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 Celiacs 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)
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 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
Ingredients:
- 1 cup margarine or butter, softened
- 2 cups brown sugar (packed)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 1/4 cups gluten-free flour mix (see Note)
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3 Tbsp espresso powder
- 2 cups certified gluten free rolled oats (I use quick cook oats)
- 1 cups gluten free milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup gluten free white chocolate chips
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cream together the softened margarine 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.
NOTE: The all-purpose gluten-free flour mix that I use is from Cybele Pascal.
It is as follows:4 cups superfine brown rice flour
1 1/3 cups potato starch (not flour)
2/3 cup tapioca starchCombine all ingredients in a large zipper seal bag. Shake to distribute evenly.
these sound amazing! I love baking gluten free (not entirely my choice but now my preference!). I will definitely have to try these ones
@Whit Thanks, Whit! I hope you enjoy them as well.
♫♫ 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!!
@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…
Congrats on the upcoming Blogiversary !
Jeanine we're so glad that you blog gluten free now. Interesting story!
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!!
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.
@• friX • Thank you, friX!
@Grace Thanks, Grace. It's nice to have a blog be all one or the other, I think. Makes it easier to find things.
@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.
@Carolyn Thanks for all 3 things, Carolyn!
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.
@Sarah Thank you, Sarah!
These look amazing! And, really, how can you go wrong with espresso powder? I will be baking myself some Gluten Free Cappuccino Cookies soon!
@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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