I have had a love for English digestive biscuits since I have been a child. These biscuits which are really just grain based shortbread-like cookies are traditionally served with tea or cheese and wine as part of a savory dessert. As I do my very best to adhere to a gluten-free diet, the only way that I was going to be able to enjoy this favorite treat was to create a recipe of my own. Cravings are a great motivator and this recipe is a real winner.
Keep in mind that this recipe was not designed to be a healthy variation of the original. Sometimes I just want to create a version of something that will satisfy the memory of taste. Living a life without gluten and gluten based baked goods after years making desserts for a living can sometimes make you feel like you are missing out. Generally speaking, the majority of the gluten-free substitutes for baked goods and pasta just don't quite do it for me. These perfect buttery treats made me feel like I wasn't missing out on anything at all.
Oatmeal Biscuits Makes 24 biscuits |
|
1 cup |
gluten-free all purpose flour (I used Thomas Keller's Cup4Cup) all purpose flour can be substituted if you do not desire a gluten-free result |
1 1/3 cup | gluten-free rolled oats |
1 teaspoon | aluminum-free baking powder |
1/8 teaspoon | sea salt |
1/3 cup | light brown sugar, packed |
1/2 cup | unsalted butter, if you are vegan substitute with a butter alternative such as Earth Balance |
1/4 cup | milk or dairy free milk |
Combine the flour, oats, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process for about 20-30 seconds. Cut the butter into tablespoon size pieces and add them to the mixture in the food processor. Pulse the blade until the mixture is broken up and the butter is about the size of small peas. Add the milk and pulse for another few seconds until the mixture turns into a loose dough. Gather the dough into a loose ball and pat into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 10 minutes. Heat the oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. Sprinkle a bit a oat flour or Cup4Cup onto your work surface. Put the disk of dough onto the prepared surface and press down with your fingertips. Roll the dough out to be about 1/8-1/4 inch in thickness. Use a 2-3 inch round cookie cutter to cut the biscuits. Use an offset spatula to transfer the biscuits to the prepared baking sheet. Use the tines of a fork to dock each of the biscuits about 3-4 times per cookie. Bake the biscuits for about 12 minutes or until they are golden. Gather the remaining scraps of dough and repeat until all of the dough is used up. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. |