A Sweet Challenge: Navigating Allergy-Friendly Treats at Somersfield Academy’s Cookie Swap
Jessie Moniz
June 11, 2012 — Shortly before May 24, my daughter Stephanie’s class at Somersfield Academy held a cookie swap so the children would have something to munch on during their holiday. It sounded like a great idea, but one student had an allergy to whey. Whey, found in most dairy products except pure butter, is also present in many margarines, except vegan options like Earth’s Balance. Although we received a list of what the child could and couldn’t eat, finding a suitable recipe was daunting.
My husband, Steven, the chef in our household, found a whey-free cookie recipe online. Stephanie eagerly assisted with sifting ingredients and mixing the batter. However, when the batter went onto the tray, it seemed very runny. At 9pm, Steven despaired, "This is never going to work." Despite this, he baked the cookies while calling everyone he knew with food allergies for another recipe. Unfortunately, no one had one. The cookies did bake, though they started to burn around the edges, and they still tasted pretty good.
The next day, Stephanie returned home with a beautifully decorated box of cookies from her classmates. Here are some whey-free recipes from teachers Janice Outerbridge and Natalie Card’s class at Somersfield, along with recipes for vegan, egg-free, and gluten-free diets. Always check with those with allergies or alternative diets about their needs and include the recipe if the food is going to a gathering without you.
Arabella’s Whey-Free Cookies
Ingredients:
- 6 oz Earth Balance spread
- 6 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 cup flour
Method:
1. Rub all ingredients together with fingertips to make crumbs.
2. Use hands to squeeze crumbs into dough.
3. Roll dough thinly between two sheets of non-stick baking paper.
4. Cut out shapes and place on an ungreased baking sheet.
5. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about ten minutes. Cool and decorate. Store for up to two days.
Rainbow Sugar Cookies Whey-Free
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- Liquid food colouring: red, blue, yellow, green
Method:
1. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar, then add eggs and vanilla.
3. Gradually add flour mixture. Do not over-mix; the dough will be soft.
4. Divide dough into six portions, tint with food colouring.
5. Roll each colour into a thin rectangle, stack, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
6. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Cut dough into ¼-inch slices, shape into rainbows, and bake for about ten minutes. Cool on a rack.
Ava’s Whey-Free Chocolate Crackled Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1¼ cups firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 stick Crisco all vegetable shortening
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups Pillsbury Best All Purpose Flour
- 6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Method:
1. Beat brown sugar, shortening, and vanilla in a bowl until well blended. Add eggs; beat until fluffy.
2. Stir together flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda. Gradually add to the mixture, beating just until blended.
3. Chill dough for three hours.
4. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Shape dough into 1¼-inch balls, roll in granulated and powdered sugar. Place on an ungreased baking sheet.
5. Bake for eight to ten minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Vegan Orange Cranberry Muffins
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ to 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- ⅔ cup orange juice (freshly squeezed)
- 2 tsp flax seed powder
- ½ cup water
- Orange zest from one orange
- 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cranberries
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease or line a muffin tin.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Blend flax seed powder with water until frothy. Combine with orange juice and zest.
3. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients, fold in cranberries. Do not over-mix.
4. Spoon batter into muffin tins. Bake for about 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Vegan Buttercream Frosting
from www.vegancupcakerecipes.com
Ingredients:
- 3 cups vegan powdered sugar
- ½ cup vegan margarine, softened (80 percent fat is best)
- ¼ cup soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Method:
1. Mix margarine, non-dairy milk, and vanilla. Blend in sugar.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Mint Cookies
Ingredients:
- ⅛ cup light buckwheat flour (or your favourite gluten-free mix)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ tsp natural peppermint extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup gluten-free chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk dry ingredients. Beat egg and sugar until light and fluffy. Add butter and peppermint extract, then dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
3. Scoop dough onto prepared sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes until crisp on edges and soft in the middle. Cool on baking sheets
Note: For gluten-free baking, Pocono Mills light buckwheat flour works well, but you can substitute with your preferred gluten-free mix.
Top ten most common food allergens.
Dairy
Eggs
Fish
Peanuts
Tree nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, etc)
Sesame
Shellfish and other seafood
Soy
Wheat
Gluten — a protein commonly found in wheat, but also in barley, rye, and some other grains.
Originally published in The Royal Gazette