Makes about 2 dozen cookies
THIS COOKIE is named after a little girl I met in my bakery who had become extremely ill due to undiagnosed celiac disease. Lauren had multiple food allergies and her dad wanted her to be able to enjoy a treat on her days off from hospital treatment. So, I took to the kitchen and worked on a very simple cookie that was still nothing short of spectacular for my new little friend. Her dad wrote me to tell me how excited Lauren was to have a cookie all her own—one that she could actually eat! The next time they came in, we chatted, Lauren and I, about how living with autoimmune problems and food allergies is hard, but by the time she left the bakery with those cookies, everyone was smiling. Everyone deserves to smile, and have a cookie, so I hope you will try this one and let it make you smile too.
1 cup hazelnut flour
1 cup quinoa flour
¼ cup arrowroot starch
¾ cup certified gluten-free oatmeal
½ cup maple sugar, coconut sugar, date sugar, or evaporated cane juice
½ teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon Himalayan salt
2 very ripe bananas, peeled
¼ cup grape seed oil or canola oil
½ cup almond milk
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (or bake the cookies in 2 batches)
Combine all the dry ingredients (through salt) in a large mixing bowl. Sift out any lumps with a whisk.
In a separate bowl, mash the bananas with a fork, then add the oil and milk and mix until creamy. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until combined. Fold in the nuts (if using).
With a spoon, scoop out approximately 2-tablespoon portions of the dough and place on the lined baking sheets. Bake for 13 to 16 minutes, or until they are firm—depending on how soft you like your cookies. Note that any time you are baking or cooking with nuts, you can expect your items to get more brown in color. Enjoy!