Having celiac disease (with more than a couple additional food allergies), my mother always made sure there was some sort of alternative for me to enjoy the same delicious pleasures as the rest of my family. Over the years, I have altered the following recipe to be what it has become today – a healthful ‘treat’ that I enjoy daily as an energizing snack!
Enjoy!
Gluten-Free, Vegan, Nut-Free, Low-Fat, Corn-Free, and Sugar-Free Cuccidati
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes
Yield: 50 cookies
Ingredients
I have various food allergies that accompany my celiac disease: eggs, dairy, and nuts being among some of them. You will notice I list some substitutes in the recipe list that you may prefer. I know, 13 ingredients seems like a lot, but you likely already have all of these ingredients in your kitchen!
For filling
- ½ cup loosely packed diced dried apricots (can substitute with diced, dried figs or any dried fruit)
- 1 cup loosely packed diced dates (can substitute with crushed nuts)
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 tsp grated tangerine peel (or thinly sliced)
- 2 tbsps unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup of warm water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsps coffee
For outer cookie
- 4 cups gluten free all-purpose flour (I followed and doubled this recipe to create my mix)
- 4 tsps gluten free baking powder
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 3 flax eggs (if you use 3 real eggs instead, omit the 5 tbsps of water ingredient below)
- 3 tbsps mashed banana
- 5 tbsps water
Tools
- Rolling pin
Directions
For the filling
- Combine the cocoa powder with the warm water, and set aside.
- Combine the filling ingredients: dried apricots, dates, raisins, tangerine peel, cocoa and water mix, powder, vanilla extract, and coffee. Mix well.
- Cook the filling ingredients in a medium heat pot. Stir frequently until the moisture is gone. This takes about 15 minutes. *See note below for make ahead instructions.
For the outer cookie
- Start with making the flax eggs (for the outer cookie). Combine 3 tablespoons of flax meal with 9 tablespoons of warm water 1:3 ratio. Mix well and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Create a crater in the flour mix and slowly add the other ingredients into it: baking powder, sugar, mashed banana, flax eggs, and water. Mix well.
- Knead the dough for 2-5 minutes or so until it is a smooth and elasticky texture, but still sticky.
Combining and baking
- Preheat oven to convection bake at 375 degrees.
- Cut the dough in 3 big chunks. Work, chunk by chunk.
- Roll out the chunk with a rolling pin, into a 2”x12” rectangle, 1 millimeter thick. If needed, cut the edges so they are straight.
- Spread a thin layer filling on about ⅔ of the rolled out rectangle.
- Roll the filling side of the dough toward the unfilled side, at least 1 complete time.
- Pinch the top every inch or so with the tip of a pair of scissors so they can ‘breathe.’
- Cut into cookies about 2 inches long as shown in photo (each cookie has about 1 teaspoon of filling).
- Place cookies onto a silicone baking sheet – or whatever you prefer to use. They can be placed about 1-inch apart as they will not expand.
- Bake for 15 minutes on the top rack.
Once baked
- You can roll them in cocoa powder, or simply sprinkle some grated tangerine peel on top. Enjoy 😀
Notes
Make ahead instructions:
You can make the filling and let it sit in a cool, dry place up to 2-3 days. Mix the mixture morning and night for those 2-3 days, making sure the liquid is soaked into the dried fruit mix. If after the 2-3 days, the mix is too dry, add 1-2 tbsp of water.
