A quirky cookie, an Allergy-free version of Costco’s Aussie Bites

A part of me wishes that the holiday season won’t end. It’s a time of fun with family and good food. Probably the reason that I don’t want the season to end is because I’ve been battling the stomach flu since Christmas Day and wasn’t able to enjoy it as usual. Nevertheless, I am better now and am itching to get back to cooking and blogging. Last week, I promised to post a recipe of one of the holiday treats that I made and gave to friends and family, so here it is…..a post on Aussie Bites!

Aussie Bites (Photo credit: anniesteam.com)

IMG_0916 (Photo credit: Ian Fuller)

For the Costco shoppers out there, do you remember the cookie called Aussie Bites? My parents would get them from time to time. I was a big fan of them then. I don’t know if they are still around since I don’t shop there myself. I was craving them for some time and found some recipes online that attempt to get close to the Costco original. These cookies are very similar to the traditional Australian/New Zealand treat called Anzac Biscuits. I think Aussie Bites are derived from those. Looking at the recipes, they are very similar. The main difference between the two is that Anzac Biscuits are thin and often crisp, while Aussie Bites are thick and soft, like a flat-topped mini-muffin. I’ll take either. I’m not too picky with cookies.

Here are the Aussie bites just out of the oven and cooling for a little bit in the mini-muffin tin. I decided to go with an allergy-friendly Aussie Bites recipe from Conscious Eatery. When my husband tasted them, he said “These are quirky, like you.” I took that as a compliment. I really liked the taste of these and I guess if you are what you eat, then I don’t mind being quirky…actually, I like it 🙂

Allergy-friendly Aussie Bites

adapted from Conscious Eatery

Makes about 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup Gluten-Free Oats (I used Bob’s Red Mill Brand)
• 2/3 c Gluten-Free Oat Flour
• 1/3 c Coconut flour (don’t sub with any other flour, I tried to sub it with Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose flour and it wasn’t as good)
• 1/3 c Sucanat or Brown sugar
• 1/2 cup  Shredded coconut, unsweetened (lightly toasted if you prefer)
• 1/3 cup Pumpkin seeds (or sunflower seeds)
• 2 tablespoons Flax seeds or Chia Seeds (I used flax since I like the taste and crunch of these, even though they have to be ground to reap the nutritional benefits)
• 1/3 cup Dried fruit such as figs, dates, or apricots cut into bite-sized pieces (I used a raisin medley, dried cherries, and apricots)
• 2 tablespoons Agave nectar or liquid sweetener of your choice (for this recipe I like using Golden Syrup, though even honey or real maple syrup works well)
• 1/2 cup Coconut oil, melted (I tried this with melted butter and it works well too)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 flax “egg”  (1 tablespoon ground flax  mixed with  3 tablespoons water)
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 tablespoon hot water

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease your muffin tins with oil or use paper liners (comes off easily to get the original un-lined look).
2. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: the oats, oat flour, coconut flour, sucanat, coconut, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, and dried fruit.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the liquid sweetener, melted coconut oil, vanilla, and flax “egg.”
4. In a small bowl, whisk, with a fork, the baking soda and salt into the hot water. Combine this soda water into the sweet oil-egg mixture.
5. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mix. Stir until combined and the flour is all hydrated.
6. Using a tablespoon or a mini-muffin sized disher (looks like mini ice cream scoop) scoop the batter in rounded tablespoons into the greased muffin tins or paper liners.
7. With your fingertips, press gently on the tops of each muffin to flatten them for the original flat-top look.
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes, checking and rotating pans halfway through the baking time. Let cool about 10 minutes in pan before removing the cookies. If needed, a toothpick helps lift them out.

Like the original Costco version, these allergy-friendly Aussie Bites are really good. It’s like an addictive version of an oatmeal cookie. You can’t just have one. If you like oatmeal cookies or something quirky, give them a try!

Related articles

• Healthy Cookie Quest (barbsfitublog.wordpress.com)
• At Last Gluten-Free Brownies (survivingthefoodallergyapocalypse.wordpress.com)
• Baked Oatmeal Allergy-Free Style – Fast and Easy! (itchylittleworld.com)
• Anzac Biscuits – a Tradition and Merle’ s best recipe so far…. (forestwoodfolkart.wordpress.com)