MY DARLING LEMON THYME

gluten-free spiced orange chocolate chunk cookies recipe and a bunch of Christmas links…

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For those observant ones amongst you, yes these cookies have already appeared on here, albeit a slightly adapted version of them. But when a friend of mine asked if I would like to contribute a recipe for her online gluten-free Christmas magazine it was these cookies that instantly jumped into my mind to share. Lightly spiced, orange zest flecked and studded with generous amounts of chocolate chunks I feel that these babies are worthy of a second chance, don’t you?

I try not to buy into the whole commercialism of Christmas too much and when possible I try to get my bake on and bundle up gifts of food love instead. I mean really, we all have enough stuff to sink a small island, but cookies, caramels and jams? One can never have too much of these at Christmas time I say 🙂

gluten-free spiced orange chocolate chunk cookies

gluten-free spiced orange chocolate chunk cookies

I’m not really sure how many more posts I’ll get up between now and Christmas (the kids have just under 1 week left at school this year!) so I thought it might be nice to do a little round-up of Christmas-type recipes from the archives now? Before it gets too late…
Please excuse some of my earlier photography skills in a few of these link :-/

home made gift ideas
~ spiced nuts {vegan}
homemade butter
~ spiced tomato chutney
~ kale + pumpkin seed pesto {vegan}
bitter grapefruit curd
~ three citrus ginger marmalade 
~ strawberry + rhubarb jam
~ bitter orange, rosewater + almond marmalade
~ mango + lime curd
~ home made pickled ginger
~ strawberry, black pepper + thyme cordial

holiday baking ideas
~ lemon maple meringue pies {gluten-free}
~ thyme + black cherry jam drops {gluten-free}
cranberry + orange mincemeat  {gluten-free + vegan}
~ fruit mince pies {gluten-free}
~ spiced gingerbread cake {gluten + dairy-free}
~ cardamom, pistachio + rosewater shortbreads {gluten-free}
~ rosemary + lemon cookies {gluten-free}
~ brown butter spice cake {gluten-free}
~ salted coconut caramels {gluten-free}
~ healthy banana, date + orange cookies {gluten-free, sugar-free + vegan}
~ mexican chocolate almond cookies {gluten + dairy-free}
~ rich chocolate slice {gluten-free, sugar-free + vegan}

savoury ideas
~ roasted cauliflower, chickpea + quinoa salad with jalapeno lime dressing {gluten-free + vegan}
~ celeriac + beet salad with lemon, chilli + mint (gluten-free + vegan}
spiced potato wedges with oregano, paprika + chilli {gluten-free + vegan}
~ grilled courgette (zucchini) w/ parsley, olives + garlic crumbs (gluten-free + vegan}
~ carrot, white bean + coriander (cilantro) salad {gluten-free + vegan}
~ miso-curry butternut squash w/ tofu + cavolo nero {gluten-free + vegan}
~ tofu, herb + rice noodle salad {gluten-free + vegan}
~ vegetarian dolmades {gluten-free + vegan}
~ spiced pumpkin, millet + radicchio salad {gluten-free + vegan option}
~ roasted cherry tomato pasta salad w/ kalamata olive dressing {gluten-free + vegan}
~ roast kumara (sweet potato), chickpea + feta salad w/ spiced lemon dressing {gluten-free}
~ beetroot + orange salad w/ honey mustard miso dressing {gluten-free + vegan}

other great links
~ The Gluten-free Scallywag online Christmas magazine 2012 
~ Tickle the imagination online Christmas magazine 2012

Lastly, a fellow blogger friend of mine is helping to coordinate The 12 do’s of Christmas, a campaign by Planet Ark aimed at encouraging people to fill their tummies for Christmas, instead of their bins (over a third of what Australians collectively spend on food will end up in landfill, scary thought!). Click here for their top tips on preventing food wastage. xx

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gluten-free spiced orange chocolate chunk cookies
If I had my
way I would only give gifts of home-made treats at Christmas time. Most people
don’t need any more ‘things’ and really who doesn’t love receiving a freshly
baked batch of cookies? Even though we celebrate Christmas in the middle of
summer down these ways it’s still nice to add in a little of those traditional
festive flavours like orange and spice to go with the generous chunks of dark
chocolate that make these cookies extra good…
Makes
approx 2 dozen
115g soft butter
¾ cup (150g) muscovado or soft brown sugar
Pinch fine sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
The finely grated zest of 1 small orange
1 large free-range egg, lightly whisked
¾ cup (90g) fine brown rice flour
½ cup (60g) quinoa flour
½ cup (55g) almond meal
¼ cup (25g) tapioca or cornflour (corn starch)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch ground cloves
Pinch ground nutmeg
125g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
Place the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla and orange zest in a medium
bowl and beat with an electric beater until light and fluffy. Gradually add the
egg a little at a time, whisking well between additions. Add the almond meal,
and then sift over the remaining flours and spices. Mix to form a soft dough
before stirring through the chopped chocolate. Cover and chill in the fridge
for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 180 C/350 F. Grease 2 baking trays or line with baking paper.
Roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls, flatten slightly and place on trays.
Dust your hands with extra rice flour if the dough is sticking. Bake for 10-12
minutes or until lightly golden around the edges. Remove from oven, cool on
trays briefly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

The cookie dough will keep refrigerated in a covered container for up to 1 week or can be frozen for up to 3 months.

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22 Responses

  1. I just hosted a dinner last night and included your chilled pea, mint and avocado soup, and roasted kumara, fetta & chickpea salad. Both were hits! Thank you!

  2. Yum,haven't tried these so nice to be reminded! Thanks for the great list of links….hope to do some home made stuff over the next wee while! Nicky x

  3. I don't know why I haven't thought of giving some baking as a present but I haven't. I have been scratching my head about what to give one couple and I know they love my cooking so that would work really well. I might even make them these cookies but I don't have the quinoa flour. Would it be possible to add more brown rice flour instead? I have the tapioca flour and the almond meal.

    1. Every year growing up my great aunty June would give each family a big basket of home made goodies filled with her jams, chutneys, slices, biscuits and chocolates. It really is such a great gift. I'm going to be busy this weekend baking cookies to go with the jam I've made previously for my kids teachers. They always go down a treat 🙂

      I've not tried making these without the quinoa flour, but I'd be more inclined to use 1/4 cup more of the almond meal and 1/4 cup more brown rice flour than just all rice flour. This will keep them from becoming too dry. xx

  4. Hear,hear!!!I am gettingto the point of dreading xmas,for exactly the reason you said,,all the crap that comes with it,almost thoughtless gifts
    given to you because maybe people feel they need to.the truth is we don't really need anythng(ok,maybe a morgage payment or two).I love food gifts,it makes you feel good,that people took the time to think of you and thought you might love something,that's everything.(i do also give a shitload of books out,maybe a certain cookbook for next year;)

  5. I'm so happy I've found your site!! I love baking gluten-free treats and am still in the phase where I rely on a lot of research to make them turn out. Your site is my new go-too for gluten free baking! These cookies look awesome! :0

  6. I've never been a cookie baker until we went wheat free and now happy to rustle up a batch of nut flour cookies to keep the munchies at bay. I shall steal these flavourings for my neck batch.

  7. Hi! I just made these beauties now… and theyre just divine!!
    Thanks so much for the great recipe, so nice to make something gluten free that for once actually stays together and I want to share with all my friends 🙂 xxx