Spice scents filled the kitchen along with the more subtle brown sugar and pecan aromas…my mom was baking Oatmeal Cookies. These still bring back memories of some of my favorite things about her kitchen, especially her Christmas baking. Whatever time of year it is, gluten-free oatmeal cookies are still my favorite, but especially during the holidays.

I’ve modified her recipe some to make it gluten-free, but these taste much like hers. She would usually use golden raisins, though, which she would soak in hot water for a few minutes to “plump” before stirring into the dough. Either raisins or dates work just as well.

Gluten-Free Oatmeal Spice Cookies with Dates & Pecans

Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes Makes about 4 dozen

Ingredients:

1 Cup Butter or Stick Margarine, softened (I used Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks)

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Brown Sugar

3 Large Eggs

2 Teaspoons Gluten-Free Baking Powder (I used Rumsford)

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon, ground

1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg, freshly ground (optional)

1/4 Teaspoon Ginger, ground (optional)

3 Cups Gluten-Free Flour Mix (I used 2-1/4 c. Rice flour, 1/2 c. Potato Starch, 1/4 c. Tapioca Starch)

3 Teaspoons Xanthan Gum

3 Cups Rolled Oats, Certified Gluten-Free (I used Bob’s Red Mill oats and processed them for a finer consistency)

1 Cup Chopped Dates (be sure these are gluten-free and not dusted with flour) or Golden Raisins

1 Cup Pecans, Broken (not processed in a facility that also handles wheat)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line cookie sheet(s) with parchment or grease well.

Cream the softened (room temperature) butter or margarine.

Beat in the sugars, then the eggs. Beat well after each addition.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour mix, baking powder, spices and xanthan gum, mixing well.

Beat the flour mixture into the creamed mixture until well mixed.

Stir in the oats, the dates (or raisins) and pecans.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a well-greased baking sheet.

Bake until lightly browned (12-15 minutes).

Let cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before removing to rack.

Cool thoroughly on rack.

This gluten-free recipe is also soy-free and peanut-free. If you use Earth Balance instead of butter, it will also be casein-free, dairy-free and lactose-free.

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Linked to the following:

– Amy’s Slightly Indulgent Tuesday where you can find a wonderful variety of dishes, all at least somewhat healthier…and still indulgent!

– The Gluten-Free Homemaker’s Gluten-Free Wednesdays. Linda has issued a challenge for December to make a gluten-free cookie.

– She Let Them Eat Cake’s 12 Days of Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies which includes giveaways, too — if you don’t get too distracted by all the beautiful cookies you’ll see there!

– Over at A Few Shortcuts where the Cookie Swap 2010 is growing bigger and bigger — so many cookies to choose from!