I wouldn't try to bake a GF version of cookies. Unless you're experienced with GF baking, it's hard to get them to taste right. I also think that anyone really sensitive would not be willing to trust it. I've had people tell me "oh it's gluten free!" then I find out that they used non-GF oats or some other "hidden" gluten (e.g. tried to serve a chicken dish that had used soy sauce in the marinade, not realizing that has wheat in it), just because they didn't know any better.

Instead, go with a candy or fudge. They'll taste better than GF cookies, and nobody needs to wonder if they're REALLY GF. It's very thoughtful of you!

As a celiac, I'd suggest you just buy it. I'm not very trusting of homemade GF baked goods if I don't know the person. Even if you make candy that is inherently GF, add a label stating the ingredients or that it is gluten, dairy, etc. free.

If I had a true allergy instead of an intolerance then I would not eat anything homemade at a potluck. Buy this stuff.

Anonymous wrote:Adding to my no-bake suggestion, most celiac people don't eat cookies anyway, they don't trust them because they can often be contaminated anyway. My celiac sister, and nut allergic bro-in-law both avoid home made treats out of habit. So make some candy or something, but don't go too far out of your way.

I had half considered this, as I'm dairy free and I watch everything going in my mouth like a hawk. I was going to send an ingredient and brand list of anything I was using, just to give folks the information they need. I'll be making some candy canes, and assembling some other little candy treats (Martha Stewart candy snails) as well.

I do have a friend who is celiac, so I understand the gravity of keeping the contaminants out. She just hates sweet baked things as a rule, likely from being celiac from a young age when nothing GF was available, so I've never baked for her.

So GF people, I guess here's the crux- do I bake something GF specifically or make a few extra things that are clearly allergen free (like candy)?

I'd like to avoid store bought if I can.. Only because I don't want the "allergen" folks to feel like I cared enough to bake for everyone else, and went and got them store bought stuff. Unless of course, the consensus is that would make them feel better KNOWING it's commercially made?

Adding to my no-bake suggestion, most celiac people don't eat cookies anyway, they don't trust them because they can often be contaminated anyway. My celiac sister, and nut allergic bro-in-law both avoid home made treats out of habit. So make some candy or something, but don't go too far out of your way.

No-bakes with gluten free oats would work.

My gluten-intolerant DD's favorite xmas treat is fudge. I make the "fantasy fudge" recipe on the back of the marshmallow creme. Quick and easy.

Also, the chocolate kiss/pretzel candies are easy and you just have to use a GF pretzel: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chocolate-pretzel-treats/

Look up raising jack with celiac - she just posted some cute cookies that look easy.

Save yourself the trouble and just do break and bake - they are really good, and we get compliments on them often (it's my go-to treat for school events with my celiac kid). They are also peanut free ingredient wise (though not baked in a peanut free facility.)

I find them right next to the Tollhouse ones at our regular grocery store, and they also have a chocolate fudge chip and peanut butter, but regular chocolate chip is our standby. Here's a link to the specific type (walmart is just the link google brought up first, but as I've said I've found these in all our regular grocery stores)

http://mobile.walmart.com/ip/37482295?wmlspartner=wlpa&adid=22222222228026183777&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=43010479472&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=81548112632&veh=sem

Double check that you're using GF cereal, and make Rice Krispie treats. You can go to Trader Joes and get boxes of GF Oreos (joe-joes) and sub those crushed up for the Rice Krispies, too. I make those a lot - easy, delicious, and very "treat" like.

If you want to bake, shortbread cookies work well with GF flour - nice and flaky and crumbly. The nut balls (Mexican wedding cakes, etc) are good, but they really need butter.

I cannot eat wheat, and why so many GF things taste terrible is that people try to make them completely allergen free for all allergies, so you get something lacking in every single baking fundamental and substituted out. It is very hard to get gluten free, egg free, dairy free, soy free, nut free stuff that doesn't taste like cardboard.

Also, I'm the above poster with celiac disease… There is really no reason for you to fear a contaminated kitchen. Just make sure everything is clean, which I'm sure you would anyway. And don't cook the regular cookies at the same time, so you're not tempted to move a whisk or anything from one bowl to the other, or lay it on a floury surface... But I bet you knew that already.

That is SO nice if you! I have celiac disease and frequently there's nothing I can safely eat at such occasions. I think I'd cry if I walked into one of those affairs and saw GF cookies.

If you want easy, my short answer is to buy a mix. The Betty Crocker mixes are actually really good, particularly their brownie mix. And neither complicated nor expensive. Or if you are near a whole foods, you will find tons of good, albeit more expensive, mixes.

The next level would be to buy a flour mix like Pamela's (recommended for cookies) and, rather than substituting it out for your favorite recipe, follow one of the recipes on Pamela's site. Straight substitution doesn't always work with gluten free. And I haven't tried, but I think it's very likely that you could find a vegan/soy free recipe there too. There is really no reason for you to have to make two different things.

On behalf of those of us who rarely get treats, thank you!

Why don't you just buy the GF cookies. Trader Joes sells bags of GF chocalate chip cookies that are really good. That way anyone who needs to eat GF won't have to worry about whether the cookies were baked in an uncontaminated kitchen.

Sorry..should have specified a recipe that can make a hefty batch as there are three shifts these will have to get split over.

DH manages a very large team and they decided to have a potluck style lunch for themselves on each of their respective shifts. I asked him to gently ask around to see if there was any known allergies, etc. So I could ensure that there is a treat available for those who won't be able to indulge in the stuff most people will be bringing.

Of course, he hasn't.

I'm going with that fact that GF is Almost universal now, so it's safe to assume there will be a few folks on his team that will need GF cookies. I'll also make a batch of something dairy free/ soy free. Would be great if I could incorporate the two, but that might be too big a stretch.

Does any one have any really great GF cookie recipes that they can recommend? I can buy just AP GF flour and switch out I guess, but I'd rather have something tried and tested because I'm a little short on time and if I have to scrap a batch, I'll be cranky

I'll be making a few batches of "regular" cookies too.

Thanks!