Malty teff and hearty oats add toothsome texture and flavor to these chunky chocolate chip cookies. Layer the ingredients in a jar for a pretty gift.
Here's a recipe that just barely made it into Alternative Baker – the variation listed under the Teff Oatmeal Cookies with Whiskey Currants. Jay's favorite ever cookies are oatmeal chocolate chip with walnuts, and I couldn't not include a recipe for them (especially given the 1 million dishes he did during the making of the book). But time was running out. (Er, technically, it had run out long ago, to the chagrin of my editor who kept getting emails from me begging to add more recipes into an already-too-long-manuscript.)
Luckily, the cookies won.
Drop cookies can be persnickety beasts, objecting to slight changes in temperature/moisture/Mercury in retrograde/bad vibes, either spreading into flat pancakes or staying in tight little lumps upon hitting the heat of the oven. This humble recipe was the one that took the most tries to get right. I tested batch after batch, making tiny adjustments, until I was finally satisfied. The originals are laced with a whiff of fresh nutmeg and studded with plump, boozy currants, all bound up in an earthy base of teff flour, oats, brown sugar, and lots and lots of butter. With each failed batch, I'd console myself with a warmly spiced (albeit overly flat/thick/sweet/salty) cookie and start over again.
When the manuscript was handed in (and I caught up on sleep enough for my synapses to start firing again), I suddenly realized my glaring omission. It was too late to develop and shoot an entirely new recipe, so, on a whim, I swapped out the nutmeg and currants for a mess of chopped bittersweet chocolate, in the hopes that I could sneak in just one more variation, but sure that the slight change of ingredients would wreck havoc on this most finicky of recipes.
To my surprise and delight, the recipe was far sturdier than expected. The cookies baked up beautifully, spreading into thick, chewy, chunky cookies laced with the earthy tastes of teff, oat, molasses, dark chocolate, and toasted nuts. Tessa made them with coconut sugar, and Traci shared the originals with step-by-step photos. This is probably the recipe from the book I make most often when I'm craving something quick and sweet late at night or on a rainy day. Clearly Jay isn't the only cookie monster in the house.
When Sarah and I were brainstorming ideas for our DIY demo at our new (ginormous) Anthropologie later this week, I thought these cookies could make a good cookie mix gift in a jar. The recipe would need slight alterations – instead of adding the hot melted butter to the sugar, then stirring in the egg, then the flours, the egg and butter would have to be added directly to the dry ingredients. I expected disastrous results, but again met with cookie success. Sarah's sharing her recipe today, too. It's equally loaded with chocolate, alternative flours, and nuts and is TO DIE FOR. Get her recipe over here.
If you're new to teff, this recipe is a perfect introduction. The tiny grain is most commonly used in Ethiopian injera, but the flour has a nutty flavor that reminds me of malted chocolate milk, and it pairs beautifully with other similar flavors. Here, brown sugar, chocolate and oats all work together to show off its exceptional flavor.
More Cookie Recipes:
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Ginger Cookies {dairy-free & vegan options}
- Salty Double Rye Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies with Buckwheat, Maple, and Oats {Vegan and Gluten-Free}
- Almond Pulp Chocolate Chip Cookies
*Thanks for reading! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this teff chocolate cookie recipe, I’d love to see! Tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.*
Gluten-Free Oatmeal Teff Chocolate Chip Cookies & Cookie Mix Gift in a Jar
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
For the cookie mix
- 3/4 cup (100 g) teff flour (preferably Bob’s Red Mill brand)
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup (27 g) tapioca flour/starch
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (80 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 g) organic granulated cane sugar
- 1 cup (90 g) GF old-fashioned rolled oats
- 6 ounces (170 g) coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate (60-70%)
- 3/4 cup (90 g) walnuts, toasted, cooled, coarsely chopped or broken
- Need: 1 wide-mouth 1-quart or 1-liter canning jar
Add-ins
- 8 tbsp (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- flaky salt for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
For the cookie mix
- In a small bowl, sift together the teff flour, salt, and baking soda. Pour into the jar to form the bottom layer, rapping the jar on the counter a few times to flatten the flour into an even layer. Spoon the tapioca flour gently over the teff flour to create the second layer, rapping the jar on the counter again. Spoon in the brown sugar, packing it down gently to form a flat layer. Repeat with the granulated sugar, oats, chocolate, and nuts.
- Seal and attach the following directions to the jar.
Printed directions for tag:
- Pour contents of jar into large bowl, breaking up any clumps. Stir in 8 tablespoons melted, cooled unsalted butter, 1 large egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Scoop 2-3 tablespoon balls onto 2 lined baking sheets, sprinkle with flaky salt, and bake at 350ºF until edges are set and tops are soft and puffed, 10-15 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
More Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes:
- Vegan Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Soft and Chewy Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Crunchy Gluten Free Biscotti with Hazelnuts & Chocolate
- Gluten Free Lemon Bars
- GF Ginger Molasses Cookies
- Vegan & Gluten Free Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Gluten Free Double Chocolate Buckwheat Cookies
- Gluten Free Blondies with Cranberries and Chestnut Flour
- Gluten Free Blondies with Coconut and Rum (aka Congo Bars)
- Gluten Free Rugelach
- Gluten Free Triple Chocolate Cookies
- Gluten Free Flourless Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
- Find more gluten-free cookie recipes in my cookbook Alternative Baker!
Vespa Woolf says
I just made these tonight and even my picky husband (he didn’t want “healthy” cookies) loves them! They’re like a cookie you’d buy in a gourmet bakery. Thank you for sharing your delicious recipes.
Alanna says
Ha! I'm so glad they were a hit. Thanks for trying my recipe and for the sweet note!
Nicole says
These were so lovely! I love them as a gift, but I just made them for my gluten free roomie - I appreciated that it was a simple recipe without a long list of esoteric ingredients. I did add a little touch of cinnamon, and mine came out very slightly flatter, but they were so soft and delightful! Thank you so much!
Alanna says
I'm so glad you liked them! Thanks a bunch for the note and rating. :)
Cyril Marinos says
Honestly my favorite cookies
Alanna says
Awwww that makes me so happy to hear!
Claire says
I've been making a version these for the last week, Alanna, and of course of they are delicious.
I made them first because my friend was preparing to evacuate (again) from the North Bay fires. When that happens, cookies seem like a good balm. She loved them and ate them happily, of course.
We made them 3 more times because everyone here loved them too. Even the little one who usually likes the gluten-ful cookies more. Shhh. I didn't tell her.
The process is so easy. That may have been my favorite part.
Genius. Once again. Of course.
Alanna says
Aw I'm so honored that you're enjoying my recipe Claire! What a sweet friend you are, I'm so glad they were a comfort during this difficult time. And liked by the unwitting child hehe. Your secret's safe with me. ;)
Nadia says
Very dry and didn't hold together.
Alanna says
I'm so sorry to hear that! I tested these many times myself and also had them made by recipe testers for my book. Can I ask what brand of teff flour you used? I've noticed that brands vary in grinds sometimes. A coarser grind might make these crumbly. Did you change anything else about the recipe?