Chocolate Chip Cookies

My mother was the ultimate Domestic Goddess - well, still is.  Though she works enough these days that she might not do quite as many crazy things around the house, there are some habits that she keeps.  For instance, there is always (always!) a container of chocolate chip cookies in the freezer, even if the container isn't a coffee can anymore.  It was such a tradition, so habitual, that my cousin Paul sidled up to me at my sister's graduation open house.  There was food aplenty, and a cake sitting out for the taking.  But Paul asked in a low voice:

"Does your mother still have chocolate chip cookies around?"

"Yep," I said.

"In a coffee can, in the freezer?"

"Yep."

"Oh, good!"

Nothing else on the buffet held a candle to Mom's cookies.  This version is as close as I've gotten with a gluten-free recipe.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. shortening
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. GF AP flour or Fancy Flour Blend OR
1/2 c. plus 2 Tbsp millet flour
1 c. white rice flour
1/4 c. sweet rice flour
1/2 c. tapioca starch
2 Tbsp potato starch
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
12 oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips


Cream together butter, shortening, and sugars.  Beat in egg and vanilla extract.

In another bowl, sift together flour, xanthan gum, salt, and soda.  Add gradually to the egg mixture, with the mixer set on low.  

Add chips and stir briefly on low.

Drop onto an ungreased cookie sheet by teaspoonfuls.  I like my disher for this.  And, if I'm REALLY feeling lazy, parchment paper saves on clean-up.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.  If cookies are prone to spread too much, place the dough in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes and chill cookie sheets between batches.

They're not (quite) Mom's...  but they'll do for the moment.  Time for me to go put them in the freezer.  If I can find a coffee can, that is...