

2 1/2 cup unbleached flour

1 t vanilla extract

1 t almond extract

pinch of salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a mixer, cream together butter and powdered sugar until well-combined and fluffy.

In a small food processor, coarsely grind almonds.

Add vanilla and almond extracts to the butter sugar mixture and continue to mix.

 Add nuts into the butter and sugar mixture and continue to mix.

Add flour to the mixture and continue to mix until combined. 

Stir by hand to make sure everything is mixed together well.

Then lick the spatula clean?!

Using a small one-tablespoon scoop, make 40 scoops of cookie dough, evenly-spaced on a silicon baking sheet or greased cookie sheet. Use your fingers to flatten the cookies gently so they will cook evenly.

Bake about 15 - 18 minutes until they are firm and slightly golden along the edges of the cookie. Place on a cooling rack to cool. 

Using a fine mesh sifter, dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!

Amy's Review ~ NEW Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

Working with children who have disabilities for over 10 years now, I am familiar with many different types of diets. The most commonly prescribed dietary recommendation for children with autism is gluten-free. Gluten is a protein found in wheat products, and many individuals have a gluten allergy or sensitivity. Even just five years ago, gluten-free options were very limited and parents had to make most of their children's snacks from scratch.

Now that people are beginning to recognize the benefits of cutting back on the gluten in their diets, high-quality, gluten-free snacks are becoming more available. We are already familiar with Amy's delicious vegetarian and vegan frozen items. The same quality and flavor can now be found in their tasty new gluten-free shortbread cookies, made with all-natural ingredients, including almond flour. These cookies are also egg-free and peanut-free, but do contain dairy.

At just $4.99 per box, they are much less expensive than baking from scratch and equally as delicious. The only hard part is eating just one serving at a time! I was given the opportunity to sample all three varieties: Classic Shortbread, Almond, and Chocolate Chip. My favorite were the Chocolate Chip cookies. These cookies make a great snack for children or adults, individuals with a gluten allergy or those of us who just love yummy cookies! The texture of all three varieties is light and somewhat crumbly, so be sure to place them in lidded containers not zipper bags if they are going into lunch bags.  

BUY IT! Visit the Amy's website and Facebook page to learn all about Amy's delicious products, including the new gluten-free cookies. 

* I received the aforementioned product for free to review. The opinions expressed are honest and provided without monetary compensation.