As we catch up here on our 24 days of cookies countdown, I am excited to bring you a beloved, tried-and true recipe, favored by many. Also included, is a no-bake cookie option. After tomorrow, I plan to bring you the countdown cookie of the day, as we bake them. The posts are a little backed up as we try out this new endeavor while enduring the banging and shaking of a new roof installation. But, don’t fear, there will be cookies!
The BEST brownie recipe
Day 3 brings us, what, in my opinion, is the best brownie recipe. It comes from the original 1931 Joy of Cooking cookbook, and is still featured in the most recent edition. The recipe is for the rich, chewy, and so very chocolaty Brownies Cockaigne. These were the brownies that my chocolate-loving mother would make when I was growing up, and even after trying other brownie recipes, is the one I always defer to. This is the recipe that my eldest stayed up and baked on our third day of cookies.
If you do not have a copy of The Joy of Cooking, I highly recommend that you seek one out. It is a complete cookbook; Full of great recipes, of course, but lots of great whys, abouts, and other important instructions that all cooks should know throughout each chapter/section. My 1997 edition was gifted to me at my bridal shower that same year. This would make a fantastic holiday gift for the cook in your life -or yourself! Amazon carries several editions, including the newest:
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Brownies Cockaigne from The Joy of Cooking gluten and dairy-free style
Notes
We rarely have unsweetened chocolate on-hand, but often have cocoa powder. Here is an easy substitute: For every ounce needed of unsweetened chocolate, use 3 Tbls cocoa powder and 1 Tbls oil or shortening.
Ingredients
- 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 8oz coconut oil
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup gluten-free flour (we use Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF)
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Have all ingredients at room temperature, 68-70 degrees. Preheat oven to 350, and set oven rack in the middle of the oven. Line a 9×13 baking pan with aluminum foil, allowing it to overhang the long sides by about 2 inches. In a large, heavy saucepan over very low heat, melt chocolate and oil, stirring constantly until smooth. Set aside to cool completely. Stir in sugar and vanilla. Then, add eggs until well combined. Last, stir in flour and nuts until just combined. Scrape batter into the pan and spread to the edges. Bake until the center is almost firm when lightly pressed, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 23-28 minutes. Remove the pan to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Using the overhanging foil, lift brownie out to a cutting board. Carefully, remove foil and cut into approx 2-1/4″ squares
No baking on Day 4
We’re already 1/6 of the way through our 24 days of cookies! Today we are baking a version of hubby’s favorite No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal cookies. Over the years, I have become sensitive to peanuts and have a hard time tolerating them. Enter Giada De Laurentiis with No-Bake Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies | Giadzy. This recipe utilized a good alternative with almond butter, but I am going to take it one step further and use a combo nut and seed butter that I enjoy, and can find at our local Costco. Because not all of my kids like nuts, I did not add the 3/4 cups of sliced almonds that she uses. These have a really good flavor, but don’t seem to set up like the traditional PB version. They need to be eaten right from the fridge or freezer. I took ours out after about 2+ hours in the freezer and they were quite soft, but not quite as gooey as they appear below.
