Gluten Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

  Happy New Year!  It sure has been a long time since my last original post, and my goodness do I miss you!  I haven't posted new recipes because for the past 3 months I've been really tired.  And sick.  And couldn't stand the smell of food.  And hated all of my favorite foods.  And had weird cravings.  Catching my drift yet?  I'm gonna be a mama! Let's just say the first trimester made me a much stronger person, and now I feel ready to conquer the world! Or at least some super delicious recipes!

This first recipe comes from my friend Kristen, who I now consider a gluten free baking goddess.  She also gave a great tip.  If a gluten free baking recipe ever calls for baking soda, she omits that and just adds baking powder - it won't rise with baking soda...who knew?! Kristen, we owe you our lives for this recipe. 

Makes 2 dozen cookies

1 cup earth balance, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
3⁄4 cup granulated sugar
3 tsp Ener-G egg replacer plus 2 tsp water, whisked together and set aside
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 1⁄2 cups Gluten Free all-purpose flour (she used King Arthur brand)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1⁄2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups rolled oats (she used Quaker Quick or Old Fashioned - do NOT use instant)
1 1⁄2 cups raisins
1⁄2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350° F and grease two large cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy.  Add sugars; beat until fluffy.  Add egg replacer mixture and vanilla and mix until well incorporated.
3. In a separate medium-sized bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon.  Stir dry ingredients into sugar-butter mixture. Fold in raisins and nuts.  Then fold in oats.
4. Spoon dough by large tablespoonfuls onto your baking sheet leaving 2 inches between each cookie.
5.  Bake until edges are golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.  Cookies will feel slightly undercooked when they come out but will finish cooking out of the oven.  Cool one minute on baking sheet then transfer to wire cooking rack.  They will be very soft until completely cooled.

Enjoy!