MEWS free Raisin Cookies

Following a plea from a friend who was seeking a reliable recipe for raisin cookies that were milk, egg, wheat and soy free, I spent this morning playing with ingredients to devise a recipe.

I'm quite pleased with the result, it's certainly delicious warm from the oven - but the cookies are more chewy in texture than the crumbly result i was hoping for. For the second batch I added some pear puree (this could easily have been banana for a similar result) which helped soften the biscuit texture. I used egg replacer today for an egg free cookie, but an egg - if allowed - might make these crumblier and more like regular cookies.

Makes 6
Dairy free, wheat free, gluten free, corn free, egg free, soya free

Ingredients

• 55g/2 oz margarine - I used Stork hard block margarine, softened first.
• 55g/2 oz caster sugar - you could try soft brown sugar for a "richer" taste
• 110g/4oz SR free from flour (I used our Juvela prescription flour but often use Dove's Farm)
• 1 tsp baking powder if the above flour is not self raising
• 1 teaspoon egg replacer made up as instructed
• 100g pear puree - if using a softer margarine reduce to 75g)
• 60g/2-3 oz raisins
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

 Method

• Preheat oven to 180C
• Use a non-stick baking tray or line a tray with baking paper
• Beat together sugar and margarine
• Fold in the flour, baking powder (if using) and spices
• Stir in the puree, add the raisins and combine.
• Mix in the egg replacer as per instructions
• Once the mixture is mixed well it will look like the first picture below.
• Using a table spoon, spoon out the mixture onto the tray in cookie shaped areas, taking care not to place them too close together.
• Bake in the centre of the oven for 15-18 mins
• Allow to cool.

Tips 

• You can make double quantity but these may not keep well. 
• There is no reason they cannot be frozen since they are more like cakes than biscuits - but I have yet to try doing so.
• If you can use an egg instead of replacing it, beat it in after beating the sugar and margarine together, then fold in the flour.

I'll let you know the kids' verdict later!

Banana Oaties

I have had this recipe sitting around for MONTHS and have finally got round to making it! It's so quick and simple, the cookies can be frozen (if they are not eaten straight away!) and its a flexible recipe with room for changing to suit your tastes/needs.

There are few ingredients, and it is dairy free, soya free, wheat free, gluten free, egg free - most major allergens free AND sugar free. It's vegan, MEWS safe, you name it, so I can see it becoming one of our staples.

Unfortunately it contains nuts, but I imagine rice protein might work instead? Or polenta?

There are only TWO left to take a photo of, the rest disappeared when my back was turned....

Ingredients

• 3 RIPE mashed bananas
• 1/3 cup of apple sauce (I used 1 banana and apple Cow and Gate infant fruit pot)
• 2 cups gluten free oats 
• 1/4 cup almond milk (or your choice of substitute)
• 1/2cup raisins (or substitute for your favourite dried fruit or nuts if safe)
• 1tsp vanilla essence
• 1tsp cinnamon

Recently I treated myself to a set of measuring cups to facilitate easy conversion for cooking with Australian cup measurements. They are particularly useful for the Tiana coconut recipes too.

Mine are from TKMaxx which is a surprisingly good source of baking equipment!

Method

• Easy - mash the bananas
• Combine everything well (I use my Kenwood mixer for this)
• Spoon onto a baking sheet
• Bake at 180C/350F for 15 minutes!

Tip:- Best kept in the fridge for a couple of days, or the freezer if uneaten in that time. They are not hard biscuits but very soft - delicious warmed for a few seconds in the microwave.

Enjoy! 

Cookies

This is a MEWS free and common allergen free recipe for cookies from our Facebook group. I would imagine you can easily halve the quantity if you wanted to make fewer cookies.


Dairy free, wheat free, gluten free, corn free, egg free

Ingredients

• 1lb 2 oz gf flour
• 8oz stork dairy free
• 8oz maple syrup
• 8oz caster sugar
• 1tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2tsp xanthan gum
• 1/2tsp baking powder

Method

Mix with hands or dough hook need until it comes together without being madly sticky so I usually add more flour if it feels like it needs it. It was adapted from a normal recipe.

You can add 4 oz df chocolate chips or chocolate chips if you fancy. And if you want to make them it chocolate cookies take out two tsp of flour and add two tsp of coco.

Tip:- Rest dough for couple of hours in fridge. You don't have to do this but I have found they taste nicer.

You can serve them in two ways, roll them into squash ball size spheres and place on baking sheet. I always uses that plastic baking sheet stuff too to stop them sticking and baking for 8mins at 180. They should be golden brown and squishy inside if you can watch them through the door it's good.

Or add a little more flour until the doughs quite stiff and then you can roll it between two sheets of cling film and use cutters on it. I find it's best to do this in small batches on the tray as they are quite easy to break. Bake as above and decorate with icing.

The icing I use is 2tsp egg replacer, two tbs water mixed with 8oz icing sugar and 1/2 baking soda. Add any colours that you wish. I use gel colours but if you use liquid ones you might need to add more sugar.

If you would like to join our Facebook group, we share lots of support and free from recipes!