Katz Gluten Free Cookies: Sprinkle, Chocolate Rugelech & Raspberry Hamantaschen ( gluten free, GF/CF, nut free, kosher) May 2

Filed under *Cookies & Biscotti, *GF/ CF products, *Kid Friendly Foods, Katz Gluten Free by Karen | 0 comments

More goodies from Katz Gluten Free! I actually kept these six to eight ounce containers of cookies in my freezer for a few weeks, so see  how well they would taste in comparison to the other Katz Gluten Free Cookies I have sampled. I am happy to report that after a few hours of thawing on my countertop, they tasted exactly like the fresh gluten free cookies. Not bad!
This is what I thought of each flavor:
Colored Sprinkle Cookies: These were the clear winner at my house! These gluten free cookies are heart shaped shortbread cookies with fun sprinkles decorating the top. They are just the right size for a child to hold and are delightfully light with a soft crunch. They boast a sweet vanilla flavor that anyone would enjoy. My kids are begging me for more! Rating: 4 1/2 stars
Ingredients: gluten free flour (corn, tapioca, brown rice, sorghum), sugar, palm oil, canola oil, fresh eggs, pure vanilla, xanthan gum, salt, colored sprinkles
Chocolate Rugelech: These cookies look like mini pinwheels with swirls of chocolate and coffee flavored filling with a hint of cinnamon. It is a nice idea, but the end result was less than fantastic. These cookies were brittle and easily fell apart in my hand. They were very crunchy and dry, and I couldn’t even dunk them into a beverage because they crumbled so easily. I am not sure if I got a bad batch, but this happened before and after freezing them. It’’s really too bad, because it is a great idea for a sweet snack. Rating: 1  1/2 stars
Ingredients: gluten free flour (potato, tapioca, white rice, brown rice, sorghum), sugar, canola oil, fresh eggs, orange juice, cocoa, dry yeast, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, coffee, cornstarch, pure vanilla.
Raspberry Hamantaschen: These cookies are the raspberry equivalent of the apricot version I reviewed. I must say, I liked these better than the apricot, and I don’t even like raspberries! Now, I must admit, I am not sure what hamantaschen is supposed to taste like, but I found the the thick vanilla shortbread surrounding the dollop of flavorful raspberry jam very tasty. The cookie had a slight crunch, but was still soft enough to be enjoyable. It wasn’t overly sweet to me and was overall a really tasty treat. Rating: 4 stars
Ingredients: gluten free flour ( corn, tapioca, brown rice, sugar, palm oil, canola oil, fresh eggs, pure vanilla, xanthan gum, salt and raspberry jam.
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If you would like to try these gluten free cookies for yourself, please click the title of each cookie to visit  Gluten Free Plaza.com for purchasing information.
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For more of my Katz Gluten Free reviews, please click HERE
For more of my gluten free cookie reviews, please click HERE

Product Review: PatsyPie artisan cookies/biscuits & brownies (gluten free) March 25

Filed under *Bakery products, *Cookies & Biscotti, PatsyPie bakery products by Karen | 1 comment

This is a review suggested by a reader email! Linda from Hawaii asked me about these gluten free bakery items. She has a son away at college and is looking for some good gluten free food choices for him.
PatsyPie was founded by Pat Libling, otherwise known as “PastyPie”. She was diagnosed with celiac in 1987 and has two children with gluten intolerance. She creates these fresh and tasty bakery products in a dedicated gluten free bakery in the Montreal area with products in retail stores in Canada and the US, as well as sales online.
I tried three of her products:
Double Chocolate Mini Brownies: These brownies should be consumed right away or frozen. I tried the brownies immediately, and tried them again a week later after a little vacation in the freezer.  Honestly, I couldn’t taste a difference! Each time, I was treated to a double chocolate chewy, fudgy brownie bite dotted with chunky chocolate chips. Each mini brownie is the size of a mini muffin and can be eaten in about two bites. The texture was perfect and it did not taste gluten free at all. An excellent, tasty dessert or sweet snack. Rating: 5 stars
Chocolate Chip Cookies: These gluten free chocolate chip cookies are really crunchy with a course, crumbly texture. The taste is great though, and the high quality of ingredients shine through. I thought these cookies were quite tasty and would suggest dunking them in a ice cold glass of milk or hot beverage for best results. Rating: 4 stars
Lemon Shortbread: The best part of these gluten free shortbread cookies is when you open the bag! You are greeted with the fresh, slightly sweet aroma of lemon that is simply divine. The cookies are fairly soft, and do not crumble when you bite into them. The texture is nice and not grainy or coarse. However, the flavor was a little disappointing.  The cookies were sweet, but the lemon tasted almost bitter, instead of the fresh lemon flavor I was hoping for.   My daughter, the lemon queen- the girl that will eat fresh lemons as is- turned up her nose and wouldn’t take more than one bite.  I had to agree. After eating half of the shortbread cookie, I was done.  This isn’t a bad cookie per say, the flavor just wasn’t something I enjoyed. Rating: 3 stars
Overall, these are solid, tasty products, and I hope to try out her muffins and biscotti in the near future.

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Want to learn more? Please click the links to visit PatsyPie’s website for ordering and product information.



Product Review: Katz Gluten Free Apricot Hamantaschen cookies (gluten free, dairy free, nut free, kosher) March 11

Filed under *Cookies & Biscotti, Katz Gluten Free by Karen | 1 comment

What is hamantaschen, anyway?
I had to check wikipedia and discovered it is a traditional Jewish pastry or cookie known for it’s three sides and is usually filled with a tasty filling or fruit jam. It is often eaten during Purim. Very neat!
I really love apricot, and when I tried these gluten free apricot hamantaschen cookies by Katz Gluten Free, I had high hopes. They looked fantastic- a cute triangular shape with a dollop of apricot jam peeking out. They seemed perfect for an afternoon snack, or even for my daughter’s tea parties.
These gluten free cookies are made from a thick shortbread-like cookie that is baked to a golden brown. The cookie itself was a little dry and crumbly with a soft crunch when bitten into. The flavor tasted a little sweet with a hint of vanilla.
The apricot dollop on top is actually pretty small and does not fill the inside of the cookie.  The apricot is thick and slightly sticky, however the flavor is pleasant and pretty yummy. I just wish there was more of it!
This was the first time I had ever tried these cookies, so I really can’t compare them to other hamantaschen or their gluten counterpart. Even though I didn’t completely love them, I think they are a decent, solid gluten free option that I wouldn’t mind eating every once in a while.
Pros: apricot flavor is tasty, not too sweet, flavors blend nicely
Cons: on the dry side, could use more apricot
Rating: 3 1/2 stars
Want to try them? You may click HERE to visit the glutenfreeplaza.com for ordering information.
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Ingredients: gluten free flour (corn, tapioca, brown rice, sorghum), sugar, palm oil, canola oil, fresh eggs, vanilla (pure), xanthan gum, salt and apricot jam.

Product Review: Katz Gluten Free chocolate chip cookies (gluten free, dairy free, kosher) March 9

Filed under *Cookies & Biscotti, *Kid Friendly Foods, Katz Gluten Free by Karen | 0 comments

These cookies are perfect for you if you miss Famous Amos or Chips A’hoy!
These sweet and crunchy cookies from Katz Gluten Free are quite addicting, so buyer beware.  I would compare these cookies to the prepackaged cookies I used to snack on every so often before I went gluten free.  They are the perfect size for two bites, and are on the thick side with lots of nooks and crannies.  The flavor is perfectly sweet, but no overbearing. Overall, a great snack cookie to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Each 6 ounce stay-fresh container sells for $4.39.
Pros: Crunchy, snack size, yummy flavor and texture
Cons: “foodies” might not like them
Rating: 4 stars
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Want to try them for yourself?
Click  HERE to visit Gluten Free Plaza.com for ordering details!

Ingredients: Gluten free flour (brown rice, potato, tapioca, sorghum), brown sugar, palm oil, fresh eggs, chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanillin) baking soda, xanthan gum

Product Review: Jake Bakes Oatty Chocolate Chip Cookies - dairy free, gluten free January 3

Filed under *Bakery products, *Cookies & Biscotti, Jake Bakes by Karen | 2 comments

Check out these fresh baked gluten free cookies from Jake Bakes! Jake Bakes is a dedicated gluten free bakery in New Jersey, which is also dairy free, egg free, peanut free, tree nut free, and trans fat free. These are different, but in a good way. They sell for $5.95 for one package of cookies.
Each wrapped package comes with a half dozen cookies stacked tall in  a clear packaging bag. I like it, because not only is the wrapping pretty, you can see exactly what you are getting. However,  it is not resealable, so get ready to  wrap up the extras so they stay fresh.
These cookies have a unique texture thanks to their oat flour base and organic flax seed. They are fairly course and dense, slightly crumbly, and a little dry compared to other fresh baked gluten free cookies that I have tried. They are also packed with semi sweet chocolate chips in every bite.
The flavor is wonderful and left my ultra-picky 9 year old begging for more. The chocolate flavor is powerful and pair well with flavor of the oat flour and flax seed. I did notice a bit of an aftertaste, I think it was from the flax. It wasn’t exactly unpleasant, but it was definitely a surprise. I also appreciated that these cookies weren’t too sweet. These Jake Bakes gluten free cookies are a hearty treat that I would buy for my gluten free pantry, or to give as a gift.
Pros: nice flavor, hearty
Cons: a little dry, slight aftertaste, expensive!
Rating: 4 stars
Ingredients: gluten free oat flour, semi sweet chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanillin), organic brown sugar, organic mesquite flour, canola oil, rice milk, organic flax seed, pure vanilla extract, baking soda, salt.
To purchase these cookies, please visit the Jakes Bakes website for more information.
Click HERE for more Jake Bakes reviews, and HERE for more gluten free cookie reviews

Product Review: Joans GF Great Bakes Ready To Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies December 3

Filed under *Bakery products, *Cookies & Biscotti, Joans GF Great Bakes by Karen | 3 comments

I love the idea of these gluten free chocolate chip cookies!

Joan’s GF Great Bakes sent me this ready to bake cookie dough to try out. I was amazed- they are even pre-scooped/shaped! All you have to do is place the scoops of frozen dough on a cookie sheet, bake, and then eat. It doesn’t get much easier than that for fresh baked gluten free cookies! Each package is 10 ounces and contains enough dough for 12 cookies and cost $10.

Unfortunately, my cookies don’t look very appetizing, even though they tasted really good.  I fully blame my high altitide location for this, though, since this used to happen with my own home made cookies.

These gluten free chocolate chip cookies are sweet and chewy. The flavor is pleasant and doesn’t scream “I’m gluten free!” My picky children even liked these. The texture was difficult to assertain since they flopped flat in my oven, but I didn’t sense any grittiness or coarseness, which was another bonus.

Overall, these are tasty cookies that are a great option when you want fresh baked gluten free cookies, without the mess or fuss.

Pros: great flavor, easy prep

Cons: Results vary with higher altitude locations, expensive

Rating: 4 stars

Ingredients: GF flour blend (corn starch, tapioca flour, rice flour), light borwn sugar, sugar, butter, butter, eggs, salt, GF baking soda, xanthan gum, gf vanilla, chocolate chips (chocolate, cocoa butter, milk fat, soy lecithin, vanilla)

If you want to try this gluten free product yourself, please visit Joan’s GF Greatbakes website for ordering information

Product Review: Shabtai Meltaway Cookies- gluten free/ lactose free/ casein free/ soy free/ dairy free/ gfcf/ kosher December 3

Filed under *Cookies & Biscotti, *GF/ CF products, Shabtai Gourmet, Uncategorized by Karen | 0 comments

Shabtai Bakery, otherwise known as Cinderella Sweets, sent me these meltaway gluten free cookies to review. They arrived fresh baked in a 12 ounce box, ready to eat. The packaging described them as “streussel crumbs, artfully crafted into scrumptious, finger friendly morsels.”

These Meltaway cookies are square shaped shortbread-like cookies encrusted with almonds, pecans and chocolate chips. I found that they were very crisp and crumbly with no “melting” going on in my mouth, at all.  The flavor of chocolate and almond was pleasant, but the coarse texture really didn’t appeal to me. They would be great with a cup of steamy hot chocolate or coffee, though. These gluten free cookies would actually make a tasty pie crust (in place of a graham cracker crust) if they were crushed.

The cookies look really yummy, but I just didn’t care for them with my simple glass of milk. I would suggest having these with a hot beverage for maximum flavor and enjoyment.

Pros: chunky nuts and chocolate, looks great

Cons: too crumbly and crisp, the “meltaway” name is a bit deceptive

Rating: 3 stars

Ingredients: potato starch, sugar, cocoa, almond, cashew, cottonseed oil, pecans, apricot kernel, eggs, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, cinnamon, salt

To purchase these cookies, please visit Shabtai’s website and enjoy free shipping on all orders!

Product Review: Shabtai Rainbow Cookies - gluten free/ dairy & casein free/ kosher/ soy free/ gfcf November 25

Filed under *Bakery products, *Cookies & Biscotti, *GF/ CF products, Shabtai Gourmet by Karen | 4 comments

Yum!

These gluten free “cookies” from the Shabtai Gourmet Bakery come in a 12 ounce box, and are more like mini pieces of cake than a cookie. You would never guess they are gluten free. Ever.  Each piece is just big enough for two bites or so.

These gluten free cookies are very moist, soft, and enrobed in a dairy free chocolate icing that really adds a sweet finish.  The texture of the center is very smooth and not crumbly.The soft cookie (or cake) layer colors are vibrant and cheerful and have a pleasant almond flavor.  These gluten free treats are supposed to have apricot and raspberry flavor in them, but I honestly could hardly taste it due to the strong almond flavoring.

Overall, this gluten free treat is a winner at my house!

Pros: moist, sponge cake center has great texture and is really yummy!

Cons: almond flavoring masks other ingredients

Rating: 5 stars

To try this product for yourself, please visit the Shabtai Gourmet website for more information (their free shipping promo is still going on- free shipping on all orders- nice!)

Ingredients: sugar, eggs, partially hydrogenated palm oil, apricot kernal, almond, cocoa, potato starch, raspberries, pectin, natural flavor, emulsion, artificial color (FD&C yellow #5, red #3, blue #1), salt.

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Click HERE for more of my Shabtai reviews!

Wanna cookie? Click HERE for my other gluten free cookie reviews!

Product Review: Bread of Life Flax Shortbread Gluten Free Cookie- wheat free/ nut free/ organic ingredients October 5

Filed under *Bakery products, *Cookies & Biscotti, Bread of Life Bakery (MO) by Karen | 1 comment

This has to be my favorite Bread of Life cookie, hands down. This Flax Shortbread cookie is simply yummy!

This is a fresh baked, individually packaged, and generously sized cookie that doesn’t kill me with sweetness. Yes, it is a treat and is somewhat sweet thanks to the evaporated cane juice, but I just love the nutty texture and flavor. It is a pleasant deviation from the traditional chocolate chip cookie. The sorghum flour base provides a nice backdrop for the simple flavors of this slightly buttery tasting gluten free cookie.

This gluten free cookie is soft and chewy with lots of texture from the flax seed with no dryness or crumbling. This is also one of Bread of life’s few cookies that does not have the sugar coating on top that helps preserve freshness. I love that! I especially like warming this cookie in them microwave for 10 seconds- it makes it taste fresh baked.

Worried about ordering online? Please do not hesitate ordering from this company- their customer service is personal and prompt. Any problems I have had with past orders were resolved immediately. That is comforting, because sometimes you just don’t know what to expect from an online vendor.

Rating: 5 stars

Pros: soft, chewy, great flavor and texture, individually packaged for freshness and portability

Cons: can’t think of any

For purchasing information, please visit the Bread if Life Bakery website.

Ingredients: sorghum flour, organic evaporated cane juice, butter, flax seed millet, free range eggs, tapioca flour, date paste, xanthan gum, baking soda, sea salt

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For more of  my Bread of Life bakery product reviews, click HERE

For more of my gluten free cookie reviews, click HERE

Product Review: Natasha’s Health Nut Cookies- gluten free cookies/ reduced carbs/ no added sugar August 28

Filed under * MY FAVORITES!, *Cookies & Biscotti, *Snack Foods, Natasha's Cookies, Uncategorized by Karen | 1 comment

These are amazing!

Natasha’s makes three flavors of health nut cookies that I was happy to review.
Natasha ( yes, she is a real person) creates and makes these yummy snack cookies and ships them fresh to your doorstep. They come in a package of 6 and boasts the fact that they are flourless/ gluten free, have no added sugar and reduced carbs. These cookies are not meant as a dessert, but as a part of a healthful snack accompanied by fresh fruit and a drink.
She also suggests that are also ideal for those that have diabetes, follow a low glycemic diet, or are on Weight Watchers ( each cookie is 3 points).
I love these soft and chewy snack cookies because they are not very sweet- just enough to taste great, but not so sweet it sends my sugar level through the roof, craving more. One cookie is satisfying and more than enough to curb your appetite. I stored my gluten free snack cookies in the fridge and they stayed fresh and chewy for 8-10 days with no drying or crumbling. I wouldn’t suggest waiting much longer than that though. I thought it was interesting to note that all three flavors look very similar with the same texture and chewiness due to their almond meal base.
Natalie’s offers the following flavors:
Cranberry Orange ( pictured above): Has a fresh orange flavor punctuated by plump cranberries and coconut chips. This flavor is my favorite!
Raisin Amaretto: This flavor really surprised me- the amaretto flavor is just strong enough for you to say “wow!” but doesn’t overwhelm the mild flavors of the almond meal, pecan pieces and coconut flakes. The raisin flavor is also very mild as the raisins appear as bits and pieces through the cookie- no big and plump pieces like the cranberry orange flavor. I actually liked it that way, since I am not a huge fan of raisins.
Vanilla Chocolate Chip: This flavor is the sweetest of the three flavors offered by Natasha. The pure vanilla flavor is a perfect match with the semi sweet dark chocolate chips sprinkled throughout the cookie. Like the raisin cookie, the chocolate appears as smaller bits with a few large chunks thrown in. Medium sized pecan pieces add a slight crunch for variety. These are a good choice if you have a sweet tooth craving, but don’t want to satisfy it with empty junk food.
Well done Natasha- my super picky kids loved these as a snack with some apple slices and a glass of milk. They were shocked when I ate one because they couldn’t tell these gluten free cookies, were in fact, gluten free. That’s a huge compliment coming from them!
Rating: 5 stars
PROS: soft, chewy, healthful gluten free cookie alternative, diabetic and Weight Watchers friendly, keeps fresh in the fridge for 8+ days, filling snack
CONS: contains Maltitol- some consumers may be sensitive-, minimum order is 3 boxes, texture is somewhat chunky due to the type of ingredients, which some may not like
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If you want to try these health nut cookies, Natasha is currently selling them through her website to keep costs down for her customers. Click HERE to visit her site and for more information
For more reviews, feel free to check out the The Nibble and Diabetes Health articles

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